Freezing rain and fog here in Minnesota, with the roads so treacherous that schools are closed. I’d much rather have an actual blizzard…but a flurry of words and links and news will have to do.

First things first: The advance reading copies of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Four: The Strangers have arrived at my house in their excitingly heavy box!  If you (or someone you know) is a book blogger or reviewer, and you would like an ARC of The Strangers, contact me in the comments or email me at jacqueline@jacquelinewest.com.  Obviously, quantities are limited, but I will guarantee a copy for the first three reviewer-respondents.

(For now, this offer is for bloggers/reviewers only.  I will very likely do a giveaway for readers in a few more weeks, so stay tuned!)

Speaking of book bloggers, two great reviews of The Second Spy appeared on Book Nut and Book ‘Em! Huge thanks to everyone who is spreading the word in this way.

I learned that The Second Spy was nominated for the 2012 Cybils Awards, as well as for the Minnesota Book Awards.  It isn’t a finalist for either, but both awards have been very kind to The Books of Elsewhere in the past, and truly fantastic books are on both lists.

The Second Spy also got a mention (and its picture!) in Publishers Weekly, in an article on holiday book sales.

My spring travel schedule is about to get really crazy, with more events being added all the time.   Keep an eye on https://jacquelinewest.com/appearance-calendar.php, if you’re interested.  This weekend, I’m off to booksALIVE! in Panama City, Florida.  So long, freezing rain.  Hello, Emerald Coast.

Behold: This year’s jack-o-lanterns.  We carved them with friends on Saturday, and mine is already starting to look a bit backward-leaning and droopy (it’s the one that appears to depict a cat crossed with a chubby lizard), but Ryan’s creepy face just gets creepier as it shrivels.

If anyone’s looking for a last-minute literary costume, check out Books Together.  There you’ll find step-by-step instructions for assembling your own Olive Dunwoody costume, and links to several other book-based costume ideas.  (You can also enter to win a set of seven fantastic Halloweeny books published by Penguin, including The Shadows!  Go!  Go NOW!)

Speaking of giveaways: the Facebook All Hallow’s Read giveaway ended this morning, and I’ve contacted the randomly selected winner.  (I asked entrants to name the fictional character they’d least like to encounter in real life, and there were a slew of great responses: multiple mentions of Cthulu and Count Olaf, as well as votes for Randall Flagg of Stephen King creation, Commander Woundwart from Watership Down, Eric Cartman (I agree–he’s terrifying), and Snooki.)  Thanks, everyone.

Poetry news:  My poem, “Wendigo in the 21st Century,” was a finalist for this year’s SFPA poetry contest.  You can read the winners and see the full list here.  The SFPA is also hosting a Halloween poetry reading; visit their Halloween page to hear me reading my Rhysling-nominated poem, “Escaping the Dawn” or to listen to other great poems and poets.

And, finally, my super-cool new t-shirt:

(Here’s the local paper’s write-up.)  Two days until showtime…

It’s time for my favorite new gift-giving holiday!

If you aren’t familiar with the coolness that is All Hallow’s Read, click here.  If you are, I hope you’re already on the hunt for creepy, wondrous books to give to your favorite readers for Halloween.  Last year, I hosted a giveaway on this blog.  This year, I’d like to try something a little bit different: If you visit my Facebook page, you’ll find an All Hallow’s Read thread, in which I’ve asked readers to share which literary character they would be most terrified to meet in real life.  On October 31, I’ll pick a winning commenter at random, and he/she will be sent a signed hardcover copy of THE SECOND SPY.  (And if you share the giveaway link, you’ll be entered twice.  Got to get around that new “promoted posts” malarkey somehow.)  Go!  Comment!  Win!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jacqueline-West/112573782122159?ref=sgm

Last week, I got to attend another rehearsal of “Under the Bed.”  The actors now have their lines memorized, and getting to see and hear words that I wrote coming out of REAL people’s mouths, without any papers or print between us, was truly something special.  Plus, the kids are smart, and heartbreaking, and so, so funny.

Here they are, being bullied by big sisters/being bullying big sisters and getting trapped by fear-collecting spiders.

I’ve also just learned that THE SHADOWS has made the list for the 2013-2014 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award, which makes me very,very happy.  Thank you, young readers–Hoosiers and non-Hoosiers alike.

Thanks, all, for the many marvelous All Hallows Read recommendations!  Several of you mentioned books that I’ve loved, too–books that helped me learn to read (The Berenstain Bears), a book I smuggled off of my grandma’s shelves and devoured while hiding behind an armchair (Flowers in the Attic), a book I pored over again and again during high school and college (Frankenstein–Drat that eighteen-year-old prodigy Mary Shelley!), a book I loved so much I named my dog after it (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Brom Bones heartily endorses this particular choice), and books I read while wedged into a corner so that nothing could sneak up behind me (basically anything by Stephen King).

Without further ado, the randomly selected winners of the giveaway are:

1. Andrea Polk

2. Brenda Tjaden

Winners, please send me your postal addresses (via jacqueline@jacquelinewest.com) so that I can put your books in the mail ASAP.   (Or perhaps that should be ITTBRUTCWAFOHN — In Time To Be Read Under The Covers With A Flashlight On Halloween Night.)

It’s time to try something I haven’t tried before: A giveaway.

Yes, in the spirit of All Hallows Read (www.allhallowsread.com), I am offering two gift packages full of Halloween-y literature.

The first package will include a signed hardcover copy of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume One: The Shadows, a signed ARC (Advance Reading Copy: a paperback version of a book that is issued before the book’s official release, so that reviewers, booksellers, and other literary people can get an early look) of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Two: Spellbound, and a brand-new softcover copy of one of my childhood favorites: Bunnicula, by James Howe.

The second package will include a signed hardcover copy of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Two: Spellbound, and a fresh-from-the-bookshop paperback of Avi’s The Seer of Shadows, a ghost story rich with art and atmosphere.

What do you have to do to win?  Just leave a comment on this blog–at WordPress, at LiveJournal, or via Goodreads–with the title of your own favorite frightening read (and, of course, your name) by Tuesday, October 25th, one week from today.  I’ll pick winners at random, post the names/contact the recipients, and put the books in the mail as soon as the winners email me with postal addresses.  Ideally they will arrive in time for Halloween, when you can give them to other readers you love, or keep them for yourself.

And speaking of The Shadows, here’s a lovely new review: http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/2011/10/read-scary-books-of-elsewhere-shadows.html.

And, AND, speaking of Halloween and books and other fun things, if you are within driving distance of River Falls, Wisconsin, don’t forget to stop by Karma Gifts from 1:00 – 3:00 on Saturday, October 29th for the Books of Elsewhere signing, reading, an art contest, and autumn treats!