Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Mixing Fun with a Dash of Inspiration

What's more fun than making cookies with grandma? Contests! Well, maybe not AS fun, but when you're too old to make cookies with grandma anymore and eating them adds to those love handles, stomach and behind, you need fun that doesn't involve food. That's where this blog post comes in. There are a few cool contests that I wanted to point out to my friends and a really great guest blog by Elana Johnson that you all should read as well. First, to the contests:

Sara B. Larson is giving away a first edition of the new Stephanie Meyers book! We're all hearing great things about Bree. You can enter her contest here.

This contest sounds both cool AND fun. GREAT combination. It starts Thursday morning at 6am. You submit the first line of your novel. If it makes them want to read more, you get invited to share your next line. And so on. The winners will benefit greatly (Natalie Fischer of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency will judge and offer a 25-page manuscript critique to the 1st place winner, a 10-page manuscript critique to the 2nd place winner - how amazing is that!?! But wait, there's more...you have to go there to read the more for yourself) Please share with us if you make it past your opening line so that we can celebrate along with you!

Shannon Whitney is giving away an autographed copy of The Body Finder AND some cool swag here.


An almost contest:

Jen at unedited has almost reached 500 followers. When she does reach that magical number, she will be having a contest of some sort to celebrate. Jen always has FUN contests (see the videos below). She also has a really great blog so you benefit by following in more ways than one. Show her some love, people!


An upcoming contest:
I will be having a contest for our July theme. I've decided the months need themes. We borrowed Jolies MIS - Make It Shine - for the month of June. Let's come up with one for July. I'll do a separate thread for that next week so that people can submit their ideas to that thread. Winner will get their choice of a $15 Starbucks giftcard or Borders giftcard. It's not much but it's 4 grande Skinny Vanilla Lattes or a paperback book and 3/4s at Borders. I run a nonprofit. I have to stretch my budget if I plan to do this every month. MIF - Make It Fun!


Last, but not least, Elana Johnson popped over to Sara B. Larson's blog and laid out her numbers for us. FINISH STRONG was her advice. I found it inspirational and wanted to share. I know we all go through those times where we start to question our own sanity or our ability to make it. This is the perfect post for those times!

Enjoy!

3 comments:

  1. Elana is so full of the awesome. :)

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  2. I loved Elana's post. I was so inspired. And encouraged.

    I can't wait for Jen to reach 500, she's pretty awesome (and totally deserves 500!).

    By the way, your profile picture is gorgeous! I was a bit of a creep and stared at it for a minute - it was just so pretty!

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  3. Elana is so full of awesome and covered in awesome sauce, Lola!

    Not a creep, Melissa. You made my day. I stare at the picture sometimes, but my thoughts are always - "your face is too long, your smile is too goofy, your arms look like sausage logs." It really did capture my personaltiy though. I tripped on the stairs and the photographer felt inspired by my clumsiness. She flaired out the dress and took pictures! This happens to be everyone's favorite picture. Thanks for the kind words.

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