Jan 19, 2011

Contest for DIVERGENT

***So, um, for some reason this blog post went up all sorts of messed up--part of my post was missing (the part after The Call), and the author interview was HUGE?  Something I'm still not able to fix--if anyone has a suggestion, I'm all ears! Apparently I'm having blogging issues.  All should be fixed now!  And...what are you waiting for?  Enter the contest!!***

So we have this book coming out called DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth in May.  And it is made of awesomesauce (and paper and binding, of course).  If you want to know what it's about, just listen to Veronica give you the details herself:




I met Veronica at a conference in Indiana (shout out to MWW!), and I could tell right away that she was just an all around great gal because she laughed at my weird jokes.  (Now that I think about it, maybe she was just being polite....). I discovered that she was professional and talented as well as we corresponded after the conference. Then she sent me Divergent. And then I started reading.  A few sleepless nights later and everyone in my office was buzzing over it.  It was time to make The Call--which included a black out, a storm, driving all around Long Island for reception, and a late night rendezvous to Steak n' Shake. You don't want to know.  I'm just happy I was able to get through to her!

Now most people will have to wait for pub date to read this.  But for one lucky winner here, you can win a copy by entering this contest!

DIVERGENT CONTEST:

Please answering the follow two-part question:

Which virtue is most important to you?  

a)honesty
b)selflessness
c)bravery
d)kindness
e)intelligence

And why?

The Rules:

1. You must follow this blog.
2. You must answer the 2-part question in the comments section of this blog.
3. You must comment on this post.
4. You must tweet, facebook, vlog or blog about this contest and include the link in your comment.
5. You can enter only once.
6. US participants only (OR anyone with a US address for mailing the winning package).


The winner will be chosen at random and the results posted.


**You have until 11:59pm EST on Monday, 1/24!  Enter quick!

33 comments:

Sarah said...

Yay! I want a copy!

I vote for a) kindness.

Humanity is at its best when we are kind to each other. Compassion inspires courage, honesty and selflessness. Intelligence? Well, that's important. But, I love this quote from the film Harvey:

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant."

http://twitter.com/#!/ScatteredDancer/status/27816883721867264

Kate Hart said...

I'm going to vote 5) intelligence, because if you're smart, you know all those other things matter just as much.

(Is that logic or a copout? Hmm...)

I RT'd Jo here. Thanks for the contest!

Unknown said...

http://twitter.com/#!/skyledavisbooks/status/27821127891951617

I pick b)selflessness.

If you are more concerned about others than yourself, you will be honest to them, because you won't care what they think about you. You will be brave, because what you must do is more important than your own safety or security. You will be kind to others, because you care about them. You will demonstrate intelligence and understanding, because you will be open to new and challenging ideas.

Unknown said...

My immediate reaction is 5) Intelligence (Ravenclaw FTW) because... well basically what Kate said. Smart people can choose to be all the other things, and to be that way most effectively.

Tweet here: http://twitter.com/#!/ImSarahEnni/statuses/27822515044745216

Tracey Neithercott said...

I'm dying to read this!

I'll go with A) honesty. I almost said intelligence, but I'd rather be honest than smart but conniving.

I'm a follower. And my tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/T_Neithercott/status/27824153188900864

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

My answer is always d) kindness.

Why? Intelligence is great, but smart people created the atom bomb and nuclear weapons. I believe in honesty, but kindness sometimes necessitates little white lies for those you love. If everyone was a little kinder, it would be a much happier world.

I tweeted and FB'd this, but have no idea how to copy the link. I think the FB link is below. Thanks!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kvhelvig

Kathryn Packer Roberts said...

I say a) honesty. Because without honesty, for me, the other qualities lose their greatness.

I loved watching Veronica talk about her book. She gave just enough detail to really get me interested in the story and she seems very personable as you said.

Count me in the contest!

http://twitter.com/#!/brykateemma/status/27903265135919105

Renee Collins said...

Yay, another Divergent contest!

I would go with e)intelligence.

With intelligence, we know the right ways to phrase our "honesty" to make the greatest impact.

With intelligence, our selflessness doesn't go too far and compromise our self-worth.

With intelligence, we can be wise about how to act on our bravery.

With intelligence, we gain a greater sense of empathy, which produces greater kindness.


http://twitter.com/#!/reneecollins_/status/27961051966345216

Thanks for the contest!!

(*subliminal message: pickmepickmepickme*)

Unknown said...

How difficult - each virtue alone could be terrible (imagine intelligence or honesty without kindness, bravery or selflessness without intelligence). However, I'd have to say d) kindness - as long as you empathize with and want to improve the plight of others, you're trying to make the world better. It's also harder (though certainly not impossible) to harm others through misguided kindness than it is through the other virtues. Wow, now there's a cynic's take on virtue.

http://twitter.com/seegirlwrite/status/27971577408655360

(Also, congratulations to Veronica on all the fantastic things people are saying about DIVERGENT!)

Jaime Loren said...

I vote for: c) bravery.

My husband is an intelligent man. He’s an honest man. But when a crazy homeless person punched me in the stomach while we were crossing the road at Union Square, San Francisco (on our honeymoon, no less!), all I wanted was a brave man. Now, I’m not saying he should have glove-slapped the guy or gone all Inigo Montoya on his ass, but a little verbal retribution would have been nice, at least!
But who am I kidding. I knew he was an accountant when I married him. :P

Congrats, Veronica. Divergent sounds like a great read! And why is there ALWAYS a kid torching ants in the playground???

http://twitter.com/JaimeLoren/status/27962793915322368

Joanna Farrow said...

Without hesitation, b) selflessness.

Selflessness is at the heart of the things like genuine kindness and genuine bravery. Without selflessness, intelligence would be marred and egotistical, which could lead to a whole world of corruption. Selflessness allows honesty to be constructive; how many times have you been ‘honest’ for selfish gain?

Without selflessness, we deem ourselves the centre of the universe. We look only to ourselves and what will benefit us, directly or indirectly. And, let me tell you, me at the centre of the universe definitely is not the greatest idea.

Selflessness removes the motive behind any action to make it pure. No one is ever in debt with selflessness and it gives us a world of freedom if we employ it. Never needing repayment or thinking we've been cheated out. It doesn't make us weak, rather selflessness requires one must exhibit great strength.

Selflessness demands that covetousness be stripped away. And with selflessness, there is nothing outside of us can take it away. It removes any pretense--an act we may not even know we're playing--and allows us to put others first. No questions asked. And really, it is the only way to achieve any sort of peace.

I know how to be honest. I do have shining moments of bravery. I can be kind if need be. I studied hard and have gained intelligence. But, selflessness? My selfish desires taint my every single though and action. It’s the hardest to achieve, but it also has the greatest rewards. That’s why it’s the most important.

Very excited for Veronica and everyone involved with Divergent. Can not wait to get my hands on it!

http://twitter.com/#!/joannaruth84/status/28020043790942209

Pam Harris said...

Wow, this is a really tough decision, but I think I have to choose honesty. To me, honesty is pretty much the stepping stone for the rest of the virtues. What's the point of pretending to be brave if you're cowardly at heart? I don't want you to be kind to my face, and mean behind my back. It's hard to mask my disgust of fake people, so honesty will get you far with me. :)

I also tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/pamharris81/status/28088252955099137

Marquita Hockaday said...

I love that you're making us answer a question that has some meaning behind it. Great move for a contest! I would say honesty is the most impt. I say this because I can't stand fake, dishonest people. It's hard for me to hide my true feelings and I feel that overall I am a very honest person, so I kind of expect the same from other people. Thanks for holding this contest! *fingers crossed*

I tweeted OR re-tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/KeeKeeHockaday/status/28089133062692864

Lisa_Gibson said...

That is a very tough question. I'm going to have to go with intelligence. I think it's important to propel you through life. A complete lack of could be a dangerous thing.
lisadgibson@live.com
Lisa ~ YA Literature Lover

Emy Shin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Emy Shin said...

I would really love a copy of DIVERGENT!

I think any of these without the others can be terrible, but ultimately decided to go with Intelligence because there are many kinds of intelligence, and if all used properly, it can make up for the absence of other virtues.

I'm a follower and have tweeted about it: http://twitter.com/#!/emy_shin/status/28143281728655360

emyblogs [at] gmail [dot] com

A.J. said...

All these virtues are important, but the one that's most important to me is kindness. Because the feeling I get when someone is kind to me, or when I see an act of kindness, is one of the best feelings in the world. It makes me want to do good, and I wish everyone could experience that feeling.

Tweet: http://twitter.com/woven_/status/28163551659040769

Thanks for the giveaway!
naruto_and_hinata(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anne Heron said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

Another vote for intelligence, so you can know what it means to be kind, selfless, honest, and brave in each situation.

My tweet is here.

Stephen Duncan said...

To best decide which virtue is most important to me between the choices, I find it easier to tell you why the others simply don’t work for me.

a) Honesty – Really, it’s not always the best policy. Sure I can see my wife’s pooch in that shirt. But it’s only in profile and only if I’m looking for it. So when she asks if it’s obvious, I lie so she doesn’t have an undressing come apart. There’s a difference between late and fashionably late, people.

b) Selflessness – A noble virtue, certainly. Though honestly (ahem), sometimes I need a little Me time. Is that so wrong?

c) Bravery – Only the most important in relevant circumstance. I mean, is it such a great virtue when the most dangerous task at hand is fetching the mail? Go forth, and bring thy bills!

d) Intelligence – My runner up. Problem is, it can be a burden. And it can also be used as a weapon on those cognitively less fortunate. Also, you can still be learned and not of the highest intelligence. Heck, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I’m doin’ alright.

e) MY CHOICE: Kindness. When you’re kind and surrounded by people, often you can have all these virtues at hand. That sound’s manipulative, and maybe it is, but to manipulate in kindness and for kindness, I think that’s okay.




http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=536826582

Brodie said...

Aw gosh, what a hard question! Hmm... let's see.

Selflessness: Nice book bloggers who enjoy Coffee, Tea and Literary give up their precious copy of Divergent just so another can have the chance to read.

Bravery: Which I value highly and need when intercepting a shipment of Harper Collins books and holding them for ransom until they give me an ARC of Divergent.

Kindness: When I'm sitting in the gutter, utterly defeated after Harper Collins had me arrested and charged without thinking twice about giving into my demands - and a kind person extends their hand to me. "You poor, deprived soul. All that trouble you went to just for a book. Out of the KINDNESS of my heart, I will give you my own copy" which I clutch to my chest and ponder how people can be so generous.

Intelligence: Where would we be without intelligent authors who can whip up thousands of words to make a masterpiece, without book publishers smart enough to make deals, without intelligent readers to buy, devour, love and share the awesomeness.

Honesty - This was listed first, but I'm answering last. Thinking, thinking, still thinking..... nope. Honesty ain't gonna get me anywhere in my pursuit to score an ARC. This early-copy business is cut-throat and dangerous, you gotta lie, suck up, kiss some publishin' and bloggin' butt to get what you want!

So in all, the virtue I value most is kindness. And even without my theatrics, it really is the virtue I value most!

Tweeted - http://twitter.com/#!/peacelovebooksx/status/28313064663158784

Thank you for the AMAZING giveaway!!
hanging.by.a.moment_@hotmail.com

Laura Pauling said...

http://twitter.com/#!/laurapauling/status/28434285207752704

Honesty is the most important to me, because in a lot of ways honesty is the umbrella under which all the others fall. You can't be the others without being honest with yourself and others!

Thanks for this great chance!

Germaine Dulac said...

The most important virtue to me: kindness. I think it's the one virtue most often overlooked, especially the little kindnesses that people do for us in our daily lives, whether we notice them or not.

Selflessness and Bravery are these grand virtues, and they garner a lot of attention (and deservedly so), but something as small as a smile from a stranger can be just as powerful.

Honesty is great, too; but sometimes it's better to lie out of kindness than to throw the truth in someone's face ("No, honey, that dress doesn't make you look fat...").

So my vote is for kindness, for every time someone held the elevator for me, or gave me directions, or said good morning with a smile. Or, you know, gave away a lovely copy of DIVERGENT to one lucky blog reader. That's kindness!

Thanks for the giveaway!
germaine.dulac@yahoo.com

Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/germainedulac/status/28516499069075456

Christina Lee said...

I am really excited to read V's book-I've heard such wonderful things from writer friends with ARCs *green with envy*

I choose honesty above all, because you can act selfless, brave, intelligent and kind...but still lie (like a mo fo)! ;-)

Thanks for the opportunity, Jo!

http://twitter.com/#!/Christina_Lee04/status

Chersti Nieveen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chersti Nieveen said...

I choose Bravery.

There are so many virtues that everyone has to bring into their own lives, and I am so excited about Divergent and the exploration of choice. But I think one of things that is overlooked is the bravery it takes to be yourself. Especially when you're a teen. Every decision, even small ones, help form who an individual is, and it often takes courage to make those right choices. But those choices stack on each other. We can think of those great moments, when brave individuals stood above the crowd for something they believed in. This can be something as small as telling the truth or sharing your opinion when others disagrees, or just choosing your own sense of style despite what the current fashion is. Bravery to form your own future, instead of letting others form you.

I follow the blog and here's my RT link: http://twitter.com/#!/JoSVolpe/status/28248441175941120

Yahong Chi said...

*moan* Sometimes I'm sad I live in Canada... but not for long, because I <3 my country. (I'm so patriotic it's not even funny.)
Anyways, there's a ton of good buzz about Divergent, I'm excited for when it comes out!

Jess said...

Good question. Hmmmm... I pick b)selflessness. Like many of the others, I think that if you are selfless, it leads naturally to honesty, kindness and bravery.

Here's my tweet: http://bit.ly/g0jote

*crossing my fingers*

(I should be following the blog, too, but blogger is acting funny for me tonight and I'm not sure if it worked...)

Sarah Goldberg said...

Bravery-- having the courage to be all those other things, even when it's difficult.

http://twitter.com/#!/sarahbgoldberg/status/28850993064054784

Vivien said...

What a great and tough question. I would have to pick kindness. Everyone always needs kindness in their life. Not everyone is always friendly in their profession. Say like a supervisor or boss. But what most people don't realize is, is that you can get others to do things you want more frequently if you're kind to them. I'm always striving to be kind to others, and I think people should be kind more often.

Follower

Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

Raven M said...

I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/ravenamo/status/28908312539955200

Well I believe that kindness is the greatest virtue because kindness will take you far. You can be brave and intelligent but if you don't treat people kindly then they won't trust you.

Email raven.ashley187@yahoo.com

jasmine said...

What do Suzanne Collins, Stephanie Meyer, and Rick Riordan have in common, other then selling a ridiculous amount of books? Bravery.One might ask, "how can an author, of all people be brave? They hide behind their words." This is heinously wrong. In order to even get their books out there, they needed to brave criticism, failure, and a serious addiction to coffee. No matter how intelligent they may be, had they not the impetus to advertise their work, we would be in a wold without, demi-gods, wizards, and sexy vampires. Whatever would we have done?
While it's great to be kind, it get someone nowhere if they cannot be brave and demonstrate kindness when others detest it. Similarly, how can someone be selfless and, for example, enter the hunger games for their sister if they haven't the guts to be brave and do it? As well, honesty is completely relative. Yes one should never lie to their friends, and all of that nonsense, but what if they, for example must lie bout being a vampire in order to save the human they love?
The most important virtue, by far, is bravery. Without it, intelligence,selflessness,kindness, and honesty are completely useless traits. Without this bravery, you, the reader, would have had the utter misfortune of not being able to read a comment i did was not brave enough to write.

Buy said...

I vote for selflessness!

Buy Exchange said...

I vote for selflessness!