About the Book Contest
We all know how important that cover copy can be in selling a book, whether it is a physical book jacket you are reading or the “About the Book” entry on an eBook retail site.
Upload your work-in-progress and describe it on Book Country to enter our contest for a chance to win a Discover Publishing Package, a great eBook publishing option that includes services such as eBook formatting and cover design help, BookStubs and Marketing Copy Polish.
Entries will be judged on writing style, clarity, grammar and book premise/originality. If your book were already published and you could glimpse at the back-cover copy, what would it say? Put that in your About the Book on Book Country!
We recommend that you consult professional copywriter Carly Hoogendyk's blog post on how to write an "About the Book" for some great tips.
How to Enter:
The Fine Print in a Nutshell:
Enter for the opportunity to win:
A Discover Publishing Package, which includes manuscript upload; formatting and correction service; DIY formatting and layout; retail distribution; ISBN assignment; in–text image insertion; custom cover design; marketing copy polish; free e-book; book stubs x10 (gift cards containing codes for free downloads of your e-book); and 85% author earnings. (ARV = $249.00)
No purchase necessary.
Open to residents of the fifty United States, and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older.
Contest begins February 25, 2014. Entries must be received no later than March 18, 2014, 11.59:59 PM Eastern Time (ET).
Entries will be judged on writing style, clarity, grammar and book premise/originality, with equal weight being given to each criterion, and one winner will be selected on or about April 7, 2014.
Void where prohibited by law.
Official Rules for the
Book Country About the Book
Contest
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT ENHANCE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WIN.
Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older
HOW TO ENTER
1. If you are not a member of Book Country, go to www.bookcountry.com to sign up. To enter the Book Country About the Book Contest (the “Contest”), you must log in, go to My Dashboard (under the Read & Review tab), click on “Workshop a Book” and upload your manuscript. In the About the Book section of your Book Details, please write a description of your book. You must make the description sound as if it is the back cover copy of a real published book. The description cannot be longer than 2,000 characters. Once you have written your description, saved it and posted it, please copy and paste the URL of your manuscript’s Book Details page (the page where community members can visit to read and review your book) to the Contest entry page, and include your first and last name and title of your book.
2. Contest begins February 25, 2014, and all entries must be received no later than March 18, 2014, 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time. Limit one entry per person and per email account. The sole determinant of time for the purposes of receipt of a valid entry will be the computer servers of Book Country, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC (“Sponsor”). Proof of transmission (screenshots or captures, etc.) does not constitute proof of receipt.
3. Entries will not be returned. By entering the Contest, contestants agree to abide by these rules, and represent and warrant that the entries are their own and original creations, and do not violate or infringe the rights, including, without limitation, copyrights, trademark rights or rights of publicity/privacy, of any third party.
4. Entries are void if they are in whole or in part illegible or incomplete. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for late, lost, incomplete, illegible or misdirected e-mail entries.
5. Sponsor and its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies are not responsible for technical, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest which may limit the ability to play or participate, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized holder of the email account.
JUDGING
1. On or about April 7, 2014, one (1) winner will be selected by a qualified panel of judges chosen by Sponsor.
2. Entries will be judged on writing style, clarity, grammar and book premise/originality, with equal weight being given to each criterion. The decisions of the Sponsor with respect to the selection of the winners, and in regard to all matter relating to this Contest, shall be final and binding.
3. Winner will be notified via email.
PRIZE
1. One (1) winner will receive a Discover Publishing Package, which includes manuscript upload; formatting and correction service; DIY formatting and layout; retail distribution; ISBN assignment; in–text image insertion; custom cover design; marketing copy polish; free e-book; book stubs x10 (gift cards containing codes for free downloads of your e-book); and 85% author earnings. Approximate Retail Value = $249.00. For more details, go to https://www.bookcountry.com/Publish/Packages/Discover.aspx.
2. In the event that there is an insufficient number of qualified entries or if the Sponsor determines in its absolute discretion that no or too few entries meet the quality standards established to award the prizes, Sponsor reserves the right not to award the prize.
ELIGIBILITY
Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older. Employees of Sponsor and its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates or other parties in any way involved in the development, production or distribution of this Sweepstakes, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible to participate in the Contest. Void where prohibited by law. All state and local restrictions apply.
GENERAL
1. No cash substitution, transfer or assignment of prize allowed. In the event of the unavailability of a prize or prizes, Sponsor may substitute a prize or prizes of equal or greater value.
2. All expenses, including taxes (if any), related to receipt and use of prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.
3. Winner may be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release. The affidavit must be returned within fourteen (14) days of notification or winner will forfeit their prize and another winner will be selected. Should the ARV equal or exceed $600.00, winners shall be required to provide a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to Sponsor for issuance of a 1099 Form.
4. By accepting the prize the winner grants to Sponsor the right to edit, publish, copy, display and otherwise use his/her entry in connection with this Contest, including posting his/her winning About the Book entry on the Book Country blog, and to further use his/her name, likeness and biographical information in advertising and promotional materials, without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.
5. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. By competing in this Contest and/or accepting a prize, entrants release Sponsor, its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies, or the agencies of any of them and the authors and/or editors of any books promoted hereby from any and all liability for any loss harm, injuries, damages, cost or expenses arising out of or relating to participation in this Contest or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL THE RELEASED PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, ATTORNEYS’ FEES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES.
6. Any dispute arising from this Contest will be determined according to the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and by entering the entrants consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New York County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.
WINNER INFORMATION
For the name of the winner, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by September 30, 2014 to Book Country Marketing, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014, Attention: Book Country About the Book Contest Winners List.
SPONSOR
Book Country
A member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC
345 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10014