Category Archives: Contest/Survey

Not One but TWO Tree Contests for Christmas!

bob-photo-3Here in our cozy book store, we are quite partial to trees on so many levels, from our favorite artists’ renditions of local trees to the trees outside the window, to, of course, the raw material for the lovely books on the shelves.  So for the holidays, we celebrate trees again this year with TWO contests.

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The Storybook Tree has become a tradition, and I love adding relevant ornaments.  All you have to do to enter is come up with ten children’s stories (or nursery rhymes, poems, or in a pinch, movies) that relate to the ornaments on the tree.  Easy.  There are no right or wrong answers, and in fact I enjoy seeing what springs to mind for some people.  It is really fun for multigenerational groups too!  We’ll draw the lucky winners from the entries on the last day of the year, and you can enter every time you come in, so your chances are great!

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The second tree contest is BIGGER and  better too!  With every $25 in purchases you receive an entry ticket for a lovely 4″ Blue Spruce from Chalfant Big Trees.  Or you can purchase chances for $5 each.  You could have the perfect Christmas tree in your yard for years to come if you win this one!   We will hold that drawing on the last day of the year too, and will deliver it to you if you are in the general Bishopy area.  I’m working on some bookish decorations too, we’ll see how that turns out, but in either case it is a gorgeous $150 tree, so don’t miss out on this drawing.

Storybook Tree Gift Certificate Drawing

photoYou have to come in for this contest, so please plan on stopping by!  Check out our Storybook Christmas Tree with ornaments that represent different Childrens’ Books.  List at least 10 book titles and throw your entry in the pot for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate at the end of December.  Although I had specific books in mind when I chose these ornaments, there are no right or wrong answers, we love to see your creative ideas!

Of course you are welcome to do some Christmas shopping while you are here!

 

And the Winner is: A Tie!

Well we have two winners to announce for the 2013 Best Romance Cover – our tie goes to the covers with apron strings and no ties at all, or The Undercover Cook, and The Christmas Heiress.  I completely underestimated the romantic quality of a man cooking in an apron, or maybe it was the heroine’s rosy cheeks that won over men and women?!  The Heiress brings some romantic luxury with the fur and a nice mysterious quality,  apparently it is not considered to politically incorrect to be romantic! 

Thank you all for playing, it is always fun for us to see how this contest plays out! 

Time for Romance – Our Annual "Best" Romance Novel Cover Contest

While selecting books for our shelves, we find SO many romance novel covers that are just, well, over the top and make us smile.  This year, I’ve been setting aside so many for our favorite contest, that I ended up with SIX contestants.  The common theme, I’ve decided is the remarkable textiles!  Sure there is a lot of skin, and we know a great dress is essential for a romance heroine, but check out the amazing use of texture on these cover models!

Contest Rules:  You may vote for your favorite COVER (honestly you don’t have to read the book), once every visit or once per day on line if you choose.   On February 28, we tally up the votes and declare a winner for the year.  From all the votes, we randomly draw the winner of a $25 gift certificate.  It is definitely your chance to judge a book by the cover!

Here are the contestants:

#1     Seduced by Grace by Jennifer Blake – note the lovely orange tapestry in contrast with the billowy white pirate shirt….

#2    Promise Me by Elaine Kane – another billowy white pirate shirt, paired with a lovely pink satin and white lace gown.  The kicker is the coordinating pink roses though….

#3   The Christmas Heiress by Adrienne Basso – You may have to see this one in person to appreciate the fur, snuggling up in that is definitely romantic!

#4   Silver Angel by Johanna Lindsey – A “vintage” cover style for sure, although it is only from 1988!  Love that  platinum blonde hair three miles long, and translucent harem dress…

#5  Undercover Cook by Jeannie Watt:  This one is for all of you who think a man (or woman I guess)  is sexiest in an apron –  that is a romantic outfit you can truly appreciate!

#6  A Kiss at Midnight – by Eloise James :  This one takes the whole Cinderella look to a new level, blue ball gown, glass slipper and all!

Don’t forget if all this cover appreciation inspires you, Romance paperbacks are all only $2 in February.  Everyone needs to read a happy ending once in a while, or all the time right?

New Storybook Tree Contest!

Okay the bucket for entries is in place!  All you have to do is write TEN children’s book titles that correspond to the ornaments on our Storybook Tree, along with your name and contact number on an official slip of paper.  Your list goes into the bucket, and we will draw for a $25 Gift Certificate on the SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, or December 31 for those  Chrismas tradition challenged folks….

Some ornaments are very, very easy, so everyone can figure out 10 I know.  Some are more obscure.  My first contestant just came up with some amazing possible links that I never considered before; Call of the Wild or Twilight?  Yes they both have wolves and would work just fine!

Best Ever Romance Cover – The Winner!

Did you enter your vote for the “best” romance cover of 2011?  Actually we featured covers from 1953, 1962, and today’s artwork…and the winner was the contemporary squeeze for a historical romance featured on Bronwyn Scott’s Pickpocket Countess. And the second place winner, by ONLY 1 VOTE, was the vintage Rage to Love.   I’m thinking bare chested Cowboys may need the spotlight in 2012, I have a couple set aside already!

It’s February and the perfect time to warm up with  a little romance!  For the second year, we’ve saved some of the most inspired of romance novel covers for you to review and vote on your favorite….all  for the chance to win a $25 store Gift Certificate! 

What started as a silly idea last year when I wanted a reason to display some entertaining pirate covers, turned out to be just a lot of fun as customers described their “reasons” behind their votes!  Believe me, you do not have to share your reasons, that is up to you, but we did enjoy hearing some of them!   What makes a cover the “best ever”?  That is also entirely up to you.  And you don’t have to read (or admit to reading) any of the steamy ones to participate either!  Of course we will have a waiting list if you DO want to read one of the candidate books!

Here are the 2011 Cover Candidates:

#1 Pickpocket Countess

#2 Buccaneer’s Revenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3 Defy the Thunder

#4 Warrior of the Sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#5 Rage to Love

You may  submit your vote as a comment to this blog if you wish.  Otherwise come in and drop your entry in the basket for an (anonymous) chance to win great prizes!  And did I mention that all romance novel paperbacks are only $2 this month?  What a deal!  Happy Romance Reading!

Diane

January Contest – Win, Win, Win!

This month we are going to try a survey as our contest, we’ll randomly pick a winner from those of you who comment with a response to the question. If chosen, you will Win! Win! Win! a $25 gift certificate from the store!

Seems everyone I’ve talked to this week either gave or recieved a Kindle or other ebook reader for Christmas.  Official predictions say that book stores (like record stores) will be obsolete in 5 years….Survey question is:

Do you think ebooks will replace physical (paper) books? And to what degree in the next 5 years?

Thanks for your input, and patronage, in 2010.  May 2011 be blessed for all of you!

Diane