Forever Blog Tour + Giveaway!

I'm awfully excited to be a part of this unique blog tour in celebration of the release of Forever by the insanely talented Maggie Stiefvater. Scholastic recently launched an online community called This Is Teen to connect readers with their favorite YA authors and books. Visit their page on Facebook for all the latest news on Maggie Stiefvater and Forever. Each stop on the tour is hosting a particular character from the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, and I have the good luck to be the stop for Sam--my favorite emo-wolfboy! Sam is so very endearing, in a decidedly non-angsty or overt way. His breathtaking blend of maturity and vulnerability tugs at my heartstrings and the strength of his relationship with Grace is unswerving. He is warm and thoughtful and artistic, and I liked him right from the start of the series. Because I can't resist, here are two of my favorite Sam quotes, the first from Grace's point of view in Shiver and the second from Sam's point of view in Linger:

I settled on the floor and whispered to Sam, “I want you to listen to me, if you can.” I leaned the side of my face against his ruff and remembered the golden wood he had shown me so long ago. I remembered the way the yellow leaves, the color of Sam’s eyes, fluttered and twisted, crashing butterflies, on their way to the ground. The slender white trunks of the birches, creamy and smooth as human skin. I remembered Sam standing in the middle of the wood, his arms stretched out, a dark, solid form in the dream of the trees. His coming to me, me punching his chest, the soft kiss. I remembered every kiss we’d ever had, and I remembered every time I’d curled in his human arms. I remembered the soft warmth of his breath on the back of my neck while we slept. I remembered Sam.

Later, I thought of the things I could have added to the list of resolutions, things I'd wanted back before I realized what being a wolf meant for my future. Things like Write a novel and Find a band and Get a degree in obscure poetry in translation and Travel the world. It felt indulgent and fanciful to be considering those things now after reminding myself for so long that they were impossible.

I tried to imagine myself filling out a college application. Writing a synopsis. Tacking a sign saying DRUMMERS WANTED on the corkboard opposite Beck's post office box. The words danced in my head, dazzling in their sudden nearness. I wanted to add them to my index card of resolutions, but I just . . . couldn't.

That night, while Grace showered, I got out the card and looked at it again. And I wrote:

Believe in my cure.

For each character, Maggie has compiled a playlist and an original character sketch. Here is Sam and his playlist:

SAM (Playlist by Maggie Stiefvater)

1. Welcome Home - Radical Face
2. Comes And Goes (In Waves) - Greg Laswell
3. No One’s Gonna Love You - Band of Horses
4. The Dragon - The Guggenheim Grotto
5. New Slang - The Shins
6. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song - Fleet Foxes
7. Librarian - My Morning Jacket
8. Miner’s Lamp - Steve Reynolds
9. Sundrenched World - Joshua Radin
10. I And Love And You - The Avett Brothers
11. Spaceship - Jonas & Plunkett
12. Wash Away - Matt Costa
13. The Ocean - The Bravery

Today we're giving away this framed original sketch of Sam as well as an ARC of Forever to one lucky commenter. All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite werewolf--from any book and/or series. The giveaway will be open for one week and will end at midnight on Wednesday, July 20th. I'll announce the winner the next day. This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. As always, please be sure to leave me a way to contact you.

Next stop on the tour: Friday, July 15 – Green Bean Teen Queen – Isabel!