Updated: Congratulations Breenah! You're the winner of the Roomies giveaway!
Hey friends!
I usually reserve Fridays for book reviews, but I've got something cooler for you today! A couple authors who I reaaaally like, Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr, teamed up to write a new book called Roomies. And the publishers are giving you the chance to win a copy!! (read how at the bottom of this post)
You may remember Tara from my review of Dreamland Social Club. Sara wrote both Sweethearts and Story of a Girl. Roomies, their new book, is about two future-roommates, "meeting" electronically the summer before their freshman year.
It's time to meet your new roomie.
When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.
As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.
Sounds good, right?
Ok, so I may be a little biased. Having spent two years as a Resident Assistant (RA) in the res halls as well as racking up at least fourteen official (plus some unofficial) roommates of my own in the past six years, I've seen a lot in the realm of roommate relations. Some of the worst stories:
- The resident who let her friend have sex on her roommate's bed while her roommate was out of town
- The resident who had sex in her room with her roommate there -- before they had even officially met!!
- My freshman year roommate who was literally the messiest person I've ever known -- she had a tendency to leave... ahem... used feminine products lying around. Yuck.
- That same roommate's birthday was the same night as a tornado warning, and she ran out to the lobby of our dry campus (meaning no alcohol allowed, even if you're of age, which she wasn't) to look out the windows -- hiding a beer under a towel she threw over her arm. Because, you know, you can't leave your beer behind in a tornado!!
- The residents who came to my room crying on separate occasions because they couldn't agree on how to arrange the furniture in their room (big crisis, I'm telling ya).
But I've also had some really great roommates. Simone, one of my best friends, and I lived together my sophomore year. I spent many nights sitting on the floor of her room talking, and loved critiquing the boys she dated :) We had a couple fights, but we made it through all right and she's still one of my closest friends!
And I miss my former roommate Sam like crazy -- he moved out to go to law school and our house totally isn't the same without him.
And living with Pat is all right, I guess. :)
So I'm pretty excited about this book. And I think you should be too.
Sara and Tara are on tour now! Unfortunately none of their booked tours are near me, but maybe they're near you?
- January 12, 2014 – New York, NY: McNally Jackson
- January 15, 2014 – Salt Lake City, UT: The King's English
- January 16, 2014 – Provo, UT: Provo Library
- February 4, 2014 – San Francisco, CA: Books Inc, Opera Plaza
- February 5, 2015 – Petaluma, CA: Copperfield's Books
For your chance to win a copy of Roomies, leave a comment telling me about your worst/funniest roommate experience -- or, if you don't have one of those, one that you've heard or a warm and fuzzy roommate memory. Any kind of roommate memory, really. Potluck roomies, bff roomies, sisters. Free for all. Unfortunately, this giveaway is restricted to US street addresses only.
I'll pick a winner Wednesday, January 15th at 8 pm, so have your comment posted by then! Please make sure to include an email address where I can reach you -- especially if you're a no reply blogger!
May the odds be ever in your favor!
8 comments:
My first college roommate and I used to set apart time to have "girl time," which, for us, meant baking cookies and watching HGTV! We were practically wives in training. :)
michellez@azphoto.com
Like usual, this will probably become a novel. I'll try to stay on track. :P
I loved my first college roommate. I really, really did. She wasn't even supposed to BE my roommate, but the girl I was paired with decided to move in with one of her sorority sisters. Sooo my RA randomly stuck me with someone else on move-in day. It turned out PERFECTLY though.
We were basically the same person, except she was super, super religious. I grew up in a church, and I always took my faith very seriously. The different was: she was VERY vocal about them, and I liked to keep my beliefs very personal and private. It's not something I talk about with people, and she wanted to talk to EVERYONE about it.
On our first or second day of living together, she explained to me, "I need my Jesus time. We don't really have any private space, so if you ever come in and hear me without seeing me, it's probably because I'll be in the closet." We had TINY closets. Mine was filled from floor to ceiling, so I obviously thought she was just kidding.
Until I came in from class one day to hear her playing guitar and singing songs that I can remember learning at church camps back in the day. I was obviously confused at first and tried to stifle a giggle. I thought she was just trying to make me laugh, like usual. Then I heard her sobbing almost uncontrollably. And realized.. she was serious! It was so uncomfortable! I wasn't sure if I should join in or if I was intruding on her personal time. Soooooo... I packed up my bags and snuck out of the room for a few hours.
Can I steal Kate's? No, well all right, the only roommate I ever had was my younger sister.
My best memories of sharing a room with her would be when we shared a bed when we were younger, and she'd beg me to draw on her back and then she'd guess what I was drawing.
My first roommate in college was the SWEETEST girl. But she smelled. And we didn't really have anything in common, so we never talked or hung out. Second semester the RA, who was in theatre with me, wound up having an opening so I switched rooms. She was never there unless it was her night on duty, so that was nice.
Other than my husband, I haven't really ever done too well with roommates. Just my own, not wanting to share space, kind of thing.
It’s my first year of college, so I’m still making memories! Anyways, I remember one day my roommate and some of our friends decided to followed the source of this ice-cream truck music at night! It was like 9 pm or something. It was pretty spontaneous and hilarious. We gave up when we went a bit too far off campus. :D
Tweet me @bookbrews if I win, please! :D
(I don't want spam, so I'm not leaving my email. Hope you understand!)
Well, my first roommate was CRAZY. She cried a lot and went home like every weekend. And obviously I have no sympathy, so I was like GOOD RIDDANCE when she decided to move out after half a semester. And then I pushed both beds together and made a double bed, and it was awesome except when I rolled into the crack. Then not so much.
One of my suite mate senior year, didn't really talk to anyone in the suite. He ended up leaving at the end of the semester but he didn't tell anyone or checkout of the room at all. When the RA finally went in to his room it was full of empty cardboard boxes.
zophenia(at)gmail(dot)com
Hmmm... how about my restraining order? Haha. Or my first roommate, who as an infant would pull out my hair and look to see how much she got. Or my roommate who was drunk and made pizza rolls then left them literally ALL OVER the house. In the couch, in the hallway, in the oven, in her bed... I'm looking at you Kara! Or my current roommate who scratches mirrors to annoy me.
Post a Comment