The Chick Friends Rules! Freshman Year Giveaway

I am beyond happy to participate in this giveaway of my Edgy YA novel “The chick friends rules, Freshman year”, and I want to thank the Cup of Tea reviewers for helping me generate some buzz, I couldn’t do it without them.

On the surface this book is simply about a cool kid who falls for the less popular fat girl in school and hides his feelings from his equally popular entourage by making bad choices and being plain stupid. But, I would like to share with the readers of this blog the real life inspiration behind the Chick friends series.

One day, my 13 year old son (now 16 and super cute) came home and told me his chick friend confided in him that she was being molested by her stepfather and her mother didn’t believe her. My mouth hung open as he matter-of-factly told the story while eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. As a mother and a woman I swung into action and wrote an anonymous letter to the school and the district giving crucial information in my effort to help this child. Happily, she was taken out of the home and the school and placed with relatives in another state; for three weeks. I was heartbroken to learn the system sent her back home to her abuser. She told my son she was vilified by family members for “breaking up the family and starting trouble”. So, she went back home and endured molestation as the family protected the abuser. At this point I’m mad as heck and plotting a drive-by smack upside the head to the girl’s mother. Realizing this wasn’t an option, I began to write. This young girl has become my muse and it was my mission to give her and other victims a voice. But, as I read my first draft I realized, an entire novel based on molestation was too heavy. So, I began the rewrite but this time from the point of view of the platonic male friend and classmate. And here we are 2 years and 4 books later.

Now, that the readers have a little background I hope they will be encouraged to see how the characters play out. Happy reading. The progress of this book can be followed at:  vicihoward.blogspot.com

Thanks bunches

Vici Howard

So Vici is giving one paperback copy away to one lucky winner in the U.S. (Sorry, international people! Maybe next time?) Giveaway will end Oct. 15!


Here's the summary: Rule #1: Treat her like one of the guys. 


Rule #2: Don’t think of your chick friend when you…you know. 


Rule #3: Don’t fall in love with her. 


 Fifteen-year old Grant Lee is a “cool kid” who is popular with the girls and adheres to a strict code of the “chick friends hierarchy.” There are girls a guy thinks about when he’s in his bedroom alone and there are girls a guy farts around. Grant is friends with Marta, the latter in the chick friends hierarchy. She is an intriguing but slightly overweight Latina with a story of her own. Grant is faced with an embarrassing dilemma; he has a secret crush on Marta but is ashamed to tell his friends because she’s the “fat girl.” If his secret gets out it could be social suicide for Grant. So he goes out of his way to conceal his feelings for her by making a series of bad choices and by engaging in risky behavior. When he gets the courage to tell her his true feelings, she mysteriously vanishes.  


Official Website | Book Trailer