Monday, April 13, 2009

New Contest for Ballads of Suburbia ARCs!

When I got home from my trip to Seattle on Thursday night (photo blog of my vacation will be forthcoming sometime this week), I found this waiting for me:


What is that you ask (seeing as the photo is a little blurry)? Why it's a box full of Advanced Review Copies of my new book BALLADS OF SUBURBIA! And those ARCs need homes!

ARCs are probably the second most exciting part after getting the real book. They are filled with errors (there is a font change that happened in BOS on page 315 that shouldn't have actually happened until page 318, and things are not italicized that should be, etc), which makes them extra special collectors editions. This time around my ARCs don't have the official cover (its a sign of the economy I believe), which was sorta sad, but will make the finished books even more special.

Anyway I think in total I've have about 10 to 15 of them to give away over the next few months through various contests. And your first chance to win one begins now!!!!

Here's the deal. Now that I have ARCs it means it's getting to be time to start promoting Ballads, so I need fun widgets and banners to help spread the word. I'm not technically inclined in that way and my webmistress is overworked soooooo CONTEST TIME!

I want a cool widget (or two!) for Ballads. Jeri Smith-Ready has some amazing ones for her next book BAD TO THE BONE (which is sooooooooooo good BTW) located here. I like how she has a place where you can click to buy (for Ballads you would use this link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439102821?ie=UTF8&tag=stephaniekueh-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439102821); a link to where you can find out all about the book (for Ballads it would be: http://www.stephaniekuehnert.com/ballads/index.html. Note that this link is not "live" yet, but will be when the widget goes up); and where to read the first chapter: (http://www.stephaniekuehnert.com/ballads/index.html#chap1). Of course she also has the release date and the release date for Ballads is July 21, 2009.

I don't have a cool little catch phrase for my book like she does for hers, but you can read the description of the book here (as well as grab the cover image to use for your widget) and maybe invent one? 

She doesn't have a countdown clock on hers, but I love countdown clocks so that would be an option.

Basically the thing is BE CREATIVE. Make me a cool widget, send the code, etc to stephanie at stephaniekuehnert dot com by 11:59 PM CST on Sunday April 19th, and if I choose yours (and as I said, I may pick more than one!), you will receive an ARC of Ballads. Sound good?

Now maybe (like me), you have no clue how to make a widget, but making a banner is more your thing. These are examples of the banners I had for IWBYJR. I need banners for Ballads too. So same instructions, same deadline, send me your banners and I'll pick one or more and if you design one that I choose, you get an ARC.

You can send me multiple entries, you can send me both widgets and banners, I want as much to choose from as possible! If you are technically inclined this is a great way to win yourself an ARC.

If you are not technically inclined, fear not, once we have widgets and banners, there will be a contest involving plastering the web with them. I know many of you had a lot of fun doing that for IWBYJR.

But first things first, I need widgets and banners! Please help!

Oh and unrelated, for the next book project I am working on, I need assistance with a character name. I'm trying to find a (semi-normal) male name that means Zeus or Jupiter. No ARCs as prizes for this one, but you will get thanked in the acknowledgments if I choose your name and the book gets published!

Okay, comment away, especially if you have questions about the contest. I'm kinda rushed so if I didn't explain well, I apologize!

10 comments:

Keri Mikulski said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! :)

Steph Su said...

Yes, congrats on getting your ARCs! I can't wait to read it. :)

Adele said...

Congrats - they look super pretty!

I lack tech know-how so I will stay away from the widget task. I wouldn't want to inadvertantly give you a virus (which would probably happen knowing my klutziness).

Names ummmm -
Zeus -
(similar) Rhys, Zed, Zeb, Wes, Gus, Zeke, Jesse
(meaning) Alexander

Jupiter -
(meaning)apparently Giove (which is Italian and useless) and the very helpful, Jup.

Baby name websites are bizarre.

Diana Dang said...

Congrats! =) Sadly I'm not not good with the graphic stuff so I shall wait for future contests!

But I got a semi-normal name for your character! Jovan! Here's the description behind the name: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Jovan

Liviania said...

Darn it, I'm bad at widgets and banners. Wait to plaster the net I probably shall.

Well, Dion/Deon/Dionne means "of Zeus." Alexander is "consort of Zeus/gift/protector of mankind." Zeno/Zenobius is "gift of Zeus." Zeus itself may mean "shine" or "sky." Some names that mean shine are Dai and Lleu. Sky/Skye can be a boy's name, as can sky meaning names like Ciel/Celso, Ava, and Kalani. Other sources say it might mean "living." Names meaning living include Chai and Gino (ever-living).

Julius means "Jupiter's child." The name Jupiter itself is derived from Jove, from which the name Jovan comes. Other related names are Jovanus and Jovani - which may be related to Giovanni (the Lord is gracious). (Jupiter itself = dyeus (Zeus) + pater (father)).

If you want a male name, here's several related to Jupiter:

GIULIANO m Italian
GIULIO m Italian
GYULA m Hungarian
IULIAN m Romanian
IULIU m Romanian
JOLYON m English (Rare)
JOOLS m & f English
JOVE m Roman Mythology
JULEK m Polish
JULEN m Basque
JULES (1) m French
JULES (2) f & m English
JULIÁN m Spanish
JULIAN m English, Polish, German
JULIEN m French
JULIJ m Slovene
JULIO m Spanish, Portuguese
JÚLIUS m Slovak
JULIUS m Ancient Roman, English, German
JULIUSZ m Polish
JULYAN m English (Rare)
JUPITER m Roman Mythology
YULI m Russian
YULIAN m Russian, Bulgarian
YULIY m Russian

Both are the "supreme god" so you might be able to use something like Fergus that means "the supreme man." You could also use the supreme god from another mythology, like Odin or Osiris.

Hope that helps!

Stephanie Kuehnert said...

Thanks for the congrats guys and for all the suggestions re: names. This character is supposed to represent Zeus/Jupiter so I need it to be as close to the meaning as possible. Actually considering naming him Jupiter.... But I kind of like Jove (suggested by Lora on Facebook), also Jovan (thanks Diana), and also Julien (thanks Liviania).

Damn I hope some people who want to do widgets and banners turn up. If you have friends/fellow bloggers who do them, please send them my way!

LisaMay said...

I am attempting to make a banner :)

mindy said...

looks great and thanks for the giveaway

samf36 said...

looks like a great book!!

Nickolay said...

That has to be a very exciting feeling to find the copies of your book sitting at your door. Sopunds good and thanks for the chance

jason@allworldautomotive.com