Contest | Cathy C. Hall Writes

I’m SO excited to share the winners of the Big Bang B & N Followers Contest with you! And I have the names right…um, had the names here, just a minute ago.

Hmmmm…Not to worry, I know they’re here somewhere. Let me just move this HUGE book and Cathy-on-a-Stick, and Eureka!

But before I post the winners (and you know your eyes just dropped down to scan the names), I want to say thank you to everyone who signed on as a new follower. I hope you’ll come back and visit often. Especially because you may win sometime in the future. I have another contest coming up soon, and you’re going to love the prize! Okay, okay, moving on…

The winning NEW follower (who shall receive a $20 gift card from Barnes and Noble)…Jodi!

Now, as it happens, Jodi signed up after I posted an announcement about the contest on the Premium Green boards. So, technically, she was sent by, um, me. It didn’t seem too sporting to win my own contest, so I threw the names into random.org again and came up with the next new follower.

The winning blogger who sent that follower my way (and who shall also receive a $20 gift card from Barnes and Noble)…Stacy!

But then, I spun the names of all those folks who graciously wrote a blog post, promoting my contest. I SO appreciated all y’all (as we say in the South) taking the time to help me meet my goal (and honestly, anything over 90 was gravy!). There were TEN bloggers mixing it up on random.org, by the way. THANK YOU!

The winning blogger who posted about the contest (who shall receive a $10 gift card from Barnes and Noble)…Madeline!

So, Jodi, Stacy and Madeline, I’ll need your address in order to send you a gift card. And I’ll send the gift cards right out. Um, as soon as I find them.

Before I commence to gentle musing, I have a bit of a loud shout:

YOU ONLY HAVE TILL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO ENTER THE JANUARY BIG BANG CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A BARNES AND NOBLE GIFT CARD.

Now, on to (quieter) publishing subjects and such.

My good friend, Donna, over at Donna’s Book Pub, interviewed Linda Fisher on the subject of publishing (Linda edited and pubbed a recent anthology, A Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas). Linda also gives details about a submission opportunity at Mozark Press. You’ll want to read the whole thing for inside tips to getting your work published. Then you’ll want to submit. So zip over there now.

Wait! Not now, now. After you read the next publishing subject. To wit, the very BIG, very jam-packed book I just purchased called Jeff Herman’s Guide to Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents.

I’m not kidding about the size of this book. It’s as thick as…well, let’s just say you could use it as a booster seat. I’m plowing into it this week as Book 1 on my list of writing books to read this year. I thought I’d better start in January if I have any hopes of completing it. And I’ll share interesting tidbits as I go.

So, Tidbit One: “As someone who was young and is presently less young, I will confirm that nothings beats lessons learned from direct experience, especially those instances that carve humility into our know-it-all hides.” From Jeff Herman’s introduction

Amen to that, Jeff. You and I shall get along swimmingly. And one more note here. If you’re looking to purchase Jeff’s book, please choose carefully. I almost picked up the 2010 edition rather than the 2011 edition! The publishing world changes every day and you want to get the latest news, so make certain the cover reads “2011.”

Now we all have brilliant writing to produce, or contests to win, so I’ll end my musings and get back to work. Oh, and now, you can zip over to Donna’s Book Pub!