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The pandas have finished tallying entries, and the winner of our Scars giveaway is:

Maggie!

Maggie, I’ll be contacting you to get your address. Thanks so much to everyone who entered! We’ll be having new giveaways ever few weeks, so make sure to check back soon. Happy reading!

day four

We’re alone

with only

the cold

and dark

to keep us

company.

I know them

so well now,

they’re like

old friends.

Familiar.

Old friends

who have stayed

too long

and need to go.

I wish

the angel

would have stayed.

Excerpt © 2009 Lisa Schroeder

About singer/songwriter Alice, who reluctantly takes a road trip with her step-mother and new baby sister and the terror that ensues when the wind up lost in the snow-covered woods.

What people are saying:

“Genuine emotion… the accessibility and heartbreak will attract many readers.” -Kirkus

A 2010 Texas Tayshas selection

A 2011 Children’s Literature Association of Utah Beehive Award nominee

Released: December 2008 Hardcover/January 2010 Paperback from Simon Pulse

About the author:

Lisa Schroeder is the author of multiple books for kids and teens, including the popular I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two sons. When she isn’t writing, you’ll probably find her baking yummy treats, walking her dog, or trying to make a dent in the many piles of books that are waiting to be read.

Chapter 1

The chairs in the lobby of Discriminating Nannies, Inc., were less comfortable than they looked. I sat stiffly in the one nearest the exit, where, feeling like an impostor in my gray herringbone suit from Goodwill, I could watch the competition come and go. I’d had some trouble walking up the steps from the subway in my low pumps and narrow skirt. The new shoes chafed my heels, and I had to keep reminding myself to take small steps so as not to rip the skirt’s satin lining. I dressed carefully that morning, pulling my hair away from my face with a large silver barrette, determined to look the part of a nanny — or how I imagined a nanny should look — tidy, responsible, wise.

But I had gotten it wrong. The other applicants seemed to be college girls like me. One had situated herself in the middle of the taupe sofa and was calmly reading InStyle magazine; she wore faded jeans and a cardigan, her red hair tousled. Another, in a full skirt and flat shoes I coveted, listened to her iPod, swaying almost imperceptibly in time to the music. But maybe they weren’t feeling as desperate as I was, acid churning in my stomach, pulse fluttering in my throat.

Excerpt © 2010 April Lindner

About the book:

What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rock star?

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, practical and independent Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance with her magnetic and brooding employer, Nico Rathburn—who just happens to be a rock star.

But there’s a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane’s much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

What people are saying:

“I couldn’t put Jane down! Whether you love literature, romance, thrillers, or anything in between, you’ll get swept up in Jane all the way to its scrumptious, satisfying end.”-Sara Shepard, New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series

“There’s nothing plain about Jane. April Lindner executes the cool trick of being stubbornly loyal to the well-loved original while creating something totally new and captivating.”-Cecily von Ziegesar, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Gossip Girl series

“A sparkling new novel of impossible love, tragic deceit, and a wicked fine guitar solo.”-Anne Osterlund, author of Aurelia

“A remarkable, rocking good love story.” Justina Chen, author of North of Beautiful

Released: October 2010 by Poppy

About the author:

April Lindner is an Associate Professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Her debut novel, JANE, is due out from Poppy in October 2010. Her poetry collection, SKIN, received the Walt McDonald First-Book Prize in Poetry, and her poems have been featured in many anthologies and textbooks. She holds an MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Cincinnati. The mother of two teenage boys, she plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets–two Labrador retriever mixes and an elderly guinea pig. April lives with her husband and two sons in Pennsylvania.

Win a signed copy of Scars! Details at the end of this post.

Chapter One

“Someone is following me.” I gulp air, trying to breathe.

Carolyn leans forward, her face worried. “What makes you say that?” There’s a hesitation in her voice that stings me.

“You don’t believe me!” I spit the words out at her, then look away, twisting my hands together to keep them from trembling.

“I didn’t say that. I don’t know enough about this yet to know what to believe. Why don’t you tell me about it?”

So you can go tell my parents?

But she won’t; I know she won’t. Client-therapist confidentiality and all that. And I trust Carolyn; I really do. But does she trust me?

I run my tongue over my dry lips. It almost doesn’t seem real, now that I’m sitting here in her air-conditioned office. But I didn’t imagine it. I couldn’t have.

“I hear footsteps behind me when I’m out walking alone. Heavy footsteps that stop when I stop and start when I start.”

Excerpt © 2010 Cheryl Rainfield

About the book:

Kendra, fifteen, hasn’t felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can’t remember the most important detail– her abuser’s identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it’s her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who’s becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra’s abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl’s frightening path to the truth.

What people are saying:

“Scars is a brave novel, a read-in-one-sitting-except-when-you-have-to-put-it-down-to-breathe novel.” — Ellen Hopkins, author of Burned, a National Book Award nominee and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and Glass, an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults

“Scars is a painful and well told story, obviously written with the heart’s blood of the author. It could prove to be a life-saver for other young victims of abuse and self-harm.” — Lois Duncan, Margaret A. Edwards Award-winning author of Killing Mr. Griffin and I Know What You Did Last Summer

“Scars is the ‘must’ read for any teen. I couldn’t put it down.” — Gail Giles, author of Right Behind You, a 2009 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

“Rainfield’s gripping, chillingly honest account of an abused teen’s fight to survive her history, and its consequent self-harm, is written with such compassion and empathy that this is ultimately a story of hope.” — Wendy Orr, author of Peeling the Onion

Released: March 2010 by WestSide Books

About the author:

Cheryl Rainfield writes realistic edgy fiction for teens, fantasy for children, and some nonfiction articles for adults. She edits and critiques children’s and teen fiction, and on her website she reviews a wide variety of children’s and YA books. In addition to writing, Cheryl is also a talented artist. She lives in Toronto with her dog Willow and cat Amazon.

Win a copy:

Cheryl has been kind enough to contribute a signed copy of Scars and some Scars bookmarks for a giveaway!

To enter simply leave a comment on this post.

For extra entries, become a  member of First Page Panda by clicking “Join this site” (+1 entry) or link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. (+1 entry per each link). Please list your extra entries in the comments.

The contest is open worldwide and will end at midnight EST on November 29th.

Good luck!

Chapter 1

Sunday Night. In the Meadow.

Mitch shut his tired eyes and curled his long fingers over his sheets. The day’s obituaries crinkled under his pillow. “I hate my life.”

DEAD: Mitchell Thomas Burke: Loser, Age 13

The clock clicked to 11:59 P.M. and he inhaled. On his exhale he whispered, “Dear God, please take care of Dad.”

One one thousand, two one thousand…

“And, please let me dream about the meadow.”

…three one thousand, four one thousand…

“I can do what I want there.”

…five one thousand, six one thousand…

At 12:01 A.M., he fell into a deep sleep, which lifted him to the middle of a sparkling summer meadow.

“Mitchey, Mitchey-boy! Do you see fit to play? Do you want to play a new game?”

Mitch opened his eyes.

The creek on the edge of the field gurgled, and a tall woman wearing a grey linen skirt to her ankles gathered sticks under a towering black ash tree.

A comfortable heat rolled over Mitch’s lanky body as the sun swirled in the sky. He ran all ten fingers through his dark brown hair. The meadow was perfect. No rain, no poison ivy, and no mosquitoes. To Mitch, it smelled like his mother’s favorite bubble bath.

“Come along, boy. Time’s a wasting,” the woman called from across the meadow.

Mitch sat up and watched her stroll from the tree, through the tall sweeping grass, to a thick jumble of thorny bushes that lined the woods. She was a large woman with a fair, but ruddy, complexion, blue-black hair, and strong shoulders and hands. Mitch guessed her to be in her fifties or sixties.

“Hello, Patty!” he called.

She whistled through her fingers and Josiah appeared. Creeping out of the dense woods and sticky brambles, Josiah went to Patty’s side. The cocoa-skinned boy came no higher than her waist and wore a beige muslin shirt and loose pants, which were probably made from a flour sack. His soft brown curls carpeted his head like moss on a river stone.

Excerpt © 2010 Monica S. Baker

About the book:

It’s the 21^st century, but 13 year-old Mitchell Brooks has a 19^th century problem.  The notorious Patty Cannon – 1820’s ruthless kidnapper, murderess, and tavern keeper — is stalking him in his dreams.

A thriller for young readers, join Mitchell as he stumbles into a dream portal that transports him to the 1820s, where he faces the terrors of Patty Cannon. Mitch tries to lead a normal life, but his nights are interrupted by the adventures in his dreams and mysterious connections between Patty Cannon and his family. Learn how Mitch builds a stronger bond with this father, a reservist on active duty in the Middle East; resolves conflict; and learns the truth about slaves crossing to freedom in Pennsylvania before the Civil War. Ages 9-14 years.

Released: July 2010 by Schiffer Publishing

About the author:

Monica S. Baker was born in the San Francisco, California, Bay Area, lived and studied in sunny South America and in the frigid, but stunning upper midwest. She now works out of her home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, which she shares with her husband, three rambunctious teenagers, a hairy dog, a lazy cat, and anything else the cat brings home. In 2005, Monica decided it was time to get serious about a book she started, so put her marketing consulting cap in the closet in order to concentrate – FOCUS – work on – procrastinate on — FOCUS – work on – does the dog need to go out? – FOCUS – work on – finish – Freestyle, her first novel. She also started and now writes issues for Science Weekly, the award-winning publication that is read and used in schools across the United States.

No one knew how long Amma had been there.

When the women and children who lived in the stronghold, taking advantage of a sunny day, came down the rocky cliff path to gather bird eggs and seaweed, they saw her standing just below the high-tide line, looking out to sea.

Fulla set her basket down and approached her.

“Amma? What are you doing so far from home?” she asked, but Amma didn’t answer. Instead, she stared out at the waves, eyes narrowed against the sun. Fulla turned to see what her friend was looking at, but there was nothing out of the ordinary—just gannets plummeting into the water for fish, while smaller birds swooped and skimmed over the ocean’s surface. She must have been there for a while, Fulla realized, looking down at the circle of dried salt at the bottom of Amma’s skirt. Long enough for the tide to recede and wool to dry, at the very least, although Fulla had the impression it might have been much longer. Gently, she touched the other woman’s arm. “Amma?” Again, there was no response. “Well,” she said, “I’ll be here if you need anything.”

She might as well have been talking to a post, for all the reaction she got. She pursed her lips and picked up her basket. Glancing back at Amma every now and then, she sent her son up the rocks to hunt for birds’ nests while she raked a stick through the wet seaweed, looking for the only kind worth collecting.

She raised her head just in time to see a boy hauling his arm back, ready to let a pebble fly towards Amma. She rushed over and grabbed him. “Don’t you ever do that again,” she hissed. She gave him her meanest look, then let him run away as she scanned the group for his mother.

Didn’t these women have any compassion? She saw the suspicious glances they cast towards Amma, who stood still and silent as a rock, watching the water. Unusual behavior had been common for Amma ever since she had shown up seeking a place in the kingdom some six winters back. Or was it seven? Fulla couldn’t recall, although she remembered the way people had treated Amma even then. Didn’t they recognize grief when they saw it? And they, the wives and mothers of warriors? It was said that Amma had lost her brother, her husband, even her son in a feud, although she never talked about it, not even to Fulla. No wonder she wanted to live alone far from the hall where nobles’ sons spent their days honing their fighting skills.

Fulla looked over to see her own son climbing down from the rocks, cradling eggs in his shirt, waving away a tern that screamed and flew at him, defending her nest. It wouldn’t be very many summers before Gunnar would be joining his father and his older brothers in the king’s houseguard, for all that he was still a boy. Sword training started early for the youths who lived in the stronghold, and even farmer’s sons traveled to the hall during the winters to learn how to wield spear and ax. She closed her eyes, indulging herself in a brief desire for a time when boys didn’t have to become warriors, when feuds didn’t have to be avenged, when other tribes’ raiding parties didn’t threaten the kingdom of the Geats.

A gray cloud rushed across the sun, blocking its light, and a gust of wind sent dried seaweed skittering over the rocks. In the west, more clouds gathered.

Fulla looked back at Amma, who still hadn’t moved. What did she see out there?

Excerpt copyright © 2010 by Rebecca Barnhouse. Published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York

Rune, a 16-year-old orphan, tries to save the kingdom from a dragon that attacks the countryside and burns down King Beowulf’s hall. Along the way, he discovers who he is—and his true place in the kingdom. The novel is inspired by the Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf.

What people are saying:

“An absorbing tale of a young man finding his courage.” -Booklist

“Nail-biting suspense” -School Library Journal

Release date: October 26, 2010

About the author:

Rebecca Barnhouse is the author of The Book of the Maidservant. She studied Beowulf in graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Now she teaches it in Ohio, where she is a professor of English at Youngstown State University.