Update: This contest is now closed and the winner has been notified. Thanks, everyone, for joining in!
My senior year at Baylor, I was in the throes of my Professional Writing degree. Every day was filled with literature classes, writing classes, and great gobs of time spent learning this craft.
My very favorite class in all my years at Baylor was that final year. It was titled Writing for the Popular Market, and the only assignment for the year was to write a novel.
That was the year I wrote the first draft of Like a River From Its Course.
There were only six or seven of us in the class, and we met weekly, sometimes at the campus coffee shop, with our fresh pages in two. Ten pages a week was the requirement, and we’d hand those slowly developing stories to the person on our right, and for the next hour we read, then offered one another constructive criticism.
This class was paramount to my career in that it taught me not only the skill of writing on a deadline, but also how to edit, how to offer someone helpful feedback, and how to take constructive criticism without taking it personally.
In an industry that requires a thick skin, I’m forever grateful for that year-long course.
As I prepare to officially launch #RiverNovel out into the world, I know that not everyone will love it. It won’t be some people’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. I am ready and prepared for the reviews – all of them, the good and bad.
Thankfully, so far all the reviews have been positive. In fact, I’ve been truly humbled and floored by the way people have fallen in love with the stories and the characters in my book. I’m honored to be able to share these stories, and relieved that it seems I’ve done a good job.
Every reviews helps in this cutthroat market of selling books, and so today I’d like to offer a little giveaway.
If you’ve read Like a River From Its Course, and you leave a review on Amazon, you will be entered to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon.
If you’ve already left your review, I know who you are and you’re already entered. Please just send me an email at rivernovelcontest(at)gmail(dot)com so that I have your contact information should you win (and I hope you do!).
If you haven’t finished the book yet, but plan to leave a review, awesome! Thank you! I’m going to pick a winner on Sunday so you still have time to finish.
And I want your honest reviews. Good or bad, you will be entered to win the gift card, so no pressure. Really! *wink*
I am genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, grateful for everyone who has taken the time to read this book so far. Thank you for celebrating this milestone with me. I am so honored to be on this journey, and to have so many cheering me on!
How to leave a review on Amazon:
Also, if you have not had a chance to order your book yet, Amazon is running low on stock already! What a good problem to have, right?!
The good news is, you can get the book several other places online including Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook.com, and Books-a-Million. I even noticed yesterday that you can order it at Walmart.com.
So basically I am taking over the world!
In the meantime, we’re working to get more books to Amazon as soon as possible.
Alright, so that’s it! Leave a review, and you’re entered to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon.com. Thanks to all and happy reviewing!!!
*one more wink*
