Friday, April 19, 2013

An Open Letter to the Boston Bombers


I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened in Boston the other day. Yet another senseless attack on innocent human beings. It can be so hard to even fathom why someone would plant a bomb and attempt to destroy people they don’t know.
Whether we knew them or not, these people were our friends, our husbands and wives, our mothers and fathers—our children. They were attacked in a brutal, crude fashion and we are left once again wondering why.

I grew up learning to hide under my desk, as though that would stop the atomic blast from getting me. We were afraid of nuclear winter then. We were afraid of the Soviets. We outlasted them.

During my early adulthood, I watched as the twin towers fell and I just knew that we would never be the same. I remember vividly walking my daughter in her stroller and I looked up into the sky and I saw a plane flying. And I knew that we would survive. We would outlast this threat, too.

You—and when I talk about you, I mean the terrorist for you are all terrorists—do not get to change us. If you walk into a theater and kill our citizens, we will go to the movies in the next week. We will go to honor the ones who died. If you kill our schoolchildren, we will hold each one close to our hearts. And our children will still go to school and learn and grow. Each life lost is precious and a reminder of the freedom we have.

I’m struck by what we lost in Boston. Three lives and many, many people changed. Many lost limbs. These are the same tactics that cost our soldiers their limbs in overseas wars. These bombs take legs. They take flesh. And then we do something amazing. We rebuild—even our flesh. What began as muscle and bone will be transformed to something stronger. These victims will walk again.

And for the dead? What can we do for the dead? We can remember them. We did not know them, but if each of us chooses a name, memorizes a picture, holds them to our heart as fallen family, then they become something more, something immortal.

What was gained by the act? Nothing. A few moments of fear and terror and then a long, national mourning, but nothing will change in America. We will not hide. It isn’t in our nature. We will run the next race. We’ll take the next flight. We’ll do it just to prove you wrong. If your goal was to bring about change, you’re doing it the wrong way. Violence does not change the United States. Patience and a loving tolerance eventually win out, but violence merely makes us remember that we are in this together.

It makes us remember that we are made of steel and while we will bend to aid each other, we will never break.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Book-versary Winner!

Congratulations to Bryna Gesson, yesterday's winner. Bryna, if you'll please contact Chloe at SophiesChloe@gmail.com, she'll make arrangements to get your prizes to you. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in my 20th Book-versary celebration. The last few years have been amazing. Thanks so much for reading and being the best fans a writer could want!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Book-versary Day 8



Welcome to Sophie Oak’s 20th Book-versary!

Today is release day for Sophie’s 20th book, Once Upon a Time in Bliss, A Nights in Bliss, Colorado, prequel. We hope you enjoy this little peek into Bliss’s past.

Congratulations to yesterday's winner, Rhiannon J.! Many Bliss characters make an appearance in Beauty: A Faery Story including Max, Rye, and Rachel Harper, Caleb, as the town healer, and Mel as the mayor. Nate, Zane, and Callie also play important roles. Aoibhneas, the town on Tir na nÓg is a Faery version of Bliss and may just prove that Nell’s mom is not crazy.

Since Once Upon a Time in Bliss tells the story of how Henry and Nell met, to be entered in today’s drawing, please post a comment below telling me your favorite Henry and Nell moment. Everyone who responds before midnight CST on January 25th will be entered in today’s drawing to win a lovely Kate Spade bag, $25 in Siren Strandbucks, and other Sophie swag. We'll post the winner's name tomorrow. Thank you for joining us this week! It’s been a great time!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Book-versary Day 7



Welcome to Sophie Oak’s 20th Book-versary! Join us here every day as we count down to the release of Once Upon a Time in Bliss, Sophie’s 20th release, on January 25th. We’ll be posting a trivia question here each day about Sophie’s books and giving out great prizes including bags by Coach and Kate Spade.

Congratulations to yesterday's winner, Cherie C.! Logan Green and Wolf Meyer move to The Club at the beginning of Siren in Bloom. Logan has come to Dallas to work with Leo Meyer to try to overcome the PTSD he has suffered since being tortured by the Russian mob in One to Keep. Wolf is hoping to connect with Shelley, a sub he met through Julian Lodge. Little do they know they are part of a matchmaking scheme by Julian to get Leo, Wolf, and Shelley together. Julian’s plan worked, and the trio will be married in Bliss this summer.

To play today, email the answer to the following question to Chloe at SophiesChloe@gmail.com. All correct responses sent before midnight CST on January 24th will be entered into a drawing to win mini Coach bag, a print book from Sophie’s backlist, $5 in Bookstrand Strandbucks, and other Sophie swag. Please do not post the answer below. We'll post the winner's name tomorrow, as well as another question with another great prize. Thanks for playing!

Name two Bliss characters that appeared in Beauty: A Faery Story. (There were more, but two is enough for your entry.)

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Book-versary Day 6



Welcome to Sophie Oak’s 20th Book-versary! Join us here every day as we count down to the release of Once Upon a Time in Bliss, Sophie’s 20th release, on January 25th. We’ll be posting a trivia question here each day about Sophie’s books and giving out great prizes including bags by Coach and Kate Spade.

Congratulations to yesterday's winner, Jodie K.! The correct answer was by tainting Gemma’s fork with a strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing. Gemma has a severe allergy to strawberries, and Patrick was aware of it. If not for the heroic actions of Ty Davis, Stella, and Hal, Patrick would have succeeded!

To play today, email the answer to the following question to Chloe at SophiesChloe@gmail.com. All correct responses sent before midnight CST on January 23rd will be entered into a drawing to win a beautiful snowflake pendant, a print book from Sophie’s backlist, $5 in Bookstrand Strandbucks, and other Sophie swag. Please do not post the answer below.

We'll post the winner's name tomorrow, as well as another question with another great prize. Thanks for playing!

What two Bliss characters move to The Club in Dallas at the beginning of Siren in Bloom?

Monday, January 21, 2013

Book-versary Day 5



Welcome to Sophie Oak’s 20th Book-versary! Join us here every day as we count down to the release of Once Upon a Time in Bliss, Sophie’s 20th release, on January 25th. We’ll be posting a trivia question here each day about Sophie’s books and giving out great prizes including bags by Coach and Kate Spade.

Congratulations to yesterday's winner, Maria H.! The correct answer was Ike. Ike is some odd mix of retriever and Great Dane, a huge monster, but sweet as the day is long. Though the Army banned pets on base, Aidan’s unit adopted him. After Aidan was injured and returned to the US, his former CO showed up on Aidan’s ranch leading Ike by a leash. They’ve been happy together ever since.

To play today, email the answer to the following question to Chloe at SophiesChloe@gmail.com. All correct responses sent before midnight CST on January 22nd will be entered into a drawing to win a fragrance collection from Burberry, a Stella’s Diner travel mug, $5 in Bookstrand Strandbucks, and other Sophie swag. Please do not post the answer below. We'll post the winner's name tomorrow, as well as another question with another great prize. Thanks for playing!

In Chasing Bliss, how did Patrick Welch first try to kill Gemma Wells?