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 my personal blog. 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 my personal blog. 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 Inkspot or my personal blog, 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?
37 comments:
Happy Birthday, Beth, whenever the day arrives!
May you have many more very blessed years!
I usually enter contests by accident. They ask for comments or such and it's what I would have done any way.
Whenever the day arrives, have a most happy birthday.
Happy Whenever Birthday, Beth!
Happy Birthday, Beth!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, folks, even though they're early. ;-) And thanks, Rena, for signing up as a follower for both this blog and mine. You're entered in the contest for free books!
Happy day, whenever it comes!
Happy Birthday, Beth! I still think you deserve the present.How 'bout a "you" contest, where the winner has to give you the prize?
And who would sign up for that contest, Darrell? ;-)
A Very Merry Unbirthday, Beth -- since I'm pretty sure it isn't today. ; - > And good luck to all the contest entrants!
Hearth Cricket
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, dear Beth.
Books by the author in a contest are fine by me.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Happy early birthday Beth! I'm signing up as a follower here as well as on your blog! I love to win books!!
Love book contests, especially if the author autographs the book! Knowing the book title ahead of time is great, but surprises can be fun, too!
Thank you for offering this contest, Beth, and Happy Birthday!
--Cecilia
Beth, looking forward to a new birthday is half the fun!! Hope you get a beautiful cake. I appreciate getting this heads up from you...I'm psyched to enter any book contests you're involved in. Deb
Hi Barb, Carol, Deb, and Cecila,
Thanks so much for coming over from Goodreads and entering the contest!
Wow! I was #100 on the InkSpot followers! Whoopee! Beth, was I supposed to follow the whole site or just your part of it. Anyway, I do love Author contests and have been very pleased with the results. You & I have been friended on other sites, but I still haven't had a chance to read one of your books! (Shame!) You are always on my top list.
Happy Birthday! Thanks for the invitation!
aka Betty Gelean
Happy upcoming birthday, Beth! I love author contests, both hosting them and entering them. I'm more a fan of the one-time contests because of that excitement of entering. The ongoing contests I forget about.
Wow - so many great authors on this site. I see a lot of familiar names of my faves. Definitely will be a fun blog to follow.
Happy Birthday, whenever it may be! Thanks for the fun contest.
Nancy, from Realms of Thought…
Thanks, nightreader, for becoming follower #100, and thanks, Darcia and Nancy, for your feedback. Yes, Nancy, there's a lot of terrific authors published by Midnight Ink!
Happy Birthday, Beth! My brother's birthday is coming up too!
Happy Birthday, when the day arrives!
(:
To my Puerto Morales friend, Happy Colorado Birthday, Beth & many more! I hope I have the opportunity to win autographed books from your collection. It would be lovely to read any/all of them! Gloria
PS Thank you for the info on England - our trip is coming up in a few months. Where have you been traveling?
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Irene, Annerszz101, and Gloria! As for your travel question, Gloria, my husband and I spent a week in the Texas hill country in June and went on a 2-week Caribbean cruise in January. We're plotting our next travel adventure now, so stay tuned.
Happy birthday, Beth. I hope you have many, many more. :)
Count me in. Want one of my new ones to give away?
Tim Hallinan
I love author contests! It's as much insight into the author's life as much as their blog is. The kind of contest, the hoops we jump through, the prezzies offered up...
Happy Birthday when the day comes! Thanks for having this wonderful contest. I'm a follower of this blog and Inkspot.
Thanks, Robyn, Timothy, Vickie, and Sherri, for following and for the good wishes! Timothy, I emailed you on Goodreads about your generous offer. Yes, let's talk. ;-)
I hope you have the best birthday ever!
All entered now. Fingers and toes crossed.
I love author contests. There's something very special about feeling like you know the author, or at least you've met and exchanged comments.
Hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Thanks, Rox, 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!
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.
I think people prefer to know the prize.
I enjoy winning a book by the author of the contest!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Signed up here as a follower!!!
Thanks so much for your birthday wishes and feedback, Pat and Judy!
May you have a wonderful birthday Beth!
Advance Happy Birthday for this year may you have a great birthday. :)
send gift Philippines
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