Come visit me at ClaireCook.com and win some free stuff!

Just a quick note to say what a great time I've had on Gather! If I missed answering any of your questions about writing, you can still go to this link to ask them: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977387112&grpId=3659174697252919&nav=Groupspace 

 And make sure you check out the aspiring writers page at ClaireCook.com, too.

It's been great to see so many of you on book tour, and a huge thank you to all of you (and your hair stylists!) for talking up my latest novel, Summer Blowout! Your word-of-mouth is making all the difference, and I'm forever grateful. In fact, so grateful that I've been collecting loot for you at my truly incredible Summer Blowout book tour events. (Go to my blog at http://clairecook.com/id2.htm and scroll down to see event photos.)

To show my appreciation, I've put together a gift bag full of beauty products, sunglasses, seashell chocolates, an ocean-scented reed diffuser, a More notebook, flip flops, beachy jewelry, an upcoming book from my wonderful publisher, Voice, and more. (Go to http://www.clairecook.com/id38.htm to see a photo.)

All you have to do to be the lucky winner is to send an email to ClaireCookNewsletter@comcast.net. Be sure to put SUMMER BLOWOUT GIVEAWAY in the subject line, and include your NAME, EMAIL and ZIP CODE. One entry per reader please! I'll pick the winner on August 1^st, but if you're like me, you'd better enter right this second or you'll totally forget! Good luck!

I hope you'll keep spreading the word about Summer Blowout for me. Tell your friends! Read it flamboyantly on the beach or in an airplane! Pick it up in a bookstore and yell, "I loved this book!" (I do it all the time - it works great!) And if you find yourself with an extra few minutes, please post a nice Summer Blowout review here at Gather. Those reviews really make a difference.

There are still more stops on my Summer Blowout book tour, so I hope you'll come say hi in person if I'm in your neck of the woods. Go to http://www.clairecook.com/id18.htm to see my schedule.

And if you and your book club are discussing Summer Blowout or Life's a Beach, I'd be happy to phone in and answer your questions. Just go to http://www.everywomansvoice.com/node/404 to schedule your phone chat.

Thanks -- and have a great summer!