Miscellaneous · Writing Tips

Contest News: One Week

Shannon A Thompson

It’s been one week since my young-adult novel, Minutes Before Sunset released, and it’s been an absolute adventure so far! Reviews are already popping up, and I’m happy to say I have a 4.8 star rating on Goodreads and 4.2 star rating on Amazon.

Two reviews from Amazon:

Screen Shot 2013-05-06 at 10.41.54 AM

I also received a review from upcoming author, Amber Skye Forbes. Read it here.

Back when I was self-publishing Minutes Before Sunset, I held a cover competition, because I love for my readers to be involved as much as possible with my pieces. In fact, the winning cover impressed my publisher so much, Autumn Fog Photography will be designing the cover for book 2 (releasing this Fall/Winter.) I’m excited, now that I have a publisher, and they’ve continued working with me, so I can keep giving back. So I have a new contest!

The paperback is in the final process, and below, you will see two book jackets. The only difference between the two is the back.

One has a longer description, the other has a shorter one (with two author reviews), but you also have the ability to vote for one yet created: one in-between (a description the size of one character and the reviews.)

Comment about which one you like, and one reader will win a free paperback while five others will win a free e-book version! All I ask is to comment (vote) and clarify which one (or both) you’d like to be qualified for. If you’ve already bought the e-book, you’re welcome to join the paperback competition, but please don’t join the e-book if you already have one.

Thank you for understanding and helping my publisher decide which jacket is the best to use for you all! 

Longer description book jacket
Longer description book jacket
Shorter description with author reviews
Shorter description with author reviews

Don’t forget that you can also vote for a third type (medium-length description + author reviews) 

As an extra, here’s the number one quote on Goodreads page:

“One moment of true happiness was worth all the moments of pain. (Jessica)”
Shannon A. Thompson, Minutes Before Sunset

~SAT

P.S. Looking forward to give back! And posting again this Friday about my poetry reading at the University of Kansas, today at 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

76 thoughts on “Contest News: One Week”

  2. I like the shorter description with author reviews. It gives away just enough to peak my curiosity and the reviews convince me that I have to read this book!
    And if I happen to win, I’d like the paperback copy! 🙂

    Reply

      1. I’m not entering the contest, just voting. I’m still old-schooling it and irrationally resisting the lure of the Kindle or Nook, so I’m buying the paperback as soon as you release it. Based on the reviews so far, it looks promising.

  5. I like the longer version. I would want to read it before buying the book. Forget reviews. For book #2, you can put reviews with a short version since you are out there already… I do want to read your book so you can enter me in both please 🙂

    Reply

  6. I prefer the longer version because it provides the “hook” that makes me want to read more (and I’ll have to buy the book to do that). Blurbs are nice and I consider them when I’m already a fan of the author giving the blurb, but by themselves they don’t entice me to buy. I would love to win either the paperback or the e-book version of your novel. Thanks! Wishing you continued success 🙂

    Reply

  7. Another vote for the long version. Aside from giving a more detailed sense of the story, visually I find it more appealing. Congrats on the great reviews!

    Reply

  8. Much prefer longer descriptions. I prefer to know as much about things before I pay for them. Looks very interesting. Please can I be entered for the eBook?

    Reply

  9. From the perspective of someone wandering the bookstore, I like the shorter version. It’s more eye-catching and doesn’t look like it would take long to get the concept of the book. The reviews give it a sense of professionalism and vetting, so even without reading the reviews, I know the book has jumped through some hoops.

    Reply

  11. The shorter one is my preference. I think someone physically looking at it in a bookstore will want short and sweet – like a one sentence log line. I believe marketers of advertising say it is less than 20 seconds you really have to grab their attention. You can keep the longer version online like Amazon where readers will take more time to read it.

    Reply

  12. Definitely the shorter one. I think most people want that “quick fix” when choosing a book, or choosing anything really. It’s kinda like a tweet on the cover of your book! I’d love the paperback If I’m a winner. Thanks, in advance 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you for voting! Do you want to be in the raffle? And the inside sleeve comes with a hardback version, which we might be looking into for when the rest of the series is released ;]
      ~SAT

      Reply

      2. Thank you 😀
        There’s a raffle for a free copy of the paperback and/or the eBook. I only ask not to be in the eBook if you already have one.
        ~SAT

  15. I’m in favor of the longer description. I like more information about a book’s contents. And yes, paperback raffle please. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Pingback: SUCKER, FREE! (Get it?) | Sucker Literary

  17. I like the shorter one. It doesn’t give too much away. It makes the reader want to read it and know what more there is to the story. I would like to be entered to win both the paperback and ebook copy.

    Reply

  22. I vote for the third-type because I like seeing a preview of what I’m about to read as well as a bit of recommendation from other authors especially if I just happen to pass by it in the bookstore 🙂 But even the cover alone draws me in already! I’d like to be entered in the ebook raffle please 🙂 and congratulations on your book! 🙂

    Reply

  23. I like the shorter one…it makes for quicker book store choices. I also think it looks “cleaner.” (Maybe that’s just the minimalist in me talking.)

    I’d love to be entered for both, if that’s possible. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you for voting :] I have you down for both! The only thing I didn’t want was people entering the ebook competition if they already owned a copy (that way, more people can have the opportunity to read the novel.)
      ~SAT

      Reply

  25. I honestly prefer the full description one. The smaller description is very intriguing as well, but when I’m picking out a book, the description is a huge decision maker for me. That being said, I know I would choose this book no matter which cover it has.. it sounds great!

    Reply

  26. I would have to go with the third option. The long one is too long. When I’m browsing in the bookshop I don’t want it to take too long for me to read a description. But the short one is too short. It doesn’t really tell me enough about the book. And although I’m not too fond of the look of author reviews, it gives it a kind of… Official feel too it.
    And of course, congratulations to the book release! So fun to follow, and inspiring.
    E-book 🙂

    Reply

  27. Shannon, I love the way you promote your books and develop a readership. Just following your blog is an education! Congratulations on all you’ve achieved so far!. May I add that my book, “Unforgiving” is a finalist in the Chanticleer Journey Competition for memoir writing. Keep up the good work!! Margaret Jean Adam author: “Unforgiving: The Memoir of an Asperger Teen”.

    Date: Wed, 8 May 2013 05:02:46 +0000 To: m_florczak@hotmail.com

    Reply

  28. Thanks for the opportunity to put in a ‘two cents worth’!

    I really like the shorter version, and agree that it gives just enough information to get my curiosity going.

    I would like to be entered in both draws.

    Reply

  31. I think, having just glanced at your twitter feed, that I’m probably too late for this (connection issues interfering 😉 ) so by way of showing support – congratulations btw – I think you’re awesome! – I think both versions are great, but torn between the two as I am, I think on balance I’d probably choose the shorter version. I actually do read reviews and they can be very telling. I enjoyed the longer version because it’s always good to learn more about your potential read, but the shorter version did an amazing job of piquing my curiosity and filling me with intrigue! I have a pretty wild imagination at times (usually the wrong times lol!) and this version left me hungry to find out more 🙂 I’d love to purchase the e-reader version but I have a Kindle Fire not a Nook!! Help!!! 😉

    Reply

    1. Thank you for being so sweet! Glad to connect here and on Twitter. And it’s not too late 😀 You’re in the raffle. Winners will be announced at midnight tonight.
      And “Minutes Before Sunset” is available for Kindle. (Amazon)

      Hope that helps!
      ~SAT

      Reply

      1. Great! Need some cool reading material 😉 Amazon thinks so too judging by the amount of suggestions it deposits in my inbox daily! Thanks 🙂 And I get to go in the raffle! Excellent! Was sure it was too late 🙂 Result 😀

  32. Is it midnight yet? Whether I can be entered in the contest or not, I liked the longer description. I enjoy getting a good sense of what the book will be about – and I’m definitely intrigued!

    Reply
  33. Pingback: Contest Winners and Poetry From My KU Reading | Shannon A Thompson

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