Recently, the folks at the Lulu office had a contest to determine who owned the most adorable, absolute cuddliest, most remarkable, fuzzy-faced critter out there. We all love a cute animal, but some of us Lulus take our pets very seriously. We had tons of submissions, and I thought I’d share the winners with our blog readers because they’re just too cute to miss. Feel free to post links to your cutest pet pics in the comments section below.
The August Author Sales Contest is underway and Lulu.com is offering cash prizes and additional exposure to the authors who publish the top 3 most purchased books on Lulu throughout the month of August. To enter the sales contest, simply register using the email address associated with your Lulu account and get started promoting your book.
Registration is free and all entries must be received no later than August 31, 2010 to be eligible.
Winners and runners-up will also receive
Last Tuesday, we announced Shayla Hawkins as the winner of The John Edgar Wideman Microstory Contest. Her microstory, “A Test”, was selected to be included in future copies of John Edgar Wideman’s latest book, Briefs.
When I read the announcement that Shayla Hawkins had won the contest, I couldn’t help but wonder who this amazing talent was. And I couldn’t help but think that others might want to get to know her as well. I was ecstatic when she agreed to answer a few questions for the Lulu blog.
What do you do for a living and what do you aspire to do?
I’m a freelance writer and editor, but my dream is to be a successful novelist so that I can write great stories with memorable characters whenever I want, wherever I want. And, although it sounds silly because there’s no money in it, I would love to have books of my poems published, too, since I was introduced to literature by way of my early exposure to poetry (fairy tales, nursery rhymes, Bible stories, etc.), and the love that I developed as a child for the rhythm, rich language and concision of good poetry remains with me to this day.
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On April 1, John Edgar Wideman invited aspiring writers everywhere to submit their own microstory for possible inclusion in future copies of Briefs. It was a unique way for this literary master to connect with his readers.
The competition was fierce, submissions plenty and the talent overwhelming. But the time has come to announce the winner of The John Edgar Wideman Microstory Contest.
We are pleased to say that Shayla Hawkins’ microstory “A Test” was chosen to be included in a special edition of Briefs. She will also receive a complimentary signed copy of the book from Wideman. “A Test” is about how even the smallest actions of our mundane daily lives are actually tests that we all pass or fail .
A heart-felt congratulations to Shayla Hawkins and special thanks to all the very talented writers who submitted their microstories.
One thing we’ve learned from the Wideman flash fiction contest: There are many talented writers out there. We’re thrilled to have received a large number of entries for the contest. But that volume of quality work combined with Mr. Wideman’s travel schedule have caused a bit of a delay in announcing a winner.
Check back Tuesday when we will reveal the winning entry. Good luck!
We love books. And we love moms. So what better way to combine our two loves than with a Mother’s Day themed book giveaway?
Today through Thursday, we’re giving away one book a day (up to $20 value) to a lucky Twitter follower who gives the best answer to our tweeted question about Mom. The daily winner will be announced at 8pm EST each evening and will be chosen from the tweeted answers of that particular day.
We’re also giving away a Grand Prize on Friday (5/7/10) — a year’s supply of books (that’s 12 free books – a value of $240!). The winner for the Grand Prize will be chosen RANDOMLY from all the tweeted answers of the entire week and will be announced at 8pm EST on Friday.
To take part in our book giveaway, here’s what you need to do:
Remember, there’s no limit on daily tweets. Your chances of winning the Grand Prize increase with each tweeted answer so tweet as much as you can! Be funny and clever – it increases your chances of winning the daily prize and helps us understand why your Mom thinks you are so special.
See? Following us on Twitter really does have its perks!
Hello everyone! I just wanted to give a quick recap of our Ask. Answer. Win. contest.
It’s going great. We’ve gained a number of new contributors eager to join the conversation. And we’ve had fun rewarding those with a strong presence in our online community.
Our winners for most active posters have been:
Tammys_books
With his latest book, Briefs: Stories for the Palm of the Mind, two-time Faulkner award-winning author John Edgar Wideman has broken with tradition to partner with Lulu for greater control over the publishing process and a more direct connection with readers.
Briefs is a masterful collage of “microstories” that challenges assumptions about the genre. With a variety of voices, characters and compass points, Wideman unveils a unique structure—hip-hop Zen—where each story provides a single breath, to be caught, held, shared and savored.
Now Wideman is taking publishing innovation with Lulu one step further. With The John Edgar Wideman Microstory Contest, he’s inviting aspiring writers everywhere to submit their own microstory for possible inclusion in future copies of Briefs. What better way for a literary master to connect with readers than to share space with them in his latest book?
Here are the details: You can learn about Wideman’s storytelling style by getting a copy of Briefs and reading his introduction to microfiction. Then, starting today, submit your own microstory (up to 600 words) to pr@lulu.com. The submission period ends May 1. Anyone can enter. Just summon your creativity and show us your literary prowess in microstory form.
After the contest, Wideman will choose his favorite story. The winning entry will be announced on the Lulu Blog May 14 and include in a special edition of Briefs. The winner will also receive a complimentary signed copy of the book from Wideman.
Have a story to tell? Let us hear your voice and enter the The John Edgar Wideman Microstory Contest for a chance to be published alongside a literary giant.
We see success every day in the vibrant community of authors, artists, and creators that has gathered around Lulu. Creators come together on our Facebook page, Twitter feed and blog to give advice and cheer on each other as they realize their dreams and ambitions.
We’re particularly excited by the strong response to our improved — and expanding — knowledge base. In the past seven weeks, more than 6,000 items have been added in six different languages and thousands of customers have used our tools to check out popular articles, add to the community discussion, and recommend ideas.
Just the other day I saw how author Keith Dixon helped a new author decide what her best print options would be for the project she has in mind. It’s great to see that kind of support and encouragement from one passionate creator to another.
And we want to reward it.
From now through April 23rd, we will give away daily prizes to knowledge base users with the most posts, highest ranked posts, best questions, and best answers. Daily winners will receive a coveted Lulu hat (you should see how fast these things go at conferences) and bragging rights. Once a week, we’ll randomly select a winner for a grand prize ranging from an iPod Nano to a Book Lover’s Bonanza Service Pack (a $1,895 value), one of our newest service offerings.
We truly appreciate the Lulu community and all the ways you help us grow, adapt, and improve. So join the conversation, or start one of your own. Check out our knowledge base to share ideas, ask questions, make friends, and learn something new while inspiring creativity in your fellow creators.
