Friday, February 12, 2016

The Great GATU Create a Book Boyfriend Challenge

***UPDATE: This contest is now over. I know I said originally I would pick a winner by the end of February, but I got more entries than I anticipated and I want to be sure to give each entry the consideration it deserves. Therefore I am extending the judging period until March 10th. I will announce a winner here and on Twitter by March 10. Thanks to everyone who entered or spread the word.***

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend! Have I got a fun little contest for you. Have you ever wanted to see your name in a published book? What about help design a character in a book? Well today you can create your own perfect YA book boyfriend! And if I like him enough, I'll incorporate him into a 2018 or 2019 novel and credit you in the Acknowledgments :D Bonus: the winner will receive a signed arc of Girl Against the Universe and a second 2016 release of your choice.

I got this idea from the 80s movie Weird Science, totally notable because Robert Downey Jr. is in it and for some reason wasn't one of the leads. This movie is about a couple of guys trying to make the perfect woman via some sort of Maguffin they hooked up to their computer.



Because we're talking about teen boys, they focused mainly on perfecting their special lady's, er, physical attributes...



And because it was the 80s, their version of perfection looked sort of like a cross between...Cher and Lita Ford?




So. I created this challenge as sort of a 20 years later Galentine's Day Girls' Revenge Contest. Because clearly we girls would focus more on what really matters when we're creating people--less about the six-pack abs and sparkling green eyes and more about the future goals and commitment to the environment. Right? We shall see ;)

However, I am all about being inclusive, so anyone can enter this contest regardless of gender, relationship status, etc.

How to enter:

  • Don your lab coat and safety goggles and enter the book boyfriend laboratory. You can work by yourself or with a partner. Completed book boyfriends due by Feb 21st.
  • Have fun doing it!
  • [Optional] Tweet about how much fun you had and link to this post ;)
  • I will choose my favorite aspiring book boy (or randomly select from my top five favorites if it's too hard to pick) and announce the winner in the comments by the end of the month.


What you win:


1. A signed ARC of Girl Against the Universe
2. Either a second signed ARC of GATU (for your teammate or a friend) or your choice of any 2016 romantic read 

[Order/preorder from The Book Depository; max cost $20. If you live in a non-TDB country, you can choose between a second GATU ARC, a copy of Liars, Inc., or a copy of The Art of Lainey. Note: Sorry. I cannot be responsible for lost or damaged mail.]
3. I will do my best to incorporate your book boyfriend into a future Paula Stokes novel!!! 
[This is pending stuff like suitability, timing, and editor approval. However, I've run contests to name/design characters for both The Art of Lainey and Girl Against the Universe and had a lot of fun, so I will make this happen if at all possible.]

Questions? Put them in the comments!


The Great GATU Create a Book Boyfriend Challenge is brought to you by my next release, Girl Against the Universe, available May 17th, 2016 from HarperTeen

Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.