The Near Witch Secret Project!!!

It was a dark, cold Febuary night when I stumbled into a conversation on Twitter where Victoria and Gail were discussing V's upcoming book--The Near Witch. It's a bit of a blur to me now, but I know a few things. I know Gail said the writing was fantastic. I know I said, "Someone should write a song." (I have no idea why I said that.) I know Victoria said, "I would love that."

And then: "I'll do it!" I tweeted. "I'll write a song! A RAP song." From there it's all a blur. Three hours later--The Near Witch Rap was born. Followed by plans to record it, a group of people to help (self-named The Book Pimps) and a release date. Today, I present this to you and I hide from awesome embarrassment.

Before I show you the video, you should know a few things.

1) The Near Witch is one of the best books I've read. It's creative and beautiful and lyrical and almost all these lines were taken from the text in some way.
2) The Near Witch comes out exactly THREE MONTHS from today!
3) Victoria Schwab is all sorts of talented and I have no doubt that you will enjoy this book, future books and just getting to know her through her career. Seriously. Meet her. And she bakes wonderful cookies.
4) You are totally allowed to laugh, to re-watch and to have this song stuck in your head. All of which you will probably do anyway.
5) Press play now.



Direct URL is http://youtu.be/rTIXANb2ahc

I'm not sure what to say. Wow. Feel free to watch it again. Uh....Today is a celebration!!
Today marks the THREE MONTH mark until The Near Witch hits shelves. We think a good way to celebrate is to tell you a little bit about the author. My fellow Book Pimps and I will be hosting a short q&a with Victoria Schwab on each of our blogs. We're also each hosting a giveaway featuring some of Victoria's favorite things! All five of us are giving away DIFFERENT items as well as a signed, first edition of The Near Witch. 

This is why we're all in hats in the video. V loves this hat.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

I remember frighteningly little from my childhood, which I take to mean it was one of contentment. I say that because the times I DO vividly remember are ones of stress or difficulty. I don't mean to be ambiguous, but it's true. I was a daydreamer, with these big blue eyes my family joked could look through people instead of at them, and so it seems odd to me that so little stuck. Maybe because I was always looking up.

What is the single-most (as of right now) significant turning point in your life?

Since I graduated college in 2009, I've felt so constantly in flux, constantly making decisions that unsettle me, sometimes purposefully (like deciding to road trip around the country for three weeks, or deciding to move to the UK), sometimes by accident. There is no doubt that the biggest change has been getting a book deal. It's changed my writing, my process, and without a doubt, it's changed ME.

What do you have in common with Lexi? What are the biggest differences between you and Lexi? What trait does Lexi have that you'd most like to embody?

I think both Lexi and I have a need to prove ourselves. But I want her strength, her conviction. She KNOWS herself. I feel like there's always a question mark at the end of anything I feel, do, think, want. I covet her conviction.

If you follow Victoria on Twitter, then you know she has an obsession with baby animals, loves Neil Gaiman and baking. For my giveaway, I have this: 

• A copy of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
• 2 bookmarks (baby penguins and a cupcake)
• A very soft and very cute plush baby bunny
• A signed, first edition copy of THE NEAR WITCH (this will be available from Disney*Hyperion close to the release date in August)

The contest is US/Canada only and ends at 9PM EST on Saturday, May 7th. Click here to enter.

Be sure to stop by all these other blogs to see what everyone else is giving away.

Gangsta G at Ticket to Anywhere
Mad Molly at The Book Cellarx
Nikamon at Wicked Awesome Books
Disappearing D at Overflowing Shelf
Camerawoman Jen at Secret Life of A Bibliophile
and the fabulous author Victoria Schwab!