Today is the 9th Anniversary of Smart Bitches! We were founded 31 January 2005, and what a long, funky nine years it's been!
Thank you for being here to talk about romance and all the other things we love and enjoy and don our ragepants about. I'm so glad you're here.
To celebrate, I usually do a silly giveaway that's tied to the traditional or modern gifts for that year's anniversary. Last year, the traditional gift included linen and lace, so I gave away fichus. (Bitches love fichus).
This year? OH, THE TRICKERYNESS. Because sometimes, the traditional and modern anniversary gifts are completely difficult, like this year: pottery and china! Or willow!
Or LEATHER GOODS.
I have some leather goods for you right here:
No, I'm not giving away a leather-clad Fabio. I wouldn't know where to find him.
I could go with The Urban Fantasy Belt, or some shoes. A leather trench coast would be interesting, but if you had to hunt vampires or werewolves, it might endanger your life with all that creaking and noisy swooshing that leather makes, so that wouldn't work.
Or, I could get everyone some pot, but that's only legal in two states.
Hmmm.
But soft! What gift idea from yonder browser window breaks? There are a bunch of different and very cute bags named “Willow.”
AW YEAH.
For our 9th anniversary, I'm giving away bags. Willow bags – bags named “willow” – each perfect for carrying one's books and reading essentials. And each one comes with a $50 gift card to the bookstore of your choice.
Meet your Willows!
This is the Kipling Willow, a canvas bag, the right size for the essentials. It has a zipper closure, and is 7″ (17.8cm) high by 13″ (33cm) wide. It also has a set of double top handles with 7″ drop, plus an adjustable detachable long strap with 26″ drop.
Another Willow! This is the Sherpani Willow bag:
It's a little funky, a little different, but still a good size for a book and your essentials — and reviewers online say the front pocket is perfect for a Kindle. It's 10″ by 10″ (25cm x 25cm), with an adjusaible crossbody strap.
But wait! There's one more Willow! This one satisfies the leather AND the willow gifts:
This is the McKlein Leather Briefcase. It's 16.5″ x 11.5″ (41.9cm x 29.2cm), with a compartment for a small latop up to 15.4” in screen size.
Want to try to win a willow and a $50 bookstore gift card? Easy! Just leave a comment as to what book you'd put in your bag, either in paper or digital format. I'll select three winners at random. One comment enters you to win one of the three bags and gift cards.
Entries will close on Tuesday 4 February 2014 at noon eastern. I'll announce the winners shortly afterward. Standard disclaimers apply. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and ready to read and rock a righteous bag to enter. By submitting an entry to the contest as set forth herein, each entrant does acknowledge and agree that, in the event such entrant is victorious, such entrant will perform a ceremony reasonably appropriate to such circumstance, including, without limitation, the Miposian Dance of Joy or, in the alternative, Gangnam Style.
Thank you for making 9 years of Smart Bitches so much fun. Happy anniversary!
I’d put Gerald Durrel’s “My Family and Other Animals” in the bag as have been meaning to read that for a while & for some reason sounds to me like it would work well with willow 😉
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! Just so you know, you don’t look a day over 5. I would have to fill my Kobo full of Tessa Dare novels.
I would love love love me a willow!
I would carry my mercy Thompson books since my kindle is always in my work bag.
Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews on Kindle!
Happy Anniversary, Bitches! I’d put my library card in the bag because I keep cycling through so many romances and the library is the only way I can afford my addiction. Currently in my bag is Sherry Thomas’ “The Luckiest Lady in London”.
Happy Anniversary!
Another great giveaway . . .well-played, Smart Bitches!
I would cram one of those pretty babies full with a combo of my fave comfort reads, my nook, maybe my laptop and newly purchased gems after a trip to the book store!
Happy 9th Anniversary!!!
I just have to say I love these games, because they are always great to get awesome book recommendations!!!
Well, of course I would slip my Kindle right in there! But the book that will ALWAYS have to be on there came out this past summer, while I was going through a difficult time and really hit me hard. It was an emotional yet absolutely beautiful read. It is Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken. I love this book!
Yay – 9 years of the Bitchery! Here’s to 9 more!
I would put my kindle full of all my favorite historical and contemporary romances, plus the Alexandra Horowitz book ‘Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know’ that I’m currently reading. Then I could take my beautiful new bag with my best accessory evah (kindle) and my dogs and be off on a grand adventure! We may have to hit 9 parks in honor of the Hot Pink Palace of Bitchery!
AND huge props to #68 CG for ‘tots magoats’ – hee hee! Made me snort-laugh!
Happy Anniversary! I think I’d take Sanctuary Island by Lilly Everett for a ride in a new handbag, since I need a reminder of summers on Chincoteague Island to get me through the rest of this annoying winter.
I have my kindle app on my iPhone so that comes with me everywhere, conveniently enough. If I then needed extra security blanket books, they’d be Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie and Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut.
Happy Anniversary! I just found your site this year and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
I always carry my current library book, which right now is The Final Cut by Catherine Coulter – I know I won’t finish it by the time you have the drawing because I have a paper for a graduate class due Sunday night!
I would also put in my ipad with the Kindle app that is loaded with tons of books that you have reccommended, as well as the audiobook for Diana Gabaldon’s Voyager (though I also have Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber on it, too!) I wouldn’t want to get stuck somewhere without something to read.
Thanks so much for all you do! The contest is a cool bonus!
Happy Anniversary 🙂
All the bags looks so pretty.
I would put my any book by Ruthie Knox in my bag.
Happy Anniversary! I am a newbie here, having just discovered you all. If I won a purse named Willow I would carry my Kindle, which is becoming chock full of books recommended here, in the bag.
I’d love to have a copy of “Greenwood” in my willow bag!!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Thank you for nine years of good book fun.
I would put my Kobo and my iPad in the bag so that I would never be without a good book to read.
Happy Anniversary!! Only one year to double digits, yay!!
I’d put anything by Lisa Kleypas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kristan Higgins, or Sherry Thomas. Anything.
Here’s to many more years of smart-bitchiness!!
Happy Anniversary! I’m currently glomming Ilona Andrews’ backlist, so I’d have a book or two (or three, or four…) of hers in a Willow purse.
Happy Anniversary! I am also a newbie here. Found you via Jeaniene Frost’s blog 🙂 I cannot go anywhere without my Outlander or Night Huntress series. I have both on my Nook, and would love a Willow bag to carry it around in!
Happy Birthday, Smart Bitches and thank you for many years of awesomeness!
I’d have to throw in the new Tessa Dare, because I love the book and its cover.
Happy, happy birthday (and anniversary) to you, Sarah and the Bitchery. I too only recently discovered SB and appreciate the reviews, recommendations, and most of all the wit and comments from everyone here. My boyfriend always knows when I’m reading SB as I can’t stop laughing hysterically.
If I won a Willow bag I’d fill it with my tablet loaded with the Georgette Heyer canon (thank you SO much for letting us know it was on sale) and my Patricia Briggs collection.
Here’s to many more years of reading.
Happy Anniversary! Love this site and have found so many books to read that I might not have given a try. I would put in the bags some La Nora, some Jill Shalvis, for starters.
Keep up the great work, Sarah!!!
Penblwyn Hapus Smart Bitches …
& many thanks for all the fun..& the steampunk Fabio 🙂
There’s not one of those bags that I wouldn’t be ashamed to have cradling my copy of Liz Carlyle’s No True Gentleman… and …look *gasp* There’s enough room in them for my kindle too….Oh Frabjous Day !!
Yay! Happy 9th! I would certainly carry my iPad with my current downloaded library books and the books with lurid covers that I am embarrassed to have my daughter see (“Mom, why do all the women have their dresses unzipped?”). And I would put in the book I just picked up from the hold at my library – Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (enjoying the Russian/Scottish combo!)
Happy Anniversary!
Those Willow bags look & sound amazing! I would definitely carry my book-filled iPad. And my copy of Outlander which I am re-reading.
I’d put in my print copy of Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch and my Kindle currently loaded with Carly Phillips’ Dare to Love. Especially love that gray one! So cute!
Happy Anniversary! Congratulations!
Happy anniversary! 😀
That’s a difficult question, as I read multiple books simultaneously. But I really, really want to read Longbourn, so I’d probably go out and buy a copy just to put in the bag! Still married to my paper books, but maybe one day I’ll give an e-reader a try.
Happy Anniversary! Nothing like celebrating by giving away awesome bags!
I would carry whichever “In Death” series book I am on at the time. I just recently found this series and am quickly moving through it. Today, I will finish book 18 and hope to be onto book 21 by Monday 🙂
Well, with a 50$ gift card I could get myself a kindle to stick in my Willow bag, on which I could read the e-books I keep accumulating through Amazon’s excellent deals. First to be read on a kindle would probably be Tessa Dare’s Any Duchess Will Do, which is currently sitting on my desktop, patiently waiting for me.
Also, I’m pretty sure my celebration would include the Snoopy dance.
Happy 9th and many more!!
Anna Quindlen’s latest book, Still Life with Bread Crumbs, would fit nicely in any one of the bags.
I’d carry a copy of Once In A Lifetime by Jill Shalvis!
Happy Anniversary! And what lovely bags! If I were to win I’d stick my Kindle in there with Tessa Dare’s Romancing the Duke first in the queue.
Huzzah! Happy Anniversary!
I’d put in my Kobo, which, thanks to y’all, is loaded up with enough TBR titles to last me a couple of years. Next up, though, will probably be A Rake’s Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell. Of course, there’s always room on there for more. More Jill Shalvis, more Tessa Dare, more Victoria Dahl, more Meljean Brook….you get the picture.
In my new Willow bag, I would put my Sony Reader (which currently has over 300 unread books on it), so I would have a large selection of books to choose from. I would also put my paperback copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness in there, because I’ve heard amazing things about that series, and I think it’s time that I started reading it.
Happy Anniversary.
Also, those bags, drool drool drool. I actually choose my bags based on, “can this hold my Kindle and at least two books?” so seeing one with a front pocket that is designed for my Kindle. It’s like the heavens have opened up.
So on that note, I’d have my Kindle and I’d be reading “Dreams of Gods and Monsters” in April or “Skin Game” in May. I know much of what of what I’ll be reading months ahead of time. As Henry on Sleepy Hollow said, prophecies have a funny way of fulfilling themselves.
Completely forgot to say: Happy Anniversary! Thank you for the generous giveaway, and having such a wonderful website for romance fans to hang out.
Happy Anniversary!
I would put my kindle in the bag – because I can’t think of just one book to carry! 🙂
Happy Anniversary ! What an awesome giveaway ! I love easy questions like this: Sophie Jordan’s Uninvited. Mazel Tov !
Congrats! Here’s to so many more!
I am currently SLOWLY reading “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” by Marisha Pessl, so I am sure I will still be reading it by the time this contest is over :)! And of course my ipad which is full of books…
I’d be tucking my kindle into the Kipling willow bag (thought the briefcase was very tempting!). Right now I’m working my way through the File’s wedding anthology. I do want to get back to the ASoIaF soon though, and that is a very good reason for a kindle!
Happy Anniversary!! I would put my Sony ereader! Right now I have The Historian, Boomerang Bride, Barrayar, and Heart of Obsidian loaded up.