Sometime in the next few weeks, I will be celebrating my birthday. I won't tell you exactly when, because for identity theft protection purposes, I protect the date almost as well as I protect my social security number and full name. I will divulge that I am a Leo. And, don't ask how old I'm going to be either! ;-)
To celebrate, instead of collecting gifts, I am giving one away--in a contest that I'm running both here and on Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors. I will give away a personalized autographed copy of one of my books (your choice), plus a selection of books written by other mystery authors, to one lucky winner.
How do you enter the contest, you ask? I would like to encourage people to sign up as followers both here and on Inkspot. So, that's all you have to do to be entered! Sometime in the next 4 weeks, sign up as a Google/blogger follower on both blogs. If you're already a follower of both blogs, you're already entered into the contest.
At the end of 4 weeks, when I'm due to post here again, I will use a random number generator to pick the blogger profile of someone who follows both blogs. Then I'll contact you through the email associated with that profile to find out your mailing address and send you the books. That's all it takes. So, if you ever read this blog or Inkspot, now you've got a good reason to sign up as a regular follower!
To encourage comments, I'd like to know what your thoughts are on author contests. Do you enter them often? What kinds of prizes do you prefer? Do you prefer ongoing contests (such as the one that I keep running all the time for subscribers to my email newsletter) or contests that are one-time shots like this one? Do you prefer that the prize be divulged ahead of time, or would you rather have it be a mystery?
56 comments:
I think contests are fun, especially when they involve writers and books. I'm having one on my blog at the moment, if you're interested. All you have to do is leave a comment about marshmallows! :)
Happy Upcoming Birthday!
What fun, Rena! I visited your blog and left a marshmallow comment. ;-)
I love author contests. And I do like to know the prize ahead of time just simply because it's more exciting to me that way.
*crossing fingers*
Hi Angela,
Good luck to you! And thanks for your feedback.
I've just recently started submitting for contests by authors...actually, I won the first one I'd signed up for. WooHoo!
I think books are a great way for authors to get their work out there, & hopefully get more fans.
Since I'm new to these contests, I'm not sure what other kinds of prizes are out there, but I'm already coming up with some ideas for the contests I'll (eventually) host.
Happy Birthday, Beth!
I like the way you thing!!!!
Why is it that everyone who has commented besides Rena and me has a first name that begins with 'A'? Come on, folks, I want some names that begin with I, J, K, L, M, N, and so on!
I love contests! I love winning books and gift cards so that I can buy books. I've found lots of new authors to read after I've won their books and enjoyed them.
I find writers' contests great fun even when I don't enter. The thought is nice and I like to hear about them. Your celebratory one makes me smile to hear about it. I prefer being able to e-mail my address to the blogger author rather than connecting through google, etc. Surprises are nice. I tend to enter those where I know what the book is so that I don't enter one that isn't my cup of tea or that I don't have time to read and comment on in a timely manner. Happy Celebrations!
--Brenda
Thanks for your feedback, Carol and Brenda. Definitely food for thought for my next contest! And there will be more....
I hope you have the happiest birthday ever and enjoy many many more.
Because A names are AWESOME! :D
Here I am...Nancy. Yes, a different letter. Beth, I think running a contest is great and using your birthday is brilliant. Good luck.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
Fun stuff, Beth. I can't say I'm a different letter since Beth is a shortened name for Elizabeth and that's my name too - lol - save spelling actually - Hope you have a wonderful upcoming birthday and get lots of goodies, ER, mean give away lots of goodies - lol.
Sounds like you are on your way - over 100 followers on your blog already - hope all or most of them are following both blogs to be eligible for the drawing. I tried thinking of some contests but it seems no one is interested - lol. Speaking of which I need to do a drawing from the comments on my blog for the past month - lol. Train of Clues will be given away - see you in the postings - E :)
Elysabeth Eldering
Author of the JGDS, 50-state, mystery, trivia series
Where will the adventure take you next?
Count me in - I love contests where you can win books!
Thanks for running this contest, Beth, and happy early b-day!
Happy Birthday, Beth! Leos are great in my book, speaking as a Sagittarius!
I love book contests and like to know the book title ahead of time, too. No better prize than a book unless it's a gift card to buy a book. Even better...a book autographed by the author!
Thank you for running your contest, Beth, and Happy B-Day to you! --Cecilia
Happy Birthday!
I do enjoy the contests. I've added myself as a follower here!
Maria
Hi Beth. I signed up here and at midnight writers. Thanks for the invite to the party!
Straight From Hel
Hi, Beth! I left a message at your other blog, too. Answering your questions, sort of: I tend to like prizes of your books with notes from you in them. I've had several authors write me on Goodreads and we've had great personal conversations about their books, which I've always found so rewarding, but which I haven't shared on my Bound to Be Bookish blog. My Bookish Blog is mostly for book recommendations from me, so I wouldn't use it for "marshmallows." It's always a pleasure to get a book, anytime, anywhere...especially one from an author. Gift cards would be awesome, too, however, because it gives us an opportunity to purchase more books by the same author. Thanks! Deb (The Bookish Dame)
I love book contests! I would love to receive one of your books Beth!
~Thanks,
Melissa
Beth, Thanks so much for the invitation, sounds great! Come visit me at R&B: Read and Blog
Not sure when your birthday is so if it's today, A Very Happy Birthday to You, and if not, A Very Merry Unbirthday to us! ;-) so said the Mad Hatter! Love your contest.
aka Betty Gelean
Thanks to Julie, Nancy, Elysabeth, Barb, Amy, Cecilia, Maria, Helen, Deb, Melissa and Betty! I'm so glad you joined me for the month-long birthday party and contest. :)
OK. I feel like the dummy here, but I can't find anywhere to sign up for this blog. Maybe I'm already a member. Hmmmm. I don't think so. Now what?! And I don't want to set up a Goggle account, I don't use OpenID, and I don't want to be anonymous. Guess I'll try Name/URL, but I don't have a URL.
Judy,
I'm sorry, but to enter the contest, you DO need to click on the "Follow (with Google Friend Connect)" button on both blogs, which means you need to create a Google account. That's the purpose of the contest, to gather Google/Blogger friends to automatically follow the blogs in their accounts.
- Beth
Hi Beth, my husband is a Leo also.
Hope that you do have a wonderful birthday.
I am a GFC follower on both blogs.
Thank you for the giveaway.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Happy birthday, Beth! I hope the year ahead brings you much success!
Happy birthday, Beth. Sounds like a win-win for us.
Happy Birthday, Beth! I agree with Cecilia: "Leos are great in my book, speaking as a Saggitarius!"
My brother is a Leo, and he one fantastic guy!
Happy Birthday, I'm your newest follower :)
Sandie lee
Hi Beth, just wanted you to know I was here and just tweeted your contest and the link to this post. I'll also include the link in my blog post for tomorrow or Monday (whenever I decide to do my next "Bits and Pieces" post.
Pat
Thanks Carol, Darcia, jrlindermuth, Irene, Sandie, and Pat. And thanks so much, Pat, for the tweet and blog mention!
I've been looking for some good mystery blogs as I plot a middle grade mystery! I found yours through twitter!
Now to answer the real question -- yes, I do occasionally sign up for author giveaways, and I've won a few. I like the one-shot giveaways for books, but I only sign up for books I know I'll read.
Wishing you a happy birthday! I'll be celebrating one as well in just a couple more days. Hope you have a good one!
Happy pre-birthday. Books and birthdays what fun!
Donna V.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com
Thanks for the birthday wishes Whalehugger and irishoma, and thanks for your feedback, Pat.
Laura, I'm so glad you found my blog. You might want to check some of the mystery blogs in my blog roll on the right side of my blog, too.
Happy forthcoming birthday and I'm an R. I love contests, Beth. Random Generator pick me. :)
Happy Birthday, Beth! So glad you made a point to suggest we readers follow your blog. It's a little step I frequently forget, and then kick myself later when I miss something.
To answer your question, contests of any kind are fun, regardless of the prize! Thanks for doing this--the books are definitely a bonus!
Thanks for the invitation. I've signed up here and at Midnight
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
My daughter is a Leo too. I've never done an author book giveaway but may try one someday. I'm really wanting to read your book so I hope I win!
I'm in, Beth. Hope you get a million page-views.
Excellent! Thank you for the invitation on Goodreads. I became a follower here and Inkspot. Added both blogs to my blogroll, too.
Thanks for having this contest Beth! I'm a follower on Inkspot and your other blog! Thanks again!
Wowzer, you folks have been busy on a Sunday! Thanks, Robyn, Susan, Mason, Patricia, Timothy, Vickie, and Sherri for the birthday wishes and for following this blog and Inkspot.
Timothy, thanks for the grandious wish (and your offer on Goodreads--I responded via email). :) While a million views is too much to hope for, I'm well on the way to 1,000 here for the contest, and I'm sure Inkspot is getting a lot, too. This has been wildly successful so far, and so much fun!
I popped over via Patricia Stoltey's blog. I love contests. Holding one myself, not an authour one, a follower contest.
Anyway glad I came across your blog. Have a wonderful day.
Contests are fun, but author contests are the best.
(Writing contests are pretty good too.)
Thanks, Ann, and Sheila, for your comments and entries! I'll be drawing a name shortly before my next scheduled post on August 26th. Good luck to everyone!
I enter giveaways when I am interested in the prize, so I guess I like to know the prize ahead of time. I am pretty new at entering these contests because I have never won anything in my life, but I figure there is no harm in trying.
Great idea to boost your following as well as celebrate your birthday. I used a contest to attract people to my website when my first novel was published, and received a pretty good response, considering I had no web presence. Using a book as the prize is a natural winner.
Contests are a brilliant way to find new authors.
marypres@gmail.com
I always enter contests!! I enjoy the hunt and always winning books and all kind of goodies.
Hope you have a great Birthday!! My husband is having one toward the end of the month!!
Already a follower!!!
Happy Birthday, Beth! Hope it's the best one yet.
I do like contests and enter if I have the time and they aren't too complicated. I'm a bookaholic, so my favorite prize is a book, especially an autographed one. I would rather know the prize ahead of time so I don't enter for a book I already have or a prize I can't use. I have won a few books over the years and it is always a thrill!
Thanks so much for the birthday wishes and helpful feedback, Miki, Pat, Marybelle, Judy, and Cynthya! I'll definitely use all the feedback to give me ideas for my next contest. And there will be others, timed around the release date for DEADLY CURRENTS!
Happy August Birthday, Beth, to an august woman. I love contests, especially for books or critiques. My favorite would be if you gave away agent representation!
Now I'll zip on over to Midnight Ink.
I do think they work, and I like to know the prize ahead of time...anticipation.
Count me in! Thank you Beth for the invite and Happy B-day to you!
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