Sandi Shilhanek | Contests
I feel fairly confident in saying that everyone’s attention is on the economy these days. I know that it is the focal point at our house. This must surely mean that more readers are entering contests in the hopes of winning their favorite author’s newest title, or perhaps a backlist title in a new to them author.
I have been lucky this week, and won a one-day blog contest, one a guess the number contest in a chat, and today attempted to win an email contest, and while I supposedly did not win, the author was nice enough to send me an e-copy of a book from her backlist anyway, because in my email I mentioned that I had not yet read her, so anything would be new to me.So, as you see I have entered a variety of contests this week, and been very lucky! The contests I have entered have all been easy to enter, and the prizes have all been books. Is there a certain type of contest that calls to you? Is there a certain prize you prefer to win?
To me, the simpler the contest the more likely I am to enter, and we all know you cannot win if you do not enter!
Sandi Shilhanek
DFW Tea Readers
Readers 'n 'ritas... celebrating literary obsessions
Labels: contest, Sandi Shilhanek, winner
posted by Fresh Fiction @ 1:00 AM
60 Comments:
I like the 'blog comment' kind of contest. (smiles) Really though, cause I'm a blog junkie and love reading about my fellow writers daily lives and activities anyway so blog contests not only led me to new prizes but to new blogs like this one that I can add to my blog reading collection!
I love to enter contests too-- every once in a while I win one. YAHOO!!!
I like scavenger hunts when I'm up for them. Right now I'm getting over the stomach flu so just post to a question or a simple yes response contest is calling to me!
I love entering contests!
It's just too bad I don't live in the US, because I would love to review books also.(the only thing you have to do to get some free books is review them. Isn't that just awsome?!) But since I don't read e-books (my eyes get too tired when I do that) and the postage to send something to Belgium is so high, that's impossible. :(
But to answer your question. I like simple contests. But even if I have to search a bit to find the answer, I'll still enter the contest. Yeah, I'm a real contest monster! :p
You are very right in the contest idea about saving money! We have 3 lil' ones ruinning around (1 paycheck), so DH and I are being careful on any 'extras' we would like to have. Which includes the books for me, since that's the only extras I want.
Thanks for offering the contest!!
And good luck to all readers in the same boat!! HA!
I'm a contest slut. Easy ones are great but ones where I have to troll around the site or other sites are ok too cause I mostly have the time to troll around. I love getting a book in the mail. Just makes my week (and I now have a special bookcase for signed books)
I love to enter contest too. I like the simple contests, but I also like to do the scavenger hunts. The scavenger hunts sometimes take me places that I probably wouldn't think about going to, so I find out about new things this way.
I enter contests every now and then if I am really interested in the author's work. But I know if I had more time I'd enter more contests to have a chance at reading some new authors! Who doesn't like winning books??
I love contests! The easier the better. But I have to admit that I love the scavenger hunt ones too! I have been introduced to a lot of new authors thru the scavenger hunts!...I, too, am a contest slut...I enter any and all that I can, if I can't use the prize I know someone who can! But my favorite contests are for BOOKS especially print books!!!p)
The economy in our household just got a bit tighter - My husband retired on 1/09. It will be 3 months until he receives a check from social security...I'm a homemaker, last little chick graduated just graduated( I stayed home for the last 11 years because of her E.D. and learning disablilities) So I am re-joining the work force at a time when jobs are tight....My husband now answers the phone "House of the Unemployed!"
Here's hoping that fortune smiles on us all!
I hardly ever enter contest before. Then I slowly started to enter and win. Now I try to enter ever contest that I can. I figure the more I enter the better chance I will have at win something.
The easier the better. I don't mind reading an excerpt and answering a question related to the excerpt.
Good Luck to everyone who enters a contest.
I like contests where I am asked for my opinion on something, anything from "tell me what your ideal hero would be like" to "which of my book covers do you like best." I love winning books, especially from new authors I might not otherwise discover.
You are so right, this economy is a killer and the contests are usually easy. I don't have time for the ones that take a lot of work.
Until finding some on-line websites, blogs and chats through my favourite authors, I was never one to enter contest. Just play the lottery. But now when I know I can win BOOKS, lots of BOOKS, I enter when ever I can. I love getting anything really. Book markers, or pens or what ever is being given away.
I love entering contest. The easier the better. But best of all I love WINNING contest.
I'm a contest/sweepstakes addict! I've won many things over the past 9 years, including a lot of books and gifts for my sons, grand/greatgrandkids. I prefer the easy entry and skip the scavenger hunts. Each year I donate many wins to Toys-4-Tots. I already have a book win for a greatgranddaughter that will be put away for her birthday or Christmas.
Contests are great with the economy the way it is.
I've entered more contests recently. I recently won two eBooks. Until the economy got tight I never used to read eBooks. I still buy all the print books I want, but it is nice to pay less and get instant delivery whether from a contest of something I bought. So that I don't stop reading something I've already started I've taken to making a list of what I am actively reading and what page I am on in a WORD document or I would have dozens of unfinished books.
Ray
Contests are fabtastic! LOL If books are the prize, then all the better but any kind of swag is fun too. Besides, some of the authors come up with some very...unique...types of promotional swag.
I enter contests that are easy to enter. I don't have the patience or the attention span to go on scavenger hunts for a hinty billion things.
I used to enter a lot of contests but not nearly so much any more.
Right now I'm trying to figure out what I need to change to make follow up comments here go to a different email account. LOL The gmail account that's listed is rarely checked. *sigh*
I like entering contests This is a good way to discover new authors.
If I am lucky enough to win and like the book, I will check out more books by that author
I used to enter contests all the time and was real lucky and actually won alot of fun things from books to airline tickets. Haven't been entering as much lately, I guess I need to get my mojo back and start entering more!!
I love contests so much I host them every month! I enter them often and have won some fabulous books. My contest is at www.blazeofbeauty.com and we have HUGE prizes each month from several vendors and authors. :-)
I also love to enter contest and sometimes I do win. I think it is addictive. You don't have to win much to make you feel good. It just the thought of winning! The easier the contest the better.
I used to enter contests fairly often. But I have had to focus more on other things so my spare time is short. If a contest is easy to enter, I am likely to do so.
I like the blog comments contests too. Such a great way to introduce us to new authors, by posting an excerpt of their books and giving away one as a prize. Scavenger hunt contests can be fun, but I find that I have to be in the right mood, plus time is of course a huge factor, and I don't always get a chance to enter the long ones.
I've won all kinds of different prizes from lotion, to gc's, to books or downloads. All are a kick to win and I've enjoyed pretty much everything that I've ever received.
I'm with you, the simpler the contest the better ;-)
I love winning books from authors whether I've read them before or new to me.
I love contest, I only enter book contest. I often frequent my favorite authors sites and enter there contest.
I like entering contests from authors that are new to me. I have discovered lots of wonderful authors that way. A lot of times contests require some kind of answer to a question from a previous book so it doesn't always allow for new readers. I have seen some contests where the winner gets their name used as a character or even one where the winner gets to name the murder victim. I enjoyed a contest held by the Harlequin Blaze authors to come up with a titles for a new series. Most of the contests I have won have been those sponsored by individual authors on their own so I tend to enter those more and ignore the bigger multiple contests. I prefer contests where the prizes are free books over trinkets because I want to discover new authors.
I love contests. Blog contests, scavenger hunts, one answer contests. They are all good. :)
Love to read so I'm saying yes to your comment contest. Also saying Thank You for the link to all the other contests for books. I never knew there were so many.
Hi Sandi,
I like to enter contests to win books by authors I love or want to get to know. I also enjoy entering the ones that offer up gift cards!!!!!
Thanks for your post is what good to hear from you!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
I love contests. My faves are the blog comment ones. Very rarely do I enter the "treasure hunt" ones. You know, the ones where you have to go to a dozen different sites to find the answers? I just never have the time.
I love contests and yes the easier they are the more likely I am to enter. If it is a author I already know I like or one I really want to know more about I will do more to enter. And I love the ones that include excerpts because that can help me decide if I really would want to read it or not. I dont want to enter for something I wont actually read. I prefer ones that give away books or bookstore giftcards.
I too adore entering contests. I love ones for books and food, the easier the better is a definate key for me. Your blog is about the only one I read on a regular basis, it interests me. :)
I usual enter contests if they come thru my e-mail from the authors I read. Other then that I don't.
I usual enter contests if they come thru my e-mail from the authors I read. Other then that I don't.
I love entering contests but not if the author gives you a lot of things you have to do to be entered. I like it nice and easy..lol I have won a few nice books that way though and it is a lot of fun.
Hi Sandi,
Some of the authors that have blogs I visit do have contests. Usually those are easily entered and I enjoy that. Luckily I have several books which is fun.
I find it very interesting that there are many more comments than usual today!
Take care,
Whoops! That is suppose to read I won several books!
Take care,
Donna M
I love siple contest to.some contest i have no ideal how to inter after i read them it makes me fill stuped i hate that.
from stacey smith
I like all different types of contests. I like blogs, writer's websites, and many other types of sweepstakes. I won a $ 200 GC card through Parents magazine two years ago at Christmas and bought a lot of nice gifts for family and friends at bargain section of store. I like winning gift certificates to Amazon, Starbucks, book store. But if I win a book from an Author, I want to be able to bless them as much as they bless me. So I make sure I write reviews for her on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christian Book where they fit. This is something everyone can do. I also am a reviewer now on two sites and have joined Goodreads so I can post reviews there. I want this author to be paid back for their efforts. Also I have started sharing their books and once I read them I think who would be blessed to receive them and pass them on. This has resulted in many authors getting noticed and their books being bought by others who did not know they existed.
jrs362 (at) hotmail (dot) com
Sandi,
I do so love contests! It is only in the past 3 months that I have discovered blogging and reader contests on-line---and have been thrilled by the ones I have won. I tell my hubby that I'm studying the 'marketing aspects of writing' when he asks what I'm working on. What I love about contests is that I discover authors who are new to me whom I might have otherwise not noticed or realized were out there.
Julie R.
I like most contests that are easy to enter. The one's where you have to find several answers to questions are the one's that I usually pass up.
For me ~ Contests are like books, shoes and chocolate ... I can never have (enter) enough, and they are all addicting. lol
My husband just lost his job (during the holidays of ALL times) and due to health problems I am unable to work outside the home. Winning contests is my ONLY way to have anything indulgent right now.
I know what you mean, ChristyJan. I lost mine at the end of September, and that's why by mid-November I had discovered blogging and on-line contests. It's how I had Christmas! Julie
I'm unemployed so money is very tight - Unfortunately my love for reading is the same as when my income was higher so I have to be selective about which books I buy. So being able to win books especially books by authors I haven't read yet helps out my budget and lets me experience new authors that I might not have otherwise.
I love contests, I love when I win and get a surprise in the mail :)
I love to enter contest were books are the prize.
Hi Sandi, I like contests as well. For me it depends on my time. If I'm not busy, like I am now, I love the hunts. But the last month or so I've only done the simple contests and then rarely.
I do love a contest though.
hugs,
WendyK
I've entered a couple of contests for one of the groups I'm in and have won twice. I like the contests but I don't enter them all. Just the ones that catch my interest.
I love to enter contests, usually prefer the simple ones, but once in a while like to challenge myself and try the scavenger hunt ones. I love winning books and gift certificates to bookstores to get more books.
I love contests but I only enter when I don't have the prize
I've always like the "reply to this post and I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner" contests. I have to confess. I'm lazy.
But I always thank the authors if I win a contest
my favorite type of contest is for readers choice or a gc. sometimes an author gives away one of thier books and with me if it a series then I want to start at the beginning lol. But if you hook me then I'll buy the rest of them. I won't be able to resist. Might take awhile but they will eventuallybe bought lol.
I love contest and I love the ones that lead me to new to me authors even more :)
I also love to enter these contests. This is my first entry in a blog. Need to check them out more.
Easy contests are definitely nice because they don't take too long to enter. However, I've had a lot of fun with scavenger hunt contests. There haven't been a ton, but there were quite a few over the holidays that I really enjoyed doing.
I rarely enter contests because I don't think I have a chance to win. I did however gain the opportunity through blogging to review a new to me author just because she wanted people to read her.
Hey Sandi!
I like contests as much as anyone else, but only enter when the prize is something I would truly be excited to win. I don't feel it's fair for me to enter for a book or goodies that someone else might enjoy more.
I have found some great books from entering contests because even if I didn't win I ended up buying the book because I liked the excerpt.
I don't have time to look through a lot of sites, so I like things that are well-organized and streamlined. I am looking for a new writer's contest, though, that sort of thing.
I know that there is a contest, of sorts, at RowanoftheWood.com. I read the book 'Rowan of the Wood' last summer and was quite impressed with it. The authors give a book away a month for just commenting on their blog. The two sites are: ChristineandEthanRose.com. and
RowanoftheWood.com. Free book.. you can't beat that!
Colette
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