"MY GRANDMA IS ONE SMART COOKIE" CONTEST ENTRIES!

Here are the finalists - Who should win? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook - thanks!

ENTRY # 1

ENTRY #2

Entry #3

My grandma is a one smart cookie because she is funny and wise. She helps out on holidays and helps even if no one even asks. Therefore I think my grandma is a one smart cookie.              

WIN A KLU COLOR TABLET!

by entering the

MY GRANDMA IS “ONE SMART COOKIE” CONTEST!

              1 Lonely Teen Girl

      +  1 Deal with the Polish Spirit of Love

                  (courtesy of her one smart, spirit-conjuring grandmother, of course)

              2 Tasty Boys (and a whole batch of deception)

16-year-old Sophie Dumbrowski’s grandma is one smart cookie. How about yours?

Is your grandmother (alive or deceased) one smart cookie? Does she do amazing things for her community, your family, or her health?  Does she go out of her way to make your life better? Does she bake the best cookies in the world? Then tell the world about it!

To enter, all you need to do is submit a picture of your grandmother (alone, with you or your family, in action…whatever works!) and write a one to three sentence caption telling why she’s so smart / wonderful / generous/ (fill in the blank). Winners will be judged on the overall quality of the writing (conventions /word choice), the ability to make a connection to the reader, and having a clear photo that focuses on your grandmother. ENTRANTS AGES 13-21 WELCOME!

Captions should begin with “My grandma (NAME) is one smart cookie because…”

Send your picture and entry electronically to: kymbrunner@comcast.net with the subject: ONE SMART COOKIE CONTEST or enter online at http://kymbrunner.com

Must be received by January 15^th – Winner announced January 30th

All entries will be posted at http://www.kymbrunner.com

WIN A COLOR  KLU TABLET* AND

YOU’LL BE ONE SMART COOKIE, TOO!

*donated / no warranty / comes with charger

I Want To Name A Character in My Next Book....AFTER YOU!

I'm running a new giveaway on my Author Page. 

Not only will you win a signed copy of WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE . . . but you'll also be a character in my next book! 

You'll decide if the fictional version of you will be:

• good or evil 
• eccentric or hero
• nut job or normal 

LIVE OUT out your wildest dream version of YOU. 
ENTER HERE: http://tinyurl.com/muj48k5

Paying It Forward: Send me your First Five Pages and I'll Critique Them.

No matter if you're committed to traveling down the traditionally-published highway like I did, or publishing your novel on your own thoroughfare, the first five pages of your novel could make or break your reader's heart.

Knowing how much (or little) to tell, introducing the characters, and propelling the reader into your story all take finesse. Tell too much and the reader isn't intrigued enough to continue. Tell too little and the reader is bored.

In those first five pages, you need to:

• clearly introduce your protagonist: age, name, gender, hint of goal
• setting and time frame of your novel
• give us something intriguing to sample (but neither a meal nor only a morsel)
• set the tone of the novel

Finding the right balance between showing vs. telling, as well as tantalizing the reader so much that they NEED to read more, is a tough task. I'm not technically an expert, but I have been writing ten years, as well as teaching for twenty, and have been an avid reader my entire life. I know after the first five pages whether I'm hooked or bored and would love to give my honest feedback on your novel's intro. I'm PAYING IT FORWARD to thank all those who helped me on my journey.

No need to face the rejection chair!

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/agree-terms.php?id=100203696

Send your pages to kymbrunner@comcast.net. Limited to the first 20 writers. No strings attached! (But would love you to "LIKE" my author page so we can continue our online friendship. Thanks!) KYM

Vote on the HALF-DEAD SOCIETY logo!

Sometimes I think I write some seriously weird stuff and wonder if people who read it are going to scrunch up their faces and say, "What was she thinking?" (This happens a lot with my critique group).

Case in point:  in WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE (due out in May with Merit Press), I came up with a group of people who belong to the Half-Dead Society. Yup, you read that right.

The Half-Dead Society is a group of people who have someone dead sharing their bodies with them. Like inside of them. Living and coexisting as one. Creepy, huh?

This week, a fabulous writer-artist-friend of mine, Michael Kelly, designed a logo that I explain in my book. I can't tell you how cool it is to describe and see something in your head and have it come to life before your very eyes. (Kinda like the "Grow Your Own Boyfriend" kit I got as a white elephant gift from a colleague at my work Christmas party. Yes, I'm looking at you, Laura Jaeschke! Just one of the lovely things you can win!)

WHICH LOGO DO YOU LIKE BEST? 

The logo with the most votes will end up on my bookmark!

(Unless no one votes and then I'll close my eyes and point at the screen - very scientific!)

1. MAROON WITH GRAY TONES

2. MAROON WITH SKIN TONES

3. AQUA WITH GRAY TONES

4. AQUA WITH SKIN TONES

5. SLIME GREEN and RED

To be eligible to win the prize package of:

One "Grow A Boyfriend" kit (you know you want it)

One Bullet keychain (A real bullet! Everyone need this. It's significant in my novel)

One Wanted: Dead or In Love Sticky-Notes Notepad (oh yes!)
One bookmark with logo (you'll be the first! Amaze your friends!)
and
One Really Grateful Author (I'll put you on this list: GOOD-LOOKING PEOPLE I LIKE AND ADMIRE)

All you have to do is:

Vote in the comments (your name entered once)
Follow my Blog (your name entered twice) *There's a little blue sign "Follow This Site" on the left side of this blog to click and add your name OR you can subscribe by email - let me know in the comments.
Add Wanted: Dead or In Love to your Goodreads "Want to Read" List (name entered thrice!) Again, let me know in the comments if you did this. :)


THANKS to all who wandered in here (even if it was by accident!) I'll email you if you won so I can get your address. (US & Canada residents only for this one, unless shipping's less than five bucks. Vote and we'll see what happens. Hey - I'm from Chicago. Voting is always shady.) ;)

Catch you next time! KYM