Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Contest Update and Special Giveaway

I've got good news and bad news, and relax, the bad news has nothing to do with me. This may be my blog, but I've no intention to make it my self-pity soapbox, but I appreciate those of you who've tried to ground me, be assured your words never fall on death ears, they just are taking longer to live up to than I'd truly like.

First, let me get the other bad news out of the way, which is about the T.A.A. Prose and Poetry Slam.

Normally, this would be the point in the contest when I'd narrow down the entries for the semi final rounds where you readers vote for the winners, but I've only received one entry, and a good one.

This mostly happened because I didn't do enough to promote this contest to better get the word out, and also due to my being discouraged by those who questioned my inability to award the prizes I promised, and despite what these naysayers may think, this is the fairest way I can settle this short of canceling the contest altogether, especially given my own somber mood at present.

I've decided to put my prose and Poetry slam on hold until summer, and I promise to better get the word out this time, and be a better blogger by then. For the sole entrant who did submit a piece, not to worry, I've read it and will still be in the running when the Prose and Poetry Slam  resumes this summer. I'll give specific date and details in the near future.

But here's the good news. I've planned a giveaway that you can take part in right now!

All you have to do is leave a comment in this thread and mention a book that cheers you up when you're blue and why. The first two who comment with their books* each win a $25 Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card.

The winners only need to e-mail me at taaddicts-at-yahoo.com with their contact details and I'll handle the rest.

*Note: This giveaway is only open to US residents, sorry, but one day I hope to have giveaways open worldwide, or at least Australia and the U.K. They'l just take more planning to work out shipping and exchange rates.

The only other catch is that if the winners have blogs, I'd appreciate they spread the word about my blog and that I'll re-launch my Prose and Poetry Slam in the summer for a new chance to win even bigger prizes. Hopefully this giveaway will prove I can deliver on my promise of prizes while I fight through my current frustration.

This is mostly an example of my trying to do too much with my blog too quickly. Please forgive me on that. I have a habit of backing out of things at the last minute and started this blog sooner than I meant to, and the fact that my personal non-blog writing goals are off to a rough start this year, and my recent discouragement and frustration episodes didn't help. I apologize to those I've hurt during this time.

But I assure I'm doing all I can to push ahead.

Until Next Time,
May the fantastical fauna be with you,

Taurean

9 comments:

  1. One book that *always* cheers me up is C.S. Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It has the GREATEST first line of any book, and that Eustace character is such a riot. :)

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  2. Yay! We've got our first winner, and a fellow Michigander, too.

    Semmie, e-mail at taaddicts-at-yahoo.com with your contact details and your prize awaits.

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  3. The one book that always cheers me up without fail is Diana Wynne Jones' "The Lives of Christopher Chant." That is a book I can go back to again and again and again.

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  4. Congrats Cat, your the second and final winner!

    e-mail at taaddicts-at-yahoo.com with your contact details and your prize awaits.

    That's it for the prizes today, but feel free to share the boos that bring you cheer.

    Taurean

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  5. Wow, I'm sorry I missed out on this contest. I'll share anyway. I love The Great Gatsby. I own three copies. I'll pull it out and read parts of it just to inspire me if I'm feeling down.

    Congrats to Cat and Semmie! Cat, where on earth are you going to put all those new books you buy? I've seen pictures of your book piles. LOL.

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  6. I've nominated you for the Onle Lovely Blog Award. To to www.allynstotz.blogspot.com for details.

    This might help you get some more followers too. Happy blog awarding!

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  7. Geez, I typed way too fast and made a ton of spelling errors. So I'll say again, I've nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. Go to www.allynstotz.blogspot.com for details.

    I need to slow down!

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  8. Kelly, thanks for sharing anyway, and don't fret, they'll be more giveaways this summer, and maybe a couple before the end of May, if I can manage it.

    Allyn, thanks for nominating my blog, hopefully some of your readers will become mine too, especially now I'll update more often since I'm no longer depressed about writing anymore.

    Everyone, I will be updating with a new post today so please look forward to it, I'm nearly done with it.

    Ciao for now,
    Taurean

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  9. Hey Taurean, usually a Bertie Wooster book (by P.G. Wodehouse) would crack me a smile on a down day. If I'm looking for an inspiring read, I pull out 'Zen in the Art of Writing' (by Ray Bradbury). And usually the good MG novels (like the recently-read 'Al Capone Does My Shirts' series) would lift my spirits, too. :)

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