The One with MY TEAM!! OMG!!!

So, first, let me start by saying how completely EXCITED I AM about this. Writing (and then promoting) can be such a lonely job. The idea of having a team to talk about and support my book is kind of the most awesome thing EVER. I'm so glad my publisher decided to do this.

Then there was the fact that over 250 people turned in applications in only a matter of days. Guys, for real, you made me feel so overwhelmed with love and support. And not gonna lie... you made this awkward girl feel pretty cool. 

(Can you imagine how this would turn out if I was doing it? GUM EVERYWHERE.)

Anyway, back to the street team! After basking for a while in all the awesome, my heart started to sink. Because not only were there so many of you, but I adored you all! And my publisher's limit for the street team was 25 people. TWENTY-FIVE PEOPLE OUT OF OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY. 

I was going through and making notes, and I literally had HUNDREDS of entries marked as maybes. Because every time I tried to cross someone off the list, I was all...

Because so many of you, I recognize from talking online, or meeting at events, or I read your awesome blogs, and it was just too hard. TOO HARD, I TELL YOU.

So, I brought in the professionals (aka my publicity team) and had them start narrowing it down. Because it probably would have taken me months to decide (if ever). And though it was difficult, they got the team down to twenty-five (miracle workers, I tell you). 

Before I reveal the final twenty-five chosen, I want you guys to know that if you weren't chosen, it doesn't mean that my publisher (or me) doesn't think you're amazing. We're so appreciative of your support, and we always, always want you to have the chance to be involved. If you're a blogger and you haven't already, I highly encourage you to sign up for the InkSlinger PR mailing list. That's the absolute best way to make sure you get in on my cover reveals and other events, if you're interested. 

The aim of this wasn't just to go through and choose the biggest and most popular blogs. The aim was to create a team with various strengths and skill sets. So, though online followings were a big consideration, things like location and specialties and enthusiasm also played a big part. What I'm saying is... it's kind of like this... 

So, without further delay... 

(Okay... maybe a little more delay because I just have to say one more time that I wish we could have had you all. We will most likely start fresh with a new team for each book in the series, so it definitely won't be your last chance to get involved.)

Okay, but for real now, I present to you the RUSK UNIVERSITY STREET TEAM! 

Alana Rock

Amber Noffke

Amoolya Parichuri

Andy Estrada

Anabel Jimenez

Betsy Gehring

Christine from I*Heart*BigBooks

Danielle Finnegan

Elizabeth Lattanzi

Emily Key

Ethan Gregory

Jen Strand

Kaitlan Heaton

Katelyn Torrey

Kim Baker

Krista Davis

Lucy Tonkin

Maggie Hall

Megan Gallt

Momo Xiong

Sara Butler

Stephanie Charlefour

Stephanie Gibson

Yesi Cavasos

Yvette Cervera

If you made the team, I'll be in touch within the next couple days to get things rolling. SO SO excited! 

THANK YOU so much to everyone who applied. Please know you have my love and adoration. And though I wasn't allowed to keep you all (*SOB*), I can give you all something for your willingness to support me and my work. Here's a little snippet of ALL LINED UP in thanks! It's in Dallas's POV toward the beginning of the book. And her friend Stella is dragging her to her first Frat party. (Oh, college). 

For one glorious month, I had entertained visions and fantasies of what college would be like. Rusk wasn’t my ideal school, far from it, but it was something. I could finally make my own decisions and not have to worry about them migrating to the coach’s office before lunchtime. I had ached for high school graduation day like there was a knife in my gut, and I couldn’t pull it out until May. Then my dad was offered the open position here at Rusk, and I feel like I’m still gasping for breath around that knife.

Maybe we aren’t in high school anymore. But it’s the same damn misery with a different name.

Unless I do something about it.

But it’s easier to be miserable, so I shake off Stella’s grasp. “All it takes is one person to say something to someone, who tells some else, who mentions it at church or practice or anywhere, and I’m dead. Stick a fork in me and dip me in hot lava. Dead.”

“God, you’re so overdramatic. Sooner or later, you’ve got to stop being scared of your dad. If you don’t, you’re going to graduate college a virgin with half a dozen cats, some dumb-ass degree he wants that you couldn’t care less about, and only professors and academic journals for friends.”

I wince, because she’s right about almost all of it. She would be furious if she knew I wasn’t a virgin and didn’t tell her. I’d always meant to, but it isn’t exactly my proudest memory, and the longer I’d put it off, the easier it had become to pretend that it wasn’t a thing. I refuse to let it be a thing. Instead, I roll my eyes and say, “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Hey, I’m just being the voice of reason here.”

“More like the devil on my shoulder.”

“I accept that role.” Stella cackles and nudges her elbow in my side like she’s just said the funniest joke ever. And in spite of myself, I crack a smile.

I stare up at the Delta Sigma house. All the frat houses on campus are old colonial-style mansions with creeping ivy and pearly white columns. They look so presentable…probably in an effort to hide the absolute debauchery that happens inside.

God, I just thought the word debauchery. Stella’s right. I am going to end up a lame cat lady, probably yelling at people from my front porch and waving my cane around like a madwoman.

It just isn’t fair.

College is supposed to be a time to break free, to start fresh. You would think being the football coach’s daughter would be a benefit. I know more about the sport than half the guys at our school, knowledge that should make it easy to land a date.

If they weren’t all petrified of my father.

Love you guys! Thanks for being so awesome!