Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Sarah Jio is head of the class and has a book to give away!

Introduction by
Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

Sarah Jio is now the second author named Sarah to visit Chick Lit Central for a third time. (Actually, she's now the second author to visit this many times in general.) Not only is this her third time here, but she also has a third novel out in two years and is a mom of three boys. She's overall proof that good things come in threes! We're thrilled to have her back, and on her pub day no less, as "Blackberry Winter" is a hauntingly beautiful and emotional novel that was difficult to put down. She's also a genuinely nice person and we've enjoyed getting to know her over the past couple of years. And we're even more excited to learn that she has a fourth novel coming out next spring! Sarah is a writing powerhouse and has been since her debut with "The Violets of March." We know her next novel, "The Last Camellia" will not be her last!

She's here to chat about school with us and thanks to Penguin, we have THREE (notice a trend here) copies of "Blackberry Winter" for some lucky US readers!

You can find Sarah on Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Favorite subject: 
Growing up, I always enjoyed anything related to writing and books (big surprise, right?!). In the first grade, I wrote a book called "A Tugboat Dream" as a class project, and it won a "Young Author" award. I remember being so proud and excited about this as a six year-old, and I think it has something to do with my grown-up career!

Favorite elementary school memory: 
Definitely fourth grade, in Mr. Raymond's class, when he'd read us stories after recess. We'd all sit around on the floor eating red licorice (he was a cool teacher who let us have treats) while he read books like "James and the Giant Peach" aloud. It was magical.

Interesting fact about your high school: 
I went to a private high school, which was very small and so the students were like family. I got interested in debate, and competed in several forensic events, which was really fun and, I think, helped me make the case to my parents that my 11:00 PM curfew was so unfair. :)

Fictional school you'd love to attend (i.e. "Sweet Valley High"): 
Oh goodness, I don't know. I suppose I always thought it would be pretty cool to hang out in the 90210 zip code, but thank goodness I stayed down to earth and real in 98370 (that would be good ol' Poulsbo, Washington)!

Favorite movie about school: 
Hmm, probably "The Breakfast Club" or "Pretty in Pink"—love Molly Ringwald. I was born in 1978, so she always seemed so very cool and grown-up to me.

What did you buy/bring for lunch every day? 
Such a fun question! I had very mature (and somewhat odd) tastes for a child. While other kids would bring PB&J, I requested that my mom pack soups in thermoses. I especially loved Chicken Gumbo. I also went through a phase of eating pickle-and-cheese sandwiches every day for three years straight.

Did you take a foreign language class? If so, what? Do you still speak that language? 
I took French in the 8th grade, and missed out on traveling to Paris with the class (still wish I had been able to go), and then took it again in college. I also took Spanish in high school. Sadly, I am not very fluent in either, but I do have the embarrassing knack of mixing the two languages together, which was very embarrassingly obvious when I attempted to order a meal at a café in France and somehow used the word "dinero." Oops!

Favorite school play that you saw or participated in: 
I acted in a murder mystery in high school, and I got to play the murderer (a sweet-seeing secretary named Betty, if I'm remembering correctly—it's been a while!). I don't remember anything about the plot, but I do remember wearing a 1940's pink suit with a ruffled collar and uttering the word "pomegranate" several times. Hmm, there could be a novel in here somewhere.

Special thanks to Sarah for visiting us again and Penguin for sharing "Blackberry Winter" with our readers.

How to win "Blackberry Winter":

Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.) 

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: Which fictional school would you like to attend (from books, TV shows, movies, etc.)?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.


US only. Giveaway ends October 2nd at midnight EST.

For another chance to win, visit Chick Lit is Not Dead by 10/2. (US/Canada)

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

+1 lnhittle@gmail.com

+1 I am a follower.

Anonymous said...

+1 lnhittle@gmail.com

+1 I am a follower.

EFC Chrissy said...

I would love to go to Hogwarts.

This sounds like a great book!

everyfreechance@gmail.com

I follow this blog and love it!

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

Definitely Hogwarts! Although, I have to admit, that the first school that popped into my head was Wayside School - you know, those books when we were kids... Sideways Stories from Wayside School? hahaha ;)

I'm a follower on GFC, FB and Twitter.

Thanks! missamberljohnson at gmail dot com

Dolly said...

I too would love to go to Hogwarts!

Sarah, I loved Poulsbo which I got to visit when I stayed with my aunt & uncle in Port Ludlow. The whole area is amazing! Looking forward to your new book(s)

I'm a FB/Blog stalker.

jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

susieqlaw said...

The School on Facts of Life

sendsusanmail AT gmail DOT com

I tweeted this at @susieqlaw

I follow CLC on twitter, the blog, Facebook.

Zoë said...

my e-mail is strandedhero(at)gmail(dot)com

Zoë said...

I am a blog follower!

Zoë said...

I'd love to go to Hogwarts :)

Vivian aka The Book Diva said...

BookDivasReads(at)gmail(dot)com
I'd love to go to Hogwarts (perhaps just for a tour or as a one-semester exchange student).
I follow via Google Friend Connect, Twitter and Facebook.

leonel said...

I would love to go to Beverly Hills High (the fictional kind with all the 90210 casts)

Follower, FB/Twitter

Nina said...

Probably a cliche answer, but I've GOT to go with Rydell High! T-Birds, musical numbers, Knickie?! Sign me up!
nina565(at)aol(dot)com

Stephanie said...

Definitely Hogwarts.

gfc follower

Skk25@aol.com

Bridget O'Neill said...

Hogwarts of course!

I follow the blog.

I'm a member of CLC on Facebook.

bjoneill@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Sweet Valley High! I read that whole series, which is where all my kid money went:)
I'm a follower, follow on Twitter and Facebook, and blog follower.

My email is: booksintheburbs (at) gmail (dot) com

pascale said...

I would go to the school of Glee!

This book sounds wonderful.

I am a follower of the blog.

pascale.poitras@verizon.net

Jessica said...

1. Hogwarts! I'm sure everyone will say this, haha.
2. I'm a follower of this blog through GFC.
3. I posted this on twitter.
https://twitter.com/xxpaperhearts/status/250684059469111297
4. I'm a member of Chick Lit Central on facebook.
5. I follow you through twitter and pinterest. twitter username= xxpaperhearts

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I would love to attend Hogwarts!

I am a follower

And 'like' CLC on FB

suzebomb(at) gmail.com

Maureen said...

I would pick the high school where Glee happens.
I follow on GFC
tweet: https://twitter.com/MaureenCE/status/250696242588430336
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Bridget O'Neill said...

I also follow on Twitter!

bjoneill@hotmail.com

Mary said...

Definitely Hogwarts!

I am a follower on GFC, FB and Twitter

mryward(at)yahoo(dot)com

Mrs Mommy Booknerd said...

I want to go to school with the ladies of THE FACTS OF LIFE

Sharon said...

Sharn3960 AT comcast DOT net

I'd REALLY REALLY REALLY love to win this time, please? ;)


1. Ridell High (Grease)
2. I'm a GFC follower.
3. I'll post it on Twitter.
4. I'm on FB Chick Lit Central.
5. I follow on Pinterest.
6. I follow on Twitter.
6. I added Michelle Formaggio-Harrison

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Nova said...

Sparkle40175@hotmail.com
Would want to go to school on Beverly Hills 90210.
Follow CLC on facebook.
follow CLC blog by email.

Bonnie K. said...

I have her first two books and am waiting for Blackberry Winter to arrive. Looking forward to it.

bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com

I would want to go to William McKinley High School only because I really liked the show, Freaks and Geeks. I also liked The Wonder Years which was at the same school.

I shared on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.karoly/activity/10151077710730233

I'm already a member of Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

I follow us on Twitter. @grobiemum


Erica said...

Hogwarts for sure.

Can't wait to read this book!!

I am a follower on twitter, facebook, email, GFC. Love the blog.

wordywon at gmail.com

bn100 said...

Congrats on the book! I'd like to attend Hogwarts.

I follow the blog.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I would love to attend Bayside High.

I follow via GFC, twitter and Facebook.

Brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

Snitz said...

1. snitz76 [at] gmail [dot] com

2. When I was about 11 (when 90210 was at its peak) I would have loved to go to WEST BEVERLY!

3. I'm a follower of the blog.

4. I'm a follower on Facebook.

Sheena said...


I'd Have to say Bayside High from Saved by the Bell:)

I follow the blog and am a member on the facebook page

wapneski@yahoo.com

karenk said...

school...ridell high (grease)

thanks for the chance to read sarah's latest novel

i'm a follower & email subscriber, too

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Jencey Gortney said...

jenceyg at gmail dot com

I follow on GFC, Facebook, Twitter
I will also tweet and facebook.

faithspage said...

Beverly Hills (from 90210)
follow on fb, twitter, and gfc.

kyfaithw at aol dot com

Krystal Lynn said...

Definitely Hogwarts. But in the early years, before everybody started dying..

miss_kris_11 @yahoo

Lucie Simone said...

When I was a kid, I SOOOO wanted to go to school with the girls from The Facts of Life!

I follow on FB & Twitter & will post this to both!

Lalucie AT sbcglobal DOT net

Margie said...

I l ike the cover of this book! Thanks for the giveaway.
-Facebook fan
-follower by GFC
I'd like to attend school with Harry Potter and learn some magic!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

JennMDowning said...

I have read everything Sarah has written so far, and am super excited to read this one!

jmndowning@gmail.com

I would love to go to Wayside School (Sideways stories from Wayside)

I am a follower

I belong to the FB fan page

eclairre said...

Hands down Hogwarts for me, too! eclairre(at)ymail(dot)com

Forget the Housework, I'm Reading... said...

Thanks for the AMAZING giveaway!
Tobi
tobihelton at gmail dot com
+1 I follow blog
+1 I follow on facebook
+1 I would go to Hogwarts! I mean who wouldn't want to? LOL
+1Posted on FB http://www.facebook.com/tobi.helton/posts/348159491945733

Thanks again!!! <3 Tobi

Felicia said...

I've heard great things about all of her books. Would love to be entered in the giveaway.

Which school would I love to go to? Hogwarts, of course!

I follow this blog
Facebook follower
Twitter follower

felicialso @gmail. com

Cher B said...

I loved The Violets of March and look forward to reading Blackberry Winter- thanks for the chance to win!

Enroll me in Hogwarts, please!
FB follower
blog subscriber

cherbasonATgmailDOTcom