I”m giving away a signed copy of my friend Ericka Lutz’s book The Edge of Maybe!
Her book will be released in March, and I’m happy and proud to offer it as a giveaway ahead of its publication date!
Opening lines of the novel:
“There were strangers on the porch of their Oakland, California bungalow, a young woman in pink sweats and a small boy in dirty blue pajamas. They waited as Kira and Polly walked from the car to the house, Kira balancing groceries, purse, phone, keys, Polly wearing a backpack too large for her thin, thirteen-year-old frame. The woman sat on the top step, thick-bodied and barefoot; she rested her bandaged right ankle on a dingy canvas bag. The little boy crouched by the redwood planter, breaking Kira’s dendroideum succulent. He held each section between tiny thumb and forefinger–snap.”
Along with the book (signed by the author), the winner of the giveaway will receive a refrigerator magnet, and two postcards all featuring The Edge of Maybe cover.
Lately, I’ve been doing, James Lipton-esque, Proust Questionnaire-based interviews with the book giveaway authors via twitter or other forms of online chatting (yes, these interviews happened “in real time”). I’m hoping it will give you some insight into the writer behind the book and of course, we always have a bit of fun with these questions. So here we go…
1. What is your favorite journey?
Erica Lutz: It’s nature-filled, not too hot or cold, with a friendly and loving companion, in silence, with deep introspection and physical beauty.2. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
EL: I just found out I’m 2.9% Neanderthal, so: a prehistorical woman artist, carving a mammouth (I saw) on a cave wall in the South of France. That sense of carving in the dark, something you love, that someday somebody might enjoy.3. When and where were you happiest?
EL: It’s crazy, but I’m insanely happy right now. My novel is being born, my daughter is thriving, I have health, love, and the cutest dog ever.
Interested?
Here’s how to enter:
1) Leave a comment below. You can say anything you want–e.g., you can choose to tell me why you want a copy of the book, or tell me something about an unexpected gamechanging surprise in your life, or share what you like/dislike most about the SF Bay Area (the book is set in San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland). Do fill out your email address when you fill out the fields in the comment box (it won’t be published to the world, but I will need it in order to contact you in case you win)!
2) 1 entry per person
3) The giveaway is open worldwide.
4) If you win the contest, I will email you for your mailing address.
5) Winners will be chosen by a random number generator.
6) I will be announcing the contest winner on the blog. None of your personal information will be posted, aside from your first name and last initial (or the nickname you choose to list in your comment). If you see that someone else has entered the same name as you, please try to pick a different nickname to call yourself, so as to avoid confusion.
7) If you are below the age of 13, please ask your parents to fill out the comment field with their information.
The deadline to enter a comment is Wednesday Friday February 24, 2012 3:00pm EST. The winner (picked at random) will be announced February 24, 2012 by 11:00pm EST.
GOOD LUCK!
Note: I realized I’d incorrectly written Wednesday February 24 and corrected it to the more accurate and more generous deadline of Friday February 24.
80,000 words 
I went to high school with her, and I’d like to see what’s she writing.
Why?: I like books and am married to a native Oaklander who likes books (and fridge magnets).
Game changer: I have been freshly transplanted into the South Bay!
Like Most: KRON 4’s nightly trainwreck at 8.
Dislike Most: Everyone is always driving everywhere.
Ericka rules. After everything she’s been through the past couple of years, to see this dream come true is fantastic.
Erika is cousin to my East SF Bay running partner… so if I win and read her book, then I shall be able to wax eloquent during those weekend runs with her cuz (more interesting than commenting on the other trail-running denizens or rehashing the plot of 1980s movies, right?!). Thanks!
I want to read it because the title is amazing and I love to read books when I have time. I have also been freshly transplanted here in the bay. I LOVE that I can see mountains, sunsets, oceans, and bridges within minutes. I hate that everyone thinks that they are different when they are all identical “hipsters” Cheers to this book! -Kim
because you wrote a lovely dedication to me on the copy I bought and my husband read it in the hot tub!
I’ve loved ever single short story of Ericka’s that I’ve read, and I’m sure I’ll love this book, too.
Because winning a book would be cool, but winning a book that ERICKA wrote would be way cool! It would make a great birthday present to me (March 2 – perfect). Thanks for holding a giveaway!
Great opening: Who is this woman? What happened to her ankle? What’s in the canvas bag? Why is she letting the kid break the plants?
Wuzup.
Hey! I’m giving this book away, too! I want to win a copy because I haven’t read it yet. I love the title and love that it’s set here in the East Bay and love that it’s written by Ericka Lutz! All good reasons to buy/read this book.
I’d love to read this book because I’ve never read anything like it, but was immediately drawn to it.
A game-changer for me was when I moved from the Caribbean to Europe. There are more than a few differences, one being a different language, which I understood, but couldn’t express myself properly in. Then after all that work to get use to the change and I was genuinely happy, I was forced to go back. Why forced? It’s the Caribbean everyone said, but island life just wasn’t for, despite being born and living on one all my life. One year later after moving, I came back 🙂
I loved your first question for Ericka and immediately knew what my answer would have been, despite the fact that no one asked … By far, my favorite journeys have been some family obligation of one kind or another, alongside my sister and oldest friend, and invariably fraught with conflict, side-trips and some sticky substance that will leave the vehicle smelling like Juicy Apple body spray for months afterwards. And oh, I’d LOVE a copy of the book.
cool. I’d like to win a new book!
I want to read this book because I am completely curious to see if the homeless, ragged little family chose this particular middle-class household to take the risk on, or are they there by random. And if they chose, why?
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