J.K. Rock’s Camp Boyfriend blog tour [with giveaway!]

Hi guys! I'm done with all my words and rants from my last post and am ready to put in another book-related first post in the blog.

So today we have a tour stop from J.K. Rock's Camp Boyfriend blog tour. When I first heard of this book, I immediately got curious and put it in my tbr. And so when the tour invites were sent , of course I had to join! :)

Okay, you may now check out the book's blurb below and find out what why it has all my hype. And then read on for a guest post from the author. And don't forget to enter the big awesome giveaway! So many prizes! Eep. :)

Enjoy!

Title: Camp Boyfriend

Author: J.K. Rock

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Publishing date: July 2, 2013

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

     The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.
     They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.
     But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Camp Cookbook – the Campfire edition

My two favorite things- food and fire- are a combustible combination… just ask the elderly couple who threw their dishwashing bucket on my flaming tent while I charred bacon. Despite the danger… or perhaps because of it… there is something irresistible about eating in the great outdoors. Maybe it’s all that hard work- like laying out in the sun, floating on an inflatable raft, and reading under trees- you know- the stuff that really works up an appetite. If you are willing to walk on the wild side- and risk ejection by park rangers (seriously- it’s happened to me) then here are a few recipes to try when cooking over an open flame. The campers in our Camp Boyfriend series try it, and so can you… then again they’re fictional… and fans of Superman don’t jump off of buildings do they? Shoot. Some do. Well. If your finger gets charred instead of your marshmallow, just don’t blame it on these awesome cookout ideas!

Banana Boats

Take an unpeeled banana and peel down one side of it without removing the peel.  Make a lengthwise cut in the banana and fill it with mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips.  You could probably think of other good stuff to add along with or instead of this. (Personally, I’d go for mini-Reese’s Peanut Butter cups or Gummy Worms) Put the peel back on the banana and wrap the whole thing in foil.  Put it over the fire on a grill or directly on hot coals for a few minutes to allow the good stuff to melt.  Then eat!  YUMMMM…  and some of it is good for you! A very small part- sure- but we’ll focus on the fruit part when convincing the parents to make it.

Pie Irons

Few campfire treats compare to steaming, golden-edged pocket pies cooked over hot coals. Since camping with my family in New England, clamp-shut pie irons have been a “must have” culinary tool. Butter two slices of bread and put them butter-side down in the iron against the metal. Add your filling — sugar and fruit, cheese and pizza sauce, eggs and bacon — and then clamp the irons together. Now, place the iron in the hottest coal spot possible. My favorite is apple pie filling with powdered sugar, a squirt of caramel and cinnamon on top. Add vanilla ice cream if it hasn’t melted in the cooler or been eaten by bears. (That was always my excuse when it went missing and I’m sticking to it!)

*Tip of the day- Don’t forget the mitts… you’ll leave camp looking like a branded barn animal. Trust me. It’s not a good look. As in, even Emma Watson couldn’t pull it off and that’s saying something.

Jiffy Pop!!!

Are there two words that bring greater joy?! I think not. Whenever I put the snack over an open flame, my cup-(or cheap aluminum popcorn container) runneth over. Here’s how to do it safely: For best results....without getting burned...find 2 very long sticks....one straight and thick...and the other must be a "Y" shaped. Stake the "Y" into ground near campfire. Wrap the metal handle of Jiffy Pop around the 2nd stick or tape the handle...either way. Place stick at the bottom of "V" and bring the JP close to the flame or above...BUT watch the aluminum! You don't want to burn it. (or maybe you do- I’m not judging) Once you hear a pop, slide the pan back and forth over the fire fast until the bubble gets big and ready to erupt at the top. And viola...it's done! Add butter and enjoy!

*Tip of the day:  Watch this YouTube video of two teens making Jiffy Pop and learn exactly what NOT to do. As the boy says, “Told you the first one was an experiment” hahahahaha. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mS6m3yUlgQ0

 You can also grab a stick as thick as a hotdog, wrap biscuit dough around it, toast it over the fire and fill it with pepperoni and cheese for your own camp version of a Hot Pocket or anything else that suits you- remember- not judging. After all, I’ve been known to fill soft taco shells with pop rocks on the grill and- well- that’s another story and does involve the park rangers.

In Camp Boyfriend, Lauren spends some of her nights around a camp fire when she’s not sneaking off to meet either Matt or Seth. She might miss out on some explosive fireside popcorn, but it can’t compare to the fireworks happening at the waterfalls, in a dugout, on the roof of her cabin… you get the picture  Thanks so much for hosting us today and we’d love to hear about your favorite campfire snacks- the crazier the better. Alternatively, it’d be great to hear your ‘I-cooked-on-an-open-flame-and-survived stories’. Please share!

Daily Prize: 

Camp journal

 pen

bookmark

friendship bracelet 

"I heart Camp" temporary tattoos

Grand Prize:

 Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

 Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

 Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

 That Summer by Sarah Dessen

 Always You by Kirsty Moseley

an autographed Arc of Wait For You by Jennifer Armentrout as J.Lynn 

and autographed copies of Camp Boyfriend and Camp Kiss 
"I heart temporary" tattoos
"I heart my Camp Boyfriend" t-shirt

 a Camp Boyfriend bookmark and friendship bracelets- puppy not included :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Authors:

J.K. Rock

Joanne and Karen Rock- writing sisters-in-law- formed a partnership to pen YA novels as J.K. Rock. Their debut book, Camp Boyfriend, is available July 2, 2013 from Spencer Hill Contemporary. 

Prior to joining creative forces, Joanne Rock began her career as an author of adult romance for various Harlequin series. Published in twenty languages and twenty-seven countries, Joanne writes both contemporary romance and medieval historicals in addition to the occasional romantic suspense. She is a three-time RITA nominee and Bookseller’s Best finalist.

Karen Rock sold her first adult romance to Harlequin’s new Heartwarming line. The Forever Wish (September 2013) is an uplifting tale of love against the odds during the hero’s battle with cancer. In addition to writing, Karen is an eighth grade English teacher who has written and published screenplays for production by school theater departments. She is a regular blogger at Cynthia Leitich Smith’s popular “Cynsations” blog. 

Together, Joanne and Karen write Young Adult stories that don’t back down from real issues. Whether their characters are falling in love at summer camp or facing the consequences of tough life choices, the authors enjoy helping them navigate those challenges.  Their “Camp Boyfriend” books are romantic dramas with a strong emphasis on teen friendships and self discovery. Fun, warm-hearted and emotional, the series includes Camp Boyfriend (July 2013), Camp Payback (April 2014) and Camp Forget-Me-Not (August 2014). 

Website / J’s Twitter / K’s Twitter / Facebook / Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Goodreads 

Check out the rest of the tour!

Tour Schedule: 

July 1^st - Aeicha @ Word Spelunking  - Guest Post or Top Ten or Excerpt

July 2^nd - Aseel @ My Crazy Book Obsession – Guest Post

July 3^rd - Amy @ Book Loving Mom – Review

July 4^th - Kazhy @ My Library in the Making – Guest Post or Interview

July 5^th - Joli @ Actin’ Up With Books – Review

July 8^th - Nicole @ Books Complete Me – Guest Post

July 9^th - Taherah @ Books As You Know It – Review

July 10^th - Jen @ Jenuine Cupcakes – Matt & Seth Character Interview

July 11^th - Lisa @ Dizneeee’s World of Books – Review 

July 12^th - Heather @ Nightly Reading – Guest Post or Author Interview

July 15^th - Hannah @ The Irish Banana Review – Guest Post

July 16^th - Cindy @ Princess Bookie -  Review

July 17^th - Jenna @ Coffee, Books & Me – Guest Post

July 18^th - Jess @ Book Passion for Life – Review

July 19^th - Jana @ The Artsy Reader Girl - Guest Post  & Review