Allan:  We are very pleased to announce the winner of the Java Man blog tour: Marissa Aldana! Marissa will receive a signed copy of Java Man, a Kindle Fire HD, a pound of coffee from Crowfoot Valley Coffee, and a $50 Amazon gift card.

Jason:  Man do we love readers, coffee drinkers, gift givers, and Marissa.

Allan:  How could we not love Marissa? She is all those things. But, what if she doesn’t love reading our book, and drinking your coffee?

Jason:  I can pretty much guarantee she’s going to love that coffee.

Allan:  Agree. Everything is wonderful or at least better when I’m drinking your coffee. Say we have a way-overdue home improvement project, and my wife refuses to shell out any more dough for a handyman. And say she’s busy. I’ll brew a pot of Crowfoot, fill a to-go cup, and dig in. Next thing you know, the lawn is cut. If Marissa reads Java Man while enjoying your coffee, we’re gold.

Jason:  I only hope our prize package reaches Marissa before Christmas. There is something magical about curling up Christmas morning with a cup of joe and a good book.

Allan:  Our package faces a lot of competition from all the holiday gifts. Our package needs to be stronger than the other packages. Faster. Evolutionarily designed for success.

Jason:  I think I know the analogy you’re working on. Probably shouldn’t.

Allan:  I’m talking competition, Jason! It makes the world go round! It’s the only reason we’re here today!

Jason:  No, I know.

Allan:  If Christmas morning finds Marissa holding our little bundle of joy, it means our package was stronger and faster than the millions of other packages! Won’t that make you proud?!?

Jason:  There it was. Alright, and what does it say about us if our package does not reach Marissa by Christmas?

Allan:  We blame that on the postal service.

Jason:  Hopefully it’s not too late to say congratulations as well to our five 2^nd-place winners: Veronica V., Teo A., Claira Pam V., Lisa B. and Ruth A. Each of them has received a Java Man e-book by email.

Allan:  That’s the high-tech, high-speed way to get our package to you.

Jason:  Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway, and for giving us a great first year as Harris Gray. That’s the best Christmas present we could ask for.

Allan:  What a warm feeling. Honestly I wish the whole world was holding our package in their hands, right now.

Jason:  That’s not quite like wishing for world peace…but it’s not a bad New Year’s resolution.

Allan: We’re announcing the winner of the Kindle Fire HD tablet in the Vampire Vic blog tour giveaway: it’s RJ Lozelle!

Jason: Big congrats to RJ.

Allan: If RJ had known the odds against her, would she have even bothered? She’s the chosen one out of 6,502 entrants – what are the odds of that happening?

Jason: One in six-thousand five hundred and two.

Allan: Really hits home when you spell it out like that. This story becomes even more compelling when you realize the drawing was completely random. There was absolutely nothing RJ could do to influence the outcome.

Jason: She could love Vampire Vic, send Harris Gray a bribe (non-refundable), and burn two V’s into her neighbor’s lawn at midnight, and be no closer to winning.

Allan: We only recommend one of those things, of course.

Jason: RJ could hold a yoga pose for thirty seconds, teach her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to love squirrels, convince the cable company to bill her à la carte, turn water to wine, and at the end of the day, she would still just be a number in our contest.

Allan: Imagine being one of 6,502 people. For most of us this is nearly impossible to grasp.

Jason: Unless you’ve been to a sporting event, or live in a relatively large development, or ran in a charity 5K, or tried to score a Black Friday deal at Target, or—

Allan: Dwell on it too long and the earth can start to feel too big, the universe too tiny—

Jason: And the USDA’s serving sizes just right.

Allan: You know, maybe it’s not appropriate for us to assume RJ is female.

Jason: And gorgeous.

Allan: Unfortunately we forgot to request basic demographic information and pictures of all our entrants.

Jason: So we’re envisioning a raven-haired goddess.

Allan: Like Florence in the upcoming VV sequel, after her Xtreme Re-Vamp Makeover. The way Victor always has and always will picture Florence, that’s how we will see RJ.

Jason: Everyone can feel free to create their own mental image.

Allan: We’re also here to give thanks to everyone who followed our blog tour.

Jason: And condolences to the six thousand five hundred and one of you who didn’t win the Kindle.

Allan: Feel bad for them. Maybe we make the next contest merit-based, when we release Java Man in September.

Jason: But then RJ wins for sure. How about prizes for the best and worst reviews on Amazon? Like Omaha Hi-Lo poker.

Allan: Gosh I like that.