Last Chance to Win a Free Book!

Dear Miz Fitz,
I have been trying all month to come up with a good question, but it's really hard!
—Fail


Dear Fail,
Miz Fitz feels your pain. But she has a suggestion: Simply phrase your lament as a question, and throw in a gratuitous holiday reference.  Thusly:


Dear Miz Fitz,
I have been trying all month to come up with a good question, but it's really hard! What should I do?
—Kwanzaa


Dear Kwanzaa,
Thank you for your very interesting question! Miz Fitz is both sympathetic and impressed by your compelling phrasing! You are now entered in the drawing. Ta-da!

There are only hours left to enter! Win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want!  Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good (see above). Winner will be announced on January 1.

The Most Awkward of Gifts

Dear Miz Fitz,

This guy I know who’s a friend, but not like a boyfriend or even anybody I want to go out with, gave me this expensive necklace for Christmas, and I feel really weird about it. My mom says I should give it back, but that would feel weird too. What should I do? It’s a really nice necklace.
—Ambi Valent

Dear Ambi,

Welcome to the Seven Levels of Guilt. First, you must accept that no matter what you do, it will be excruciatingly awkward for the next forty years. If you keep the necklace, he will have Expectations. He will want to go out with you. If you say yes, you will have to endure the most uncomfortable date of your life, and you will both regret it. If you say no, he will sink into a morass of seething resentment that will last his entire lifetime.  If you give the necklace back to him, he will feel stupid and you will feel guilty and you will avoid each other every day until one of you moves to Bogzillia.

Miz Fitz suggests that, since there are no happy alternatives, you send the necklace to her.

Please enter Miz Fitz's December book giveaway! To win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want, send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

Christmas Wish List

So Miz Fitz, what do you want for Christmas?
—Misty Poodle

Dear Misty,

Miz Fitz thinks that you have waited until the last minute to plan your Christmas shopping, but she understands. As for what she wants, Miz Fitz would be pleased to receive any of the following three items via FedEx overnight. Saturday delivery is acceptable.

• A Magic Door. Miz Fitz has always coveted a Magic Door, preferably one with a dial that will allow her to select from an infinite number of destinations. 

• Peace on Earth. Yes, such a planet might be a rather boring place, but Miz Fitz is willing to deal with such a consequence.

• A Higgs Boson. And a small bejeweled box in which to keep it.

• And a Happy Solstice to All!


Please enter Miz Fitz's December book giveaway! To win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want, send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

E-Cards: Is There Joy in Pixels?

Dear Miz Fitz,
What to you think about e-cards for the holidays? My friend says they are rude.
—Mis-Mannered


Dear Mis,
Miz Fitz likes to show off how many friends she has by creating a greeting card display over her bookshelf. When she receives an e-card, she must print it out and trim it to size. Miz Fitz appreciates e-cards, and she does not think they are rude, but they are most certainly inconvenient.



Please enter Miz Fitz's December book giveaway! To win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want, send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

Holiday in Bogzillia

Dear Miz Fitz:

Is my birthday, November 3^rd, really a holiday or is my mother just trying to get me to stop whining?  I hope this qualifies as a holiday-related question.
Sincerely,
Diane

Dear Diane,
November third is indeed a holiday! Not only is it your birthday, it is the anniversary of the death of Saint Boggs, who drove the naked mole rats out of Bogzillia in 1642. How nice for you that your mother chose to give birth to you on that day!
As for your mother's intentions, it depends on how loudly and for how long you whine. There is nothing parents hate more than whining, but the fact is, it works. Doing the dishes might get you a pat on the head, but whining will get you a ride to the mall.


Win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want!  Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and be entered to win.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

The Truth About Santa Claus

Dear Miz Fitz,
My little sister, Chayna, is asking questions about Santa Claus. She is worried that he won't come to our house because we don't have a fireplace. Also, she saw two different-looking Santas at two different malls, and she wants to know how many Santas there are. Chayna is four years old. What should I tell her?
—Trish


Dear Trish,
Even if you had a fireplace, Chayna might wonder how Santa squeezes his considerable bulk through that tiny flue. The girl is clearly an analytical thinker, and Miz Fitz likes her. Tell her only what is true: Santa Claus is a large elf with superpowers.  He can compress himself and his bag of gifts into a tiny node, and thereby enter any home, whether through the chimney, the furnace, of the crack under your front door. Santa can also split himself into an infinite number of avatars, he can stop time, and when children reach a certain age, he can mind trick them into thinking he does not exist. The only thing Santa can't do is marry himself—at least not in 46 states.


Win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want!  Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and be entered to win.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

Miz Fitz on Marriage

Dear Miz Fitz,
Actually, I don't have a real question, but want to enter your contest, so how do you feel about gay marriage Santa Claus marriage?
—Send Me a Book


Dear Send,
Only holiday-related questions are eligible for the contest, but Miz Fitz is feeling generous, so she has taken the liberty of editing your question. Hope that's okay.
As for Miz Fitz's feelings, she does not understand what all the fuss is about.


Win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want!  Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and be entered to win.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

If Miz Fitz posts it on the Internet, does that not make it true?

Miz Fitz!
I am very upset with you. That photo you said was Angelina Jolie was NOT ANGELINA JOLIE!!! In fact, I'm pretty sure it was actually Marilyn Manson. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
—Disappointed


Dear Disappointed,
Ha ha, you have caught Miz Fitz in her little joke.  Miz Fitz has also received communications from both Angelina's and Marilyn's attorneys. They have asked her to post a correction. Since Miz Fitz is terrified of lawyers, she has agreed to do so.  Here is a photo of Angelina Jolie as she appeared in the ninth grade. You read it on the internet, so it must be true.


Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and be entered to win a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want.  The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good. Winner will be announced on January 1.

I Am Hideous!

Dear Miz Fitz,

I am not the most attractive girl in my school.  In fact, I am like the 200th most attractive. And there are only 223 of us. When I look in the mirror I want to die.

Angelina Jolie's school photo?

—Ugly Betty

Dear Betty,

You could try hanging out with the unfortunate twenty-three. Better yet, look up the high school yearbook pictures of future movie stars. It will help.

Don't forget to enter Miz Fitz's December contest for a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want. Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and you will be entered. (The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good.) Winner will be announced on January 1.

Doing the Math

Dear Ms. Fitz,

I am a sophomore in high school and my boyfriend, "Patrick" is too. I also happen to be in the advanced placement math class with mostly seniors. My boyfriend's brother is in the class with me. He is a more rugged and handsome version of Patrick. I think he is flirting with me while we are applying formulas to gravitation. Is it OK to flirt back?

Euclidea

Dearest Euclidea,

Miz Fitz is trying to imagine what constitutes flirting in an AP math class:

"One squared equals one, wink wink"

"You are more fascinating than a polynomial."

"The amplitude of your harmonic motion completes me."

But never mind that. Allow Miz Fitz to make a salient observation: When girls flirt they employ subtle, clever, and meaningful words and actions. A boy's version of flirtation is to simply stare and drool—there is nothing subtle about it. If you only "think" he is flirting with you, he is most probably not. In any case, consider the following equation: 15+2=17 In English, that means that Patrick will look just like his brother in two years.


Don't forget to enter Miz Fitz's December contest for a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want.Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and you will be entered. (The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good.) Winner will be announced on January 1.

December Contest Entry #1

HELP!! My significant other and I are invited to an ugly sweater party for the holidays with prizes for the couple who wears the ugliest sweaters.  I am so excited; I have the perfect sweaters picked out for honey and me! Honey refuses to wear sweater. : (    What should I do to get him to stop being a Scrooge?
—Ms. UGLY (Ugliest Sweater Girl is Longing for the Yuletide Spirit for her sweetie)


Dear Ugly,
First, Miz Fitz wants you to know how much she admires your pepper spray sweater, and thank you for including the photo. As for your S.O., the thing to keep in mind about boys is that NO SWEATER IS TOO UGLY FOR THEM TO WEAR. Your problem may be that the  sweater you picked out for him is not ugly enough to meet his exacting standards. Open your mind to other possible designs, such as this one:

Don't forget to enter Miz Fitz's December contest for a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want.Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and you will be entered. (The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good.) Winner will be announced on January 1.

What Boys Really DON'T Want

Dear Miz Fitz,

This guy I don’t like won’t leave me alone. How do you turn a guy off?

—Maid Marian

Dear Maid,

This can be accomplished by using strong body odors, unpleasant noises (speaking endlessly on topics such as chastity, marriage, and Justin Bieber), visual assault (get you ugly), or tactile stimulation (scratching, kicking, biting, etc.) In severe cases, it may be necessary to apply several such techniques simultaneously.

Don't forget to enter Miz Fitz's December contest for a signed hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want. Send Miz Fitz a holiday-related question and you will be entered. (The winner will be chosen at random, so your question doesn't have to be all that good.)

December Contest

Once again, Miz Fitz wishes to congratulate the winners of her November contest, "Penny" and "M." She will be standing in line at her local post office later today to mail them their prizes.


Because she had so much fun sorting through the deluge of entries (all eight of them), Miz Fitz is conducting another contest. This time she will be giving away a signed first edition hardcover copy of What Boys Really Want. 

This symbol is purported to represent the winter solstice.
Miz Fitz has her doubts.

You must ask Miz Fitz a question to enter. But this time there is a twist: it must be a holiday-related question. Any holiday will do.


The winner will be selected on January first, by a system yet to be devised, but entirely fair. 

Click here to submit a question. 

•Your email address will not be published or sold to spammers.

•Your real name will be used only with your express permission.

•Because Miz Fitz has limited funds available for postage, the book can be shipped only to locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Miz Fitz is In a Pickle

She has been wearing her Choosing Hat* all day, and she still can't decide which of the Many Questions she has received is truly the Best. Her cat is not helping either. Therefore, she has decided to employ random processes. John Cage would approve. Each question has been assigned a number.  She has written those numbers on individual slips of paper. She is putting the slips of paper in her Choosing Hat. She is reaching into the hat. She has chosen a slip of paper.


It is number six!


Miz Fitz is feeling generous. She is reaching into the hat again! She is giving away TWO books! 


It is number one!


Congratulations, number six! Congratulations, number one! Your books will arrive soon.


*Do not confuse the term "choosing hat" with the term "sorting hat," or you will be befuddled.

The Final Entries

The November contest entries are all in, and Miz Fitz will be choosing a winner later today. Here are three questions that squeaked in just under the wire:


Entry #6

Dear Miz Fitz,

 My boyfriend has been spending a lot of time at the comic book store playing Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.  I think he’s great, but I’m beginning to wish I were a pair of D & D dice.  What can I do to get him to notice me?

 —Penny

Miz Fitz has been to a comic book store, and she has observed they young men in the back of the room playing these games, and she thinks you should reconsider your wish to become a pair of D&D dice. Do you know where those hands have been? Miz Fitz grows woozy at the thought. However, she understands that love is both blind and inexorable. Since you will never be able to extract him from his fantasy universe, your only choice may be to join him. Consider "cosplay.com." 

Entry #7

Dear Miz Fitz,

My boyfriend and I went to see a movie and instead of getting the popcorn & diet Coke I asked for, he bought like 10 boxes of candy. Then I noticed the girl selling candy at the concession stand looked like a cheerleader for a professional sports team, if you know what I mean.

Should I be worried?

—J

In a word, Yes.  Miz Fitz was tempted to post a photo of what your boyfriend's teeth will look like in a few years, but the resulting image search on Google made her somewhat queasy, so she is posting this cute bunny picture instead. As for the cheerleader lookalike, unless your BF is NFL material, you need not be concerned. He knows it ain't gonna happen. 

Entry #8

Hello Miz Fitz,
I am doing a project on Pete Hautman and came across this great promotion! How fun! I am a graduate student who is getting my Master's as a Library Media Specialist. My course this sememster was on YAL. It is so fun. Reading these questions and answers are so funny!
My question is....what do boys really want???? I can't wait to read this book and discover the truth...finally!!! 


Miz Fitz is pleased that the final contest entry question is also the very first question ever asked on her blog, thus saving her the trouble of crafting a new response.




Miz Fitz will be announcing a the winner of a signed copy of What Boys Really Want later today. Contain yourselves.

LAST CALL!

Today, November 30, is the last day for contest entries.  Send Miz Fitz a question before midnight for a chance to win a signed and personalized pre-publication copy of What Boys Really Want by Pete Hautman. On Thursday, December 1, Miz Fitz  will post the final contest entries, then don her choosing hat to select a winner from the mounds of entries she has received.



Contest details here.
 
Click here to submit a question. 

A Minimalist Contest Entry

This is the cover of the UK Edition

When will the new book be published?
—Ms. B


Miz Fitz appreciates brevity. January 1, 2012.




Only four days left to enter for a chance to win an ARC (advance reading copy) of What Boys Really Want. To enter, you must ask Miz Fitz a question. Winner will be announced on December 1st.  Details here. 

Click here to submit a question. 

Another Contest Entry

Mizfitz, 
I like my boyfriend a lot, and he likes me, but... I think he going to have a gambling problem some day. he's always betting on sports, cards, even grades, you name it. Is gambling a disease like those 12 step programs say? How do i know if he has a problem?
-Not a chump



First, my dear chump, Miz Fitz notes that you are something of a gambler yourself, being as you took a big risk by misspelling her name. For future reference, it is two words, the first word being "Miz," and the second word being "Fitz."

Regarding gambling, it is much like sugar, potato chips, pirate romances, and shoe shopping: a modicum of participation is desirable and at times even necessary—after all, he took a chance on you, right? But too much gambling can be perilous. Here is what to look for: if he asks to borrow money from you for any reason, head for the hills. Do not so much as feed a parking meter on his behalf.


If you would like to win an ARC (advance reading copy) of What Boys Really Want, you must ask Miz Fitz a question. Winner will be announced on December 1st.  Details here. 

Click here to submit a question. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Miz Fitz,
My boyfriend has invited me to Thanksgiving dinner with his family, and there are like fifty of them, and I'm a vegetarian. Help!
—Terrified of the Turkey


Miz Fitz recommends vegetable-based pepper spray. This will ensure that you are not invited back next year.




If you would like to win an ARC (advance reading copy) of What Boys Really Want, you must ask Miz Fitz a question. Winner will be announced on December 1st.  Details here. 

Click here to submit a question. 

Nine Days Left

That's right, Dear Readers. Only nine days remain in November, which means that the metaphorical clock is ticking and Miz Fitz will soon be closing the metaphorical door on contest entries. 


If you would like a shot at winning an ARC (advance reading copy) of What Boys Really Want, you must submit (say it in a Dalek voice) a question. Start by clicking here.

Contest Entry #3: The Toilet Seat Question

Dear Miz Fitz,
Why don't boys put the toilet seat down?  It's gross for us to have to touch it to put it down, and boys shouldn't mind doing it because they like gross things right?
—Put it Down


Dear Down,
Miz Fitz feels your pain.  In fact, she felt it just the other night when entered the bathroom in the dark and discovered that her entire derrière could fit inside a standard toilet bowl. People six houses away were awakened by her outraged shriek.


As to your first question, Miz Fitz queried a male acquaintance, who explained it thusly: "Putting the seat down is inefficient, because the next person to use the toilet might be a guy, and he would just have to lift it up again."


Miz Fitz finds this argument to be spurious and without merit. However, it may be something we have to live with, as the only alternative seems to be to marry a sitzpinkler.


To enter Miz Fitz's contest and win a copy of What Boys Really Want, click here.  


Contest details here.