The Obvious Game Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway

The Obvious Game
Author: Rita Arens
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: February 7, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing 
ISBN: 978-0-9856562-7-0 (ebook), 978-0-9856562-8-7 (Paperback)
Paperback Price: $13.99
E-book: $4.99 
To be available at all major online outlets: Amazon, B&N, The Book Depository.

Description:

“Everyone trusted me back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice at first.”

"Your shirt is yellow."
"Your eyes are blue."
"You have to stop running away from your problems."
"You're too skinny."

Fifteen-year-old Diana Keller accidentally begins teaching The Obvious Game to new kid Jesse on his sixteenth birthday. As their relationship deepens, Diana avoids Jesse's past with her own secrets -- which she'll protect at any cost.  

 

Praise for The Obvious Game: 

“I couldn’t put down The Obvious Game. Arens perfectly captures the hunger, pain and uncertainty of adolescence.” -- Ann Napolitano, author of A GOOD HARD LOOK and WITHIN ARM'S REACH

"THE OBVIOUS GAME is a fearless, honest, and intense look into the psychology of anorexia. The characters—especially Diana--are so natural and emotionally authentic that you’ll find yourself yelling at the page even as you’re compelled to turn it." -- Coert Voorhees, author of LUCKY FOOLS and THE BROTHERS TORRES

"Let’s be clear about one thing: there’s nothing obvious about The Obvious Game. Arens has written a moving, sometimes heart-breaking story about one girl’s attempt to control the uncontrollable. You can’t help but relate to Diana and her struggles as you delve into this gem of a novel." -- Risa Green, author of THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK CRYSTAL BALL 


Excerpt:

Snowden wasn’t normal when it came to homecoming. Most schools have a dance, sure, and a homecoming king and queen, but they’re crowned on the football field and immediately forgotten after the Friday-night fireworks. My school’s celebration was the stuff of documentaries.

The homecoming dance didn’t follow the football game. It followed a grandiose coronation ceremony for the king and queen that took place in the high school gym, attended by all the town dignitaries. As each senior’s name was called, he or she had to bow or curtsy to the king and queen.

Bow or curtsy. To someone you used to watch wet their pants. The last homecoming king used to ride my bus. He could fart the ABCs.

The sad part? The parents really did believe there was honor in that piece of cardboard. So did Amanda. So did I.

About the Author:

Rita Arens is the author of The Obvious Game and the editor of the award-winning parenting anthology Sleep Is for the Weak. She writes the popular blog Surrender, Dorothy (www.surrenderdorothyblog.com) and lives in Kansas City with her husband and daughter. The Obvious Game is her first young adult novel. She is at work on a second.

Rita has been a featured speaker at BlogHer 2012, BEA Bloggers Conference 2012, BlogHer Writers 2011, BlogHer 2011, Blissdom 2011, Alt Summit 2010, BlogHer 2010, BlogHer 2008 and BlogHer 2009, the 2008 Kansas City Literary Festival and 2009 Chicks Who Click and appeared on the Walt Bodine Show in 2008.

She’s been quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek, The Associated Press, Forbes Woman, the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Businessweek Online and featured in Breathe magazine, Get Your Biz Savvy, The Kansas City Star (archived material available on request), Today Moms (Today Show blog) and Ink KC. 

Links: 
Website/blog: http://www.surrenderdorothyblog.com or http://www.ritaarens.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaarens
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.arens
BlogHer: http://www.blogher.com/member/rita-arens
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=4048495&trk=tab_pro
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/ritajarens/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002KRLEHE
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1371209.Rita_Arens

  

 Giveaway:

Open to US, UK, and Canada.

 

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