Articles tagged "win"

by AJ
December 22, 2011
Comments (7)

Winners of the Lulu Short Story Contest Announced!

In Author Spotlight, Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,


Wow.

We just can’t get over how many truly remarkable stories we received for the first ever Lulu Short Story Contest.

Our panel of 25 judges carefully read through the 2000+ submissions, picked their favorite, then read it out loud to the rest of the judges. From there, judges voted on which stories they liked the best from the readings and tallied the results until there were three clear winners with the most votes.  Your stories made us laugh, made us tear up, and some of the judges even got into literary debates over their favorites that lasted for days on end (no, really).

It was amazing to see everyone take such a passionate interest in our authors’ work. I can’t express enough how hard it was to pick just three finalists. But, we had to…SO! Without further ado (and because the suspense is killing me)…here are the winners of the Lulu Short Story Contest:

1ST PLACE WINNER:

The Red Boots by Poornima Ram Kiram

$1,000 Cash
Barnes and Noble NOOK
A review in Shelf-Unbound Magazine
Free Lulu Publicity

–
2ND PLACE WINNER:

Grass by Charles D. Shell
$250 and a Barnes and Noble NOOK™:

–
3RD PLACE WINNER:

Revenge by Gail Kavanagh
$100 Gift Card to Barnes and Noble

–
 Honorable Mention:

Persona Quietus by Jesse Lee
Lovely Stranger by Jennifer Porter-Kennard

If you didn’t win, don’t let it get you down.  So many of the stories were so excellent and hey, now you have an eBook version of your story and your name out in the world for millions of readers to see. All just because you believed in yourself. Neat huh?!?

You can take that shiny new eBook of yours and promote it this holiday too for what we’re calling Download Day.  We did some research and figured out that December 26th is the highest traffic shopping day for eBook sales – much like “Black Friday” in November. So, we’re throwing a good old-fashioned author sales contest for Download Day and the author who sells the most copies of their eBook on December 26th, 2011 – even if you sell your eBook for free – will win a Barnes and Noble NOOK and $100 off coupon good for anything on Lulu.

Learn more about Download Day, the highest traffic buying day for digital content on the Lulu blog here. And thank you again so very much for helping make the Lulu Short Story Contest such a success.  Due to popular demand, we’ll soon be posting a full list of all 2,000+ submissions to the contest for everyone to read and we plan to publish an anthology featuring all the semi-finalists and three winners for all to enjoy.  More details on that to come soon.

All the best this holiday from Lulu.

by AJ
November 29, 2011
Comments (21)

Lulu Short Story Contest Homestretch

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What a month it has been.

As NaNoWriMo and the Lulu Short Story Contest come to a close – we’ve been thrilled by the hundreds and hundreds of responses we’ve gotten from authors of all ages and genres who couldn’t resist the chance to share their creativity and who found out just how easy it can be to publish an eBook.

We’re not done yet though.  The official cutoff date for the contest is Dec. 1st, so there is still time to submit a story of your own and enter to win $1000, a NOOK™, free publicity, and a professional review of your story in Shelf Unbound Magazine.

We’ve been getting a lot of questions too.  Mainly from authors who just want to be sure they have entered their story correctly.  Remember, once you’ve published your short story as an eBook with our EPUB Converter, to copy and paste your story’s web address on our Survey Monkey form.  Once you click submit on Survey Monkey, you’ll be taken to a “thank you” page with a 20% off coupon on it – good for your next purchase on Lulu.  We may need to tweak your submission too in order to get it to pass the validation requirements set by retailers like the iBookstoreSM. You still keep the copyright though and we will only change the formatting – not the content itself.

Once Dec. 1st hits, we’ll gather all contest submissions and our panel of judges will fire up the coffee pots, pull out the reading glasses, and get to work reading all your remarkable entries.  We’ll announce the first, second, and third place winners mid-December.

So keep that creativity coming – you still have till Thursday.  You can do 600 words in no time!

 

by AJ
November 10, 2011
Comments (6)

Lulu Short Story Contest Tips

In Contest, Lulu Blog, Tips and Tricks — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wow.

In the 10 days since we launched the Lulu Short Story Contest, we’ve received hundreds upon hundreds of submissions, authors are helping each other out more than ever on our social networks, and authors are finding just how easy it is to publish an eBook of their very own.

Based on the whopping 150+ comments on the original contest announcement blog – we’ve noticed that a lot of you have some of the same questions about the contest, so here are some helpful tips to consider as you get closer to submitting your own story.

600 Word Max: We know it might be a challenge, but it is definitely possible to submit a short story that is 600 words or less.  Facebook fan Jason Johnson puts it best:  “I agree that 600 words is short, but I also think that’s the point.  What can you tell in 600 words that still makes it interesting to your readers.” Oh, and the 600 word count does not include the title and copyright material.

Use the Template: I love that people are looking for ways to spice up their entry – be it with pictures, a table of contents, etc.  But avoid straying from the template we’ve provided.  We’ve done most of the work for you formatting-wise and designed the template to pass through eBook validation as smoothly as possible so you can be sure your story can be distributed to places like the iBookstore.

Multiple Submissions: Yes please! You are certainly allowed to submit more than one short story, so keep em coming.  600 words not enough to contain all that remarkable creativity? Then write and submit as many new short stories as you want.  Several people have submitted more than one already.  We’ve even had one guy ask if he could send in 400 separate stories.  No matter how many you give us, submitting more than one will increase your chances at winning.

Submitting Your Story: Submitting your story is just a matter of visiting this link to Survey Monkey and filling in the 5 questions.  The most important part is providing us with a link to your work.  Once you finish publishing, you can click the “My Lulu” tab.  Here you’ll see a list of your projects, including your new eBook short story.  Click the “view/buy” button next to your work’s title.  Copy the web address of your story’s product page and paste it into question 4 on Survey Monkey.  This will help us track submissions and is how you get your 20% off coupon for participating.

Pricing: Once you get to the pricing step in the publishing wizard.  You will be able to set your price to anything you want – even free.  The default price is set at $1.24, which is the minimum for making revenue off your story.  If you’d like to give your eBook Short Story away, simply enter $0.00 as your price.

We’re excited to see so much activity going on with this contest and definitely plan to do more in the future.  There is still plenty of time left in the month though, so send us your short story today.  Good luck and thanks for playing.

Want even more short story writing tips?  Check out this handy article from Fiction Factor.

 

by AJ
October 17, 2011
No Comments

Scarytelling Spooktacular

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,


October 31st and all-hallow’s eve are fast approaching.  The ghosts and goblins are just waiting to come out and create some mischief, but we can’t let them have all the fun.  To get us all in the Halloween spirit, tomorrow, Oct. 18th, we’ll be hosting a scarytelling contest, where the winner will get 30% off their next purchase at Lulu.com.

To play, just visit the Lulu Facebook page and add onto the scary story we post on our wall.  We’ll even help get the ball rolling by providing the first line.  All you have to do is keep the story going.  The comment with the most likes will win! Easy, right?

So thrill us, chill us, and write us your best scary story.  Big savings await the ghoul who wins.  Happy Halloween!

No purchase necessary. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Sorry, but this offer cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once, and unfortunately you can’t use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expire on December 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM, so don’t miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.

by AJ
July 18, 2011
Comments (2)

Winners of the HP Mini Laptops Announced!

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As some of you may know, Lulu has an ongoing relationship with HP and we want you to reap the benefits of that relationship just as much as we do.  So, back in June, we announced two easy ways customers could win one of two brand-new HP 5103 Mini Laptops – by either creating and publishing a photo book, or by using one of Lulu’s handy services to publish one of your remarkable works.

We also got the chance to surprise one lucky Book Expo America attendee with a third HP Mini Laptop,  just for visiting our booth back at the conference in May.

Without further ado, the winners are:

  • Ronald Libertus – for his photo book wonderfully titled: Cupcakes and Lollipops
  • John Hurly – A long time customer of Lulu’s services.  John purchased a Best Seller package for his upcoming work.
  • Austin Reale (pictured) – Good old Mr. Reale, blogger for Reading Teen, stopped by the Lulu booth several times a day throughout BEA and was about as excited as I’ve seen anyone to receive a brand new computer.  Yes, I asked him to blog about it.

Help us in congratulating our winners on their new technological prowess in the comments.  Now, they’ve each got a shiny new computer to help them start on their next remarkable works.  As for the rest of you faithful Lulu blog readers, keep your eyes peeled for other contests in the coming months and for your chance to win from a selection of great prizes to help kickstart your publishing career. And most of all, thank you to HP.

by Josh
June 7, 2011
Comments (2)

Win an HP Mini Laptop from Lulu

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ahh Summertime…The days are longer and the sun shines brighter, which means more time for family get togethers, pool parties and road trips.  We all capture these great moments with our digital cameras and smart phones, then we post our pics online to the envy of everyone.

But wouldn’t it be great to have a lasting reminder of how the Summer of 2011 began?  Now is the perfect time to get those photos out of your laptop and into a beautiful photo book or calendar.

From now until after the 4th of July holiday, not only will you be able to save 25% on any Lulu photo book or calendar order, but you’ll also be automatically entered to win 1 of 2 HP 5103 Mini Laptops!

Here’s how it works…

  1. Simply create and publish a photo book or calendar project between June 1 and June 30, 2011
  2. Purchase a copy of your beautiful photo book or calendar
  3. Save 25% off with code HPWIN305*
  4. You’ll be automatically entered to win 1 of 2 HP Mini Laptops
We’ll pick the winners on July 5, 2011 and notify each lucky person via email.  Oh yeah, the shipping of the laptop is on us too – all you need to do is sit back and enjoy your new toy.  Don’t feel like purchasing a photo book? You can also enter to win just by publishing a work through Lulu – absolutely free.

What’s an HP 5103 Mini Laptop? Funny you should ask – check them out here.

It’s really that simple.  Create, publish, buy and win.  Also be sure to find out how to win an HP laptop with the purchase of a Lulu service here.

So what are you waiting for?  There’s never been a better time to create a photo book or calendar with Lulu!

*No purchase necessary. Enter coupon code HPWIN305 at checkout and receive 25% off any photo book or calendar order or publish a work through Lulu.com. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Sorry, but this offer cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can’t use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on July 8, 2011 at 11:59 PM, so don’t miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so. Shipping destinations must be within the United States.
by AJ
December 23, 2010
Comments (2)

Winner of the Bedtime Stories Contest

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Back in October, we announced the Bedtime Stories contest that the folks over at Nature Made Sleep® were holding. The contest was open to anyone unafraid to let loose their imaginations and offered the perfect opportunity to show some creativity and share it with others.

Over the course of three months, 382 aspiring authors submitted their sleep-inducing stories and gave the judges some tough decisions to make. It was inspiring to see so many people take a chance on putting their ideas out there. And I bet many authors were surprised to learn how talented they are.

After tallying 5,162 votes, and reading each story cover-to-cover, the judges narrowed the results down to one grand prize winner: Tracey-Jane Smith for her story, Addie and Ollie, which teaches the importance of friendship even when someone is different from you.

As the grand prize winner, Tracey-Jane Smith will receive:

  • A $7500 cash prize
  • A publishing prize pack, sponsored by Lulu.com, where her story will be professionally illustrated
  • 10 printed copies of her book
  • 1-year supply of Nature Made Sleep

Please help me in congratulating Smith and all of the participants of the Bedtime Stories contest in the comments below. You can check out Smith’s story and the two runners-up on the Nature Made blog. Also be sure to keep checking the Lulu blog and our Facebook and Twitter pages for more contests to spark your creativity in the future.

by AJ
October 29, 2010
No Comments

Trick or Treat? Why Not Both…

In Events, Holiday reading material, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hulkmania!

It’s Halloween in the Lulu office and I thought it’d be fun to share some of the great costumes people have been wearing all day.

Each year, Lulu team members break out their biggest wigs, their goofiest glasses and their scariest masks in an attempt to out do each other in the fierce competition to win the “Best

Right to Left: A Musketeer, Dr. Who, Captain Planet, Barista

Costume Award.” No Lulu holds back and there were some pretty remarkable costumes this year. Some of my favorites were Hulk Hogan and Uncle Fester (with a real light up bulb in his mouth).

But we don’t want to be the only ones having fun, so as a treat for All Hallows’ Eve, we’re offering a couple special deals to all our customers and creators this weekend.

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Uncle Fester

Through November 1st, you can take 20% off any order with coupon code TRICK. And you can take 25% off any order of $500 or more with coupon code TREAT.

While coupons aren’t as tasty as candy, they are better for you and your wallet this Halloween season.

Have a happy and safe holiday everyone.

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by AJ
October 8, 2010
Comments (2)

Bedtime Stories Contest

In Contest, Lulu Blog — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bedtime stories are the best. They take you to magical kingdoms in faraway lands where, once upon a time, princes and princesses lived fairy tales lives.

If you’ve ever dreamed of writing your own, now is a perfect time to do it.

The folks over at Nature Made Sleep® are holding a Bedtime Stories contest that’s a great chance to show your creativity. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a professional illustration of their story, along with 10 professionally printed copies of their book courtesy of Lulu. In addition, they’ll take home $7,500 in cash, plus a year’s supply of Nature Made Sleep.

It’s easy to enter. Just visit the Bedtime Stories site, where you’ll be led through the simple process of creating and illustrating your bedtime story. Enter your text and drag-and-drop in some colorful illustrations before submitting your story to be entered in our contest. Contest winners will be decided by a combination of number of votes and selections by a panel of judges, so have your friends and family visit the site often to vote for your bedtime story, or visit the site yourself to vote for your favorite story (everyone can vote once a day).

So let your imagination run wild. And don’t let the bedbugs bite.

by AJ
April 7, 2010
Comments (2)

Update on the "Ask. Answer. Win." Contest

In Contest, Lulu Blog, Lulu News, Promotions — Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

KnowledgeBaseContest_BlogBanner

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:

Belinda D’ Alessandro

Keith Dixon

Valerie J Long

Tammys_books

Ron Miller

Julie Ann Dawson

veinglory

theresa_moore

john_jenatcomcastdotnet

Ken Anderson

Mad Dog Wilson

GiuseppeFurnari

holesinthehills

Jean-Charles
tony_hawken

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