Diane Chamberlain's Blog - Posts Tagged "contest"

I wanted to pass along a couple of bits of information, so I'm combining them here.

First, what's with the outfit? Well, I needed a picture to go with this blog post and this is my most recent. I attended a party over the weekend where everyone was supposed to wear something from their college days. I've been saving my old fringed leather vest and peace sign earrings for decades, waiting for just such an occasion! It was great fun.

Second, those of you who signed up on my mailing list should have received my latest e-newsletter featuring The Courage Tree today. If anyone missed it and would like to see it, here's the online link. I wrote the text for the newsletter, but the lovely design was created by Tara Green, who is always a joy to work with.

Third, I blogged on my publisher's (Mira Books) United Kingdom site today, writing about the inspiration behind The Lost Daughter (aka The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.) If you're interested, pop over there and take a look.

Fourth, my updated website is about to go live! I'll keep you posted.

And finally, my BIG '20-year-celebration' contest is nearly ready to be unveiled. I'm so excited about it, and I'll let you know the second it begins.

http://dianechamberlain.com/blog/2009...

I'm thrilled to unveil the contest we've been waiting for! A while back, I asked you, my blog readers, for ways I could celebrate my twenty year anniversary as an author with you. Frequent commenter, Glen Pierce, took the ball and ran with it! Glen lives on Topsail Island, North Carolina, the setting for Before the Storm and Secrets She Left Behind, and he came up with the idea for this fabulous contest.

Just listen: First prize winner will win an off-season vacation on Topsail Island, including accomodations and dinners at the Island's best restaurants. In addition, that first prize winner will receive two invitations to a celebration held in my honor in mid-May. A second place winner will receive a $200 bookstore gift certificate, and ten others will receive autographed copies of my books. I'm so grateful to Glen and to Topsail realtor Sterling Bryson for dreaming this up, as well as to the Topsail Island businesses who are sponsoring it.

How to enter? You can click on the contest link on my home page, or go directly to the contest page. You'll need to answer a few easy questions about Before the Storm, and limit your entry to once a day. Then cross your fingers for good luck!

The short videos John and I made are now up on the video page of my website. I created these to address the questions I'm most frequently asked by readers as well as by aspiring writers. There are five videos, and they cover my start as a writer, where I "get my ideas" (which has to be the most frequently asked question!), how I create characters, my writing process, and advice for aspiring writers. We had a good time (mostly) putting these together. I hope you enjoy them!
http://www.dianechamberlain.com/chamb...

The contest continues! Win a vacation on Topsail Island and help me celebrate my 20 years as an author by clicking here to learn more. You may enter once a day.
http://topsail-online.com/dianecontest/

I received my copies of the Australian edition of Before the Storm today. I guess the book is being released there right now, or will be very soon. I've been getting the loveliest covers lately, haven't I? I have to admit, I'm glad they kept the title! It will make my life a little less confusing, not to mention much less confusing for my poor readers who are still traipsing all over trying to find The Lost Daughter and A Beautiful Lie, not realizing that they've already read the story under the title The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.

I am getting so psyched about the Topsail Island contest! The entries are piling up and I can't wait until I can call the grand prize winner on the phone to give her (or him) the great news. (Yes, I plan to make that call myself!). Only one more week to enter, so if you haven't done so already, beg, borrow or steal (only joking!) a copy of Before the Storm, answer the questions on the entry form, and get ready to hear my voice when you answer the phone.

Secrets She Left Behind is now available for pre-order! I can't wait to be able to say "It's in stores." Very soon. So many exciting things going on!

The contest continues! Win a vacation on Topsail Island and help me celebrate my 20 years as an author by clicking here to learn more. You may enter once a day.
http://www.dianechamberlain.com/chamb...

Well, this contest was such fun, and so many of you were in the running with the correct answers from Before the Storm. Here they are:

1.What was the name of Jamie's church? Free Seekers. We also accepted Free Seekers Church or Chapel.
2.Who was Jamie's nemesis on Topsail Island? We accepted either Reverend Bill or Marcus.
3.What was Maggie's nickname for Andy? We accepted either Panda or Panda Bear.
4.Where did Andy hide his lighter? We accepted either sock or shoe.
5.What word did Maggie have tattooed on her hip? Empathy.
And here are the lucky winners:

•Grand Prize winner of a Topsail Island vacation and two tickets to my 20th Anniversary Party: Heidi Rodriguez of Cary, NC
•2nd Place Winner of a $200 bookstore gift certificate: Dottie Scott of Raleigh, NC
•3rd Place Winners of advanced copies of Secrets She Left Behind:

-Christy Hagen of Midlothian, VA

-Lorene Beach of Midland, TX

-Debra Haley of North Royalton, OH

-Stephanie Sabia of Florence, AZ

-Barb Evans of Knightdale, NC

-Holly Mize of Greenfield, IN

-Patsy Hoffman of Richlands, NC

-Riena Gilbertson of Sequim, WA

-Karen Lefler of Temecula, CA

-Dale Dunn of Vienna, VA

Congratulations to all the winners! I truly wish everyone who entered had been able to win. I plan to hold contests--albeit not as exciting as this one has been--all year long, so hop over to my contest page to enter. I'll cross my fingers for you!

I love having a new book out in time for summer! My readers and friends have been sending me pictures of themselves reading my books on the beach, and nothing could make me happier. I write for many reasons (I don't think I could stop, for one), but my primary reason is to entertain, so I love knowing that I'm part of my readers' down time.

Yesterday, I signed books for three hours at Quarter Moon Books on Topsail Island, the setting for Before the Storm and Secrets She Left Behind. Here I am with Quarter Moon Books owner Lori Fisher, who did a fantastic job of getting many of my titles for her customers. I met wonderful, new-to-me readers as well as people who've been reading me for years (including a gentleman who's read all my books. A guy! Gotta love him). They all had one thing in common: they were on vacation! They swept into the store on the delicious scent of sunscreen, wearing sandals and rosy tans. It made me realize how long it's been since I had a beach vacation. Oh, I go to the beach often to write, but to relax? I think it's been at least twenty years, since that's how long I've been published. It's both the writer's joy and curse to be able to carry her work with her everywhere she goes in her imagination.

So, how about you? I hope all of you are getting some time to relax this summer. Where are you going? What do you plan to do? Do you find it hard to relax? And most importantly, will you be reading?

Speaking of relaxing, I have a new contest on my website to help you enjoy your leisure time. Pop over and see what you can win!

I'm getting ready to create my next online newsletter, since some of you have told me you'd like to hear from me more than once or twice a year. Yes, I've been a little slow getting the news out! Now that many of my older books are being reissued, I agree that I need to communicate with those of you on my mailing list more frequently.

Therefore, I plan to design a unique newsletter that I can send out easily a few times a year. It will contain updates on my latest books, contests, appearances, and any other information I think will benefit my readers. But it needs a name! For example, I recently received Sue Monk Kidd's lovely newsletter, which she calls Reflections--a name that suits her writing perfectly. I have my thinking cap on, but I know y'all have amazing thinking caps yourselves (I will never forget how you helped me name the island in my work-in-progress!), so I thought I'd turn to you for some suggestions.

If I use your idea, I'll send you autographed copies of my two latest books, Before the Storm and Secrets She Left Behind, made out to you or a friend. Thanks for your help! (If you're not already signed up to receive my newsletter, hop on over and sign up now.)



http://www.dianechamberlain.com/chamb...

I was cleaning out a cupboard the other day and came across a stack of cover flats. Do you know what a cover flat is? Before a book is released the cover–a flat rectangle showing both front, spine and back of the book–is sent to the accounts that will ultimately decide to carry–or not carry–the book. Most flats have information on the opposite side with a little one line synopsis about the story, ISBN numbers, promotional information etc. The winner of this contest will get a handful of my extra cover flats. Besides covers for some recent novels (Before the Storm, Secrets She Left Behind, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes), covers for some of my older books will be included, including the long out of print Lovers and Strangers and the jacket for the hardcover release of Brass Ring. At least one cover has misinformation on it (The cover flat for the original release of The Courage Tree refers to the character Zoe as Gabriela, since that was my original name for her) which only makes the flat more interesting to me.

To enter the contest, pop over to my contest page and follow the instructions there. You’ll only need to tell me why on earth you’d love to have a stack of my old cover flats to have a chance to win! Good luck!