It’s been a long time since I’ve run a contest for signed copies of TOUCHING THE SURFACE.

Last weekend one of my dear friends and a fabulous children’s librarian, Cathy Nuding, volunteered her time to come speak to my local SCBWI Shop Talk. It was two hours of amazing. I’d like to recognize Cathy’s awesomeness and help out even more hard working librarians. I’ll be giving Cathy another signed copy of TTS for her library (along with some other goodies) but I’ll also be giving away SIX more signed copies. You don’t have to be a librarian to enter. Just tell me about the library you believe should have a copy of TOUCHING THE SURFACE. If Rafflecopter pulls your name–I’ll send a signed copy right to their front door.

 “Soulful and inventive. A thoroughly original vision for what happens next.” –Daisy Whitney, author of The Mockingbirds

“This gorgeous, lyrical read will sweep you away.” –Jessica Verday, bestselling author of The Hollow trilogy

“Sabatini creates an exquisitely tangible alternate reality, ordering the cosmos with impressive authorial derring-do, crafting answers to ontological questions with grace, disarming simplicity, and nary a trace of dogma. All while believable teens–teen souls, that is–tangle with affection, selfishness, and doubt. Thought-provoking and romantic, Touching the Surface takes risks with narrative and form, and succeeds on multiple levels.” —RBW (Chronogram)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tags: Contest, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Librarians, Libraries, Signed Books, Signed Copies, Touching the Surface, Win, YA Author, YA Book, YA Novel

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Once upon a time, I was telling a friend how mad I was at another person. Just steamed. I relayed how, in light of the situation, I would no longer be sharing my magazines with said person. My friend gasped and said, “Wow! You must have been really pissed if you took away someone’s reading material.” And I had to laugh, because it was true. Even funnier, I have no idea if that person even gave a hoot, but it made me feel a whole lot better because I took away one of the things I value most in the world. Words.

But, if I flip that scenario, you’ll see that words are my gift. If you get a book from me–if I’m sharing my reading material–I’m telling you I really love you, whether you realize it or not. It’s my way of saying you matter to me.

So, today I’d like to share with you a program called BOOKS FOR BOSTON. A way for us word people to hug the hell out of Boston. My friend AC Gaughen, the author of SCARLET is a Boston girl and I’d like to share her words with you…

BOOKS FOR BOSTON

I hardly know where to begin. I wasn’t at the marathon, but friends were. Family. Loved ones. Everyone made it through unscathed.

The manhunt happened disturbingly close to me, but again, no one I know was hurt.

That doesn’t mean that my city has made it through unscathed. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a tremendous amount of work and healing to be done.

I’ve spent a lot of time wondering what my place is in all of this. Should I donate money to the One Fund? Should I be contributing to charity auctions? Should I find a role for the non-profit I work with to play in all of this?

Those are all amazing answers, and I commend the people who want to help via those routes. But I remember being a senior in high school as the Twin Towers were hit, and I remember what it felt like to be old enough to understand and young enough to feel utterly lost, to feel all my security gone, to feel any semblance of faith in the world torn away from me.

The Boston Marathon is a family event, and the amount of small children that saw this and were impacted by this is unimaginable. By now most of us have heard about Martin Richards, an eight year old boy that died in the blasts. His family are deeply in need of support and healing, and I know the One Fund will make great strides in helping them.

But for his friends, his classmates, his community, I can only imagine what it feels like to explain this to a child. To have to talk to a child about what terror really means.

I think there’s something else I can do. And maybe it’s simplistic, and maybe it’s not, but it’s the one thing that felt like an honest, organic choice to me. And that’s books.

I can’t give the children of Boston their safety or their faith back. But I can give them a place to escape, and imagine, and dream again, because that’s what books always have been and always will be. They are a beautiful and sacred space of healing and love.

And I’m hoping you’ll help me.

I’m going to donate as many books as I can to the Boston Public Library and to Martin Richard’s school, Neighborhood House Charter School. Any books! Right now I plan to give middle grade books and younger to NHCS and YA and older to the Boston Public Library, so all books are welcome. All subjects are welcome.

If you’re an author, and would like to donate a copy of your book, please sign it and instead of your usual inscription, write a message of hope, courage, or resilience. Please don’t mention the attack, or the losses, or the scars Boston now bears.

If you’re not an author but would like to donate a book, I absolutely welcome the donation. Please do the same and write a message of hope, courage, or resilience inside the book.

Please email me at acgaughen @ gmail.com and I’ll give you my address for mailing.

Maybe we can help Boston heal in a really small way. I appreciate the help, and I would really appreciate it if you pass this along.

Much love xx

Tags: AC Gaughen, Authors, Books for Boston, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Libraries

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On March 23rd, I’ll be participating in a NYC TEEN AUTHOR FESTIVAL event at the New York Public Library!!!! In my humble opinion, this is too stinkin’ cool. But I LOVE all libraries, no matter how big or small. I love them with or without lions. I love school libraries or public libraries. In my opinion, they are all very special places and to celebrate my library love–I’m running a Library Giveaway. *fist pump*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you were a winner in the last library giveaway I conducted, you may enter again as long as the book goes to a DIFFERENT school or public library. Looking for more information about the NYC TEEN AUTHOR FESTIVAL?  Click the link above–events involving 80 different authors will be happening all week.

Since we’re hugging libraries, I was wondering if you had a special book that you took out over and over when you were a kid?  One of my favorites was The Borrowers!!!! I KNEW they were living in my house too.  Or at least I was hoping LOL!

Tags: giveaway, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Libraries, NYC Teen Author Festival, The Borrowers, Touching the Surface

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