When I was younger, we ate soup beans as a meal four times a week. Half the time with baked potatoes, the other half with cornbread. My mother swears that it wasn’t that often. But it was at least enough that I remember it that way. And it was often enough that during a recent stint of employment when I walked by the break room and someone was warming up soup beans, I experienced instantaneous nausea. I tell you this because I want you to understand. I know poor. Intimately. I’m so in with poor that we felt each other up one late night when we both had a shot too many. And despite Dolly Parton’s lovely notion in her chill-inducing Coat of Many Colors, poor isn’t just a state of mind. It’s also an empty checkbook and no free money to spend on non-necessities.

Thus, in honor of those of you who also know poor, whether the temporary or long-lasting kind, I would like to announce Random Riley’s holiday giveaway. (With thanks to Nikky for prodding me mercilessly to get my giveaway on. Okay, so maybe not mercilessly, but there was prodding.)

Anyway, here it is –

Random Riley’s Thousand Shades of Awesome Holiday Smile-a-Thon

Here’s how it works.

Step 1 – Giddy fangirls or fanboys send Riley an email, saying something to the effect of, “Riley, I sure would like a free copy of your book. If you had a heart, you’d give me one. After all, it’s the holiday season and people are generally a little nicer, so despite all signs pointing to the fact that you are a cynical, snarky assclown, I think it’s possible that deep inside you possess a Grinch-like ability to suddenly become kind, join the carols and carve the roast beast.” Feel free to paraphrase.

*Please include the address where you would like your book to be mailed.*

Step 2 – I will list the first name (or internet handle if you want to be really mysterious) of each person who wants a book on the Random Riley’s Thousand Shades of Awesome Holiday Smile-a-Thon giveaway page.

Step 3 – Fellow fangirls or fanboys, ones who have already read BTK: Cinderella’s Rebellion, will come to the aid of those in need of a free book. For each review or fanfic based on the book, I will give one free copy away.
So, if you would like to provide a needy fangirl or boy with a free copy of Bleeding Through Kingdoms, here’s what you have to do.

- Once the list goes up, pick a fangirl or fanboy and lay claim to her or him. Do this by sending me an email and letting me know which fangirl(s) or fanboy(s) you will be adopting this holiday season. I will pair you on the list, so that the same person doesn’t get double-claimed.

- Write a review and post it at either Amazon or on your own blog or website.

-OR-

- Write a fanfic based on Bleeding Through Kingdoms and post it on a fanfic site or on your own site.

- Send me a link to the review/fanfic so that I may happily link to it.

- I will gift your adoptee with a book for your efforts.

I will accept the names of those people hankering for a free book until December 10th. The kindly gift-givers can have until December 19th to turn out their reviews or fanfics. Books will mail December 20th. Everyone will smile and be merry. Godspeed.