Sunday, September 8, 2013

Consolation Surprise

So random Twitter people were selected for the Killer Cruise giveaway, and as far as I can tell none of the winners were my blog regulars.

Which makes me sad! I think the regulars here are the  nicest group of the internet. You're always so supportive of each other (and me, too!) and I was hoping at least one of you would be picked. So this morning when I was pouting about it to Mark he pointed out that I have a few of my own early copies of Killer Cruise that I could donate, and before you know it, we had a plan and got to work.

We printed the comments that were left at the blog over the last 6 weeks. We cut them into strips by name (making them approximately equal in size regardless of the length of the comment). The more active someone had been at the blog, the bigger their chance was of winning a book, but even if a person had left only a single comment over that span of time, they still had a chance to win.

Then we stuck all the strips in a hat (well, a grocery bag) and picked three names.

As luck would have it, the odds bore out in favor of multi-commenters.

So!

Will the following people please start jumping up and down:
  1. "Optimistic4Ever" (I guess it pays to be optimistic!)
  2. "Gabrielle" (Mark actually pulled your name out twice. Lots of comments from you!)
  3. "Yusa" (I'm glad Mark picked your name--happy birthday!)
If any of the three of you happen to have also won at Twitter, please let me know so I can give the book to our first runner-up (who I won't torture by mentioning by name).

If not, please e-mail me your mailing address so I can ship you a book!

For the rest of you... I'm sorry again! Doing the best I can...

FYI, sometime during the week I'm putting up the new Twitter campaign (Free Book Fridays). The giveaway will run every Friday through the end of the year, but I'm making only one post about it so this Twitter stuff doesn't interfere so much with our regular programming (whatever that is, right?)

Anyway, know I appreciate all of you so much. See you next Sunday (and in the comments, of course!).

120 comments:

Yusa said...

OMG OMG OMG OMG I WAS KINDA SAD I DIDNT WIN THE TWITTER ONE BUT THEN I SEE MY NAME HERE I AM SO HAPPY WITH JOY THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT RIGHT NEXT TO THE SKATEBOARD THAT I WILL BE GETTING PROBABLY THE SAME DAY AS THE BOOK BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR US.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE ON TWITTER AND ON HERE WHO WON and i wish everyone could've won!

Maybe next time!
Thank you again this made my day!

Love being a Sammiac,
Yusa

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Now, THAT made me feel better!

Go easy on that skateboard (at first, anyway).

Gabrielle said...

OH MY GOD!! IM SO EXCITED IM LIKE SHAKING!!!!! I LIKE NEVER WIN CONTESTS!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!




Gabrielle

Gabrielle said...

Will they also be autographed?





Gabrielle

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

:-)
:-)

Yes, I can do that.

:-)
:-)

Caradith Craven said...

Making sure your loyal bloggers are not left out and disappointed by giving away your own copies of Killer Cruise to them is one of a hundred reasons why you are loved and respected by so many! You aren't just an amazing author...you are an incredibly caring, compassionate human being.

Yusa said...

Haha yes i will go easy on it... but you know i already have a collection of scars ;)

And congratulations Gabrielle!

And YES AUTOGRAPHS i am so happy today :D

Can't wait until Optimistic4Ever sees they won :)

--Yusa

Gabrielle said...

And congratulations to you to, Yusa. And have fun with your skateboard!
Caradith, you are so right! And yes, I can't wait till Optimistic4ever sees this blog post!
The only way to make this even better is if I didn't have to go to school tomorrow! (kidding)
And congrats for the people on Twitter who one!
Have a fantastic week everyone!!



Gabrielle

Kylie said...

I am so happy that you guys won! I too was disappointed that no one from here won on twitter, but I am so glad that you guys have now! You three are alway commenting and so nice and I am just so happy for you guys!

Have fun on the skateboard. I agree with Wendelin, go slow first because it might feel like you have the hang of it and then you realize you don't. (I learned that the hard way).

Congratulations to everyone else that won!

Kylie

Yusa said...

Kylie: I wish you could've won also! And thank you. I'll be sure to be careful on the skateboard... wouldnt want to get hurt too bad.

--Yusa

Jessica said...

Aww, I checked Twitter first and was a little bummed that no one from here won, then I checked the blog and saw the post, and as I read all the comments, my smile got bigger and bigger until it was the size of a Billy Pratt grin.

Congrats to Yusa, Gabrielle, and O4E (and the Twitter winners, in case they're lurkers here). I won a copy of Justice Jack, so I'm not too bummed -- it's nice to see others win something, too.

I was talking to an avid (8th grade) reader before youth group today, and since she's reading Sherlock Holmes, I was like, "If you like mysteries..." and then when I wrote down the name of the series and started writing the author's name, she was all, "Oh! Is it by Wendelin Van Draanen? I have to read them then!" Turns out she'd read Shredderman in elementary, and had read the Running Dream, too.

Azhar said...

OMG, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I'm so happy that you guys won! You totally deserve it!

That was a super super nice thing for you to do and I'm sure it made their day! :DD

Have a great week, everyone!! :))

Azhar said...

OMG, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I'm so happy that you guys won! You totally deserve it!

That was a super super nice thing for you to do and I'm sure it made their day! :DD

Have a great week, everyone!! :))

donasia said...

Congratulations to the loyal commentators who won books :) Love from the one of the blog's lurker and Twitter contest winner

Yusa said...

Ahhh hello and congratulations to you! I'm glad you decided to comment!
You should talk with us more often :)

donasia said...

Happy Birthday by the way Yusa. I was super excited when Cold Hard Cash came out on my Birthay and I got it the same day :)

Shaina said...

Can I just say, you guys are so cute. :)
Also, I'm stoked to read the book this week too! I have pre-ordered it from amazon, so it will arrive on The Big Day. Yay! My husband kind of just chuckled when I told him that book #17 was coming out. I think he was wondering if something can be exciting 17 times. The answer is YES! Sammy Keyes books! Christmas! Birthdays! They're always exciting.

Kylie said...

I feel the same as Jessica. I would much rather one of you guys win that haven't one already than me who has. You all totally deserve it!

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

See? This group is awesome.

Thanks to the shy ones for popping up to say hello.

Now where is O4E????

Gabrielle said...

I know! I was just telling my Mom that everyone on this blog is so nice!! I know! I want Optimistic4ever to see that she won!




Gabrielle

Gabrielle said...

I really wish there was a way to contact her....



Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Yeah i really wish we could contact her... i left a comment on her blog to see if maybe she gets an email for that... hopefully she'll come on soon

--Yusa

P.S. thank you everyone i love you all

Optimistic4ever said...

OMG I WON!!! YEEE OMG IM SO HAPPYYY :) I've been following you for 4 years, and I guess being optimistic really did pay off, like you said!

Thanks Yusa, I almost didn't see this post (or wouldnt have until a few more days) but I got your comment on my blog in my inbox so thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Everyone else, good luck on the rest of the Free Book Fridays, I really hope you guys have a chance to win something :)

Unknown said...

Caradith is so right! Congrats to all that have won!! Wow 4 years that you have been following that is some loyalty right there! =) and good luck to the rest for the free book Fridays I might just have to make a twitter account just for that!
And also news on my p.e teacher and The Running Dream; I told her about it a few days ago and boy she got REALLY exited when I told her the basics about the book, and as I walked away she muttered Van Draanen...running dream... So I hope she remembers the next time she is at the library!!=)

Gabrielle said...

Yay!! Congrats Optimistic4ever!! I was thinking about saying something on your blog, but I wasn't sure if you'd get it, and it said you hadn't been on in a while. But I'm glad Yusa said something to you! And 4 years is a very long time! Optimism is always a good quality to have!


Gabrielle

Yusa said...

O4E: Yay i am glad it worked... i thought it did go to your inbox... Congratulations :)
And we all love your optimism :D

--Yusa

Kylie said...

Yay I am so glad that you now know. I DM you on twitter hoping that maybe you would see that.

I am so glad that you all won! I am just so excited for you all and I am so happy!

Unknown said...

Man, now I regret being a lurker. :) Congratulations!

Yusa said...

Aww now you can comment with us!

I think everyone should join in commenting because we are a family and everyone here is so nice and fun to talk to and i love how Wendelin (not sure how to address you your Holy Literary Highness) always joins in so dont be shy!

--Yusa

Unknown said...

Aww Yusa you're so funny!=D *Holy Literary Highness* that got me laughing!!

Karen said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YUSA!

Yayy you reached O4E! Congratulations, all you six! (Hi, donasia and Corazon!)

Wendelin, this is awesome, thank you. You’ll still have a copy of Killer Cruise for yourself, right?

Do you know whether the Friday Free Books will be hardcover or paperback?

Karen said...

Wendelin can’t be holy, she’s too much fun!

Shaina: A new book from a favorite author? YES ALWAYS EXCITING. Now, if the series were formulaic, so this was like watching Hotel Thief come out for the seventeenth time, that would be a different story. But it’s not. So thine husband is a sillypants. In the most loving way possible, of course.

Karen said...

Also, Wendelin, thank you for writing Killer Cruise and Kiss Goodbye! I remember you saying, right after you started writing Killer Cruise, that you considered just ending with Sin City. I’m really glad you didn’t, not so much because I will happily read any Sammy you choose to write, but because Sin City left me with so many questions!

From Hotel Thief to Justice Jack, there were some major constants: Sammy didn’t know anything about her dad; she was living illegally in the Senior Highrise with Grams; Heather wanted to do her in, for some inexplicable reason; Marissa was her best friend. And then Sin City came along and yanked the rug out from under us (in a really good way), and all I could think was, So what’s going to be the new normal?

(Okay, and Whew, I only have to wait nine months for Killer Cruise, and Wait, I don’t even remember how Heather and Sammy met, I’m going to have to go reread some things.)

So thanks for not leaving us hanging. :-)

Mark said...

Okay, so I just looked over at Wendelin (who is deep in re-writes for ‘Kiss Goodbye’ as we speak) and said, “Hey, Your Holy Literary Highness, I hate to bother you, but…” And we both ended up cracking up.

Haha… love it! (And yes, Wendelin is WAY too much fun to be holy!)

Kylie said...

If she can't be Holy can she be Awesome Literary Highness?

Yusa said...

Haha glad you guys like it and yes i know she is not holy... it's like calling Sammy safe or Heather a saint....
:P But what about Honorary Literary Highness

Isabel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Isabel said...

Dear Yusa, Gabrielle, and Optimistic4ever: >>>CONGRETULATIONS<<< YOU GUYS SOOOOOOOOOOO TOTALLLLLLLY DESERRRRRRRRVED ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!
And again, Happy Birthday Yusehrah!!!! Please tell me I got your name right, I have a feeling not. Heavens, after seven years of knowing you, I still suck at getting your name right.
Gabrielle: You are SUCH an AWESOME fan on this blog!!!!! Not missing a beat! Me on the other hand: I have to admit- My teachers are pushing the limit. Cuz basically everyday this is me: Gotta check the blog, let's check if I'm done with homework...check...check...WHAT?!?!? I FORGOT MATH?!?!? NOOOOOOOOO!
So yeah, as you can see, life isn't giving me and freedom at the moment, if there were a manager for Life, I'd be like, "Hello? Emergency right here, sign me up to meet Life, please? ike...now...please?"
Optimistic4ever: I haven't been on here long, but I know for sure that you have!!!!!! And you totally deserve it!!!!!!! Way to go being optimistic, my friend!
And congrats all the twitter winners, who probably won't see this; ENJOY THE BOOK< I HAVE A FEELING ALL WINNERS DESERVED IT!!!!
And to those who didn't win: Cheer up, the book IS coming out anyways, now isn't it!?!?! Look at the bright side of it!
CAN'T WAIT TILL THE BOOK COMES OUT!!!!
Oh, and Mark- I'm WAITING FOR YOUR BOOK, TOO, YOU KNOW! :P :D :)

Jessica said...

So, who has their copy of Killer Cruise yet? The agonizing wait for the library to list its copies (assuming it's even ordered any) has begun for me. I'm going to try to limit checking to once a day.

Happy reading and bon voyage, everyone!

Gabrielle said...

Hahaha!! Holy Literary Highness!!!! And thanks Isabel!!! Hey, Wendelin, I don't mean to sound pushy,but I'm REALLY excited for the book! When will they be shipped out?



Gabrielle

Optimistic4ever said...

Btw, I laughed so hard at the Holy Literary Highness thing :)I love you all, you're so funny!

Gabrielle: She responded to my email yesterday saying they were packed and ready to ship out tomorrow (that's TODAY!)

Gabrielle said...

Yay!!! But I never got for a email.




Gabrielle

Unknown said...

Isn't it funny how we can go from one comment to 42 in 3 days!! =) It took about a week for sin city to get to our library I can't wait to read the final version!!! I hope too much wasn't cut out! And a warning for the rest who will read this book today: have a box of tissues ready(got me GOOD) and your quote book if you have one!!=)

Jessica said...

When Wendelin and Mark go on their book tour next year, we can all greet her as "Your Holy Literary Highness" and she'll know we're from the blog. I can see her on a red velvet-cushioned chair with a crown (decorated with skateboards and high tops, of course) and a giant quill scepter, autographing books.

Yusa said...

Omg Jessica that is a great idea! :)
'And today i got my skateboard in the mail. Excited to try it out soon.
Can't wait for Killer Cruise to come :)

And who was there when we got like 180 comments? :)

Gabrielle said...

Good idea, Jessica!! I Remember that, Yusa!! Have fun with your skateboard, Yusa!! And I'm so excited for Killer Cruise too!!!!! :D




Gabrielle

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

OMG...HLH? LOL!

The books where shipped today!

(At least the ones I was in charge of shipping to the FLF) (Faithful Literary Followers)

Love you all,
WV

Yusa said...

Thank you.

Omg i just had first test run... it went well. I fell kinda pathetically at the end but i am okay and my ankle only hurts a little... need a lot of practice though. :)

Kylie said...

This throne idea has me picturing Wendelin with her feet up on the arm of a throne made out of books with high tops on and a staff with horseshoe charms on it and then of course a crown. And a skateboard like leaning on the side of the throne.

Kylie said...

Yusa, you will get better at it! I promise, it is not as easy as it looks.

Yusa said...

Haha Kylie yes i can imagine that..
And thanks for the motivation!

Haha FLF :) Yeah i am...

Yay! The books were shipped i can't wait!
Now i just gotta some how get rid of this pile of chemistry homework...

--Yusa

Optimistic4ever said...

Love the idea Jessica!

Ooh ouch, but don't worry Yusa, you'll get there.

Yay can't wait for books! :D

KatNovak said...

So, since the book was released today, September 10, that means that the e-book was available at midnight last night. I barely made it through all of my homework for classes today, but Killer Cruise was amazing!! Now I just need to re-read it 50 more times.

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Hello, KatNovak and thank you for the comment! You got a big head start but it sounds like you also zoomed through it. Which I take as a compliment!

And whoops to my previous typo. They where shipped? Yeah, where? To the recipients, I hope.

Were. You know.

Yusa said...

Luckyyy you got to read it.. i might have gotten an ebook but i have a thing against reading online.. I myself don't feel the same joy out of it. But now i really cant wait.

And haha i get it WVD :)

Gabrielle said...

I know, Yusa! I want to read it so bad to!! But I can be patient,I waited almost a year for it,I can definitely wait a few more days. But it'll be hard. :p lol!
Hahaha!!! FLF!



Gabrielle

Unknown said...

Yusa hear is a tip: keep your feet on the bolts always! At first I was like pfshhh whaaaat?! I don't need to do that! Then I realized that I did and it made the whole thing easier! So I'm sure your smart and already figured that out!!=)

Gabrielle said...

Yes, I could see that to, Isabel and good luck with skateboarding, Yusa!! You're probably are doing better than I would; I'm a completely clumsy, I'll just like trip over nothing. I can't imagine myself on a skateboard,since you have to have balance. :P




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Thanks for the tips :) but does anyone know how to stop on a skateboard without getting off it?
My next problem is finding time to ride it.

--Yusa

Karen said...

Bella: Tissues?? :\ Say it ain’t so!

My bookstore got my copy yesterday afternoon, picked it up after work today, 2/5 of the way through and I have been laughing SO MUCH gah I love Marko and Dad-who-must-not-be-called-Dad!

Wendelin will know us when we call her Holy Literary Highness yes I am remembering this for the epic road trip! Let us know when Mark’s book comes out!

Wendelin: best wishes in your Kiss Goodbye rewrites! I’d wish you good luck but I don’t think luck has much to do with it.

Love how this post is part flail, part goofy made-up title discussion, and part skateboarding discussion board.

Karen said...

I had mac ’n’ cheese ’n’ salsa for dinner tonight and I must have finally got the salsa distribution right because instead of being Well this is good but I think my mac ’n’ cheese recipe is better plain it was Wow this is really good!

Yusa said...

Karen: Yup haha we talk about the randomest things on here... i remember once the discussion went towards thrift shops and chickens and i dont know what :P
Hmmm i need to try Macaroni and Salsa properly...
Still anxiously awaiting to read it :)

Jessica said...

I forgot to ask at the library yesterday whether they could tell if KC had at least been ordered yet. I have something to pick up tomorrow, so maybe I'll remember to ask then.

Yusa, the only times I've been on a skateboard were when I sneaked a ride on my brothers' (who always fussed at me when they caught me), but I've been able to find good instructional videos for various things online. (I try to watch only videos by experts who are also well-respected teachers, because copying an idiot could be dangerous. For example, I've learned a few vaults and rolls from Jesse La Flair's parkour tutorials.)

Anonymous said...

I ordered KC on amazon the day before it came out, and usually amazon is so fast, but the book still hasn't even been shipped yet! :( i'm dying to read it! congrats to all the winners btw! :) i'm more of a lurker but this is encouraging me to comment more. lol

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

I love that there's skateboard coaching going on here and that readers are coming out of the woodwork.

BEST QUOTE of the COMMENTS goes to Jessica: "...because copying an idiot could be dangerous."

I'm STILL laughing!

Gabrielle said...

Jessica's wise words. I can't wait for KC!!!!




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Thanks Jessica yeah probably a good tip haha :P

And COME OUT OF YOUR SHELLS EVERYONE OUT THERE :)

--Yusa

Unknown said...

"Copying an idiot could be dangerous"
that's really funny jessica!! Like wendelin, I'm still laughing too!
Yusa: I stop by just putting down my foot and brushing it on the pavment, but some people put the back up and let that drag but I think you could fall easier that way.
And if none of the libraries have ordered yet, then tell them to stop Skippy-Doodlin' around!

Unknown said...

Oh, and I forgot to add: i love coming back from school and seeing that there has been 10 more comments posted every day!!!=)

Gabrielle said...

I know, Bella! It's one of the first things I do when I get home from school is check this blog, and it's also the first thing I do in the morning.
And we haven't had this many comments in a while!




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Yeah guys i felt like we were slacking and i started commenting less but now WE ARE BACK :)
Haha.
But i miss Steph's comments.
I haven't checked the mail yet but i am praying...
And before i ordered it from the library so it says in Transit... let's see which comes first.

Everyone who has read it already.. you lucky ducks. You must have a hidden horseshoe or something. LET ME BORROW IT :)

--Yusa

Jessica said...

Yusa, your library already has it? That's awesome! I requested Sin City from mine; I figure it won't hurt to reread it while I'm waiting (it's not even in transit yet, so it'll probably take a week -- and then I'll read it in a few hours and be all anxious again). I'm resisting the urge to see if Amazon has a sneak peek, because reading just a little bit would make the waiting worse.

Gabrielle said...

I know!! I'm dying to read it to Jessica and Yusa!!! I've been avoiding my iPad because I'll be really tempted to go on amazon. Hopefully the book will be here soon!!!




Gabrielle

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

The "Consolation" books shipped out BEFORE the Twitter books (which are now on their way).

Just sayin'

:-)

Yusa said...

I LOVE YOU YOUR HLH YOU ARE THE BEST :-)

Unknown said...

Aww that's so nice of you!!=)
and I say that if can get 77 comments by Thursday; we can get 100 EASILY by Sunday!!! =)

Azhar said...

Yeah I put a hold on it too and it says its in transit but that always takes FOREVER!!

I'm still very excited, tho!

And I'm trying not to read the sneak peak from amazon cuz i KNOW It'll make me more impatient, hahaa

Jessica said...

I forgot to ask at the library again. *sigh* But I was just reminded that today is free book Friday! Hop over to HLH's twitter to enter for a chance to win Hotel Thief.

Optimistic4ever said...

I GOT MY BOOK!!! Yusa, Gabrielle , any such luck?

Yusa said...

Hmm i might have we havent checked the mail yet... i have been asking to but we cant until in an hour or so... im hoping!

Gabrielle said...

Cool Optimisic4ever!! No, I haven't gotten it yet. :( I'm hoping even tomorrow or Monday,but really hoping tomorrow!




Gabrielle

Gabrielle said...

It may take longer for me, since I'm pretty far away from California.




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

yay! The book is here... i know what i am doing all night! I hope you receive it soon Gabrielle. Thank you HLH

Madelyn Glymour said...

I just got to page 35 of Killer Cruise, and can I just say, thank you for the Nero Wolfe reference? Those are the adult mystery books I grew up with, and no one else ever knows what I'm talking about when I reference them.

Gabrielle said...

Optimistic4forever and Yusa, I hope you enjoy the book!!!
I'm dying to read it!




Gabrielle

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Madelyn Glymour--yes! I think the references are a really fun part of the book. Thanks :-)

The rest of you...we're really up to almost 90 comments on a "Consolation" post? You guys crack me up. (xoxo!)

Yusa said...

I''m about halfway through and I love how excited i get when i recongnize something we talked about together on here or some of our idea incorporated in it... like 'OMG THAT QUOTE ON THE SHOW WAS MY IDEA" and ten i recognize other ones from here. :)

--Yusa

Jessica said...

You guys are killing me! I just went to my library's site to re-suggest the book, and as I was double-checking the publishing info on Amazon, I noticed that it and all the "also bought" (Sammy Keyes) books had perfect 5-star ratings.

Sure, it's a consolation post, but it's also book release week! And Yusa's birthday week. And... and... what the heck else have we been talking about?

Gabrielle said...

I'm dying!!! I still haven't gotten Killer Cruise!!!
Probably won't get it till Monday.... It seems so far away...




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

I finished it! Let me just say first of all I LOVED IT. And i fell in love with her Dad and his friend in this book. There were so many small details that just made it more perfect! Can't wait until everyone gets to read it i want to discuss it's greatness!

-Yusa

Unknown said...

Jessica! You should really walk up to those library people and tell them to stop skippy doodlin around!
And yusa yes I totally want to 'discus' this book, I have for a really long time, you know just state favorite quotes and parts and stuff without all these spoilers... I think we will get a 100 comments by tomorrow!!=)

Yusa said...

I think us being called Sammiacs is great... but don't you think we're a big group of Troublemakers :)

Unknown said...

Yusa: Yes. (Don't deny it people!)

Yusa said...

90-53-16/ 5-8-8-19/ 53-16/ 28-58/4-20-92-34/ 8-9/ 1-8-74/ 90-53-16/ 5-8-8-19/ 52-89-2-16/ 92-16/ 1-8-74/ 16-2/ 20-7/ 90-49-19/ & / 1-8-74/ 39-8-92/ 20-7/ 34-60/ 102-52-16/


:) i couldnt resist

Gabrielle said...

We sure are a group of Troublemakers. :)





Gabrielle

Yusa said...

It just hit me... I have one Sammy Keyes book left to read. Oh. My. God. Wasnt it yesterday i was reading Hotel Thief for the first time? In like 3rd grade? I can't believe it.. i have been through so much with Sammy. And now one last adventure before it's goodbye... :''(

--Yusa

Jessica said...

Yusa! You really are a troublemaker! Now I want to try to crack that code, and I haven't even seen the book yet! I'm taking a free online class on Cryptography just because it's interesting. I'm going to ignore it for now, in case there are spoilers -- I'll try to remember to come back and decode it after I read the book.

I've been wanting to ask Wendelin what she has planned for after Kiss Goodbye, but I don't want to inadvertently put any pressure on her -- I can't even imagine how much more emotional this ending is for her compared to all of us. I know she'll write something I enjoy reading, eventually. And there's the road trip to look forward to.

Bella, if I have time, I might walk over to the main library tomorrow and ask if they've ordered it. They only order like once a month, and they got their September shipment before the book came out. So it might be October. :( But that's nearly halfway here already! (And yes, I'm the reason Wendelin cut the comments down to equal sizes to be fair. No one's ever accused me of being terse.)

Gabrielle said...

I know, Yusa!! It's so sad that the series is ending!!! And, Jessica you're right, it's probably ten times more emotional for Wendelin. And you have to wait until October maybe!! I hope you can get it befor that, Jessica. And I've always liked your comment's, Jessica.




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Jessica: Don't worry no spoilers but if i were you i would wait and read the book first anyways :)
I hope your library gets it soon!
And yes i am really hoping to get to meet her on her tour!
It's cool youre taking that class.
And whoever comments next happy #100 :D
--Yusa

Gabrielle said...

And we've made it to 100 comments!!




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Haha yes we did it's been a while since the last time we did! It makes me happy :D

And i just thought if Sammy Keyes becomes the TV show then maybe we'll be able to hear some Darren Cole songs for real!
--Yusa

Gabrielle said...

Oh yeah, Yusa!! That would be super cool!!!




Gabrielle

Jessica said...

Oh, I don't know if I want to hear the songs. Unless Wendelin writes them. I actually have never been able to "hear" the guitar riff in "Waiting for Rain to Fall" based on Casey's description, so maybe it'd be alright.

But I like my versions of the Hunger Games songs better even than Suzanne Collins's versions, so it's hard for me to listen to anyone else's versions (which stinks, because I'm not a good singer at all -- but I can't write music, so I can't hear anyone sing my version, except the voice in my head that sings much better than what comes out of my mouth).

But anyway, the TV show could be great -- and it'd get so many more kids reading Sammy Keyes! And then I can seem cool when the youth group kids see me reading one, instead of like a strange adult who reads middle school mystery books.

Yusa said...

Yeah i know what you mean... it's not just what you imagine but i still think it would be cool.
And when Sammy Keyes gets extremely world famous we'll be like "We were here since the beginning":) i remember Steph wrote a version of Waitin' For The Rain and i did once also...

--Yusa

Gabrielle said...

Yeah, it would be hard making up a song that really wasn't actually made. And that's cool that you guys made up your own versions of Waiting For The Rain To Fall. I'm not creative enough to think of song lyrics.




Gabrielle

Yusa said...

Yeah i posted my a while ago... in the comments here http://etrtr.blogspot.com/2012/05/mothers-day-or-remembering-day-whippets.html

And haha Jessica your comments arent very long... They're a good size :) the longer the better i think

--Yusa

Unknown said...

Yusa I agree! Hehe I LOVE that code, I as a person who loves and memorized a lot of codes, love this one easpicially! I have never heard of it before the book but I think it's so clever and creative and wonderful and no one will suspect it at all!!
And Jessica your comments aren't that long, I enjoy reading them cause your really funny! Well you all are in a different way, but boy that quote
Where has Kylie gone..?!

Yusa said...

KYLIE: Come backkkk!

And haha Bella: i know i love that code because it goes with what i am learning in school right now so i find it really interesting :)

--Yusa

Jessica said...

Wow, Yusa, those are awesome lyrics!

And I just read your story about your bangs. I have naturally curly hair, and in 8th grade, the hairdresser pulled my bangs straight and went to cut them above my eyebrows. My mom tried to stop her, telling her they'd be too short, but she was all "I know what I'm doing." Of course they curled up into dumb 1" long curlicues. Ugh. I cried. But no one made fun of me, and they eventually grew out. (And then I started trimming them myself.) I hope you don't have too many pictures of your hair mishap.

Yusa said...

Jessica: i am sorry about your hair mishap... But mine wasn't too bad... I wore a hairband to push my bangs away for a while. And anyways i wear a scarf so not a lot of people see my hair :) And i don't think i let a camera near me haha

Yusa said...

Oh and thanks about the lyrics! I think they could probably be made better but it was fun writing it!

Jessica said...

Heh, that was a long ago. But I remember that I cried, even though it seems a bit silly now, because I think it's important to remember how you felt at certain ages. Some things were way bigger in middle school than they seem now. Like being different.

Yusa said...

Yeah that's probably true but since i am a moody teenager i must figure that out the hard way :D
How old are you anyways?

Jessica said...

I'm in my early 30's. I don't like to dismiss teenagers as being "moody" or "hormonal" -- their feelings are very real and important to them, and we all go/went through it. Just like temper tantrums happen with toddlers, or people in their twenties and forties (and probably thirties, too) go through existential crises, and older adults often get forgetful and sometimes irritable or outright cantankerous. It's part of how our brains develop, and it's all hard to control. We've all got to do our best but cut each other some slack.

But yeah, it'd be so much easier if we could just learn from others' experiences, but we usually have to go through it ourselves.

Jessica said...

Plus, sure, teens can be a bit moody at times -- but it goes both ways! They can find things hilariously funny, and laughter is contagious. And they can get so excited about things, which is also contagious. It's not all bad.

Yusa said...

Ahhh that explains your wiseness.
And thank you for being there to prove that Sammy Keyes is for all ages.

--yusa

Kylie said...

Wow, I was gone for three days at camp and I come back to smany emails about comments. Let's just say my in ox was full.

O4E: I AM SO HAPPY YOU GOT YOUR BOOK! I can't wait for mine.

You guys sure went through a lot of topic from Friday. Disappointed I missed it, oh well camp was awesome! Definitely worth being gone.

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Holy smokes. That's a lot of comments! (And they're all so entertaining...) (And I love that you guys love codes. I was afraid people might not have the patience for it, or find it boring. Not everyone likes puzzles as much as I do, I know!)(But you guys seem to!) (Another reason this is the coolest group around!)

Yusa said...

Haha i love codes! Especially since we were learning and memorizing these aspects in school so i was like excited that i knew it all!

Gabrielle said...

I like codes too! I always like trying to figure them out, but I usually can't. I did love the mystery in KC! :D




Gabrielle