The Secret is Out! (Updated!)

Today’s winner is LEAH! Leah has won a a shimmery, cooling Bath and Body Works Lip Gloss (with handy dandy makeup mirror), in the official Secret Society Girl flavor of 312 Pomegranate Martini.

Why Pomegranate martini? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

You guys are all SO sick of hearing me say that, aren’t you?

So, when I was but a wee girl, they used to hold these big spring raffles at my elementary school, and every day at lunch the nice raffle volunteer ladies would be there selling tickets. Some of the prizes were super nice, like tickets to sporting events or birthday parties on the local birthday-party-pirate-ship outfit (Yes, this is what you crave in Tampa, and it’s actually a great little party!). Some of the prizes were stuffed animals. One year, the prize was this gigantic stuffed dolphin. I took one look at that thing and fell in love. I wanted that dolphin. He wanted me, too. He sat there, looking at me with big black eyes. “Win me, Diana. Don’t let me go to anyone else.” I dreamed about that dolphin. And I set about winning him. I shudder to think how much of my piggy bank’s innards were sacrificed to that thing. I knw I drank from the water fountain rather than getting juice or lemonade for weeks in order to devote every spare penny to buying raffle tickets. It’s entirely possible that I was one of the only kids bidding on the dolphin. Of course, I won him. His raffle box was completely riddled with my name.

And this is why I believe that you enter as many times as you want to win. It’s the same theory I had on submitting manuscripts. Can’t win if you don’t play. Today, I’d like to reward those people who have played this game through its entirety, and as such, have shown phenomenal dedication, persistence, and loyalty, which are all traits much admired by any Secret Society:

Alyssa Goodnight, Annie from OC, Bonnie Ferguson, Heather Brewer, Heather Dawn Harper, Jaci Burton, Lis, larramie, and Milady Insanity are all thereby gifted with a Rose & Grave pin. (Yes, Alyssa, you can have a lip gloss instead). Several of these cats have already won something in the contest. Hard core. (See, they ascribe to my dolphin theory). But that aint all…

They are also entered into the upcoming drawing for The Last of the Hoodies, and really the name says it all, doesn’t it? You guys want to hear the Saga of the Hoodie? It goes something like this:

In 2005, Diana orders hoodies. They arrive, and though are quite beautiful, are even smaller than the size chart for “fitted and runs small” would have led her to believe. They also were Not Cheap. However, they were a hit, and Diana spends a lot of time trying to find a less expensive way to produce them, because unlike the Cafe Press gear, these hoodies are not Print On Demand. But she can’t, and they are even more expensive now than they were in 2005. Diana keeps her fingers crossed for the day that Cafe Press expands its line of black products from mere t-shirts to hoodies. (But if 20 of you want to get together and order them, I’ll make it happen for you.)

I’d also like to add that this, the Last of the Hoodies, comes in one size only, and it happens to be a large, which, since they run hella small, is the size I wear (I’m usually a 6). The winner may choose an alternate prize from anything in the Eli University Cafe Press store. (This may happen if the winner is Heather B, or she may choose to make it a wardrobe staple.)

Angie, Carrie, Gina, Julie, Marley, Phyllis, Sara, Eileen, Kristen Painter, Lara, and Robin are now in a run-off contest for a gift basket of pomegranate martini beauty products (you think all I’ve got is the gloss?) No pictures available, but trust me, it’s nice.

Manic mom, Rhiannon, Pam, Jami, Estella, Jennifer Y, Minna, Leah, and Nancy are all in a run-off for a bunch of lollipop roses. Why roses? You know the drill…

All of these drawings are going to take place soon. Meanwhile, winners of all stripes, please send me your addresses over email (to be found in the profile block near my photo at the top of this page).

Okay, what else do we have in store for you all on release day? How about Secret Society Girl Sightings? Savvy reader Gina Johnson sent in this sighting late last night from a Tulsa-area B&N:

This is the first time I’ve seen the book on the shelves, even if it wasn’t with my own eyes. I was so excited! It might be my favorite SSG photo so far, though this may give it a run for its money: