Author Guest Post : Jasmin Rosemberg (and a GIVEAWAY!)

Recently I had the privilege of reading "How the Other Half Hamptons" by Jasmin Rosemberg. I asked and the author was kindly enough to agree to do a guest post for A Book Blogger's Diary! You'll find my review of this book at the post below. This article actually explains some doubts I mentioned in my review! And the giveaway info is towards the end.

THE SHARE HOUSE RULES

"Jamie Kessler had never been one to play by the rules. Especially where guys were concerned." – How the Other Half Hamptons, Chapter 1

As a math minor – as a deliberate, formulaic person in general – I've always been fascinated by the concept of rules.

Adhere to these "principles governing conduct," and without fail, 100% of the time, you will always be rewarded with the correct answer.

In high school and college, following the rules is simple: go to class, take your exams, score in the appropriate range, pass go and move on. Nothing to think about, nothing to question. Life – and success – follows from living the way other people tell you, the way others have neatly outlined.

It's only upon graduating from college, therefore, being thrown into a world where rules are not only NOT universal, but circumstantially negotiated and violated and dismissed, that most twentysomethings I know find themselves lost.

Twentysomethings, including myself.

Pay the bills (as a doctor, lawyer, banker) or chase your dream (as a writer, dancer, artist)? Have some fun, or find a husband? Follow the norm, or follow your heart?

To abide by the rules, or not to abide by the rules? And so my novel begins…

Welcome to a share house. A place marked by anarchy, by extremes (drunk/sober, pale/sunburned, single/off-limits), by hoards of vacationing twentysomethings seeking Spring Break-like revelry amidst (organized) chaos.

The playing field: a 10-bedroom illustrious vacation home in Southampton (complete with pool, jacuzzi, basketball court, volleyball court, and tennis court).

The players: 40+ Manhattanites in their twenties and early thirties, who've traded in generous portions of their entry-level incomes for shares on (alternating) summer weekends.

Most centrally, Jamie, a girl who defies rules, who rejects relationships in favor of "hooking up" and continually challenges the share house structure and house manager. Her counter image is Rachel, calculated and strategic, who has rules for everything from career to marrying-timeline to dating (she'll go for drinks on date 1, dinner on date 2, extend an apartment invite not before date 5). Prior to Memorial Weekend, these girls think they have things figured out.

Only, thrown into a Real World-esque unfamiliar camp-like setting, each girl is forced to reevaluate the importance of rules (in both the share house, and her own life). And as she discovers how the other half Hamptons, she most inadvertently discovers herself.

At first glance, you might assume How the Other Half Hamptons is an account of drinking and partying and jucuzzi utilizing and juvenile mischief. It certainly is. It is also a glimpse at the deeper, darker side; an exploration of excess and temptation, highs and lows, breakups and unions, laughter and tears. It's a tale of self-discovery forged by summertime debauchery.

As a math minor, I'll still profess rules are often necessary. But sometimes you need mayhem to find direction.

ABOUT JASMIN:

Jasmin Rosemberg is a former columnist for the New York Post, where each Sunday she documented her experiences as a Hamptons shareholder. A reporter on the pulse of the celebrity and nightlife scene, Jasmin has also written about various facets of the Hamptons for the NY Post, Life & Style Weekly, BlackBook, and Hamptons.com.

Jasmin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002 with a major in Economics and a minor in Mathematics. She spent three summers working at investment banks (Salomon Smith Barney, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch, respectively), two years as a financial analyst at Standard & Poor's, and a lifetime dreaming of becoming a novelist.

Jasmin was born, raised, and couldn't imagine ever leaving New York City. She is currently at work on her second novel in Manhattan.

For more information, please visit www.jasminrosemberg.com.

----------------------------------------------

Here's the GIVEAWAY part!

The Prize: Win a copy of "How the Other Half Hamptons" by Jasmin Rosemberg

Deadline: Giveaway ends midnight CST on July 31st.

Eligibility: US and Canada.

For Disclaimer and other general info: Check this post.

Who can Enter: Bloggers and Non-Bloggers (those without a blog) can both enter. Non-Bloggers can easily comment using the Anonymous feature. But please leave your name and email in the comment. Anonymous comments without name and email will be disqualified.

How to Enter: Leave a comment at this post mentioning ONE current or upcoming Hachette book you like the looks of. No repeats, please. You can use a simple CTRL+F to help weed out duplicates. Maximum of three comments (each time mentioning a separate book) per person allowed.

EXTRA ENTRIES
Get extra entries by doing any/all of the following.
(Note - these are purely optional)

1) Blog this giveaway and leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.

2) Subscribe to receive this blog's posts via email and leave a comment to that effect mentioning email address used to subscribe. (applicable only to new subscribers)

3) Twitter this giveaway and leave a separate comment with your twitter id.

4) Get others to come over and participate and mention your name.

Good luck!
..................................................................................................................
Interview and Giveaway with Author Jean Holloway. Ends July 21.
And don't forget to enter the Scholastic Summer Kit Giveaway. Ends July 15.