Do you like apples?

   Yes, I realize that I already did a blog post today.
  But between talking with middle school students this past Wednesday, seeing pre-orders come in for signed copies of Taken, and a story I'm about to share with you, I feel like it's a Happy Friday kind of a day. 
  The kind that makes me feel like giving something...say, a free ebook of Taken With A Grain of Salt a full ten days before anyone else can get it? 
    So...how do ya like them apples? ;)

    But first a story. 
   I had just posted to Facebook earlier today when my phone rang with my kid sister's pic on the screen. She's a middle school English teacher and I suspected she was calling me on her way home from work to hear how the other day went. 
   My sister had a more interesting surprise. 
   She mentioned a student in her class had recently finished Salted and loved it. Nothing but awesome things to say and was pumping up the read to several of his classmates.
   One such classmate noticed my last name and that of his teacher's were the same. 
   Coincidence?   
   She explained I'm her brother and that I wrote the book.
   "No way," said the kid who'd read Salted.
  "Yes, way," said my sister. She opened the book to the back and showed him my acknowledgment to her.
   The kid's still not buying it.
   My sister then does what any awesome teacher would do in the same situation...she calls me up.
   I couldn't see the student's face, but I gather he was kinda surprised by the reaction I heard from his classmates. I thanked him for reading Salted, learned his favorite character is Lenny, and heard his excitement for the sequel before we got off the phone.
  I got the impression he still wasn't convinced. That maybe, just maybe, my sister had dreamed up an elaborate prank and had a friend pretend to be the author.
  So I did what any author would in the same situation.
  I emailed my sister an advanced reader copy of Taken With A Grain of Salt to give him.
  She just called me a few minutes back to tell me he spent the rest of class reading it. Wouldn't even talk to his friends when he had a chance because he couldn't wait to find out what happened.
  These are the kinds of things I love about my job.
  In fact, I want to keep those good vibes going for the weekend. So, today only, I'm going to giveaway a free ebook of Taken With A Grain of Salt.
  There's no catch. 
  You don't have to share, tweet, or sign-up for anything. (Though you certainly welcome  tell people they can download Salted for free.)
  But back to the giveaway.
  You want a chance to win? All you'll have to do is use your email or Facebook account to fill out the info below, click the green button, and you should be good to go. None of the information is being used for anything else. The only way you'll receive an email from me is if you win.  Contest is open from now until midnight when I'll have Rafflecopter select the winner. They, and they alone, will receive an email from me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Oh, and in case you wanted a little preview of what's to come. You can read the first chapter here. Probably shouldn't unless you've read Salted though.
  Don't say you weren't warned... ;)