Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Contest Begins Today!




Here we go!

As you learned from the previous post, we are having a contest related to Lost in the Bayou. By entering, you have an opportunity to be named the WINNER of one of the two T-shirts shown in the previous post. You get to pick whichever one you like. You get to pick the size and whether it’s a men’s or a women’s style shirt. It will be short-sleeved and black. It’s 100% pre-shrunk cotton.
The Rafflecopter widget below will keep track of your activities and make sure you get entered. Here’s what you have to do:
2. Tweet a message about this contest.
That’s it. The contest begins RIGHT NOW! and will end at midnight EST on Sunday, January 15nd, 2012.
Now here’s a BONUS! I want to encourage you to pass the word along to your followers and friends. The more, the merrier. Here's why:
If we get 200 entries, we will double the prize and award two T-shirts to two randomly selected winners. With 300 entries, we will award three prizes. So the more entries, the better your chances to win.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 19, 2011

And the Winner is...

The field wasn't overly full (we only had ten entries) but the winner has been determined. After taking all correct entries and generating a winning number from a random number generator online, the name associated with that winning position is... (drum roll)

SHARON LEDWITH!

Sharon wins the beautiful coffee mug with the dramatic graphic of the Lost in the Bayou cover. Let's hope she enjoys her beverage of choice and thinks of us as she's drinking it. Actually, she may end up using it as a pencil holder on  her desk, but that's fine, too. It's now hers to do with as she pleases.

Congratulations, Sharon! Thanks for participating.

Now, moving on. I'm currently in the process of creating a new contest for our readers. So check back later today and see what the great prize will be this time. It's going to be exciting, I assure you.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

The Trailer



The contest for the beautiful coffee mug is over! I will announce the winner tomorrow, so check back to get the scoop on that. Meanwhile, take a look at the video that's just been released for Lost in the Bayou. Naturally, we would like to get as many viewers as possible, so feel free to pass it along, share it, or link to it. And thanks. By the way, if you need a trailer for your own book, I would be happy to share the contact info of the company who created this one. Their prices are totally reasonable. Just leave a comment and I'll get back with you.

Also, I will be announcing a fabulous new contest Monday or Tuesday. So check back for that, too! Also, if the embedded video is playing too slowly and not loading properly, go to the direct connect at You Tube. HERE.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Time for a Contest! And a prize!

PLEASE NOTE: THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM THE EARLIER POST.


In case you haven't been following along and anxiously counting the days with the rest of us, this is the magical day when Lost in the Bayou is being released through Musa Publishing

Since we haven't given anything away to our dear readers in some time, I thought it seemed appropriate to give away something related to that milestone event.


And that's exactly what we've decided to do. I'm confident that most of you take in some liquids on a daily basis. What's your pleasure? Coffee? Tea? Water? Milk? Cola? Or how about a nice warm mug of cocoa on the coming winter mornings. Well, whatever you like to drink, we've got just the mug to hold it. Check out that photo.

That's the mug we're giving away. A beautiful white ceramic cylindrical contemporary coffee mug with a handy handle (it's a mug) and a striking high resolution image of the Lost in the Bayou cover so artfully created by Lisa Lingenfelter Dovichi (of the Musa Publishing Art Department) and beautifully reproduced in all its splendid and colorful glory. Who could ask for anything more?

I'm sure it's going to be at about this point when the reader is sitting, eyes wide and lower jaw dropped in awe, saying, "Wow! I want that. What do I have to do to get it?" Well, hang onto your saddle horn because I'm about to tell you. And it's so very simple you won't believe it. All that's required is that you leave a comment below this post that contains the answers to the following three questions:

1. What is Robin Sherwood's age at the time the story is written?
2. What are the objects on Andy's tie?
3. What radio program is Uncle Conrad obsessed with?


Can you believe it's that easy? It is! Simply leave a comment below that includes the answers to those three questions and, if you correctly answer all three, you will be entered into a random drawing to get the beautiful coffee / tea / water / milk / cola / cocoa / whatever mug with the book cover image imprinted thereon. It will last forever provided it is not dropped or allowed to come into abrupt contact with a force greater than the tensile strength of its material composition.

A word of warning. Be wary of simply copying the answers contained in the other comments. I have several sneaky author friends who will be leaving comments containing BOGUS and INCORRECT information just to throw you off track. Remember, if your answers are wrong, you won't be entered. Nuff said?

The answers may be found at the Musa website by clicking HERE. Or they can be found when you visit the mini website by clicking HERE. To make certain you come up with the right answers, you can order the book by clicking HERE. And even if you don't win, you will have had an exciting adventure.

This contest will run from now until midnight, CST on December 16th, 2011. Winner will be announced on Monday, December 19th, 2012. Be sure to include in your comment a means of contacting you if you're declared the lucky winner. Contest is open only to entrants with a shipping address in the continental United States.

Best of luck to everyone!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Coffee Mug Giveaway

I've decided to change the rules. This contest was originally scheduled to run until 12/31. However, I have something else I want to do before the end of the month, so I'm shortening the contest entry window to 12/16. If you've already entered, you're golden. If not, you need to get with the program and get your entry posted post haste and no later than midnight CST on 12/16.

Monday, April 12, 2010

The starting bell has chimed. It's time!

Submission entry window opened at 9:00 a.m. Central Time this morning. You can now email your query. If you're among the first 50 entries, you'll be included in the contest. You should receive a reply email from me sometime today with your entry number. In case you're a newbie and weren't aware of the contest, the official rules can be found HERE! Just click that link and read what's required for entry.

Also, and I didn't include this in the previous post, all entries are open to comments from any readers of this blog. In addition, any writer who enters should comment on at least five other entries. Please give constructive input. Any obviously snarky comments will be deleted.

And there you have it. Keep in mind that the contest is open to the first 50 entries, based on the time stamp of the email containing the entry. When we reach the entry limit, any additional entries will not be included. In addition, when the clock hits 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, the contest entry window closes.

So click on the link above for the rules, and best of luck to all who enter!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Amanda Morgan signs with Andrea Brown

A couple of months ago, it was my pleasure to read some of Amanda's writing. I had just started the blog at that time, and decided to host a query contest. Amanda entered. We started out with our own critiques. After that, I sent everyone to Query Letter Hell at Absolute Write for further assistance and suggestions for improvement. Meanwhile, I was busily trying to find a literary agent to judge the entries. It was my good fortune to link up with Chris Richman at Upstart Crow, who generously offered to act as judge.

Amanda's entry, ZOMBIE IS AN INFLAMMATORY WORD (AND I RESENT THAT), was a winner, which resulted in a request for a full from Chris. As sometimes happens, the manuscript wasn't quite what he was looking for, but Amanda didn't let that stop her. I'll let her tell the rest of the story in her own words...

"About a week and a half after the contest, I queried Mary Kole of the Andrea Brown Agency.  One of my good writing friends, Ryan Gebhart, had recently signed with her and loved her, so I was excited to see what she thought of ZOMBIE.  I actually broke a rule and queried two manuscripts at once, focusing mainly on ZOMBIE and a little on a sex, drugs, and roll and roll manuscript Mary had on her wish list at kidlit.com.

"Mary asked to discuss representation the very next day.  Her vision and revision plans were absolutely in line with mine, so I signed with her pretty quickly, and I'm so glad I did.  Mary's great!

So, there you have the rest of the story. Congratulations to Amanda, and I'll speak for all of us when I say that we wish you the best of luck as your journey continues and look forward to reading Zombies!

And since we're talking about queries and agents and all that stuff, don't forget about tomorrow. You've had the weekend to get your query in a stupendously polished condition. At 9 am Central Time, the window for entries opens. In case you need to review the rules and mechanics of how it works, click HERE!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Andrea Brown agent will judge contest!

That's right! Our query contest will be judged by an agent from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Does it get any better than that? Nope.

Agent will request 
a full manuscript
from the winner! 

So here are the details you've been waiting for. This contest is open to all writers, including previous winners. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to create a mind-blowing query that will knock the reader's socks off. We've studied the mechanics of queries in the past, so you know the drill. As mentioned earlier, there are prior posts on here that will give you a starting point. (Remember the Hero's Journey?) Plus, if you'd like to read some queries that just won a similar contest, agent Jason Yarn has posted his comments on Querytracker.

DO NOT SEND ANYTHING YET! ENTRIES RECEIVED BEFORE THE CONTEST OPENING WILL NOT BE INCLUDED. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW FOR SUBMITTING YOU ENTRY.

The following rules apply to this contest:
1. Your query must be for a completed YA or MG manuscript.
2. Maximum word count is 350.
3. Contest entries will open 9:00 a.m. Central Time Monday, April 12, 2010.
4. Contest entries will close at 9:00 a.m. Central Time Wednesday, April 14, 2010 or when 50 entries are received, whichever comes first.
5. Only one entry per person.

When the contest entry window opens, please do the following:
1. Email your entry to me at michaelvette@gmail.com.
2. Subject line should include QUERY CONTEST - YOUR NAME
3. You don't need to include a salutation.
4. Your email should begin with the TITLE and GENRE.
5. Paste your query below the title. (350 word maximum)
6. Include your name and email address at the bottom.

That's it! Meanwhile, if you'd like to post your query below for comments, feel free to do so. You can also visit Query Letter Hell at Absolutewrite and post it there for additional comments and suggestions between now and the time the entry window opens. If you don't know how to get there, leave a comment, and someone will give you directions. Try to get as much feedback as possible and polish, polish, polish.

Now, for the prizes!
Our Mystery Agent will select one winner and two runners up. The winner will be asked to submit their full manuscript to the agent for consideration. The two runners may submit their first 50 pages.Anything can happen from that point on.

Good luck to all. Feel free to post your query below if you'd like. Visit Absolutewrite.com for more help. And be sure to check back tomorrow for some related info that will be very exciting.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

New Contest Options

It's time for a new contest involving your writing skills. We have some options. We've studied a lot of different areas. So what shall we do? Obviously, I want to make this blog as valuable to as many readers as possible, so I'm asking for your input. If you look to the right >>>> you'll see a voting booth with three items listed: Query Letter, Opening Paragraph, and 250-word Snippet.

Just venture over that way and pick your poison, so to speak. Choose the item you'd like to submit, and we'll see where the chips fall. The one item with the most votes will be the one we select for the contest. Feel free to tell your writing friends on your email list, your Twitter buddies, and your Facebook pals about the contest so we can get as much input as possible.

And don't forget to enter Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent Contest next Monday.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Mystery Agent Revealed

The winners have been named! Before we get to that (stop scrolling down!) I wanted to thank our first Mystery Agent for his most valuable help and the generous donation of his time to make this a successful contest with great prizes. Also a thank you to the great writers who entered. And here he is... 

Chris Richman is an agent at Upstart Crow Literary working on middle grade and young adult fiction. Chris is primarily seeking works with strong commercial hooks, standout voices, and plots that grab him and refuse to let go. Titles he has sold due out in summer 2010 include Jacqueline West’s THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE: THE SHADOWS (Dial), Shaun Hutchinson’s THE DEATHDAY LETTER (Simon Pulse), and Matt Myklusch’s JACK BLANK AND THE IMAGINE NATION (Aladdin).

A good query has to be many things: succinct, tantalizing, clear, and above all else, a fit for what an agent/editor is seeking. I realize because of my anonymity, you weren’t able to target your pitches as you would when sending these out into the cold, gray world. Please view my selections with that in mind, as my choices are based just as much on personal preference as the strength of the pitches.

“Before I get to the winner and the two runners-up, let me commend each of the entrants for putting their work on display for others to view, poke, and dissect. You’re braver than I am, that’s for sure. I’d also like to say that each entry had its own merits and, even if it didn’t win, please don’t be discouraged. It’s a contest, after all, which means only a few may win.”


Okay! Without further ado, here are my selections:

Runner-up: WHEN THE TIGER SMILES

Why I liked it: The project sounds very commercial and the setup left me wondering if the author can pull off what sounds like a compelling premise. Also, I like the title.
What concerned me: The somewhat stiff language. Phrases like “renders herself unconscious,” “life is in peril,” and “one pertinent detail” make me worry that the manuscript itself will be filled with similarly stilted language.
Best line: “It will take all of her courage and intellect to unmask the traitor who threatens the integrity of this elite CIA training program.” Just sounds like compelling stuff.

Runner-up: FRIED LIVER

Why I like it: Great title, some unique elements at play (chess, military family), and it sounds like it’s firmly a middle grade. We get the age of the protagonist, the main conflict, and all the key players laid out quite well.
What concerned me: The details became somewhat murky at the end of the third paragraph and the author repeated a few pieces of information. I also worry that the work may focus too much on adult characters (Dad, Mom, Carma’s mother).
Best line: “Then Carma shows up, claims the house used to be hers, claims the dog still is, and claims to be the state's top female chess player.” Despite an overuse of the word “claims,” this twist in the story feels like it’ll propel the action forward.

Winner: ZOMBIE IS AN INFLAMMATORY WORD (AND I RESENT THAT)

Why I liked it: Great voice in the query, commercial idea, and it just sounds like a lot of fun.
What concerned me:: Low word count for YA and a title that sounds similar to I KISSED A ZOMBIE, AND I LIKED IT.
Best line: “But then, in her Mortally Challenged Support Group, she comes to realize that being dead has a couple of perks.” The idea of a Mortally Challenged Support Group is enough to completely draw me in.

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who participated. Keep working on perfecting your pitches and I wish you all success with these projects. Good luck!  
NEXT STEPS: If you are a winner or runner up, please contact me at michaelvette@gmail.com for next steps.
 

Monday, January 25, 2010

Here are your winners!

A big THANK YOU to each of you who entered and to everyone who spent their valuable time (away from writing) to help your fellow writers. You've worked hard. We've had some great entries and some terrific critiques, reviews, suggestions and comments. To top that off, our traffic at this site has been phenomenal. We had over 2,000 visitors yesterday!

The two highest scoring entries from each group have been posted below. Congratulations and kudos all around. (A loud burst of clapping is heard off stage.) It's possible, probable in fact, that you didn't review all of these during your critiquing session on the previous leg of our journey. Now it's time to take a look at these ten finalists and provide the same great feedback you did the first time. Spend some time with each one. Take a look at the genre. Make the comments and any suggestions for improvement you feel are appropriate for helping the writer.

If you weren't with us when we had the first round of voting, that's okay. You can still comment and vote on this round because we're back at square one with ten entries. Critiquing is hard. Voting is easy. You will see a voting booth at the right which contains the entry numbers of these ten finalists. Please cast your vote for your favorite. The voting will end at noon CST on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. At that time we'll have our winner and honorable mention, and new information about the next contest. It promises to be even more exciting than this one! So, tell your friends what you're doing and invite them to come and review and vote as well.

Don't let me keep you any longer. You have your work cut out for you. I'm still working at finding a literary agent who wants to help us out by judging a very special contest in the near future. And there will be a really great prize on that one!

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