R is for Rafflecopter

Remember earlier this month when I said to stay tuned for a contest? Well, here it is.

Win a pre-order of this book!

Rafflecopter is my personal favorite way to run a blog contest. It makes it easy to collect entries, require actions to be performed by each entrant, and then randomly picks a winner. You can even assign point values to each action. And it's all FREE.

Since I just finished an Advanced Reader Copy of Gennifer Albin's debut novel Crewel, and it was EXCELLENT, I decided that I would give her book as the prize. She had a ton of agents fighting over her and enough houses wanted her book that it went to auction. Yeah, this book is HOT. What's it about, you ask. Here's the blurb from Good Reads:

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

The book isn't released until October 16, 2012 so I have to pre-order it for the winner. I know, it's a long wait, but IT'S WORTH IT. That's how excited I am about this book. So enter lots. Now. (If you really want a taste of this novel now, go to Gen's author facebook page and read hit the "Welcome" icon where you can get a sneak peak at the prologue of Crewel.)

UPDATE: To sweeten the deal I have changed one of the prizes to a $15 GC to Barnes and Noble. I wouldn't want the people who've already read Crewel to be left out.

I will announce the winners next Thursday, April 26, 2012.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

C is for Contest

Who doesn't like to win? Exactly. That's why running contests on your blog is a great way to attract followers, reward readers, and draw attention to important announcements. Read back through my Savvy Sensation Series and you will read that many of them built their platform with contests.

To make sure you get the most out of running a contest, ask your entrants to do something such as tweet about the contest, like your Facebook page, blog about you, etc. The contest I held last month was to celebrate 300 followers. I had spent a couple of months in the 290s. The week I held the contest, I bumped up to 320 just from people tweeting and blogging and drawing new followers.

The most successful contests, of course, have prizes that people want to win. Gift cards, books (especially advanced copies, aka ARCs), and agent submissions always pull a nice draw. You can also offer critiques, editorial services, or other book swag. Be creative! Be unique! If you haven't tried a contest yet, I challenge you to try it.

This seems like a great place to run a contest of my own, doesn't it? Let me just say, there's one in the works. But you'll have to come back later in the month to find out about it. How's that for building up some interest?

Do you run contests? Have you found them helpful in building your blogging platform?

Miss Snark's First Victim's 2nd Victim, I mean, Entry

I'm in Miss Snark's First Victim's March Secret Agent Contest.

Woohoo!!

I'm Entry #2. So go ahead and pop over if you like and tell me all of my horrible mistakes. I can take it.

And one more thing, follower friends. You have one more day to enter my $15 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. By one more day, I mean today. Contest ends at midnight. Clocks ticking....

300 Follower $15 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

I never thought I would reach 300 followers, let alone 300 AMAZING followers.  You wonderful, supportive peeps deserve to be rewarded.

So I am holding my FIRST EVER CONTEST. The winner will receive a

 $15 Gift Card from Amazon. 

All you have to do to enter is enter the Rafflecopter info below and leave a comment on this post. You may also tweet and blog on your own blog to get extra entries. Contest opens today and runs through 3/8/12.  I'll announce the winner next Friday, March 9th.

Thank you, Fabulous Followers! a Rafflecopter giveaway