Contest Reminder: Win a Critique from the Merry Sisters of Fate

2038-01-19T03:14:07Z

. . . and other cool prizes. I've just gotten back from two days of school/ library visits (hi, Franklin & Smithfield!)

This is just a reminder that the giant Ballad contest deadline is coming up: Halloween, midnight, winners to be announced the next day.

Prizes include a critique of your first chapter by all the Merry Sisters of Fate: me. Brenna Yovanoff, whose book THE REPLACEMENT was sold at auction and comes out next year. Tessa Gratton, whose book BLOOD MAGIC was also sold at auction and ALSO comes out next year.

And tons of book swag. Ah, hell, I'll just copy and paste the prizes and rules here.

The absolute grand prize about which I am enormously excited is

A 1 chapter (or 15 double-spaced pages, whichever comes first) critique by all three of the Merry Sisters of Fate:
me, Brenna Yovanoff (author of forthcoming FE in '10)(brennayovanoff ) and Tessa Gratton (possessor of secret news I wish I could share)(everflame ). These are my two critique partners, who read every manuscript I write before it makes it to my editors. They rip and tear my manuscripts apart and put them back together like nobody's business. I would not be who I was without them and I'm thrilled that they've agreed to do this.

The first prize is this swank messenger bag. Not just a swank messenger bag, but a swank messenger bag stuffed with a signed Ballad, a signed Lament, a signed Shiver, and a signed Shiver audio book.

And the second prize is stack of books all involving the paranormal and teens and death and good stuff:

a signed copy of BALLAD
NEED by Carrie Jones
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore
IMPOSSIBLE by Nancy Werlin
THIRSTY by M. T. Anderson

And the third prize is

a signed audiobook of Shiver (what? I have a lot of them)

And here are the rules:

To enter, you must find a copy of Ballad in the wild -- that is, in a bookstore of any ilk. You do not have to buy said copy of Ballad. All you have to do is whip out your camera or your cell phone and have someone take a picture of you holding it. That's one entry. That's it. You want another chance to win? Have your sister (or any person) pose next to you. Said person doesn't have to buy the book either. Or even hold a copy. She does need to be looking at the camera though. Want another chance to win? Have that random woman browsing the Sarah Dessen books stand next to your sister. Again, she doesn't have to hold the book. Or even know you. Just be willing to smile into the camera in proximity to someone holding the book. Each person in the photo represents an entry. So more people = more chances to win. Want visual examples? Of course you do.

This is ONE ENTRY. Notice James is holding the book and looking at the camera.

TWO ENTRIES. Dee is not holding a book, but she is eyeballing the camera. Vaguely.

THREE ENTRIES. Nuala is not holding a book either, but she's looking at the camera.

FOUR ENTRIES. None of them know the king of the dead, but he's looking at the camera (I think. His eyes are shadowed.) He doesn't have to hold that book, but he is anyway because he's so darn thrilled to be in it.

Then what I need you to do is take the photos and post them somewhere online -- I don't care if it's your facebook, livejournal, photobucket, mom's website, whatever, that's not important. The only thing that's important is that you link them here. You can embed them directly in the comment if you have the voodoo to do that. Or you can just send me a link. Make sure it's someplace I can see it and do a headcount. Bonus prize to someone who gets more than 20 people in a photo. ;) I'll think of something good . . .

Got the idea?

Go!

Words on Words by Maggie Stiefvater

Contest Reminder: Win a Critique from the Merry Sisters of Fate