I started this blog to connect with others who love the writing craft, artists who struggle with balancing time with a day job, and those who love books for kids and teens.
April 20th marks my 1-year anniversary of blogging and after 200+ posts and 500+ comments, it’s been so much fun meeting other kindred spirits in cyberspace. So thanks to all of my RSS/Email subscribers, Novelista Followers, and Twitter buddies for visiting the blog. I really appreciate it!
To celebrate this milestone, I enlisted the help of my good writer friend, Rachel Renee Russell, the New York Times Bestselling author AND illustrator of the The Dork Diaries series.
Middle-grade fiction is my first love and this series is HILARIOUS! Like laugh out loud funny. The second book in the series, Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl arrives in bookstores on June 8th.
Here are the details of the giveaway:
One winner will receive an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Book 1, Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life.
The grand prize winner will receive copies of Book 1 AND Book 2 — both with a PERSONALIZED autograph.
As my god-daughter and all her friends can testify, this would make a GREAT summer gift for someone who loves the series (and there are MANY trust me).
There are three ways to enter (or do all of them to get better odds):
- Leave a comment and tell me about a milestone or anniversary that you’re proud of. (+1 entry)
- Become a new Novelista Follower by clicking on the blue Join This Site button located on the blog sidebar. If you’re already a Follower, leave a comment letting me know you want to enter the contest. (+1 entry)
- Follow me on Twitter. If you already follow me at @KarenMusings, tweet this blog post on your Twitter feed. (+1 entry)
I’ll be taking entries for the contest until May 1st at midnight (EDT). I’ll announce the winners on Monday, May 3rd so be sure to check back and see if you’ve won! Winners will receive their prizes after the Book 2 release on June 8th.
Thanks for helping me have a great first year of blogging!
It is the moment we have all been waiting for! It is time to announce the winner of the Books for Books Blog Contest!
Drumroll please! And the winner is . . . Ingrid Hawkinson for her comment about A Natural History of Western Trees by Donald Culross Peattie. Not only is this book overlooked, but her beautiful description of the book as “part field guide, part history book” truly captures the book’s essence. Congratulations Ingrid and thanks for your comment!
Now, for those of you who did not win, don’t fret! We are all winners. We have been able to share memories of our favorite overlooked and not-so-overlooked books. More importantly, thanks to everyone’s participation, we received a total of 280 comments and Fang Duff Kahn Publishers will donate 500 books to kids that need them most!
Thanks again to everyone who participated in the Books for Books Blog Contest. With your help, we are helping children in need experience the magic of owning their very own book.
We are just a few comments away from donating 500 books to children who need them most! Help us reach 250 comments in our Books for Books Blog Contest and, thanks to Fang Duff Kahn Publishers, you could win a copy of the latest title in the City Secret series–Books: The Essential Insider’s Guide.
Read more about the contest and share your favorite lessen-known book here. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon, so go ahead–post now!
Well, after more than a few attempts at trying to get my not so intelligent Mini Schnauzer, Junior, to paw a winner, I was forced to find another way to pick the winning number. Truly, my little dog is sweet in an interesting and pitiful way, but smart he's not.
I'm a day late at announcing the winner, so I opted for the quickest, yet fair way to choose. I simply asked my daughter to pick a number between 1 and 16. She picked number 8.
I will contact the winner today.
Thanks ever so much for playing along. I'll have another give-way shortly.
Kim
Garden Painter Art
Okay....the contest give-away is officially over.
To everyone who commented, I want to say "Thank You". I am so happy to see that there are folks out there that would like to win one of my art prints.
I will count up the comments, instruct Junior of his responsibilities as Master Of Ceremonies, and have a winner posted tomorrow afternoon.
Again, thanks ever so much for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Until Tomorrow:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
Good Morning:
I hope this entry finds you all well and looking forward to the beginning of Daylight-Saving Time this upcoming Sunday. It is always one of my most favorite days of the year!
This morning is the beginning of my weekend long contest. All you need to do is post a comment. Then, I will count the amount of comments, write the numbers down on little pieces of paper, and drop them on the floor. The piece of paper that Homer touches with her nose first will be the winning number. Does that make any sense at all?
The winning number will receive this:
It is a print of my original collage entitled "Rabbit's Curious Day". The image size measures 4" x 6" and there is a small white border about the image.
Enjoy:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
Hello There:
Just popping in to inform you that I am having a give-away starting tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. pacific standard time. It will run through Sunday evening until 5:00 p.m. pacific standard time. The contest winner will receive a print of my original collage entitled: "Rabbit's Curious Day". I will include a photo of the print in tomorrows blog entry. All you need to do is post a comment and the winner will be chosen randomly by none other than my very old dog Homer.
Stop by tomorrow if you'd like to be included in the contest.
Thanks so much:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
It's been almost two years since I started my blog with an article about leaving my place of employment. This post marks my 200th article and to celebrate and thank the many readers who stop by and leave comments I'm giving away an entire set prints (by yours truly). There are five in the set and they measure 10 x 13". Switch them up as the years pass, give some away or frame them. They are all individually cello packaged and signed by yours truly.
Enter from anywhere in the world (I'll priority post if the winner is Canadian or will arrange meet/pick up if you live in Edmonton, Alberta to make it a Christmas Present). All you need to do is leave a comment in this post. I'll randomly draw a name from the comments listed on Wednesday, December 17th and then contact the winner for their mailing address.
If you are interested in purchasing a print you may do so in my etsy store. All prints are all currently 50% off ($10 each plus shipping for a limited time only).
Thanks to all who participated in the contest. It is officially over and I will randomly pick a number and announce the winner tomorrow.
Again, thank you ever so much for taking the time to participate:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
Good Morning:
I woke up this morning in the mood to have a contest!!
I will do it the simple, old fahioned way, as I always do. Simply leave a comment. When the contest is over, my daughter will pick a number out of the hat. If the number picked matches the comment number, you win. I know, I know, I could use a randomizer, but I'm computer illiterate and it's too complicated for me to wrap my brain around, so the old hat is good for me!!
When the contest is over, I will contact the winner.
The contest will run through Sunday March 2nd, 8:00 p.m. pacific time.
The winner will receive this:
A 4" x 6" print of "Dancing Fiona". This is one of my favorite "Anthropomorphic Animal" pieces to date. She is happy and light-hearted.
Okay, let the contest begin:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
2.5 x 3.5
Oil pencil on board
Not for sale
This is a little piece I did for a private trading thing with some fellow pencil artists.
When I finished the painting I cracked open the cookie to read the fortune.
"YOU WILL SOON BE HONORED BY SOMEONE YOU RESPECT"
OK, bring it on!
Congratulations Karen on your anniversary. I think the book giveaway is a great idea. I read the first book and loved it. A milestone I am celebrating is writing for children. I have been putting it off and January 2009 I started learning the craft and growing. I am midstream with year 2 and I have won a few writing contest and am submitting pb’s and working on a MG novel of my own. I have learned alot in this last year.
Cool contest
Ok, I’m game. Let’s see, so, it’s weird, but it’s actually my blog anniversary this month too. I’m proud that I’ve made it a whole year on the blogosphere. I’m also proud of the fact that through blogging, I’ve found great support, critique partners and friends along the way. I think that’s all pretty cool.
I’m also an old follower. And when I say old, I mean, like, if you look at your followers widget, I’m way back at the beginning. See, even then I knew you were cool
Also, I’ll be tweeting your contest too. So that’s 3 points for me. Toodles!
Kristi: That’s a great milestone! Keep it up. Good things will come to you!
Tiana: Yes, we go WAY back! LOL. You have now got great odds! Happy Blog Anniversary to you too!
Okay, I’m totally in. Those books look so cute. I love middle grade! And congrats on blogging for a year!
For me, a milestone was actually starting to blog 4 months ago. Blogging was something I had convinced myself I didn’t really need to do, but once I did, am so thankful for all the fellow writers I’ve rubbed virtual shoulders with!
Yay, congrats on your anniversary! One milestone I’m happy about is finding my agent (it’s been almost a year). The whole publishing journey has been a struggle, but having her at my side has made it a lot more bearable.