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Contest: Advance Copy of The Stepsister Scheme

  • Nov. 7th, 2008 at 9:00 AM
The Stepsister Scheme
1. Thanks to the people who volunteered to take bookmarks to the conventions. I got your e-mails, and will be sending things your way soon. If anyone else is going to be conventioning and wouldn't mind dropping bookmarks on the freebies table, please let me know!

2. So I have one more ARC of The Stepsister Scheme [Amazon | Mysterious Galaxy] to give away.

I've been trying to come up with a really good contest idea. I considered one involving explosives, but finally decided it was a bad idea, brought on by watching too much MythBusters. Then I thought about having folks Photoshop me, with the ARC going to the most entertaining result. Tempting, and potentially fun, but who really wants to spend that much time staring at a photo of me?

What I finally decided to go with was a simpler photo contest, inspired by Tobias Buckell's blog post earlier this morning. He posted a photo of one of his fans reading Sly Mongoose [Amazon | Mysterious Galaxy] while rock climbing.

Awesome, and now I'm jealous. I want sweet pics of people reading my books too. So here's the rules. I'll give that last ARC of The Stepsister Scheme to the best photo of you, your friend, your pet, or anyone at all reading one of my books.

  • Please limit photo size to 640 x 480.

  • Photos can be posted in the comments here. If that doesn't work for you, shoot me an e-mail at jchines42 -at- hotmail.com.

  • Funny is good. Amazing is good. Anything that makes me go "Wow!" is good.

  • Photoshopping is fair game. If you want to show Darth Vader reading Goblin War with one hand while whooping on Luke, go for it!

  • Anyone can enter as many times as they'd like.


Deadline will be November 28. Depending on the number of entries, I'll either pick a winner myself, or let folks vote. Either way, expect a winner by the first week in December.

I think that covers just about everything. Please feel free to spread the word, and let me know if you've got any questions! I'll edit the rules if it turns out I've forgotten something important.

3. Finally, because people seemed to appreciate them last time, I leave you with more pics of Jig and Smudge:

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Comments

( 43 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]origamilady wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 03:44 pm (UTC)
Jim,
are you planning on going to WindyCon this year?
if not message me either here or on fb and Id be glad to send you my snailmail addy
and spread around some of your bookmarks.
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 03:49 pm (UTC)
I'll be there. Thanks for the offer, though!
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[info]controuble wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 03:55 pm (UTC)
Did you read my last reply in your inbox? I just need a yes or no so I can arrange someone if you aren't interested in trying.
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 03:57 pm (UTC)
Crap. I did, and then it slipped through the cracks of my brain, of which there are many.

Will respond shortly. Sorry, and thanks for the nudge!
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[info]mela_lyn wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 04:05 pm (UTC)
Hmmm... well, I think I can handle that. I even have a copy of Red!! ;) *puts on thinking cap*
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 04:10 pm (UTC)
Have fun! :-)
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[info]threeoutside wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 04:51 pm (UTC)
We want more Jig and Smudge! Jig and Smudge! Jig and Smudge! Jig and Smudge! Jig and Smudge! Jig and Smudge!

Er, of the photo or the literary varieties, doesn't matter.

Them are two sweet kitties, btw. Jig's the smoky one, right? Kinda anti-intuitive, butnever mind because oh my, that picture up there should be the poster for the SPCA or Humane Society...
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 06:55 pm (UTC)
Re: oxymoron?
Yep. And Smudge is the more flame-colored one. At least, I think that's what Mom was thinking when she named them both.

I do have a Smudge story coming out in an anthology next year, if that helps. No Jig, but the editor specifically asked for something with Smudge in it...
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[info]threeoutside wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 07:05 pm (UTC)
Re: oxymoron?
Yay Smudge!!!
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[info]allaboutm_e wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 05:03 pm (UTC)
oxymoron?
Is there really such a thing as "too much Mythbusters"? :: grin ::

And thanks for sharing the kitten photos!
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 11:08 pm (UTC)
Re: oxymoron?
Maybe when you start having dreams about robot ninjas made of ballistics gel, with great big moustaches?
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[info]allaboutm_e wrote:
Nov. 9th, 2008 03:41 pm (UTC)
Re: oxymoron?
Actually, it might explain "Futurama..."
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[info]origamilady wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 08:41 pm (UTC)
"I'll be there. Thanks for the offer, though!"

Cool, I'll see ye there =)
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[info]rhondaparrish wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 10:55 pm (UTC)
Hmm...my husband is pretty handy with photoshop, I wonder if I can bribe him...

Alas, the odds aren't in my favor as I intend to start nagging him to start the .pdf layout of the December issue of Niteblade soon LOL

Still, wish me luck ;)
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 11:07 pm (UTC)
If you can, your odds might be pretty good. So far, I've only gotten one entry :-)

But I do understand there are other priorities.
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[info]rhondaparrish wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 11:31 pm (UTC)
Well, this is what I came up with in the few minutes I stole from NaNo. I had to get at least one entry in, though I still hope to coax my hubby into putting his skills to work for a good cause :)

Mythbusters Love Goblins

*hopes this link works*
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[info]rhondaparrish wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 11:32 pm (UTC)
Oh, and in case it matters, I got the original image from googling 'Mythbusters' and it came from this page --> http://web.mit.edu/mika/www/misc/mythbusters.html
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 7th, 2008 11:49 pm (UTC)
Is it weird that I know exactly what episode that came from?

Thanks! We now have two entries, which means it's an actual contest!
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[info]aulus_poliutos wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:28 am (UTC)
Did they prove that fire spiders do exist? :)
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:57 am (UTC)
Myth confirmed!

(Actually, this was the episode where they retested Archimedes' Death Ray. That myth was busted hard.)
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(Anonymous) wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2008 05:31 am (UTC)
Death Ray
Um, they still didn't do it right. Read "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs". It's a book on ancient chemical warfare and the death ray was reproduced twice in it.
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[info]rhondaparrish wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 06:39 am (UTC)
No way! Fire spiders are way too smart for that! :)
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[info]crinklequirk wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 02:55 am (UTC)
Speaking of Goblins
I GOT IT! Yesterday - and the box protected it from the rain, thankfully. :D

Just finished it a little bit ago. Enjoyed. Digesting.

Smudge reminds me of Spot (from Usagi Yojimbo). And that's a Good thing. ;>

Hmm, contest. . . Photoshop. . . more than one entry? . . . mwa-ha-ha-ha!

Say, is a March convention too late? That's the next one I'll likely attend. Maybe it's the cold and snow, but we don't have as many conventions around wintery Holiday t
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[info]crinklequirk wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 02:56 am (UTC)
Re: Speaking of Goblins
ah-hem! Laptop mouse touch screens, that's all I'll say.

To continue: around wintery Holiday months. But then, I'm in the upper midwest, and we got our first snow this morning.

BTW - awwww, too cute kitties!
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:51 pm (UTC)
Re: Speaking of Goblins
March con would be great. Thank you! The book will have been out for about two months, which means it will (hopefully) still be on the shelves.

Sympathy on the snow. I'm amazed we haven't gotten any yet here in mid-Michigan. (But having said that, just wait a few days...)

And of course, I'm glad to hear you liked the goblins :-)
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[info]tezmilleroz wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 03:13 am (UTC)
What shocked the kitty on the left? Looks traumatised, the poor thing - look at those big eyes... :-(

Have a lovely day! :-)
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:52 pm (UTC)
He's probably just trying to imitate his namesake. I imagine Jig the goblin looks like that most of the time :-)
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[info]realmjit wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 03:44 am (UTC)
BABIEEEZ!!!!!
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:54 pm (UTC)
They're dangerously cute. Fortunately, they now have a home, so I no longer have to worry about the temptation :-)
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[info]dr_phil_physics wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 03:46 am (UTC)
Oh, such wide-eyed little kitties. Aw-wwww. They are so young. Ours are so old and boring. Of course, we like them that way after fifteen years, but these little ones -- no doubt they weight nothing.

Dr. Phil
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2008 01:54 pm (UTC)
They weigh nothing, so they're easy to pick up, but those little velcro kitten claws make them impossible to set back down again.
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[info]mela_lyn wrote:
Nov. 10th, 2008 02:47 am (UTC)
I haf an ideeya!! MUWAHAHAHAHA!!!
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 10th, 2008 03:01 pm (UTC)
Excellent indeed! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
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[info]mela_lyn wrote:
Nov. 10th, 2008 03:03 pm (UTC)
MUwahahahaHAHAHA!!!
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[info]crinklequirk wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 06:18 am (UTC)
Here comes the competition! ; D
I've got that review up, Jim - and it's got the picture! Though I'm emailing you the one with the proper dimensions, as you specified 640x480.

Here's the post:
http://crinklequirk.livejournal.com/35577.html

Good luck, everyone!

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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 01:25 pm (UTC)
Re: Here comes the competition! ; D
Got the e-mail. Thank you for both the review and the picture! I'm going to have to show that one to my superhero-loving son :-)
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[info]crinklequirk wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 03:50 pm (UTC)
Re: Here comes the competition! ; D
Don't all little kids - especially boys - love Batman and all the rest? Lol. Hope he enjoys it. :)
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[info]crinklequirk wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 04:23 pm (UTC)
Re: Here comes the competition! ; D
Cross-posted review to my MySpace (under my handle) - always good to spread the word of a good book!
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[info]gelsey wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 09:55 pm (UTC)
I am planning on entering a picture... but I have to wait for my brother to get home O.o Because really, it has to be of him and our dog. Yes. That is on the schedule for tomorrow, provided they both decide to cooperate.
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 26th, 2008 11:17 pm (UTC)
Can't wait to see it! :-)
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[info]gelsey wrote:
Nov. 29th, 2008 02:14 am (UTC)
Too much fun. You're lucky I managed to restrain myself to three once I got start ;)
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[info]exapno wrote:
Nov. 27th, 2008 01:23 am (UTC)
First 2 sent....should have at least one more on Friday :)
Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
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[info]jimhines wrote:
Nov. 27th, 2008 01:34 am (UTC)
Got 'em. Much fun! Thanks, and looking forward to #3! :-)
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( 43 comments — Leave a comment )