Monday, September 20, 2010

Brave writers, speak loudly and MOCKINGBIRDS ARC giveaway

By now most of you have probably heard of Wesley Scroggins and the opinion piece he wrote for the News Leader of Springfield, MO.

He calls the novel SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson "soft pornography," among other things, along with SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and TWENTY BOY SUMMER.

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

He wants these books out of the school district.

He wants teens who might be struggling around issues of rape, which SPEAK is about, or around issues of grief, which TWENTY BOY SUMMER is about, to not have these incredible books to help them know they're not alone.

Why must people feel the need to go out and take away books from other people? I don't understand! No one has the right to decide what my kids shouldn't be reading except ME. No one has the right to decide what your kids shouldn't be reading except YOU. 

There are some incredible posts around the blogosphere about women who were victims of sexual assault, and the shame they felt even though they did NOTHING WRONG.

Check out this brave post by author Saundra Mitchell that made me cry.

Or this heartfelt and brave post by author C.J. Redwine.

Or this brave and sad post by author Cheryl Rainfield.

You can find a round-up of all the various posts that encourage everyone to speak loudly HERE.

SPEAK is one of the greatest books of our time. I'm so glad Laurie Halse Anderson had the courage to write it.

Another author, Daisy Whitney, faced the page with courage, and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of her upcoming novel THE MOCKINGBIRDS, which also deals with date rape. It is SUCH a good book. And I know like SPEAK, it will help countless women as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened to them after being sexually violated.

I want to give the ARC away to someone because this is a book that I hope many, many people read. The more we read, the more we talk, and the more we let it be known that we will not sit by silently while the Wesley Scroggins of the world try to bully us into his irrational way of thinking.



Trust me, you want to read this book. I want you to read this book! So comment and you're entered. I'll draw a name Thursday, 9/23 at 5:00 pm PST. US Residents only please.

Now go and SPEAK LOUDLY!!!

56 comments:

  1. I am all for supporting the Speak Loudly cause, and I would love to read another book that has to do with it. (:

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  2. I'm in! Interestingly enough, I've been reading Speak to my Eng 11 students. I shared the events of this weekend with them. They were quick to endorse the book,have been spellbound throughout the reading, and we've had some fantastic discussions.

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  3. I love the book SPEAK. And I'd love to win too!

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  4. This book sounds good! Thanks for the giveaway!

    aprilxu2222@gmail.com

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  5. I would definitely love to read this! I was late finding out about the whole Speak Loudly thing and then yesterday was my Mom's 50th b-day so I haven't had the chance to do much for it except add the twibbon to my twitter pic. Thanks for the contest! :D

    ~Briana

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  6. I keep hearing about how amazing this book is! Thanks for doing the giveaway to share it!

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  7. Thank you so much for this post! The way this community has gotten together in the past two days is tremendous. I am from the same town as this guy, and my daughter goes to the same school disrict in question. I have written a blog about it(,http://abbyminard.blogspot.com/2010/09/speakloudly-in-my-own-backyard.html) and I have already written my Superintendent. I hope there will be a Public Forum or board meeting I can go to soon. Thanks for getting the word out, and I hope I can too!

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  8. Thanks for the contest. I'd definitely like to read this book and share with anyone willing to read. Let's spread the word that rape is nothing to be swept under the rug, it's real and there are many out there dealing with the physical and emotional struggles associated with it.

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  9. If we all Speak Up and Speak Loudly we will quiet the Wesley Scroggins of the world.

    Thank you for the giveaway. I would love to win/read/share The Mockingbirds.

    wickedawesomebooks(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  10. Good is coming from the "interesting" review at least...free publicity!

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  11. i would love to read this book.
    im entering!

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  12. Well said! Too many young women have been raped and need some place to turn. Books are an important connection! Thank you for your blog piece and for this giveaway!

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  13. This is book I've had on my radar for awhile now. I definitely need to read it. It sounds like one of those stories that everyone should read at least once.

    autumn .crochet (at) gmail. com

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  14. Fantastic, thank you for the contest. I've got Speak to read and I'm ordering Twenty Boy Summer. I'd have ordered this if it was out! Hope I can still enter as I can use a US mailing addy.

    lynsey(AT)narrativelyspeaking(DOT)com

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  15. Wow, I've been dying to read The Mockingbirds. I follow Daisy's blog and think she's wonderful.

    I've read Speak, but have yet to read Twenty Boy Summer. Speak is one of my favorite books. How can rape be pornographic? This guy is insane.

    Thanks for having this giveaway!

    addicted2novels(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. What a wonderful contest, Lisa. I've been looking forward to this book for ages (it seems!)!

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  17. I've been wanting this book since I heard about it. It's great that your giving a copy away! Thank you!

    candace_redinger at yahoo dot com

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  18. Found out about this book through you. Entering the contest!

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  19. Please enter me. bkhabelatgmaildotcom

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  20. I'm constantly amazed by you, Lisa, and all the other YA authors that do awesome things for teens, like writing the books you write, and posting on important issues like this one. You are all inspirations!

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  21. Thanks for the chance!
    amandarwest at gmaildotcom

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  22. I definitely agree. SPEAK is a book that all teens have the right to be exposed to. When I read it in 8th grade, I found it to be quite moving.

    Thanks for the giveaway, too!

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  23. Definitely entering.

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  24. Thanks for the giveaway!

    christianchick52 at gmail dot com

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  25. I'm so glad to see the writing community coming to the defense of such an important book! And I can't wait for The Mockingbirds!

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  26. I just wanted to say that Mockingbirds was fantastic and we should all SPEAK LOUDLY. Don't enter me since I've already read. Thanks

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  27. Thanks for speaking loudly!! Love it!

    jeremywest91@gmail.com

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  28. I love Daisy Whitney almost more than life itself. She is one of the most supportive writers out there.

    Can't wait to see MOCKINGBIRDS on the bestseller lists. And, I'd love an ARC copy!!!

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  29. I absolutely love Speak and I'm very excited for Mockingbirds to come out, so I'm entering the contest.

    Very much like your post!

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  30. Great contest! The book looks amazing - samantha.thomson@ggp.com

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  31. Oooo, I'm in. I've had my eye on this one:)

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  32. This is actually one that I've been really excited to read! I'd love to be entered in the giveaway :)

    It's really great what you're doing. And I agree with you 100% about the banning thing. It's always really upsetting. Anyways, thanks again!

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  33. I'd love to enter to win Mockingbirds! I've heard great things about it already from the early reviews that have came out. Thanks for speaking out!

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  34. I am so proud to be part of a community that is pulling together in support of all the fabulous books and authors out there who are having their work challenged and banned.

    areadersramblings@gmail.com

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  35. I spent all day yesterday reading SPEAK Loudly posts. It was amazing.

    The Mockingbirds is a book I've been looking forward to. Please enter me, and thanks for this giveaway!

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  36. I spent entire class periods on Monday discussing the Scroggins banning attempt against Speak, Twenty Boy Summer and Slaughterhouse Five. A couple students borrowed Speak and Twenty Boy Summer :) Yay for Speaking Loudly!! I'm excited about this drawing!

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  37. Great post. It is good to see so many people speaking out against idiots like Scroggins. I really want to read The Mockingbirds when it comes out also. Nice giveaway with a great purpose.
    narcijen[at]gmail[dot]com

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  38. I hope I win this so I can read and share with my eighth grade students!
    @mrsheisefpms

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  40. I've been reading all the blogs about this insane guy trying to ban Speak...it's just sad. I hope he endures huge amounts of backlash because of his irrational article.

    Thank you for standing up and Speaking out! Speak was one of those books that hugely changed my perspective in high school. I don't know what I would have done without it!

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  41. Thanking for speaking out! Entering! :)

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  42. Now I'm all stuffed up from crying while reading the stories at the links you posted...whew.

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  43. It is great to see so many people come together to help. It is unbelievable how many great books have been banned throughout the years.

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  44. My hope is to read all the books on the upcoming Contemps Challenge list. They all sound like the kinds of books I'd like to have in my classroom.

    The best books are the ones that inspire my students to come to me afterward to ask my opinion of. I've had the best conversations after they've read YA books.

    CK

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  45. Entering! I'm so happy so many and coming to together to speak up.

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  46. This book looks so good. I completely support the cause. Books about speaking up aren't very common, so I love reading any I can. Thanks so much!

    dancer_girl76(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  47. Please enter me in the drawing. This sounds like a book I need to read and share.

    librarypat AT comcast DOT net

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  48. Thanks for the giveaway (:

    blissfulrains(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  49. thanks for the giveaway...i've been wanting to read Speak!

    avacyphera@yahoo.com

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  50. I read Speak in high school and it was a huge impact in my life. I loved the authors writing and definitely the story.

    Please count me in.

    cindyc725 at gmail dot com

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  51. I just read Speak this summer and am still in awe of it. I have a feeling Mockingbirds will have the same impact. Please enter me in the giveaway.

    Kristie
    javaintheam at hotmail dot com

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  52. Definitely on my TBR wishlist

    bunkercomplexATgmailDOTcom

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