The Serial Killer's Wife Giveaway

So that's what was in the mail today, ten copies of The Serial Killer's Wife (which is now available) and the proof copy of The Calling (which is not yet available).

It's cool to have the actual physical book, I guess, though it doesn't really mean much. After all, the reason self-published writers never made much money in the past is because there is no distribution. Bookstores don't normally carry self-published books. And self-published books printed by CreateSpace? Don't even think about it. So it's very unlikely any of these self-published books will ever appear in bookstores. The only way they can be sold is a) via Amazon or b) via me hand-selling them at some conference or convention, which can become a very big pain in the ass and could, most likely, not even be worth my time.

So why even bother?

Well, because readers prefer the choice between electronic and print, that's why. And because it's not really a big deal when it's all said and done -- the print on demand aspect makes it so I don't have to rent out a warehouse or at least clear out a space in my house for extra books. If someone wants to buy the book, they can order the book and CreateSpace prints a copy and ships it. Simple as that.

I am going to try something, though, which may be successful but will most likely fail, which is to offer the option to order a copy directly through me so I can personally inscribe and sign the book. The cost would be retail (for TSKW that's $13.95) plus an extra dollar for shipping in the US, for anywhere outside the US ... email me.

So if you live in the US and are interested in a inscribed signed copy of The Serial Killer's Wife, you can PayPal me at robert (at) robertswartwood (dot) com with $14.95 and I'll ship one out. If you're outside the US, email me first to see how much more shipping will be (probably only an extra buck or two).

Or, if you're in the US, you could always sign up for five free copies that I'm giving away at Goodreads.

A "Multiplicity" Contest

The Best of Every Day Fiction Three is now available, which features my story "Multiplicity" along with 99 other fine stories published last year at Every Day Fiction, including stories by K.C. Ball, Gay Degani, Ben Loory, Aaron Polson, and many more. Many thanks to Camille Gooderham Campbell and Steven Smethurst and Carol Clark for including me. The anthology comes in two formats, hardcover and trade paperback, which you can purchase here. Or, if you'd like, you can win a free signed copy from me.

Last year when I gave away a copy of The Best of Every Day Fiction Two, I tried to do it as a Twitter giveaway. That had mixed results. So this year I've decided to keep it simple. You know how in high school you would take those math classes and always ask when you'll ever need to know any of those equations in real life? Well, here you go. If you'd like a chance to win a copy, simply enter some kind of mathematical equation in the comments section. That's it. The crazier the equation, the better, though honestly at the end of the week a random name will be picked. This contest runs until the midnight Friday EST. Have fun!

And The Winners Are ...

First, I want to thank everyone for helping spread the word and participating in the contest. We had an amazing turnout this year, with just under 650 stories submitted, which isn’t too bad considering the contest was open for just two weeks. The past two years there have been 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners and two honorable mentions; this year we're changing it up and only awarding one winner and one runner-up. Before I get to them, though, I did mention that I would be giving away copies of the Hint Fiction anthology signed by a number of the contributors at this past year's AWP. Besides the winner and runner-up, these three writers were randomly selected: Tracy Gonzalez, Fred Osuna, and Aisha Sultan.

Now, without further adieu, chosen by Joyce Carol Oates …

Winner:

HERO by Trenton Orris 

They remembered him for the battles he fought in. She remembered him in the rocking chair on the porch at sunset, withered, telling fairy tales.

Runner-Up:

THE FORTUNE TELLER by Lis Anna 

“Can you contact the dead?”

I pull a photo out of my back pocket.

She stares then hands it back. “He ain’t dead, honeypie.”

Congratulations to the winner and runner-up! And thanks once again to everyone who participated. I hope you had fun.

Hint Fiction Contest The Third

In one more day, Hint Fiction will turn two years old. Hard to believe that what originally started as a not-so-serious essay which was intended to be read by only a handful of people turned into something this big. After all, Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer came out in November to very positive reviews. It was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday with Scott Simon. It was chosen as one of The Nervous Breakdown’s favorite books of the year. And the Gotham Writer's Workshop featured Hint Fiction as their writing contest this past fall. So yes, a lot has happened in the past two years, and to celebrate Hint Fiction's continuing success, we're having another contest!

First, what is Hint Fiction? Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s infamous six-word story — “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn” — Hint Fiction is a story of 25 words or fewer that suggests a larger, more complex story. These are complete stories that hint at a larger story, not a first sentence or random sentence plucked from a larger work thinly disguised as a story. To see examples, look at the past two years' winners and finalists (2009 and 2010), or check out examples of my own Hint Fiction. Or, better yet, read the anthology.

This Year's Judge:

Two years ago the very first Hint Fiction contest was judged by Stewart O'Nan. Last year it was judged by James Frey. This year? Why, this year's judge is the legendary Joyce Carol Oates, who really needs no introduction (though I will mention that her story in the Hint Fiction anthology was the much-loved "The Widow's First Year").

Prizes:

• The first place winner will receive $100; the second place winner will receive $50; the third place winner will receive $25. The first place winner will also receive a slew of  journals and anthologies donated by a handful of publishers:
  • a copy of The Best of Every Day Fiction Three, donated by editor Camille Gooderham Campbell
  • a copy of PANK, donated by editor Roxane Gay
  • a copy of The Emerson Review, donated by editor Doug Paul Case
  • a copy of Dark Sky Magazine, donated by editor Kevin Murphy
  • a copy of Monkeybicycle, donated by editor Steven Seighman
  • a copy of A Thousand Faces, donated by editor Frank Byrns
• All runners-up will also receive a copy of the Hint Fiction anthology, signed by over a dozen contributors, including Benjamin Percy, Michael Martone, Edith Pearlman, Randall Brown, Roxane Gay, and more.

Rules:

The contest starts now and will take entries until midnight April 30th eastern time. There is no entry fee. You are allowed to submit up to two stories of no more than twenty-five words each in the comments section of this post or, if you would prefer, in the alternative submission form below. (The submission form is for those writers who do not wish for their stories to be publicly read or who have concerns that, because the stories will appear in the comments section of this blog, they will be considered published. I personally don't think it's a problem, but I don't want to leave anyone out, so the submission form is an alterative.) Any writer who submits more than two stories will be disqualified. If submitting two stories, submit them at the same time. At the end of this contest, all submitted stories will be deleted from the comments section. No reprints. Titles are not required but encouraged, as they can create an extra layer to the story. Winners will be contacted by email and announced here. In the meantime, "like" Hint Fiction on Facebook or follow Hint Fiction on Twitter for any and all Hint-related news. Have fun!

Spooky Nook Giveaway Contest

The Calling -- which I announced last week -- won't be available until April, so for now I present you with a "prequel of sorts" called Spooky Nook. The 10,000-word novelette tells the story of Kevin Parker, a writer whose wife has been missing for eight months, who encounters a familiar old woman with an odd request -- a request that will introduce him to a surprising evil.

While Spooky Nook is connected to The Calling, the novelette is meant to be a standalone story. Readers do not need to read one to enjoy the other. However, included after the story is a special sneak preview of The Calling, featuring the prologue and first three chapters.

Spooky Nook can be downloaded for $0.99 at the following places:

• Kindle (US)
• Kindle (UK)
• Nook
• Smashwords

Some fun facts:

• The term "first novel" is thrown around a lot (many "first novels" are really second, third, even fifth novels), but The Calling is in fact my first completed novel. I originally wrote it back in college and, through the years, have tweaked parts of it here and there. Many writers eventually become embarrassed by their first novels, but I have always had a soft spot for it, and that's why I'm making it available soon as an e-book. Spooky Nook was always supposed to be a "prequel of sorts" to The Calling, the idea being that the novelette could be released a few months before the novel to gain reader interest.
• Spooky Nook was written in 2005, back before there were Kindles or Nooks, so no, this is not a story about a haunted e-book reader. (Come on, you know you were thinking it.)
• The novelette's working title was "Anna and Stephen King." That's all I'm saying about that. Except that it now brings me to our giveaway contest.

Prizes:

• 1st place: Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished by Rocky Wood with David Rawsthorne & Norma Blackburn, published by Cemetery Dance. This oversized signed limited edition slipcased book originally retailed for $75 and is out of print. (Note: this is not signed by Stephen King)
• Runner-up: Oblivion by Jay R. Bonansinga, published by Cemetery Dance. This is a signed limited edition that originally retailed for $40 and is out of print.
• Runner-up: She Wakes by Jack Ketchum, published by Cemetery Dance. This is a signed limited edition that originally retailed for $40 and is out of print.

Contest rules:

To enter, purchase a digital copy of Spooky Nook and e-mail your receipt to robert [at] robertswartwood [dot] com (paying with a Tweet or Facebook does not make you eligible for the contest). This will throw your name into the virtual hat. To increase your odds of winning, you can do the following:

• Link back to this post via Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. The more places, the better.
• Review Spooky Nook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Smashwords, and any other suitable place. The more places, the better. Please note this means honest reviews.
• Mark Spooky Nook as to-read at Goodreads.
• Review any of my three other e-books -- The Silver Ring, Through the Guts of a Beggar, In Solemn Shades of Endless Night -- at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Smashwords, and any other suitable place. The more places, the better. Please note again this means honest reviews. You do not have to purchase any of the e-books to review them (there are Pay With A Tweet or Facebook badges on each page), but if you feel the undying need to purchase them, feel free.

For each of the above, include the links in the comment section of this post. Try to nest all your links together if possible. The contest ends March 31st, midnight EST, and the 1st place winner and two runners-up will be e-mailed shortly afterward and announced here on the site. Good luck, and have fun.