only milo + giveaway

Friday, October 9, 2009 |

I’m looking back through the beginning of my copy of Barry Smith’s Only Milo. I read it in two parts: the first half one night several weeks ago before bed, and the second half this afternoon. I didn’t break up the reading experience intentionally – it just happened. But what I’m noticing is that I read the two halves very differently. During my first reading session, I circled the first sentence on the first page (which reads, “Maybe it was the SPAM Reuben sandwich.”). I also underlined and commented in the margins until I quit reading that night. I was very gung-ho about ‘reviewing.’ When I picked up the story this afternoon, though, I just wanted to know what happened next. I flew through the rest, relishing the murder and mayhem and rushing headlong to see where it would lead me.


I think Only Milo can be read either way. It’s got dark humor to savor like you would smooth, dark chocolate or a great cup of coffee. It’s also got action and a non-stop plot to keep you chuckling and racing to find out if Milo can possibly get away with it. Whichever route you take, Only Milo is a hilarious, snarky, up-to-the-minute novel for readers, writers and anyone who has ever secretly seethed that someone else got the credit of their work.


From the depths of a closet full of dusty manuscripts…

…comes Milo, author and murderer extraordinaire.

Educated at the School of Dexter, with a major in CSI, Milo emerges from his quiet, SPAM-laced retirement to become an unseen force in the literary world, covertly publishing his novels in another author’s name.

But when Milo’s illicit ghostwriting is nearly exposed on national television, he’s left with only one option: murder. In a world of egotistical, no-talent authors and duplicitous, back-stabbing publishers, he becomes determined to get what he deserves.

Even if it means they all must die.


It’s subversive, witty, a little bit odd and a lot wonderful. I loved it!


-----


Thanks to Nicole at Inkwater Press and Barry Smith (the talented author), I have a signed copy of Only Milo to give away. Since I also received a cute little Only Milo post-it pad, I decided to make this swag thing kind of a big deal. So, if you win the book, you’ll also get:


Only Milo post-its

4 Sharpie markers

4 Starbucks VIA Colombian Roast Instant Coffee Packets

and a Fig, Fennel and Almond Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar from Theo Chocolate


To enter:


Leave a comment on this post answering the question, “Imagine one of your favorite author’s books was ghostwritten by someone else. Who would have written it (really)?”


Please include your email address. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Comments will close on October 23 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.


Good luck!


*Received a free review copy of Only Milo from Inkwater Press.

23 comments:

Steph Bowe said...

I've never told anyone this (and you're going to have to keep it on the down-low because it's kind of a big deal) but I know who really wrote Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga.

It was me!

I'm so glad I got that off my chest.

(By the way, I'm in Australia and can't enter. But I had to tell someone.)

fredamans said...

If Stephen King was ghostwritten, it would be by Dean Koontz.

Thank you for the entry.

freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

brizmus said...

I just realized your website is ceclia bedilia. Like Amelia Bedelia.
And SO awesome that the dark chocolate bar is vegan! Yay! I can enter this contest. :-)
zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com

And if Interworld by neil Gaiman was ghostwritten, it would have been by Lian Hearn.

Misty said...

I just marked this as to-read on Goodreads. I think it's the cover that's got me. So post-its!!! That makes me happy. I am such a post-it freak. Post-its and Sharpies, I have way too many. (it's really a problem). Also, now I want chocolate.

My fave living author is David Mitchell. I think his ghostwriter would be Haruki Murakami. They have very similar styles, they both live in Japan; they're the same person. (Ironically, Mitchell has a book called Ghostwritten)

~Misty
mbradenwf@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Interesting question - I'm not sure how to answer.

One of my favorite authors is Diana Wynne Jones (Howl's Moving Castle). If she had a ghost-writer, I think it would be Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted) or Lisa Shearin (Magic Lost, Trouble Found).

cecilia / cecpham(at)gmail.com

She said...

Grrrrrrrreat Giveaway!
I'd have to say that The Monk by Matthew Lewis was probably really written by Chuck Palahniuk. They both have a love for the... uh... extreme and the... uh... crazy.
I could totally see Palaniuk time travelling back to the 1700s. Totally feasible.

She said...

Oh and probably important:

ecaramil at gmail dot com

:D

Book Bird Dog said...

Sounds like a great book - author as murderer.
harvee44 at yahoo dot com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

This sounds awesome. I really want to read it now! But wow, let's see...if The Jane Austen Book Club was ghost-written, it was by Jane Austen....just because that would be hilarious.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Jenny Girl said...

You don't have to enter me.
Just wanted to say thanks for the heads up on a great sounding book. Funny and something different.

Chelsea S said...

The Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot) was really written by Simon Cowell. Didn't you know?

saulpaugh.chelsea(at)gmail(dot)com

-- Chelsea

Lisa said...

I'm really looking forward to this one!

Nicole said...

Thanks for the great review, Celia! I'm so glad you liked the book. :)

Anonymous said...

Let's see. I'm not very creative, but this is a great giveaway.

How about Patricia Briggs actually wrote the Dresden files?

carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

ikkinlala said...

I don't really have a favourite author (I like too many to choose), but if Gary Larson's comic collections were ghostwritten it would have been by my high school chemistry teacher.

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

Alyce said...

Ok, now this is a bit of a stretch, but I'm going to say Outlander ghost written by Robert James Waller. Really though, I think Diana Gabaldon does a fabulous job on the Outlander books.

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Justine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Justine said...

Ooh, I love crafts! I'd love to enter ;)

Hm, I'm not good at these things, but let's see...I think Audrey, Wait! was really written by Dane Cook. Who knows?

justeena_25(at)yahoo(dot)ca

The Cozy Mystery Journal said...

Oooh I love the cover of Only Milo.

I rarely enter giveaways but this one looks good & the question is even better!

I'm a big Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and I had hoped that Terry Pratchett would continue it. I haven't read the new book yet but I'm hoping Eoin Colfer does a good job.

bella [at] abibliophile [dot] com.

Jonnie (JB) said...

How about Spencer Pratt (from The Hills) wrote How To Win Friends and Influence People
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

If Daniel Silva's books were ghost written, it would be by Robert Ludlum.
Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

Nancye said...

One of my authors is Karen Kingsbury. She is a Christian writer. What if her books were written by Stephen King? Can you imagine?

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Paradox said...

I'm not sure about this question... but I could almost see a connection between Philip Pullman and Philip Reeve (two authors I love.)

paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

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