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 , 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!
Happy anniversary, hot pink palace of bitchery wardens! I am so very happy a place like this exists on teh intarwebs for us book nerds 🙂
I would carry my kindle in the willow (candle in the window? Lol) and read some of those Kleypas books that were just on sale. Mmmmm comfort reads!
Hi,
HAPPY 9th ANNIVERSARY! Had no idea you had been running that long. I have just found you this past year and love your reviews, comments, delish pictures and general funny/craziness.
Those bags are awesome! How very generous of you. I would love to have any one of them. My kindle would live very comfortably in one. It carries the Karen Moning books I want to reread, my old favorite sci fi novels and my extensive collection of ‘gotta read next’ books.
Thanks, Linda
Happy Anniversary! I would choose a Kristen Ashley book since I’m working my way through her backlist.
Happy Anniversary, Bitches!
I’d love one of these bags to carry my nook in. My carry everywhere book that’s been re-read a million times, Eileen Dreyer’s Barely a Lady would be on it, and I’ll pick up her new one too.
Happy Anniversary, Bitches!
I’d put my Kindle in the bag, loaded up with the new Kresley Cole serial, The Professional 🙂
Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!! I’ve been reading your blog on and for the last 5 years… wow 🙂 I’d also be tucking in my kindle fire b/c I truly do not leave the house without my kindle and my phone. I even bought a purse that would fit the kindle 🙂 I got instant purse lust for the sherpani willow bag… I would put my kindle and my digital copy of Tessa Dare’s Romancing the Duke which I’m currently reading. Thanks so much!
OMG NINE YEARS. That’s pretty freaking incredible!
I’d put in my Kindle, where I’m re-reading one of my favorite books of all time, “Deep Secret”. And I’m in the middle of a re-read of Eva Ibbotson’s YA romances.
zomg, I want the leather-clad Fabio! Where on earth do you find such awesomeness?
I would tuck my kindle into the willow where the newest and last Cat and Bones novel (wahhh!) would lie, awaiting my semi-depressed-because-the-saga-is-over attempt to read it. It would also be preloaded with a Kristen Ashley comfort read since I just discovered her and am slowly glomming my way through the backlist.
Happy anniversary bitches!
Happy anniversary! Bite Me by Shelly Laureston.
Happy Anniversary!
I would carry my Nook, since I can’t choose just one book. All those bags look great!
Today I would put UP FROM THE GRAVE. Been looking forward to this all week. Sqwee!
Happy Birthday Smart Bitches!
Happy Anniversary you guys!
Ya’ll have helped me find a lot of books to explore…
Thank you for being an oasis of awesome on the internet.
In the bag… Well, since it is winter, I tend to crave “comfort” reading- so I would carry some of my favorite books to re-read (Ilona Andrews, Loretta Chase, Kresley Cole, Victoria Dahl)
I would carry my trusty Kindle with Tessa Dare’s newest book Romancing the Duke (and other good reads).
Happy Anniversary, keep the romance and trashy books coming!
Happy 9th! Here’s to 90 more.
I too would have to carry my Kindle in the Willow, because, one book?! HA HA HA you funny.
Happy Anniversary!
While somewhat disappointed that you can’t deliver on a leather-clad Fabio, I do have to admit those are some CUTE totes.
I would carry my iPad with my loaded up kindle app everywhere I went if I had one of those bags. Everywhere!
If I had to choose just one book maybe “Motorcycle Man” by Kristen Ashley.
Happy Anniversary, I think I would put in Anne Bishop’s Written In Red. I haven’t actually read it yet but the sample was amazing!
Happy Anniversary! I love your website.
I would put my Kindle loaded with Tessa Dare’s “Romanceing the Duke”.
Happy Birthday SBTB! Happy Lunar New Year!
Love your blog, I check it out every day and often is the reason for my first smile of the day. I would put my ipad in my bag and have my latest HR at the ready either on Kindle or iTunes.
Congrats and Happy Anniversary!
I’ve gotten into the JD Robb series (thank you e-book sales) so that would probably be the first book in that bag (baby).
Happy 9th!
I love your site very much – it was the first book blog I ever started reading and it still entertains me daily. My bag would have something M/M in it because it’s all I read now – I have gone over to the dark side completely! A Case of Possession by K.J. Charles would be in there this week.
Happy Anniversary! I’ve probably been here 8 1/2 of those years, back when the url was about man titty and dominican bitches. Thanks for the cover snark, great reviews, goodies and a fun place to check in with every day.
My tablet/ with nook and kindle would slip into a bag nicely and I would read The Countess Conspiracy by Ms Milan on the nook app.
Happy Birthday!
Like others, I can’t decide on just one book, so I’d have to take my nook along with me so I never will be without something to read.
Oh dear – which one to pick… there are just so MANY good books out there, and selecting a single one would be like asking a mother which one of her children is her favorite. So yay for ebook readers – you can take a whole library with you in your bag, without anybody knowing! 😀
But if I have to pick just one, I would say Mamory by Lois McMaster Bujold. It’s not her best book, or her funniest book, and far from her most accessible book (if you haven’t read all the Vorkosigan books that happened “before” this one, you are lost) but I love revisiting it regularly because of the growth the min character undergoes during it.
The lovely Whodunit plot is almost like a spice that makes Miles’ development even more savory. And the final exposé (of the villain) is just delicious every time!
Happy anniversary, and I wish you (and us all) much excellent future reading!
Happy anniversary!
For my part I believe I’ll put my newly perchased “Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling”
These bags are awesome! As to which book I’d stick in there, well, probably one of Julia Quinn’s…probably Romancing Mister Bridgerton. It’s always been my pick-me-up 😀
Happy Anniversary!
One book?! But that’s what Kindles are for, so I can carry a ton of titles in the space of one print book and don’t have to make a choice. Then again “Sorcery and Cecelia” might have an edge if I have to pick just one….
Happy Anniversary! I would have to carry my kindle, because ever since I got it, why carry one book when I can carry many many books? But I’m also reading Kristen Callihan’s Shadowdance in paperback so I could carry that in the bag too. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Congratulations on nine years, wow! Happy Anniversary!
I would be tucking in my Kindle, most likely – loaded with a handful of books I’ve been waiting until my January writing project is over to dive into reading, as well as some old favourites. (My current bag’s one failure – I have to carry my Kindle or whatever book I am reading separately, because it just doesn’t have quite enough room. *sigh* It was a lovely gift and a lovely bag, but come on, a girl needs her reading materials!)
Happy anniversary!
I would put Undead and Unwed (Mary Janice Davidson), half a packet of tim tams and possibly a tiny bottle of wine if I could find one and then hunt some place warm in which to consume all these marvellous things 🙂
Happy Anniversary! I would put in The Good Lord Bird by James McBride (next up on my digital TBR list). Those bags are cute! Thanks for the giveaway!
Happy Birthday – I love the site and podcast and you have cost me mucho $$$$$ with your daily sales tweets! I would put my kindle in the bag – reading all the Outlander series and also deep into Ruthie Knox, Jill Shalvis and Tanya Crosby at the moment – all your fault !
I would put my kindle pw with Tessa Dare’s new book loaded on it in my fabulous new bag. Happy 9th anniversary! Thank you for doing what you do.
Happy Anniversary, Smart Bitches !! You haven’t aged a day !
I would definitely throw my Kindle in my bag as it has those books I can only get in e-book. But I always have a couple of paperbacks in my bag as well. One can never have too many books.
Paperbacks I’d carry? Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Congratulations, ladies! Long may you reign!
Well, my Kindle, obviously. I’m trying to decide if I should read Game of Thrones or a Michelle Moran.
In paper, I’m reading Alison Weir’s Elizabeth of York, but that’s a big one to fit into a purse, so maybe a Stephanie Laurens…
Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes (Cassandra Clare) is waiting on the library reserve shelf, so I’d carry it home in my bag!
Happy Anniversary! I would put in my nook. I can’t just travel with only one book. I’m currently reading Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis and listening to In Bed with a Highlander by Maya banks.
Happy anniversary, Smart Bitches, and may you have many more years of celebrating romance and mocking terrible cover art!
I would put Paul Rudnick’s “Gorgeous” and Rainbow Rowell’s “Fangirl” in my bag. I’d also carry my iPad (with the much-loved Nook app) so I could download and read on the go.
I’d put Suzanne Brockmann’s new book “Do or Die” in the bag! Can’t wait for it!
Congrats on your anniversary. This is a fantastic blog, and you do GREAT work!
Happy Anniversary! I would put my kindle in the bag because I could never choose just one book!
This is so hard! But what an amazing idea! I would carry my iPad in this-presently is fully loaded with the J.D Robb “in death” series. I picked them all up when there was that Ebook sale last month. My mother loved them, so it’s about time I got around to them!
Thanks for all you guys do! I love this site and all the recommendations, even when I end up not losing the book as much as others did it’s still a super fun ride!