I had a party to go to on Saturday night and stock to sign at local bookstores. I have another booksigning this week and am speaking to a writers' group in two weeks.
Don't get me wrong. I'm THRILLED to see the release of Bad Girl, but I'm damn near exhaustion, too. Over the past month, working full-time, writing, blogging and marketing hasn't left time for much more than eating and sleeping. I sent my cat Bob under my high-poster bed this morning to move the dust bunnies around before they get too comfortable down there.
Another writing contest has been announced.
This time, Borders Books is teaming up with Court TV and Gather.com to find "The Next Great Crime Writer." The three will act as sponsors for the contest.
Entries (in English only) will be accepted at Gather.com from October 1 through November 11th. "Each entrant’s . . . entry into the Contest . . . must be an original, previously unpublished (excluding self-published and vanity press-published), completed, book-length manuscript in the mystery/crime genre, i.e., the central plot and core drivers of the story must involve the uncovering and/or unfolding of criminal actions." Two chapters will be judged. Each must be between 2,000 and 10,000 words. There is no limitation on published authors entering the contest.
Like the previous Gather.com contest, the first round is a popularity contest conducted on Gather.com from November 15 to December 9th. Readers are invited to read the first chapter of the entries and vote.
That vote will choose fifteen submissions to advance to the next round. However, an additional ten will also be selected by the editorial board--presumably on merit rather than popularity--making the total number who advance to Round Two twenty-five.
Round Two will also take place on Gather.com where readers will vote upon the second chapter of the semi-finalists' manuscripts from December 13 to January 2. Five finalists will be selected to advance to Round Three. Three finalists will be determined by the vote and two by the editorial board.
"Sponsors will send the Submissions of the 5 finalists to a panel of judges composed of entertainment industry professionals selected by Sponsors (the “Grand Prize Judging Panel”) for review. . . The Grand Prize Judging Panel will select one (1) potential Grand Prize Winner who will have the right to enter into a written publishing and exclusive distribution agreement with Borders, with a $5,000 cash advance against royalties, for the publication of his/her Submission by Borders." That "potential" winner will be announced on or about February 4.
Here's the Grand Prize Judging Panel:
- Bill Adams, Buyer, Borders, Inc.
- David Baldacci, Bestselling Author
- Sandra Brown, Bestselling Author
- Harlan Coben, Bestselling Author
- Tom Gerace, Founder & CEO, Gather Inc.
- Ed Hersh, EVP, Current Programming & Specials, Court TV
- Cathy Lashinsky, Buyer, Borders Inc.
Language in the rules I didn't care for:
- The royalty rates to be paid will be set forth in the publishing and exclusive distribution agreement; such rates will be in Borders’ sole discretion . . .
- Sponsors will be collecting personal data about Entrants online, in accordance with Gather’s privacy policy. Please review Gather’s privacy policy at http://www.gather.com/privacy.jsp. By participating in the Contest, Entrant hereby agrees to Sponsors’ collection and use of his or her personal information as set out in its Privacy Policy and in these Official Rules and acknowledge that he or she has read and accepted Gather's Privacy Policy.
- EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THESE OFFICIAL RULES, THE TERMS OF THE PUBLISHING AND EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT SHALL BE IN BORDERS’ SOLE DISCRETION. BORDERS SHALL BE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO NEGOTIATE OR OTHERWISE CHANGE ANY SUCH TERMS.
Go here for more information.
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