Monday 31 March 2014

Last Day of the Chapter Book Challenge #ChaBooCha

Today is our very last day of the Chapter Book Challenge, so how did you do? Did you manage to write a complete first draft? Congratulations if you did, but, if you didn't, don't feel like you failed, because the simple fact is that as long as you wrote more this month than you would have done if you hadn't participated in the challenge, then you have done wonderfully!

I will be finishing my first draft by tonight (the deadline). I have about 1,000 words or so left to write, so I know I can do it. I think my story will be a bit longer when I do my revising though, because there is some work I need to do on my sub-plot, but that doesn't make this draft any less complete.

If you found, like I did, that new story ideas started to plague you while you were in the midst of writing this one, you can always join the Blog Your Book in 30 Days challenge. It is running concurrently with Camp NaNoWriMo, starting on April 1st and ending on April 30th, and it's a simple matter to combine the two. There will be one prize drawing every week during the challenge and, for those who sign up for it and actually write something every day on their blog (either a chapter of their book, an excerpt of their book or just something about their book), there will be a drawing for a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate.

If you have won a prize during ChaBooCha, please e-mail me with your name and mailing address, so I can get those prizes sent out.


For those of you who are new to ChaBooCha this year, let me tell you a little bit about something we started last year. Running this challenge is fun and rewarding, and though I know most of you would join even without the prizes being offered, I love rewarding people with prizes and I think it makes things a little more fun. But buying and sending out prizes can be expensive, so last year, we created two anthologies which helped towards the cost of this year's prizes. Someday, maybe we will make enough from the anthologies to do some advertising and do even more exciting things with the challenge. Last year, the anthologies were "Teapot Tales: A Collection of Unique Fairy Tales" and "Jingle Bells: Tales of Holiday Spirit from Around the World." The Teapot Tales anthologies are only open to Chapter Book Challenge members who are officially signed-up, but the holiday anthologies are open to everyone.


This year, we are creating two more anthologies: "Teapot Tales: Pirates, Mermaids and Monsters of the Sea" and "Ghostly Echoes: Spooky Tales from Around the World." You can aim your stories at middle grade children, YA, or even adult as long as you keep the stories kid-friendly. Check out my publishing press, Melusine Muse Press, for more information about the anthologies (and other anthologies) as well as submission guidelines.

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Give-away!


We have one last give-away to do. Chapter Book Challenge member and regional ambassador Melissa Gijsbers Khalinsky has kindly offered to send one lucky member a copy of the children's book "Once Upon a Slime: 45 Fun Ways to Get Writing Fast!" by Andy Griffiths. All you have to do to enter is to comment on this post by this Friday at noon GMT on April 14th. Must be a signed up member of the challenge to qualify. I will announce the winner on April 14th, but as of April 1st, you will no longer be receiving e-mails of these blog posts in your e-mail, so check back on the 14th to see if you've won!

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Winners!

We have several prizes to be awarded today.



First off: a paperback copy of "The Talisman Chronicles." Winner may choose either the black and white interior version or the color interior version. Winner was chosen by a random number generator. And the winner is:

Wendy Greenley!
Congratulations, Wendy!

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Next: a paperback copy of "The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Attributes" by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. Winner was chosen by a random number generator. And the winner is:

Linda Schueler!

Congratulations, Linda!

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Next: a paperback copy of "You Can Write Children's Books" (second edition) by Writers Digest. Winner was chosen by a random number generator. And the winner is:

Melissa Gijsbers Khalinsky!


Congratulations, Melissa! 

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Next: a copy of "Writing Habit Mastery: How to Write 2,000 Words a Day and Forever Cure Writer's Block" by S. J. Scott. Winner was chosen by a random number generator. And the winner is:

Kelly Vavala!

Congratulations, Kelly!

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Next: a ChaBooCha keychain. Winner was chosen by a random number generator. And the winner is:

Cecilia Clark!

Congratulations, Cecilia!

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And now for the really big drawing. Who is going to win the grand prize of a Kindle (Wi-Fi, 6" Display)? Winner was chosen by a random number generator from a selection that included everyone signed up for the challenge. And the winner is:

Dani Duck!

Congratulations, Dani!


To everyone who won a prize during the challenge: I am not always the most prompt at getting prizes mailed out, but be patient and you will eventually get your prize! And a big congratulations to you all!


Contact me if you would like to buy a ChaBooCha keychain. If enough people want one, I will make a special order of them.

17 comments:

  1. YAY!! I finished! A funny thing happened to my chapter book… it grew legs and took on a life of its own, but I went with it and now have a middle grade novel that I love. I will spend the next few days revising bits and pieces of it as a few areas are flat and need to be ramped up… then it will sit on the backburner for a couple of months before I begin an in-depth revision.

    I also revised two picture books… one of which I sent out to the March 12 x 12 agent and received an email that she is passing on it. I knew I should have sent her the other one… an historical PB, Hope Hangs By a Thread.

    Thank you Rebecca for doing this again. I will definitely be here next year. Hope everyone has had a wonderful time writing up a storm, I know I did!

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  2. Congratulations to all the winners and finishers of this challenge!

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  3. Yay! I am glad that I won the book that I did, because I love "The Emotion Thesaurus". But I am an even bigger winner, because I got my draft done. Congratulations to all the other winners too.

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  4. Hooray! Congratulations to all the prize winners. Congratulations to all the writers who persevered long enough to read this post.

    I am typing in the last of my hand-written notes today. I usually write a bit more as I do and there is one passage of dialogue I intentionally skipped. So, once that is done, I will have drafted my first chapter book! A huge thank-you to all who made this possible.

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    1. Thank you Joanne! And congrats on your first chapter book!!

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  5. YaY to everyone who took the challenge whether you won or not! The important thing is you challenged yourself!

    Congrads to Wendy, Linda, Melissa, Kelly, Cecilia, and Dani! Write on!

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  6. I wrote a reply earlier but didn't seem to show up....apologize if you see it twice!! Becky and Melissa thank you both so much for a great month of posts! I found all of them to be inspirational! Even though I did not complete the challenge, thank you for your words, if you wrote more this month than before...then your still a winner! I love how each and everyone of you in this group offer great advice and words of encouragement! You are all GREAT!! Thank you for my WIN, someone must have known I really need that book about writing every day!

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  7. Wow! The Talisman Chronicles looks amazing. I would be thrilled with either version (although I bet the kids art looks better in color!). My "first" chapter book ended up being a picture book, and the second is only a new outline so I'm not going to be a winner this year. But I read all the posts and put my BIC to write every day, learning what might "work" and what didn't. I don't have any sea or scary tales yet, but I will try to write one!

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  8. Thank you Becky and Melissa this was my first time with the challenge. I found the posts informative and inspirational. The Facebook site was also full of interesting and helpful suggestions. I am glad it will continue throughout the year. I finished my chapter book at 14,000 words and am debating whether it needs one additional chapter and how to start the next chapter book as it wants to be a series. Thanks again for the motivation and encouragement.

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  9. This was a great challenge and I agree with you Becky, even though I finished on time I know there is so much to do to make it polished, like more character depth, scene setting, did I put enough at stake, etc...
    Congratulations to all the winners and I was so love to win a copy of Once Upon A Slime. My daughter brough it back from the library once and she loved it. :-)

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  10. Thanks Becky for running such an awesome month. It's amazing how much more productive you can be when there is a deadline. Once again excellent posts and amazing prizes. Well done everyone!

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  11. Wooohooo to alll the winners. fab challange! See you next year...not really... see u on fb wall

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  12. This was such an awesome event this year. I'm so glad I participated! Yes, I won a Kindle, but I'm more excited that I wrote 25,052 words this month. *faints* Thank you so much for this event Becky! Thank you to everyone who participated and wrote posts for this event. It was legen... wait for it... dary!

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  13. Congratulations to everyone who won prizes. I have greatly enjoyed participating the Chapter Book Challenge. It has helped me get back on track on a novel I have been wanting to work on. It is a joy and inspiration to see everyone's progress and reaching their goals! Thank you Becky and everyone! I'm happy I got to be part of the group! :D

    Best,

    Jules

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  14. Congrats to everyone that took part, whether you finished or not; even a little writing is more than you had before.

    congrats to the prize winners too :)

    and thanks to Becky for organising it :) AS well as to all the guest bloggers :D

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  15. congratulations everyone and enjoy all the editing that takes your story one step closer to print. :)

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