World’s Coolest Christmas Gift from a Writer Contest
Or…The Dragon offers to write a personal novella for one lucky reader

During the month of November, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender will write a short novel…to your specifications. I’m participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and I want to make the fruits of my labor special for one lucky reader of mine. If you’re an established fan of Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, you know what a treat this will be. (Go ahead and say so in the comment field.)

Here’s what you win:
Sandy Lender writes a novella (20,000 to 50,000 words) in the genre of your choice, with your specifications as outlined on Sandy’s spec sheet, during the month of November. She will print up the novel and, if you wish, gift-wrap it for a Christmas present. She will mail it to the destination of your choice during the first week of December so there’s plenty of time for Christmas delivery.

Here’s how you enter:
From Oct. 1 through Oct. 24, visit Amazon.com, ArcheBooks.com, BookHitch.com, Barnes & Noble.com, or a local book store to purchase a copy of either of Sandy’s hardcover novels Choices Meant for Gods (2007) OR Choices Meant for Kings (2009). (These lovely hardcovers make great Christmas presents themselves…) Once you’ve completed your transaction, forward a copy of the receipt to sandy_lender at yahoo dot com with “Christmas Novel Contest” in the subject line. Sandy will draw the lucky winner from the pool o’ receipts on Sunday, Oct. 25, and contact that person by e-mail that day. (Yes, you may enter the contest more than once. Like if you buy CMFG and realize you’ve JUST GOT to read CMFK before you lose your mind figuring out “what happens next?”, send that receipt to me by midnight of Oct. 24. Or if you have 17 people on your Christmas list who need to read CMFK, by all means, send me 17 receipts. It’s e-mail so you’re not paying postage.)

Here’s how you give your specs once you’ve won:
On Sunday, Oct. 25, Sandy will send the congratulations message to the lucky winner along with a questionnaire. That questionnaire will ask you to select your short novel/novella’s genre as well as your main character’s defining qualities and name. You can see the questionnaire below. Please note that it allows you to specify whether this novel is for you or a gift for a friend. The winner MUST return this questionnaire to Sandy by Nov. 1, so start thinking about your specifications now. Wow…what kind of novel would YOU ask a traditionally published author to write you for Christmas?

Remember the rules? 1) Buy one of the hardcovers online. 2) Forward the receipt to Sandy at sandy_lender at yahoo dot com. 3) Start thinking now of your specs for the examples below. 4) Watch your e-mail Sunday, Oct. 25.

“Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”
Tags: Christmas contest, book contest, novel, prize, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, December, November, October

Excerpts From The Specification Sheet for
The Sandy Lender Christmas Novella Contest

Will this book be for you? ______ Or a gift for a friend? ______
Will the friend be a main character in the book? _____ Or am I just writing it for him/her?
Will YOU be a main character in the book? _____
Please answer the following questions for the person who will be receiving the book as a gift (whether that’s you or a friend).
Favorite type of music:
Favorite movie of all time:
Dogs or Cats?
Favorite “room” at a museum:
Do you have any objections to violence in your novel?
Would this character be afraid of snakes?
Favorite genre from these choices:
___ fantasy ___ sci-fi ___ horror
___ suspense/thriller ___ paranormal
Preferred rating for your novel from these choices:
____ PG ____ PG-13
What one thing are you deathly afraid of and that I should avoid putting in the novel?