So I’ve been slowly digging through my backlog of fanmail. Most of it has been extraordinarily pleasant. There have been a few turds in there, but they’re so rare as to be statistical anomalies.
While reading them all, I’ve also found three letters similar to this one:
Dear Pat,
I read name of the wind long, long ago back in 2007. And I’ve been a reader of your blog for just about as long.
Back in 2008, when the paperback version of The Name of the Wind came out, you did a photo contest. I remember it was a ton of fun seeing all the photos people took of themselves and your book. Do you remember the girls that got naked and painted themselves with your book covers?
So I was mostly wondering, are you going to do a photo contest again? I remember you saying you were planning on it, but that was a long time ago…
Best Wishes,
Sandra
“Do you remember the girls that got naked and painted themselves with your book covers?”
This is perhaps the most ridiculous question in the history of ever. Of course I remember that picture. I still consider it one of the absolute high points of my writing career. The blog I wrote about that picture back in 2008 is as true today as it was back then.
You want to know one of the best things about this picture? The women were honest-to-goodness rocket scientists. I shit you not. They were aerospace engineers.
The truth is, Sandra, I planned on doing a photo contest as soon as the second book came out. But with the chaos of revision followed by the book tour, I just plain forgot about it.
But now my failing memory has been jogged by you and several other diligent readers. Looking over the blogs from the first contest has warmed my heart and reminded me how much fun it was seeing all of those pictures.
Like this one of the most furious baby in the world:
Or the one where someone made pants for my books:
(Yes. Pants. For my book.)
All the entries from Captain Joe. My favoritest fan I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.
(The name of his steed? Thunderplumb.)
Or one of my favoritest, simplest pictures:
So hell yes. Photo contest. Let’s do it again.
Here are the rules.
1. The picture doesn’t need to include you, but it does need to include the book.
2. Photo manipulation is legal, but by no means required.
3. Multiple entries are allowed.
4. Pictures will be judged on their general coolness. Categories will include anything I feel like, for example: “Most Awesome,” “Most Funny.” “Most Sexy” “Most Dramatic” and “Most Best.”
4b. I reserve the right to add extra categories, remove categories, and pretty much do whatever I like when it comes to the organization and presentation of the pictures.
5. You can’t do anything illegal or recklessly dangerous.
5B. Yes. Even if it’s cool.
5c. Yes. I’m serious. I won’t post up your picture at all if it’s obvious you’re playing in traffic or climbing a fence into a military base. Play nice. Be smart.
6. Winners will win. Winning will include some manner of prize. The nature of the prizes is yet to be determined, but I’ll do my best to make them cool.
7. All photos will be judged in a completely arbitrary and subjective manner.
8. Pictures should be jpgs no larger than 4 megs each. (Lest y’all crash my gmail account.)
9. You have one month to get your pictures submitted. The contest is over April 30th at Midnight.
[Edit April 25th] Contest Deadline Extended! New deadline is May 15th.
For those of you that are interested, here are the blogs that show some of the best pictures from the last contest:
Photo Contest Part I – Shrines
Photo Contest Part II – Babies
Photo Contest Part III – Anthropomorphic and Athletic
Photo Contest Part IV – Celebrities and Foreign Climes
Photo Contest Part V – Driving, Reading, and Animals
Photo Contest Part VI – Miscellaneous
Photo Contest Part VII – Drama
Photo Contest Part VIII – Eros, Filius, and Agape
Photo Contest Part IX – Covers and Cosplay
Photo Contest Part X – The Grand Prize Winner
If nothing else, you really need to check out that last one. The grand prize winner was awesome to such a degree that I’m still stunned by it. Time has not dimmed its luster by one iota. Their prize was that they got to beta-read book two.
How to Submit Your Picture.
E-mail your pictures to the following address: paperback.contest {swirly at sign} gmail.com
If you send a picture to that e-mail address, make sure to include:
- The photo(s). (duh.)
- Your name.
- How you want the photo to be credited, if it’s different than your name.
- Your mailing address. (Where to send your fabulous prize.)
Are you ready? I’m so ready. I think this is going to be awesome.
pat
P.S. If folks want to suggest things that might make good prizes, I’m open to suggestions in the comments below.
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