Friday, April 22, 2011

Our Second Blogiversary, a Critique Giveaway, and a Special Poem!

Hooray! Today is our Second Blogiversary!

Where does the time go? Can you believe it's been two years since we launched this blog? Once again, we will celebrate by giving you, our loyal readers, a present:

Our Second Annual TeachingAuthors Critique Giveaway!

Full details are posted below. But first, since today is also Poetry Friday, I'd like to share a special blogiversary poem by my amazingly talented co-blogger April Halprin Wayland. If you'd like to read the story behind this poem, along with more of April's Poetry Month poetry, visit her website. And don't forget to check out today's Poetry Friday roundup at the Book Aunt blog.


      OUR  BLOGIVERSARY!
      by April Halprin Wayland

     We six who ride our blog horse here
     are rather like that Paul Revere

     “One if by land, two if by sea,”
     was revolution's poetry

     We TeachingAuthors gallop, too,
     to share our lantern light with you

     we aim to help, support and cheer
     so you can write with joy, not fear

     in this New Land: Kidlitosphere

(c) 2011 April Halprin Wayland, all rights reserved

And now for our Giveaway Details:
For our blogiversary last year, we offered our first ever critique giveaway. This year we decided the best way to "help, support and cheer" would be to do it again. Only this time, TWO winners will have their choice of a critique of one of the following by a TeachingAuthor:
  • fiction picture book up to 750 words
  • nonfiction picture book up to 1000 words
  • first five pages of a novel (chapter book, middle grade, or young adult novel): up to 1250 words
  • poetry: up to 16 lines, 12-point font (1-2 poems)
  • magazine short story: up to 800 words 
  • synopsis of a middle grade or young adult novel: up to two pages max, single-spaced, 12-point font (Note: only one winner may choose this prize.)
Contest rules:
Since the manuscripts will be submitted via email, this giveaway will be open to all our readers worldwide. However, be sure to read the rules below carefully before entering:
  1. This giveaway is for our readers. Therefore, to qualify, you must follow us via Google Friend connect, Facebook/Networked Blogs, or as an email subscriber. If you are not already a follower, subscribe via one of the links in the sidebar before you enter. (We will verify that you're a follower!)
  2. Post a comment saying how you follow us for one entry. If you are an email subscriber, you must also provide your email address in your comment. Be sure to indicate which type of critique you'd like to win, too.
  3. You may receive one bonus entry by helping to spread the word about this giveaway via a blog post, Tweet, or Facebook link. As proof, you must post a second comment containing a link to your blog post, Twitter address, or Facebook wall.
  4. No more than two entries per person. All entries must be as comments to today's post.
  5. Entry deadline is 11 pm (CST) Tuesday, May 17, 2011.
  6. The winner will be determined using the random number generator at Random.org, and will be announced Wednesday, May 18. 
Please note: your manuscript must be formatted in the same way you would to submit it to an editor or agent: in a standard 12-point font on 8 1/2 x 11" paper with one inch margins. For more on manuscript format, see this article.

After we have identified the winners, we will assign the appropriate TeachingAuthor to each critique. That TeachingAuthor will contact the winner via email regarding the submission procedure.

If you'd like to read about our qualifications before submitting your entry, see our "About Us" page.

Important: Feedback and comments to the winner from the TeachingAuthor cannot be used as an endorsement in any way.

That's it! If I've left out something important, feel free to ask questions in your comments.
Good luck to all, and happy writing!
Carmela

69 comments:

Unknown said...

Happy Blogiversary! Love the poem!

I follow you via facebook and would love to win a critique by one of the Teaching Authors.

Unknown said...

Oops! The comment above is from Kim Hutmacher, not the entire Wild About Nature blogging team.

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks, Kim. And hooray for being the first to register for the giveaway!

Robyn Campbell said...

I became a follower on your blog, through Google Friend Connect. I'd love a picture book critique. :-)

Robyn Campbell said...

I posted on facebook. Here's the link:

Facebook

The Pen and Ink Blogspot said...

Love the poem. Last year on our Blogiversary, we gave away critiques also. And we were privileged to see some amazing work. This year we will be doing it again. But I think I like your approach better.
We'd love to win a critique

Louann Brown said...

Hello Teaching Authors! I'm an email follower. I look forward to your inspiring posts and save my favorites in a file. I'd love to win a pb crit.

Leslie Gorin said...

Oooh...there's NaNoWriMo, and NaPiBoWriWee, so would this now be OuSeAnTeAuCriGi? (Our Second Annual TeachingAuthors Critique Giveaway?)

Whatever it is, I'd be thrilled to receive my first chapter book critique from you. I follow you via email,and enjoy it. Thank you!

Books4Learning said...

Love your bloganniversary poem!

Lynne_Marie said...

I am a Facebook follower and would be thrilled with a critique of my picture book. Thanks for the opportunity <3

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks for all the entries, and the compliments on April's poem. Leslie, I love "OuSeAnTeAuCriGi" :-)
Good luck to you all!

Sandy Brehl said...

I follow on email, recommend this blog regularly, and will tweet about the anniversary/give-away next (give me a few minutes to get to it...). All of the above reduce my chances to win a fiction PB critique, but still... I want other writers to know about this great resource! Fave part of blogs- such wisdom and great writing sparks. Second fave- your wonderful links, always really helpful!
*Crossing fingers* @PBWorkshop

Lee Wind, M.Ed. said...

Hurray! Congratulations to you all - and thanks for sharing The celebration poem - "revolution's poetry" - nice!
Namaste,
Lee

Anonymous said...

I follow you by email and recently add to my Facebook page. I will love to have a critique for my fiction picture book. Enid Figueroa(jimenezfigueroa@comcast.net)

April Halprin Wayland said...

Thanks for all your enthusiastic comments! Words, words...aren't we lucky to be bathing in them?!?

Unknown said...

I happened upon you in the SCBWII postings- love your blog and your enthusiasm for kidlit.

Suzanne Slade said...

Happy Anniversary! I follow you on Google Friends under the name AuthorMom. I'd love to win a 5-page critique of a MG chapter book. Thanks! Suzanne

Mary Lee said...

Congratulations and GREAT blogiversary poem! Paul Revere and Kidliosphere -- BRILLIANT!

Anonymous said...

I am an email follower, and, living in Canada, I am super excited to finally be able to take part in a contest!!
I would be interested in a picture book critique.
Lindsay (ltgalloway@gmail.com)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Sorry to have missed so much of the past two years, but I look forward to enjoying so much more of the future with you :)

Anonymous said...

And for the bonus...
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=516290328

Thanks again!

(ltgalloway@gmail.com)

Annette Gulati said...

I'm a Google Friend, and I'd love a PB fiction critique. Happy Anniversary!

BlancheBaxter said...

I saw Carmela's post in the SCBWI Discussion Boards. Happy Blogiversary! Wonderful poem and incredible blog!
I follow you on Facebook/Google Friend Connect, and
I'd love a PB Critique from one of the Teaching Authors!
Happy Writing!

BlancheBaxter said...

Here's my bonus posting link...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=735634468
Glad to share with all my writer friends! :)
Blessings,
Blanche
baxterblanche@gmail.com

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks for entering our contest, ladies, and for helping to spread the word on Facebook.

maryannjanecka said...

I follow you through Google and would like a PB critique

Alice said...

Although I have you bookmarked, I wasn't officially following. I am official now on Google.

Love the poem, and Congrats on two years in the blogosphere!

I would like the YA crit.

Thanks for this opportunity.

Alice said...

I know entry is only twice. But I added it to my facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1180029605

And to my blog, here:

http://unpolishedwords.blogspot.com/

On my blog it's along the right side under my list of AWESOME giveaways and Tink.

Megan K. Bickel said...

Happy Blogiversary! How wonderful! I'm a google friend connect follower and I'd love to win the fiction PB critique. I'll blog about it tomorrow and come back with the link! Great opportunity!

B.N.Lippy said...

I follow your blog and would love a pb critique. I am reposting the info on twitter @bnlippy.

Thanks for the giveaway and happy anniversary!!!

Carla said...

Happy Blogiversary! I follow your blog and would love a fiction PB critique!

Carla

Carla said...

I also posted about your giveaway on Twitter. http://twitter.com/?_twitter_noscript=1#!/CarlaINHouston

Carla

Joanna Cooke said...

I follow you as an email subscriber. I'd love a picture book critique. What a great idea!

Travis said...

I just started following your blog and I'd would love a Poetry critique. Thanks!

http://pagetwentysix.blogspot.com/

Amy L V said...

Happy blogiversary!

I follow you on Google and posted on facebook!

Yours,
Amy


verification - mists (!)

Anonymous said...

This is the link for my Bonus:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=593744666

jimenezfigueroa@comcast.net

Linda said...

Happy Blogiversary! I would love to win a poetry critique. I follow you on Google Reader and subscribe through email. ldkulp@gmail.com
Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

I'm an email subscriber who would love to win a PB crit.Happy Blogoversery!!

Anonymous said...

And I tweeted here:

http://twitter.com/#!/debamarshall/status/65160698170314752

Yes, that time spelling blogiversary the right way!

sally said...

I follow you on Google and Network blogs and I subscribed by email ( sally at paraklesis dot come ).

If I win I'd like YA synopsis, or if that's already taken, then a crit of a poem would be nice.

thanks!

Anonymous said...

I just learned about your blogs/site! I would love to enter the drawing for a critique (first 5 pages of a chapter book).

My name is Ezra:

ewerb@hotmail.com

Thanks!!!

Anonymous said...

I follow through email. Thanks!
Mandy Yates
amanda.yates@vbschools.com

(This is a wonderful contest! I will submit the first 5 pages of a chapter book.)

Thanks!

Katie said...

I follow your blog via email. I would love a critique of a fiction picture book!

Katie said...

Sorry... forgot my email. kdcullinan at comcast dot net.

Anne said...

I follow your blog via e-mail and pass it along to other children's book writers every chance I get!
Many thanks to each of you for all you do for all of us!
I would love a picture book critique.
annebrentan@gmail.com

Karena said...

I follow you through email: ofairone@netzero.net Would love to win a ya novel critique! Thanks for the great inspiration!

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks for all the blogiversary good wishes, everyone, and for helping to spread the word about our contest. And a special welcome to all our new followers! Good luck to all.

Gail said...

I'd love to win a crit of the first five pages of my MG novel. I follow on Google Friend connect and I'm off to tweet!

Gail said...

Here's the link to my tweet:
http://twitter.com/#!/teachrgail

Megan K. Bickel said...

Finally got my blog post up about it too! The link:
http://megankbickel.blogspot.com/2011/05/couple-of-critiques.html

Lynne_Marie said...

I posted the link on my Children's Author Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/pages/Childrens-Author-Lynne-Marie/104180572963748

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity!

Julie Hedlund said...

What a great contest! I now follow you and here is the link to my tweet about the contest. Thanks for the opportunity!

http://twitter.com/#!/jafhedlund/status/67960385713618944

Unknown said...

I'd love to win a critique. Thanks for hosting a contest. I'm your newest google friend follower.

Best,
Lois
Life of Lois

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks for entering, ladies, and for helping to spread the word. Good luck to all!

Trisha said...

Cool contest, thanks for hosting it! :) Congrats on your blogoversary btw! :)

I've followed this blog (Google Friend Connect), and if I did win I would take the first 5 pages of my novel critique (it's middle grade).

Christie Wright Wild said...

Follow via GFC. Would love to win PB critique. Fiction. Congrats on your 2-yr bloggiversary.

Christie Wright Wild said...

Just tweeted on twitter for second point.

ChristieWild Christie Wright Wild
Teaching Authors--6 Children's Authors Who Also Teach Writing: Our Second Blogiversary, a Critique Giveaway, and ... teachingauthors.com/2011/04/our-se…

@ChristieWild

Karol Ruth Silverstein said...

I've read your blog off and on (usually when there's a link in the SCBWI Listserve) but now signed up to follow Teaching Authors via Facebook.

I'd love to win the synopsis critique, as it will prompt me to get going on a brand new middle grade novel I've been wanting to write.

Looking forward to the post about a favorite tree from childhood (I had a few) but it doesn't seem to be up yet...

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/KarolRuthSilverstein

Karol Ruth Silverstein said...

Loved the favorite childhood tree post and found "my tree" (which my sister and I called Antonio) on Google Earth. Posted the pic and a link to the Teaching Author's post on Facebook (sort of for a 2nd entry in the blogiversary contest but also just for fun).


http://www.facebook.com/KarolRuthSilverstein

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks for entering, and for helping to spread the word, Karol. That's so cool about finding your tree on Google Earth. :-)

Grillyfish said...

Happy Blogiversary! I have started following you on Google Friends Connect and tweeted about the competition here

http://twitter.com/KathleenIsaac

I would love to have a fiction picture book critique! :)

Anonymous said...

I am a new follower, just signed up to get email updates, I'd love to have someone check out a poem!

Anonymous said...

Also I posted a link to your site on facebook...
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=528096150

and my email address is andrew.parks@sympatico.ca

Thanks for this opportunity!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

And I just tweeted all over myself too: http://twitter.com/#!/VW_Cali

Unknown said...

Wow! I bought my first ever copy of the Children's Writers Market this evening and found your blog--I love Glogging! A critique of a picture book would be very much a gift! Thanks, Carmela! You are sitting on my google home page @ jules.rolfe@gmail.com.

mary said...

Two years and still going strong! Congratulations! But I'm not surprised at all. You always have such interesting, informative, and entertaining posts. I'd love to win this giveaway and submit the first five pages of a middle grade novel.
Mary

Sarah said...

Happy Blogiversary! I follow you via e-mail and have picked up a plenty of useful information.

I'd love to win a fiction picture book critique.

My e-mail is homerhob@aol.com

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

I'm a follower and would like the novel crit. :)

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

And I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/jjhoutman/status/70594138768285696