Ashley Rickards, Ellen Page, Emma Stone, Rooney Mara, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Halle Steinfeld 

Some of the most popular choices for Marcus Flutie are:

Tyler Blackburn, Samuel Larsen (The Glee Project), Nicholas Hoult, Jackson Rathbone, Anton Yelchin, Dave Franco

However popular these choices were, none earned more LIKES than this suggestion by Karen G.:

“There aren’t any really famous actors/actresses that I can suggest for the roles. I think you need a new actor for Marcus and a new actress for Jessica. Anyone in the industry right now couldn’t do the roles justice because of their already existent fame.”

She wasn’t the only person to suggest unknowns for the roles. Many other commenters shared similar sentiments. However, her comment was the one with the most LIKES and is therefore delcared the winner. Karen G. and the 164 facebookers who LIKED her comment all win the secret password that gives them three days to watch the video vision for the SLOPPY FIRSTS movie. If you are one of the winning commenters you MUST email megan@meganmccafferty.com right away because the password will expire after September 10th. There will be more opportunities to win in the future. Follow me on Twitter or LIKE my FB page for updates. Thanks to everyone who so enthusiastically shared your opinions!

But before I give you those details…

I must first acknowledge the many amazing tributes I received for the Epic Giving Away of Rare and One-of-a-Kind Stuff. You all made me so MISTY. A small sample:

“SLOPPY FIRSTS was more than just the first book in the Jessica Darling series, it was an introduction to a world– though fictional–but was in every bit of sense real and true…. at least it will always be for me.”–Lianne J., Davao City, Philippines 

“As I watched Jessica grow, mature, fall, fail, love, learn, cry, and dance, I saw my own life transcribed on the pages in front of me…Thanks for creating a character that kept me company through the years, that was the best inspiration a girl could have, because she was the me I wanted to be.” Kelly W., You Can Read Me Anything

“This series will make you laugh, cry, smile, and then get angry, it will horrify you but you won’t be able to stop. Jessica Darling is everything you never wanted to admit you were and everything you wanted to be all at the same time. SLOPPY FIRSTS defined a generation, and will continue to aid High Schoolers for years to come. Jessica Darling will be the best friend of young [and old!] girls forever. I know she will always have a special place in my heart!  Happy 10th Anniversary, Jessica Darling..you deserve it! And thanks for all the help growing up!” Beth R., The Secrets In the Telling

I wish I had prizes for these all and entrants. But I don’t. The Runners Up and winners of original Advanced Readers Copies of SLOPPY FIRSTS are…Erin W., whose handwritten letter (partly pictured above) best captured the spirit of Jessica and Hope’s old school correspondence. And Anna, who championed my series with this charming stick figure video and repeated pimping on her FANTASTIC book blog.

And finally, the winner of the ONE OF A KIND ANNOTATED COPY of SLOPPY FIRSTS is….the incomparable Sol K-B aKa @Geishapants. If you haven’t watched her operatic, boy bandic video adaptation YOU MUST DO IT NOW.  It speaks for itself. To say anything more about this masterful mash-up of high and low culture is to take away from its artistry. She clearly loves my series as much–if not more–than I do.

Okay. This is sweet and nostalgic and all BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SLOPPY FIRSTS MOVIE? Here’s the deal: Suggest ONE actress to play Jessica Darling and ONE actor for Marcus Flutie in this comments section on my Facebook page. (I KNOW you have opinions on this.) Do this by 11:59PM EST on Monday, September 5th. The casting choice that gets the most “LIKES” is THE WINNER. The person that submitted that choice and every person who “LIKED” it gets THE SECRET PASSWORD: A secret code that (for a limited time) will provide access to a video put together by Anna Christopher and Gabe Reiter, the creative team at the heart of the SLOPPY FIRSTS movie. In this video, they share what they hope the movie will look like, and you’ll be able to tell them if you love what you see. (Hint: I DID!) So hurry up and get casting already! 

Again, thank you all for celebrating this milestone with me!

Jenna P. forwarded this email she originally sent in 2003, adding, “I still tell friends about your series ten years later.”

“I‘d just like to thank you for writing these books.  They are just completely awesome (in the true sense of the word.).  It is not only what you wrote, but how you wrote it.  I loved these books.  I had found Sloppy Firsts as a fluke one day in the bookstore.  I picked it up and thought it seemed like a good book.  I then read it not only once or twice, but three times.  Three days ago, I was in the book store, yet again, and as i was walking out, i happened to see Sloppy Firsts on a shelf, with Second Helpings right next to it.  As soon as I saw Second Helpings, I almost lost it.  I had been waiting and waiting for your next installment of Jessica Darling to come out, and I immediately forgot about the cd that i had originally intended to buy, and bought your book.  I just finished it this afternoon.  Let me just say, it is a great novel.  Really.  While I am not still in high school, I still feel I can relate to Jessica in many ways.  It has made me think about myself a lot more, and also the decisions I make, so, thank you for that.  I laughed and cried.  Your work is amazing.  You reach out to the readers by making your characters extremely real. Any how, I’m sure you get this all a lot.  I just wanted to be cheesy and let you know how I feel.”

I always appreciate readers who take time to express how much my books have meant to them. Then and now.

Thank you.

P.S. You’ve got one more week to enter SLOPPY FIRSTS: The Epic 10th Anniversary Giving Away of Rare and One-of-a-Kind-Stuff.  Express your love for SLOPPY FIRSTS and the Jessica Darling series with a clever tweet (tagged #sloppyfirsts10th), blog post, video, song, original artwork….whatever creative form best suits you. Tweet or email a link to your entry by August 22nd. I’ll announce the winners on August 28th.

“Before SLOPPY FIRSTS, I had never met a character that seemed so real to me. Jessica came alive in her diary entries. She was just so much like me…or how I wanted to be. The series quickly became my favorite books of all time. When I was in between books I actually missed Jessica. She was like my fictional best friend, and I wished she were real. 

Jessica Darling taught me how to laugh, how to be myself, but most of all, that I’m not alone. That we’re all insecure and frustrated. Your books were my friends when I was lonely and my mentors when I was down. I cannot thank you enough for SLOPPY FIRSTS. The series has truly impacted me as a person and influenced how I view life.”

Keep those tributes coming! (Though I have no idea how I’m going to pick the winners….)

“Jessica’s high school experience was the one I wish I had. She screwed up, she lied, hid things, wanted what she shouldn’t want. She had balls in the way I never did. Jessica Darling gave us writers and loners and outcasts of high school a voice. She made all my thoughts more eloquent and more real because I knew someone else felt them. Because I figured that if Jess felt them, so did you at some point, Megan.  

SLOPPY FIRSTS saved my life, amused me, made me cry, laugh, mortified me. It summed up a few years of my high school years except more well written and sounding much more glamorous. I’ll always go back to read it and I’ll always be passionate and spread the word.”

What has SLOPPY FIRSTS meant to you? Make a tribute in the form of a blog entry, video, Twitter campaign, song, original artwork or however you best express yourself creatively. Share the link via Twitter, Facebook or megan@meganmccafferty.com by August 22nd. You could win one of two autographed UNCORRECTED PROOFS of SLOPPY FIRSTS, the Advanced Reader Copies that went out for review before the finished book went on sale. Or you could be the GRAND PRIZE winner of the one-of-a kind annotated edition of SLOPPY FIRSTS that I have personally filled with all sorts of insider info about how the story came to be, including the true inspiration behind the infamous Pineville High Talent Show.

Thanks for celebrating this milestone with me. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

SLOPPY FIRSTS was published on August 28th, 2001. It’s kind of hard to believe when there are new readers just discovering Jessica Darling and Marcus Flutie every single day. I’ll be announcing fun ways to celebrate the occasion (i.e., GIVEAWAYS!) throughout the month of August.

And I need your help.

BLOGGERS! If you’re interested in conducting a special 10th Anniversary interview with me on your site, please email questions to megan@meganmccafferty.com by Sunday, July 31st. I’ll pick 10 bloggers based on the creativity of the questions and enthusiasm for the series.

I look forward to reading your questions and commemorating this milestone with you, yes, you.