For how long? I'm not entirely sure, and there's a chance that she may never wake up. Still, that doesn't mean you shouldn't read, enjoy, despise, and/or discuss the 46 reviews, 16 guest posts/interviews, and 5+ contributor posts.
Since this is a book given to me by Suspense Magazine, meaning I can't post my review for it until the editor gives me permission, I can't give anything here but very general thoughts on the book. However, I WILL post the official review on Triple R and the 6 other venues I usually post my reviews as soon as I can.
It took me much longer to read Drawn in Blood than it usually takes me to read a 400-page book, but that had nothing to do with the book itself. Life took me for a wild ride, and I did say in my Book Review Explanation how this may effect the reviews.
In all, I liked the book. I gave it a 4 out of 5 in the spur of the moment, but, considering all that I liked about the book, I'm thinking about giving it a 5 out of 5. Recently, definitely since Jamie DeBree posted about characterization when she guest appeared, I've been thinking alot about the balance between characterization and plot in contemporary fiction, definitely with thrillers such as this one. I feel like Andrea Kane does a marvelous job balancing the romance between Sloane Burbank and Derek Parker with the fast action cornering in on them. The end is much like a symphony of one unraveling event after another, and I also like how this is handled. I mean, the whole story is pretty much like that, but it all comes together the way it should in a good mystey/thriller book by the end.
Welcome to the third episode of my Facebook (FB) and marketing series! If you need a basic understanding of FB before learning how to market with it, please go back to Episode 1: The Basics. For my basic overview of marketing/networking, where I aim to get sell, sell, sell out of your mind, go to Episode 2: Genuine Networking.
This is part 2 of episode 2. It's more specific, in that this focuses on the most important part of networking - people. In my opinion, it's extremely important to cater to your FB friends (also, cater should NOT become synonymous with worship). Episode 4, which will be up March 1st, will specifically cover catering to friends.
Before I go into methods of showing an FB friend respect in Episode 4, I'd first like to talk about growing your friend list. I'd merge the two episodes, but I don't want this to be too long. Below is what I've found to be most effective. I'm always open to suggestions, though.
In the right hand column, especially when you're viewing the Newsfeed (I explain this in episode 1), there should be a section that looks exactly like the example pic to the left. This is how I get most of my friends. In that box, FB often brings up people who share similar interests and friends with you, as well as people who live near you or work at the same place or go to your school or whatever. These days, for me, authors and reviewers often come up in that box, and I have a spontaneous habit of quickly adding them. Because I keep spontaneously adding those types, FB keeps providing me with those types. The same should happen for you.
2.) People Who've Commented
I do a lot of commenting on other people's stats. In fact, I don't stat half as much as I comment. When you comment on a friend's stats, that person is prone to have many other friends that aren't your friends. Those other friends most likely wouldn't become apparent to you unless they....
Let's not make this vague and unclear. ^_^ Here's a scenario: Say Sarah, your FB friend, puts up a stat asking for writing advice on a matter that's been bothering her for a while. You comment on Sarah's stat, but so do many other people. You have no idea who some of those other people are, but this shouldn't send you into a frenzy to randomly send them all friend requests. Larry, one of the people who also commented on Sarah's stat, liked your input and replied in support of what you've said. You reply to his reply. There's something of a conversation going!
When this happens, I think it makes sense to go on ahead and friend that person. However, I've also friended people through comments simply because I admired what they had to say, but I always make sure to send a message with the request saying this.
3.) Friend Suggestions
I don't do this often, but I do know how valuable it could be. Recently, my best friend wanted to connect with more authors because she's steadily growing more serious about her writing career. She asked me to suggest to her the list of authors and serious writers that I frequently talk to and think could be of great help to her.
It's a good idea to ask someone you're already close to, someone who already understands most of what you need and want, if they can suggest friends for you. Suggesting friends is a FB feature that should be at the bottom of a profile, in blue letters in the left hand column underneath all the pics of friends and family, as shown in the example pic to the left. You won't be able to see it at the bottom of YOUR profile, though, because only other people can suggest friends to you (which makes sense.).
Do you want the opportunity to get a section of your short story/novel edited and critiqued as well as win books that you get to choose from the 52 offered? Click the link below to figure out how you can participate.
Thank you for having me today, Tiffany – it's a pleasure to be part of your opening line-up. Thanks also to Molly Campbell, who was interested in how to create believable characters.
No matter what the story or genre, the characters are the heart of any book for me. If the characters aren't believable for the reader, the story simply doesn't work. This raises the question – what makes a character believable?
Part of what makes us human is the ability to reason and feel, and that's what I think readers connect with when they identify with a character. A believable character must have strong emotions, internal conflicts, and ultimately grow throughout the story in some way. In order for there to be growth, there must be a point at which that growth starts – some sort of internal conflict that makes life uncomfortable for the character, just as it happens in our own lives.
When I'm creating a character, I start by placing a character template into a scene. The character is basically "cardboard" at that point – I don't know much about him/her except superficial things like physical looks, general occupation, and gender, along with a general personality (based on job, looks & gender). In my scene, something happens. Something that requires reasoning, curiosity, and emotion to deal with. I take the basic, superficial things I know about that character, and then have them react to the scene in a way that would be logical given what little I know about them. That reaction is what brings my characters to life, and starts the story. It's the catalyst for growth that shakes them out of their comfort zone and also forms the basis for a story plot.
Believable characters are flawed – they don't always make the right decisions, and they don't even always make the logical choice. Just as we are, they're often driven by emotion, even when that emotion doesn't necessarily make sense. I try to tap into the deepest insecurities my characters possess, and force them to confront, and ultimately deal with those fears – the same fears you and I might deal with in our own lives. In order to create believable characters, you have to know people, and study the underlying motivations for their actions.
Naturally, readers won't personally connect with every character. When a character has a major flaw or insecurity that we've never dealt with or that we perceive as "weak", it's hard to identify with them or what they're going through. But I think if readers feel any sort of strong emotion toward a character – whether it's love or hate, the character was still believable, still "human" enough on the page to be real to the reader, which is all any writer can strive for, in my opinion.
Author Info/Important Links
A full-time webmistress by day, Jamie DeBree writes steamy, action-packed romantic suspense late into the night. She resides in Billings, MT with her husband and two over-sized lap dogs.
"Hi, all. I am posting this free e-serial novel as a thank you to all my loyal friends and readers who don’t have the patience to wait for my books to come out via the traditional route.
For the most part the novel is complete, but I will be tweaking, adding, subtracting as I go along. And there are parts that will be written on the fly. It’s a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.
Also, those who follow along and comment will receive a free signed copy of the novel when it is published.
For those who are new to Soul Thief, here is a synopsis of the novel:
Doug McArthur, hit in the face by a young friend at the age of seven, is suddenly able to see a supernatural creature who calls himself Collector. His life is turned upside down when he realizes that it’s not just the creature he sees, but the atrocities it commits.
Since marrying Annie his visions have been quiet and Doug is grateful. Now Annie is pregnant with their first child and their world is in the process of coming apart, beginning with the destruction of their home and forcing them to run for their lives, back into the world of Annie’s childhood, the De Roché dynasty, to a murdered mother and a cruel and enigmatic father.
Doug, who hates Annie’s father, is nearly insane with grief over their plight, but he soon finds that De Roché is the least of his worries when in the midst of Annie’s mother’s funeral he is given a strange artifact by a dying priest along with a dire warning. He must leave Annie and his unborn child and begin a sojourn into the darkest regions of human existence.
In his attempt to save his wife and unborn child Doug finds that there is much more at stake than the lives of two human beings, perhaps the very salvation of the human soul."
Welcome to episode 2 of my Facebook and Marketing series! If you haven't read episode 1 yet, please do so. However, episode 1 is not necessary for you to understand this episode unless you know little to nothing about Facebook and won't understand certain terminology.
So, are you confused about what a Newsfeed and status box is? If so, to episode 1 you should go!
This time I'll cover these four points:
How I started and why it helped.
Getting 'sell, sell, sell' out of your mind.
Quality over quantity (in terms of FB friends), but quantity helps.
Why being genuine counts!
Episode 3, which will be appropriately called Quality Over Quantity...But Quantity Helps, will go into more detail about ways to show utmost respect for your FB friends and, in turn, earn more respect for yourself.
If you joined Facebook with a product in mind (for us authors, that's usually our books, websites, and ourselves), sell, sell, sell probably feuled your decision to constantly post status updates only about your product(s), talk to FB friends about nothing but your product(s), and randomly advertise your product(s) on people's walls (I don't think I mention what a wall is in episode 1, but it's like a personal Newsfeed that everyone has once you click on their name. Of course, you have one too if you have an FB account).
As someone who will be majoring in Business Marketing and someone who loves studying and taking part in networking, I do NOT support this insensitive, simple method of advertising. I think it's too 'in your face', and it makes the person behind the act seem more like a spammer than an actual human being who writes and laughs and cries and dreams. Generally, people avoid spammers, but they connect with actual humans in ways both significant and insignificant.
This whole article will, in turn, support getting sell, sell, sell out of your mind and thinking about genuine networking.
When my friends started ditching Myspace for Facebook, I wasn't quick to switch over. Hell, it took me forever just to jump on the Myspace bandwagon! I was one of those people who'd rather be left alone to read and write. If I wanted social reassurance, I'd call someone or leave the house. Plus, I had an automatic tendency to scoff at anything popular.
I joined Facebook solely because an old close friend of mine said the site would be a good way for me to reconnect with other old friends I really missed. At that time, I had no idea Facebook could be used for marketing and networking. Not only was I unfamiliar with those terms, but I was yet to be familiar with the idea that I actually needed to do any of those things as an aspiring author and freelance writer.
Guess what? It was a good thing, that I joined without the intention to sell myself and my writing, because I could focus on spending the first couple of months on FB growing my friend list and tightening relationships with genuine conversation where writing sometimes failed to come up.
Then, when I started making my profile information about writing and started statting more and more about my product(s), people already saw me as a human being. I also made sure to switch it up. Sure, I talk more about writing, but I also do plenty of talking about my life too.
This is where quality over quantity comes up. Some people are in a constant race to get as many friends as possible, to reach that 5,000 friends limit and have to set up a page (a concept I touch on in episode 1).
I like that I'm currently at 746 friends, and that I'll probably have 750 in a matter of days.
However, I do know those friends are pointless unless I talk and connect with all of them. I don't. Of those 700+, I can only think of about 20 off the bat that I regularly talk to. Those 20 friends are the quality because they support me as much as I support them; those 700+ friends are just the quantity. It's nice I can reach out to all of them with the knowledge they're there and could become potential supporters, which is why quantity doesn't hurt, but they're generally nothing more than spectators right now.
Moderation, conversations, commenting...this is all very important to your success with selling on FB. This will LEAD to people supporting you and what you're about because they'll have an invested interest. Some of them will actually care!
It's not hard to be genuine when talking to your FB friends. If you don't already know how, learn to replace thoughts of you and your products with thoughts of them and THEIR products (I'll go into more detail about this in the next episode). Even when talking to people who aren't selling anything at all, dedicate yourself to what matters to them. If you dedicate yourself to their stuff, while making sure to slyly and coincidently find ways to mention your products, the chance of them wanting to check you out grows, grows, and grows.
Do you want the opportunity to get a section of your short story/novel edited and critiqued as well as win books that you get to choose from the 52 offered? Click the link below to figure out how you can participate.
Writing a novel takes a long time; I’m not going to try to claim differently. Filling up three hundred manuscript pages with conflict, drama and suspense takes weeks, months even, and that’s just to complete the first draft. Then you have to go back and rewrite, edit, polish, rewrite some more, edit and polish some more and then, if you’re really lucky and have a little talent, your novel might be ready to actually, you know, show someone.
I’ve written five novel-length manuscripts and am well into my sixth, so I can testify to the truth of all that. It’s a grind, a marathon, a twenty-six mile slog as opposed to the hundred yard sprint of short story writing. There is no question you have to have self-discipline to sit at your keyboard every single day and pound out a thousand to two thousand words or more on a novel.
But here’s the thing. Knowing you have three hundred fifty manuscript pages in which to tell your story can be liberating. It gives you the room and the time to develop your characters and conflicts fully and allows complex story arcs to play out.
In short story writing, none of that is possible. All the elements of storytelling have to be part of the construction, but everything must take place in just a few thousand words, a tiny percentage of the word-count of a novel. There has to be character development—if the reader doesn’t care what happens to the subject of the story, you’ve lost him.
There has to be a conflict, whether some kind of interior issue the protagonist must overcome or an exterior problem, something that is happening to him or her, either caused by another person or often a situation. Then, after that conflict has been established, there has to be a satisfactory resolution; otherwise, what’s the point?
One huge advantage of short stories is that the conflict resolution does not necessarily have to be the typical “happy ending” required of most novels. As an author, you are taking a big chance if you ask a reader to invest hours of time reading a novel and then end it with the “bad guys” winning. There is no such restriction with short story construction. If the reader has invested just minutes in a story, rather than hours, he or she won’t mind being hit with a twist ending where maybe the protagonist comes out on the short end of the stick.
As a genre writer, there is nothing quite like surprising the reader with an ending she is not expecting. Most of the fiction in my short story collection, Postcards From the Apocalypse, contains some sort of twist ending that might not be possible in a novel. And that’s a lot of fun.
The guy you see to the left (isn't he so handsome?) is the self-published author of The Black Earth series and the soon-to-come Expired Reality series (which I'm not yet certain will be a series, but I'm inferring). Over at his blog, A Broken Reality, he puts up interesting, helpful posts about his ventures into the writing world, definitely as a self-published author, while also offering prompts.
Usually, my Freebie Friday posts only correspond to free magazines or books or short stories, but, after reading his post on free tools for self-published authors, I had a revelation. I can mix it up some! I can feature free publications, but I can also feature free materials that can help in the writing world. I figured David's post would be a great way to launch this new change. Here's the description he gives of the blog post:
"In the past, I've posted here and there about the tools I use for my web design, marketing and audio projects and figured I'd bring them all together in one reference for others wanting to check them out. This is by no means a full list of all that is out there, just a list of what I've had success with. Some are free, some cost a minimal amount of dough. Overall, I know most self-published/indie authors are on a tight budget anyway, making it difficult to outsource some of the different jobs one has to do, so these tools will definitely come in handy if you're a do-it-yourselfer like me."
Facebook is a social networking site that was created by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004. Since then, it has been a site constantly growing in popularity and riches, making it the perfect place for both businesses and people to connect with billions. Now, more than ever, being a writer (at least one who aims to sell) is as much about marketing as it is about writing. Joining Facebook and Twitter, though I still haven't jumped on the Twitter bandwagon...yet, has practically become a must, but it's hard to approach Facebook when you go in with very little information and just the mindset you need to sell, sell, sell.
I'm not a Facebook (FB), marketing, or writing guru, nor will I pretend to be, but I do at least have experience with each (Here's my Facebook profile). So I've decided to create a Facebook series on marketing. There will be 3-4 episodes. This episode will cover the basics of using the site. Below is what will be covered:
How to sign up
Utilizing the News Feed
How to use Networked Blogs
How to set up and use Events.
How to set up and use Groups.
How to set up and use a Page.
Episode 2 will cover more of the marketing/networking aspect of FB. It will be appropriately called "Genuine Networking" and will be featured on Triple R next Tuesday, February 15th.
#1: After you sign-up and become a member of Facebook, this is how you will log-in thereafter. Just to go to http://www.facebook.com/
#2: This is the sign up form to become a member of FB. As you can see, it's free and easy. After you fill out the form, you should check your e-mail, get your account info, and log-in. Afterward, if you want, you can spend a considerable amount of time filling out your profile. Be careful if you're one of those people concerned with privacy! Facebook is known for its personal intrusiveness. Naturally, allowing yourself the opportunity to connect with so many can put you out there. I know the privacy argument goes much deeper than that, but I don't want to lose focus so quick in the episode. ^_^
#3: If you'd like to create a more professional business, book, or author page, click the blue link below the form to skip right to doing that. Way at the end of this episode, you'll find a how-to video by the extraordinary Joanna on creating your page. You should watch that before you dive in to page making.
#1: When you put words in the status box and press 'share,' you are announcing your thoughts to the News Feed and your profile for anyone to read. Even if you regret a stat you put up and delete it, that doesn't mean dozens of people haven't already read the stat, even if they didn't comment. Basically, try to be constantly aware that posting something through the status box is equivalent to talking to a large group of people you may not totally trust. A stat update is great for discussion via the comments and announcing/advertising something. Right above the question, "What's on your mind?" are 4 words: status, photo, link, video. By default, you are clicked on status. If you want to attach either one to the bottom of your stat, click on the option, put in the info, and attach. You should click back on the 'status' button first to see how it will appear before you press 'share.'
#3: This is the News Feed. The moment you press 'share,' your status will join the many other status's and updates people who are your FB friends create. The snapshot above only shows the top of the News Feed. If you were to scroll down, you'd find loads of 'news.' The more friends you have, the longer the feed.
#4: This section of FB is for your personal updates in regards to new personal messages, new events you've been invited to, and new friend requests. I think it's important to quickly follow-up on any new things here, to let people know that you are quick and active.
If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of Triple R, there are two options for those who'd like to keep up with and support my blog - become a Google follower and/or a Facebook follower through Networked Blogs. The pic to the right is exactly what it looks like, at least without enough followers to completely fill the box. It will show, in a box, the followers with a button at the bottom for people who'd like to follow. At the very least, it looks good to have one of these boxes on your site full of friends. So, how do you get the code? Here are my steps:
1.) Go to the search box and type in 'Networked Blogs.' An app should come up (it'll say app underneath). Click that app, which should be highlighted in blue.
2.) There should be a gray button under the blue words 'syndication' and 'help' to the right of the page that says 'register a blog.' Click there.
3.) Fill out the 'register a new blog' form. It's as simple and free as FB's sign-up form. Make sure you have a concise, informative description, or at least something that is fun and memorable! Press 'next' when you're done.
4.) Answer 'yes' or 'no' to whether or not you're the author/creator. However, my step-by-step guide only covers what follows when you click 'yes.'
5.) There are two options to verify that you own the site you registered: Ask friends or use widget. You want to use the widget because this is how you'll get the code for the box! Click that option. Don't be discouraged by the 'technical skills.' It's really just copying and pasting or clicking the corresponding blue link.
6.) They'll let you choose either the widget or the badge. Click install widget.
7.) The page should refresh with the numbers 2, 3, and 4 below. If there's a special place you'd like to put the code on your site (meaning not just in the standard right or left column) or you have a website instead of a blog, copy the code, go to your site, and paste the code in the 'coding area.' For people who aren't web savvy at all, do not place this code in a post! If you have a blog, go to number 3 and click whichever blue link applies to your site (Keep the Facebook page open while you work on your site.)
8.) Once that has all been sorted out, and the widget is clearly on your site, click 'verify widget' on the FB page.
9.) If the verification is successful, press 'next' (there will be a green highlight).
After that, you can set up syndication and look at/alter your blog's profile on the Networked Blogs page. What's more important, though, is that you now have the widget!
An event on FB has the same function as an event in reality - a way to gather people for something, anything, by means of invitation or public announcements. Events can gather people for a cause, for an event at an actual place, for an event on a site, etc.. The pic I show is the event I started for Triple R's Big Book Giveaway Contest. This is how your event will look when you finish creating it. Now to explain how:
1.) There are multiple ways to start an event, but it's better and more thorough, in my opinion, to click 'events' under your name and profile pic in the left hand column. The event page should replace the 'News Feed' space and, at the top right, will be the grey button that says 'create an event.' Click it.
2.) A form should come up. It's simple and up to you at this point. Just fill in the info. If the 'where' is a website or no 'where' at all, ignore the 'add street address' link. Make sure the info you put in 'More Info?' really describes your event. It will be what makes people click 'yes, no, or maybe.'
3.) When you're done, click 'create event.' This should instantly take you to your event page. The first moment you complete the form, the page will be pretty empty and bleh. Your event page may start to look more like the pic I provided as an example, a recent event I've started, when you invite guests, tell people about it, and garner some interest.
A group, like with an event, is true to its name and the exact same thing it is in real life. Gather people for a common goal, thought, place, desire, solution, etc. A group is also rather easy to create. It's maintaining it that's the real effort.
1.) Under your profile pic, in the left hand column, you should see the words 'create group.' If you can't find it, for some reason, look at my example pic above. In blue, in the left hand column, 'Triple R: Read...' is highlighted in blue. Two options underneath that is 'create group.' It should be the same way with you (Well, not the same, but at least you know for sure where to look.) Anyway, click it.
2.) A 'Create Group' box should come up in the middle of the screen. Create the name. If you want particular members to join, and I think they'll let you choose at least 20 off the bat, go to the members box and start putting in people's names. Just like with the search box, you only have to put in the first letter before a list of names come up.
3.) Verify what type of privacy you want. There are three options: open (members/content public); closed (members public/content private); Secret (everything private).
4.) Click 'create' when you've sorted it all out. When it's created, and you click okay, you'll instantly be redirected to your group page. Thereafter, make changes accordingly. Invite more people. Click 'edit group' in the upper right corner and add a group pic and description. Start discussions and participate in them all!
While I'm familiar with FB pages, and I certainly plan to create an author page if I ever get more than 5000 FB friends (currently at 700+) and a book page when Savior of the Damned is published, I can't exactly give any instructions on creating pages. In fact, I recently just learned how to create one because of Joanna's excellent video below. She'll explain it all!
Do you want the opportunity to get a section of your short story/novel edited and critiqued as well as win books that you get to choose from the 52 offered? Click the link below to figure out how you can participate.
In the order they appear, here's the first set of guests. This list spans the months of February and March. I already have another great list of guests I'd like to feature culminating in mind. However, if you'd like torequest a guest appearance, feel free to do so.
I'm confident about the guests listed below. Why? Well, I've talked to each and every one of them, some more than others, and I've genuinally familiarized myself with their endeavours. Having them guest appear is not just a way to fill space on Triple R. For me, it's an honor they said yes, and I hope you agree!
Jamie DeBree:2/19/2011. Jamie not only writes steamy, action-packed romantic suspense, but she is also a webmistress in charge of two insightful blogs - Variety Pages(news and writing notes) andBeyond the Words(one writer's adventures in publishing and marketing). I consistently read Beyond the Words. Her marketing tips and media kits are well worth the notes I've taken. She currently has two books, Tempest and Desert Heat, available for purchase, as well as a free serial book called The Biker's Wench that I featured as thesecond Friday Freebie.
Rhemalda Publishing: 3/5/2011. I found out about Rhemalda through authorJ.S. Chancellorand I've had major respect for the publishing house ever since. Since they're a small house, and a fairly new one at that, they can dedicate a lot of time and energy to their authors. Even better, their dedication is evidently sincere. They're unagented because they want to talk directly to their authors, and they publish in almost every genre. Recently theyrevealed the covers for their seven new titles and they are beautiful!
Michelle Davidson Argyle:3/12/2011. I have both immense respect and admiration for Michelle. Before Rhemalda Publishing accepted her, she was the self-published author ofCinders, book number eight on myUpcoming Book List. She's wonderful at making book trailers, has completed a number of informative web series, and has published many stories. Rhemalda will soon be publishing her thriller,Monarch, and a 3-Book Omnibus.
Variance Publishing: 3/19/2011. On D.g. Gass' blog, Musings Amongst the Magnolias, there was a review for the bookGrim Reaper: End of Days. I thought the book was interesting and, with no expectations, said that I wish I could get a copy. Days later, assistant publisher of Variance Publishing Stanley J. Tremblaycame and said that he'd provide me with a free copy! I found this incredibly kind and unexpected, and I think this says alot about Variance Publishing. Anyway, Variance LLC publishes thrillers of all genres. As long as the story is fast paced, they'll accept science fiction, fantasy, historical horror, action/adventure, etc.
Daniel Convery:3/26/2011. There's not many people who can make conversations about art, culture, and life in general so fun and informal. Daniel Convery - ballet dancer, teacher, scriptwriter, and site editor forStyle Me Now Australia - is a man of many talents. I can't wait to see what he, as a scriptwriter and site editor, chooses to focus on in his guest post.
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P.S.
Do you want the opportunity to get a section of your short story/novel edited and critiqued as well as win books that you get to choose from the 52 offered? Click the link below to figure out how you can participate.
If you love books then the NOR digital magazine will have something for you. Find some great books to read and keep in touch with current publishing trends. Each month we feature an author interview from a different genre as well as genre focus pieces.
I'm amazed that, as beautiful as this magazine is, every issue, from 1 to 13, is free! Besides that, fellow author and Suspense Magazine reviewer Mark P. Sadler is featured in this issue.
Before you read anything below these lines, go to the book giveaway page and check out the books. There's Stephen King, Anne Rice, collections, nonfiction, comics, and more. If you want any of the 52 books, any at all, carefully read the contest terms below!
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Contest Terms
Note: The book prizes are only open to readers in the USA. This is because all 52 of the books are in print, and I will actually have to send them to you in a box, meaning don't expect that you'll win any e-books for your Kindle. Though anybody from any country can win the editing part of the prize, the piece you give me to edit MUST be in English and can not be poetry.
Starting Date: February 1st, 2011 Ending Date: March 31, 2011
1st place: Choose any 7 books. I will also edit the first 25 pages of your novel/short story.
2nd place: Choose any 3 books. I will also edit the first ten pages of your novel/short story.
3rd place: Choose 1 book.
The rules listed in the form below (click on the big words) will explain how you can gain points to win either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place. The more you do, the more points you will get, but you do NOT have to buy anything to win or enter into the contest. There can be three winners. The person with the most points gets the first prize, the person with the second most points gets the second prize, and the person with the third most points gets third prize. Remember to keep track of your points and fill out the form accordingly. In fact, you should look at the form first, so you can know what to take note of ahead of time.
1.) Winners will be contacted via e-mail. Please allow 30 days to receive your prize before questioning why you haven't gotten it yet.
2.) Prizes are non-transferable. You will get the books that you have chosen and the prize that you have won with no substitutions. The first place winner gets to choose the books they want first, the second place winner chooses second, and the third place winner chooses third. If the first place winner chooses what you want, oh well.
3.) You have 7 days from the day I announce you've won to claim your prize by replying with your name, mailing address, books you want, and a short description about the piece you want me to edit. Failure to reply to me means that the prize will go to the next person in line.
4.) If you win this contest and you're not in the USA, I CANNOT ship you any books. You will only get the editing part of the prize.
Since this is a book given to me by Suspense Magazine, meaning I can't post my review for it until the editor gives me permission, I can't give anything here but very general thoughts on the book. However, I WILL post the official review on Triple R and the 6 other venues I usually post my reviews as soon as I can. 
It took me much longer to read Drawn in Blood than it usually takes me to read a 400-page book, but that had nothing to do with the book itself. Life took me for a wild ride, and I did say in my Book Review Explanation how this may effect the reviews. 
