The Ballad of a Birthday Tattoo: Stephanie Kuehnert

Today is the kickoff of the Ballads of Suburbia Cyber Launch Party!!!!! Welcome!!!

Here are the details:

Over the next month (Yes, seriously this will run every week day until 8/14. I have no idea what I've gotten myself into!), author and musician guest bloggers (and sometimes me) will share their "ballads"--the stories of poignant moments in their life (or one of their character's lives) or about their relationship with music or a certain song. You can find out who all of my guests are by viewing the video invitation!

Each day I will host a contest, whether it is something given away by my guest or something I donate. Each contest will be open for one week. Then a winner will be chosen at random from the comments.

At the very end of the Cyber Launch Party, a grand prize winner will be drawn at random from the comments on all the blogs and they will receive a gift basket of MTV/Pocket Books!!! So the more blogs you comment on, the more entries you have to win that grand prize! Fine print: Due to shipping costs, only people with US mailing addresses are eligible for the grand prize.

Now let's get this party started!

I figured the best way to get this party started is to post my very first ever vlog! You'll even learn how to pronounce my last name! It comes in two parts:

Part One: The Ballad of a Birthday Tattoo

(In this part I talk about and show off the tattoo I got this weekend with Jeri Smith-Ready.)

Special notes about this vlog:
-The video invitation I mentioned is here.
-The blog from February that I mention is here.
-That strange sound in the background toward the end is probably Sid meowing.
-This is filmed in my bedroom by my fiance. Those are his Johnny Cash and Misfits posters. I coveted them like crazy while were dating and planned for them to go up in the bedroom as soon as he moved it. It's an added perk to marrying him, good posters.

-Apologies for the awful bags under my eyes. The curse of the insomniac. I also filmed this at like 3 am after work.

Part Two: Reading from Adrian's Ballad

(In this part I read a section from one of the character's ballads in Ballads of Suburbia)

Special notes about this vlog:

-Now I'm in my office with all my own posters and a photo collage of my friends I made before I moved out on my own at 17. I filmed this one myself so I sound extra lispy. Sorry.

-If this reading inspires you to pre-order the book, I recommend you do so from Women & Children First because then you can get a signed copy. All the details are here.

-Remember when you buy or pre-order to book to enter the Ballads Blitz, which isn't my contest, but a fabulous contest put on by Write for a Reader. And there are some awesome prizes! Speaking of contests....

TODAY'S CONTEST

Last week, I ran a contest for my first-hot-off-the-presses copy of Ballads of Suburbia. I barely got any entries. That was probably my own fault. It's not really fun to blog about or link to the Cyber Release Party when it is not going on and there is nothing to see yet. But now there is lots to see. So I'm carrying over last weeks entries to this week and continuing that contest....

Up for grabs is my first hot-off-the-presses copy of Ballads and since I'm extending the contest, I'll throw in another prize. You'll also get a copy of my Ballads soundtrack cd.

Entries:

+1 for a comment on the blog.

+1 for a comment telling me about a significant tattoo you got or would get if you were ever to get a tattoo

+1 for spreading the word about this blog, the cyber release party, linking to the video invite or to one or both of my vlogs from today. Do it via twitter, blog, facebook, myspace, whatever. You can do as many of these entries as you want. Please list them in the comments here though since this party will be keeping me so busy I won't have time to be tallying from multiple places (except for last weeks entries, I have those and will add them to the tally, don't worry!)

Tomorrow's Guest:

As I mentioned in the vlog is the fabulous Cecil Castellucci. Please come back tomorrow to read her ballad because it rocks and she's giving away a copy of my personal favorite of her books, Beige.

Some other random links:

-An interview I did with the fabulous author Gwendolyn Glover

-A column I wrote for my local paper about my feelings (or lack thereof) about turning 30.

-Teen Fiction Cafe. Where I will be blogging about cupcakes shortly :)

And last but not least, for everyone curious about what I am doing for my birthday, I am going to Green Day. Fabulous fiance and BFF got me tickets! Woo hoo!