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!
I think this is possibly the longest-running blog I’ve been reading. Not sure what year I started exactly, though probably since 2006/7-ish. You’re just that awesome.
I’d definitely stick my Kindle Paperwhite v.2 in there, with all those new Kleypas books I just bought.
Happy 9th Anniversary!!!!
In my bag would go my kindle with the hot pink cover. My kindle carries a range of titles from Black Hawk Down to The Black Hawk. Also some keys, a phone and my girly items.
Woot!
Happy Anniversary, so happy you’re around!
I would put in my ipod where I load all my Cat and Bones books in audio format.
Also, I would throw in all my library books because I support the hell out of my library.
Thanks for keeping us entertained for so many years, and to many more!
I would put my all-time favorite romance, Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas, in it!
Happy anniversary!
My book of choice at the moment: Laura by Vera Caspary, which the noir film of the same name is based on.
Happy 9th Anniversary!
Yesterday I celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary. The On Dublin Street series by Samantha Young and one of those sweet, leather Willow bags to tote them around in would be the perfect cherry on top of this weekend. 🙂
Happy 9th! Thank you for an awesome site!
Along with my Sony Reader, I’d probably carry around one of Lynn Kurland’s 9 Kingdom books. Comfort reads, the lot of them. 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
I will put my PB360 reader in it. I never go anywhere without it. Talk about moving library. That’s my bag.
@Lindsay: Yup, all Kipling bags come with the gorilla charm, I think. This one definitely does. Isn’t that bag adorable?
Oh, gosh, I have no idea!
In my new willow bag I will carry my Kindle filled with everyone of Susanna Kearsley’s novels and The Rosie Project all for rereads.
Happy 9th !!!!!
Happy Birthday SB!
I would put my Kindle in the bag and a copy of Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie because it’s about time for my annual reread.
Happy anniversary and thanks for many years of excellent recommendations and lots of laughs! Those bags look like they’ll hold more than one book, but since I travel with lots o’ crap at all times, I’ll just pick one: the new Lucy March book that I just ordered, That Touch of Magic.
Happy Anniversary.
I would carry my aging sony reader for my epub books, my phone for my kindle books and a paperback of something by Ilona Andrews. Before ebooks any handbag of mine had to be big enough for at least one hardback book!
Happy Anniversary! I would put my ultimate comfort reread, These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer in my bag.
Happy Anniversary! Such a great giveaway! I love the bags. The book I am currently looking forward to is Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop. It comes out in March and is the second of the Others series. Thanks for the opportunity to win one of these great bags!
Congratulations on 9 years of blogging. I would put anything written by Julie James or Sherry Thomas’ Ravishing the Heiress in the bag.
Happy Anniversary!
I would put in my kindle, of course, but in celebration would load up the new Tessa Dare book.
Happy Anniversary!! I would put The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan in (I hope!) the third beautiful bag!!
Happy Anniversary! Looking forward to many more years of great reading recommendations.
I would use the Sherpani to carry my Nook tablet and my IPad. The Nook has all my favorites on it like Loretta Chase’s LOS and the entire catalog of Georgette Heyer Regencies. My IPad because it is so easy to go on Overdrive and test drive an author through my library..
Keep up the wonderful work.
Congratulations Sarah and thank you for your amazing site! I would put in the first historical romance I ever read-sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. It’s got Knights, Ladies, forbidden love, treachery, and a surprise identity. In other words all the makings of an awesome novel.
Happy anniversary, I’m glad I found this blog. 🙂
I would bag my iPhone. That way I have access to all of my books: kindle, my library books from bookshare.org & BARD/NLS talking books. With cloud & dropbox I can read any of my books beyond Magic Breaks, one I am looking foward to out of many( just a wee bit obsessed with Ilona Andrews & Kate Daniels).
Happy Anniversary and congratulations on 9 wonderful years!
I’d put my Kobo Aura HD in the bag with it set to open The Complete Mackenzie’s Collection by Linda Howard which has been my top desert island keeper for years.
Happy anniversary! I’d put in Rosamund Hodge’s Cruel Beauty – it looks so good, I am desperate to read it! 🙂
Happy Anniversary! I would put my Kindle in my new bag, with a Shannon Stacey Kowalski book!
I would put my tablet in there, which has a Kobo app, a Kindle app, and a Google Books app, all of which have a couple dozen books in them!
Happy Anniversary! I would put my Kobo in the bag with Anne Calhoun’s Jaded on it. Can’t wait until that one comes out!
Happy Anniversary, Smart Bitches. I would put Jean Ross Ewing’s “Illusion” in the bag.
Happy 9th-aversary!
I would put Gone With the Wind in my bag, in digital because in paper it’s a doorstop. I adore that book. I used to dream of parading around in a hoop skirt and corset until I realized how not fun it would be. I’ll still read about it anyway.
Julie Garwood’s Ransom
And congratulations. You often put a sparkle in my day!
Right now I’m taking “The Only Grant Writing Book You’ll Ever Need” and one of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series with me everywhere I go.
Happy Anniversary! I would put my Kindle. I am presently reading The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon. Love this series, two more books to read till the 8th one comes out.
Happy anniversary!
I’d put my Kindle, on which I’m reading The Goldfinch, my Nine Rules to Break paperback, and my iPad in one of these beautiful bags.
I’d put the Black Dagger series by Anne Bishop. Wonderful.
Nine years! That’s wonderful! I just wish I’d discovered you sooner. 🙂 I don’t read actual paper books much anymore, so I’d probably put my kindle or nook in my new willow bag and I’d probably be reading an m/m romance, since that’s all I’ve been reading lately. I have a lot of Josh Lanyon and Abigail Roux’s backlist to catch up on, so probably one of theirs (or all of theirs, since I’ve got my ereader :)). Thanks for the fantastic website and awesome giveaway!
I think I’d put A King’s Ransom in the bag, I picked up an ARC at ALA Midwinter and that second bag is beautiful or possibly Ancillary Justice, which I’m really looking forward to. I’ve been looking for a new purse and will have to keep these bags in mind.
Congratulations on 9 years! This site has helped me realize how much I love romance and introduced me to so many new authors.
Happy Anniversary Smart Bitches!
I would put KMM’s Burned in my bag (when it finally comes out, that is! January 2015, SOB!)
Love the bags you have chosen! I side with so many others, it is so hard to choose between just one book! I also have a tendency to finish a book in one sitting :/ My Nook would be a must. If my Nook is not charged and ready to travel, a Nalini Singh is my next best choice 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
I don’t have many physical books anymore, but I would probably put my new copy of Lauren Willig’s Deception of the Emerald Ring in the bag.
Happy Anniversary!
I would put in Jill Shalvis’ Head Over Heels. Love that book.
Happy birthday! I’d put my Kindle with Courtney Milan’s latest book on it in the Willow bag if I won.