Eclectic Closet Litblog, Book Reviews & Knitting Designs

A litblog dedicated to book reviews/recommendations, as well as literary and publishing news. Now enhanced with knitting designs.

Just over two weeks left in the Hidden Treasures Contest!

July27

Welcome to anyone arriving here via the BookClubs.ca BooksBuzz!

Have you picked out a book (or books) to read and review as part of the Hidden Treasures contest? If not, what are you waiting for? There are so many great prizes on offer, courtesy of some great publishing houses and authors. There’s even a prize just for Canadian reviewers (you must be a resident of Canada to qualify)!

In case you’re wondering, you don’t have to pick a book from the reading list. You can read anything you deem a “hidden treasure,” that is, any book which has never appeared on a bestseller list and is published by a royalty-paying publisher. So hit your local independent bookstore, the library or even a used bookstore. Enter early and often and get the word out on some overlooked gems.

For anyone who missed my original post, Susan at West of Mars is having another contest and this time, as well as helping to promote it, I’m giving everyone lots of notice. This summer’s theme is Hidden Treasures of fiction; books or authors who have never gotten near the Best-seller list (any of them) but who you think deserve to be. So review your own books, your best friend, or that weird guy around the corner who happened to write a brilliant book (even if you cross the street when you see him coming) or that deserving author you’ve been keeping secret. Our hope is that this contest will help promote middle-list authors who are often overlooked in favour of the blockbuster novels and hopefully boost the authors’ sales.

The contest runs from July 15 – August 15, so pick up a hidden treasure, savour it and then share it with the world.

Here are the rules:

1. Find a book that’s a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn’t made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers’ websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don’t want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

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Hidden Treasures Contest Reminder

July8

I’m off to the cottage for a few days – relaxing with good friends and reading, my two favourite activities. I’m taking along a few “hidden treasures” to read and post for the West of Mars contest. What I’m reading will remain a surprise until I post the reviews, so instead of telling you what I’ll be reading I’m going to ask the question of you – my faithful readers. Have you picked out a book (or books) to read and review as part of the Hidden Treasures contest? If not, what are you waiting for? There are so many great prizes on offer, courtesy of some great publishing houses and authors. There’s even a prize just for Canadian reviewers (you must be a resident of Canada to qualify)!

In case you’re wondering, you don’t have to pick a book from the reading list. You can read anything you deem a “hidden treasure,” that is, any book which has never appeared on a bestseller list and is published by a royalty-paying publisher. So hit your local independent bookstore, the library or even a used bookstore. Enter early and often and get the word out on some overlooked gems.

The contest runs from July 15 – August 15, so pick up a hidden treasure, savour it and then share it with the world.

For anyone who may have missed my original notice, I’ll repeat the rules below:

1. Find a book that’s a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn’t made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers’ websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don’t want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

posted under contest | No Comments »

Summer Contest – Hidden Treasures of Fiction

June15

Susan at West of Mars is having another contest and this time I’m giving all of you lots of notice. This summer’s theme is Hidden Treasures of fiction; books or authors who have never gotten near the Best-seller list (any of them) but who you think deserve to be. So review your own books, your best friend, or that weird guy around the corner who happened to write a brilliant book (even if you cross the street when you see him coming) or that deserving author you’ve been keeping secret. Our hope is that this contest will help promote middle-list authors who are often overlooked in favour of the blockbuster novels and hopefully boost the authors’ sales.

The rules are simple:
1. Find a book that’s a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn’t made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers’ websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don’t want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

Pretty simple right? So spend the next month deciding on your book(s) and I look forward to reading your reviews.

posted under contest | 5 Comments »

Debut a Debut Contest

February11


Just a reminder that the “Debut a Debut Contest” begins tomorrow. All the details can be found here.

My aim to post a review each day this week as my participation in this contest. If you are participating in the contest, please leave a link in the comments so I can enjoy your reviews.

posted under contest | 6 Comments »

Contest Notice – Debut a Debut

January31


West of Mars (my friend Susan) and her friend Erica are hosting a fantastic contest aptly named “Debut a Debut.” You can find all the details here however the basic details are this:

How to Enter
1. Buy, find, or borrow a novel that is an author’s debut.
2. Read the novel.
3. Write a review. It does not have to be a professional review. Provide a brief plot synopsis and then mention your likes or dislikes or other thoughts you had while reading.
4. Post the review online – either on a website or blog (reviews at BookCrossing or Gather would certainly count) between February 12th and 17th.
5. Send the permalink of the post to West of Mars or Writing Aspirations in an email message or post a comment to the main contest post with a link to your review.

I was amazed when I reviewed the list to see how many debut novels I’ve read in the past year. Here’s a list with links to my reviews:

Albyn Leah Hall — The Rhythm of the Road

Diane Setterfield — The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

Jed Rubenfeld — The Interpretation of Murder

Julie K.L. Dam — Some Like it Haute

Keith Donohue — The Stolen Child

Melissa Clark — Swimming Upstream Slowly

Paul Cavanagh — After Helen

Sam Savage — Firmin

Tom McCarthy — Remainder

I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to read for this contest; however, a number of the titles are in my to be reviewed pile so I’ll have to go hunting.

Here’s my question for readers – are you going to participate and what are you planning to read?

Winner of the first Eclectic Closet contest!

September20

Thanks to Karen for the oh-so-gentle reminder that I forgot to post the winner. I’m not quite sure how that happened…

The winner of This is Not Chick Lit, picked by random number generator, is Kirsten at Nose in a Book. Congratulations!

Kirsten, drop me an email through my email listed in my profile and I’ll get your book out to you. Thank you to everyone who entered and shared their book choices, most enjoyable for me.

posted under contest | 3 Comments »

Last call for entries to the first Eclectic Closet contest

September13

The contest for a copy of the book This is Not Chick Lit closes on Friday, September 15. Please head on over and submit your entry now. I’ll announce the winner in a post on Monday, September 18.

This is a great collection of writing by strong, innovative women. Small Spiral Notebook has a wonderful roundtable discussion with Roxana Robinson, Samantha Hunt, Holiday Reinhorn and the collection’s editor, Elizabeth Merrick (thanks to BookSlut for pointing this out).

posted under contest | 1 Comment »

What I’m Reading Now and the first Eclectic Closet contest

August28

Taking a page from Danielle and Cam, I thought I’d do a run-down on what I’m in the midst of read and/or on my “must start in the next week” pile.

1. Some of the books longlisted for the Man Booker Prize: Sitting on my pile are The Secret River by Kate Grenville, The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson, and Get a Life by Nadine Gordimer.

2. Books for a feature article reviewing the new/upcoming books on Hurricane Katrina: The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkley, Path of Destruction by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein and The Ravaging Tide by Mike Tidwell.

3. Troubling Love by Elena Ferrante. I haven’t read any of Elena Ferrante’s work yet but this slender volume from Europa Editions looks fantastic.

4. Two novels to fulfill my role as a juror for ELLE Reader’s Jury, so I can vote on the Grand Prix winner for 2006 (I was part of the January 2006 jury).

5. The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist. This is getting so much good press, and I promised a review on it. Top pick for long weekend reading.

6. The Gardens of the Dead by William Brodrick. Review copy – from the author of The Sixth Lamentation.

7. Drina Bridge by Jim Bartley. This is one of the advance reading copies I received at BookExpo Canada and I’ve been eagerly anticipating a chance to read it. It’s finally neared the top of the “must read” pile, and I think I’m going to slip it in over the long weekend.

8. Before I Wake by Robert J. Wiersema. Another BookExpo Canada treasure.

9. Famous Writer’s School by Steven Carter. The last chapter is sealed in an envelope at the end…I love a puzzle.

10. A Thousand Barrels a Second: The Coming Oil Break Point and the Challenges Facing an Energy Dependent World by Peter Tertzakian. This has been on my review pile for a while, as I slowly work my way through it. I’m still processing my response to this challenging book and hope to finish the book, and review, this weekend.

11. This is Not Chick Lit: Original Stories by America’s Best Women Writers by Elizabeth Merrick.

CONTEST ALERT: I received two review copies of This is Not Chick Lit and decided it was time to hold my first contest. Here are the details – leave a comment here (including a link to your blog/website/profile so I have a way to contact you if you win) telling me your top pick out of what you’re currently reading and why. I’ll put all the entries in a hat on September 15 and pick the winner.

posted under contest | 14 Comments »

BOOK REVIEW: You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter by Carolyn Wilman "The Contest Queen"

July17

When I attended BookExpo Canada in June, I briefly met Carolyn Wilman aka “The Contest Queen” where she was promoting her book You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter, a how to guide on being a winner.

As anyone who reads this blog knows, this isn’t the usual type of book reviewed here. And no, it wasn’t the shamrock green bracelet I got that swayed me to read Wilman’s book. I was curious to get a look at her system, since she enters several thousand contests and sweepstakes a month!

I don’t win much as a rule, the largest probably being the $50 in groceries I won at the fall fair when I was 14 – not something too thrilling to a kid I might add. But here’s this woman who has won trips all over the world, a year’s supply of pizza and loads of DVDs and books.

Learning more on how to win free books is something I’m always interested in. Winning a trip may not be too bad but I’m not sure about free weed whackers or a year’s worth of diapers.

This is a specialized book, of interest to those who love entering contests and want to become, or may already be, dedicated “contestors,” Wilman’s spelling for someone who enters contests daily. She works through her system for tracking and entering online contests, the best ways to increase your odds, attracting luck, links to contest sites and a great deal of other helpful information. The information is provided in a logical format with many personal anecdotes to illustrate Wilman’s points.

I visited several of the sites mentioned in Wilman’s book and entered some relevant draws, looking for contests with short entry time periods to increase my odds. So far I haven’t had any results but I suspect that’s due to the contests still accepting applications – rather than Wilman’s advice!

The internet has opened up the field for contests and if you’re wary about contesting online, then this is a great resource to help you differentiate between scams and valid opportunities to win something. Wilman also offers a free bi-weekly eNewsletter with news and tips for her readers, which you can sign up for on her website.

This is the Canadian Edition, the American Edition is due out in October 2006.

ISBN10: 1419613286

Publisher: Imagination Edge Inc.
Publication Date: 2005
Binding: Trade Paperback
Author Website: contestqueen.com

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