Friday 11 December 2009

Win a unique prize from South Africa!

To celebrate Christmas and more than 150 posts on my blog I'm holding a contest.

There's three easy steps to enter your name in the draw and stand a chance to win one of five unique prizes from South Africa:

(1) Twitter about, or link a blogpost, to the competition (on a voluntary basis only - as long as you complete steps 2 & 3, you'll still be entered in the draw),

(2) Browse through the "Blog Topics" in the sidebar to the right, and

(3) List your favourite individual post (not topic) in the comments section below (otherwise your name won't be entered in the draw).

The winners will be drawn on 27th December 2009 and their names posted on this blog on 31st December 2009. Please note that by entering the competition you're agreeing to provide me with your postal address (which will be kept confidential) so that I can mail the winners their prize. I'll contact the winners privately after their names are drawn, and list links to their blogs when the competition results are announced on 31st December 2009.


The draw will be conducted by my husband Beric, assisted by Theodora the Cat (see left, sitting on my desk). All names in the comments section as at 08h00 27/12/2009, South African time, will be thrown into Theodora's (clean) food bowl and randomly selected by Beric.


The prizes are:



First Prize: Viva Afrika beaded salad servers (right). The ethnic beadwork is crafted by the women of the Ndebele tribe of Mpumalanga province. All the handmade beadwork is unique in design and colour, and the servers are silver-plated.






Second Prize: Hand beaded tray net made by the rural Zulu tribe in Kwa-Zulu Natal (left).








Third Prize: An adorable fluffy Leo, King of the Jungle, key ring (right). (Theodora the Cat insisted on including this prize!)









Fourth Prize: A beaded doll key-ring crafted by the Ndebele tribe (left).



Fifth Prize: A ball point pen in a beaded cover crafted by the Zulu tribe (left).
The next blog post will be on 31st December 2009 to announce the competition winners and provide a schedule of upcoming blog posts for 2010.
Remember to link the competition to your blog and leave your comment to be entered into the prize draw.

33 comments:

Lady Glamis said...

What a great contest! Actually, you just barely posted one of my favorite posts you've done. The Metaphor! I thought you did a great job with that. I know I didn't comment. I'm not blogging much these days, but I do look over the good stuff. :)

Metaphor is probably my favorite literary device. You outlined it well!

septembermom said...

This is a wonderful idea for a contest! Thanks Ann! I enjoy so many of your posts, but the one that stands out in my memory is your post about the sound of writing. Finding that authentic voice in your words can be exciting and challenging. I love how you always remind us to look at our writing carefully and thoughtfully. Ann, you encourage us to be "nurturers" of our verse and prose. I thank you for writing blog posts that help me refine and maybe even question my writing. Happy Friday Ann!

Davin Malasarn said...

Of course I browsed the writing tips section, and I immediately came across a post I remember being exceptionally useful! That was your post with the examples of different kinds of dialog. That one taught me a lot.

Congratulations on 150 posts, Ann! I always appreciate your thoughtful comments at Lit Lab too. :)

Debbie said...

What a lovely idea, Ann - nice sparkly gifts for Xmas! This blog is full of informative posts and fun posts and just let's relax posts. I'd have to say my fav is Flash Fiction.

Have a wonderful Xmas and see you at the other side of it

moonrat said...

great idea to help drive traffic, Ann! and the prizes are so cute :)

Robyn Campbell said...

I love the writing tips that you did a couple of months ago. Where you talked about setting realistic writing goals, and having a clear vision of your goals so that you can focus. That really helped me get my priorities straight. Now I have goals and a time set aside for writing all because of you.:)

I'm linking my blog back to yours Ann.

These prizes are wonderful. All of them. Exquisite! I'm counting on you Beric. And hey Theodora, I love cats! *grin*

Thanks for doing this Ann. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

How's the writing coming? Did you ever decide what to do about which story? When you were torn and wondering what to work on.

Robyn Campbell said...

Okay! Let me try that again. I retweeted your tweet, ain't it sweet? :) Have a happy day. :)

Helen Ginger said...

Fun contest with some exquisite prizes!

You may be surprised by my favorite post, since I blog about writing and publishing. I liked this one:
http://annvictor.blogspot.com/2009/01/social-diary-of-bush-safari.html

I have never been to South Africa and loved reading about your bush safari - sort of living vicariously.

I'm off to Twitter today's post!

Helen
Straight From Hel

Paul Greci said...

Hi Ann, I found your blog via Robyn's. When I heard South Africa that got my interest. Last night I had dinner w/friends who did a big trip in Namibia. They spent a little time in SA too. I really enjoyed your Diary of a Safari Post. I love seeing wildlife. I live in Alaska and was fortunate to see a herd of 120,000 Caribou spread out along the Arctic Coastal Plain.
I'll be interested to check out some of your posts on writing. I think it's great that you are holding a contest and you can enter me if you like but really, I'm just glad I found your blog!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Hi, Ann! I like your August 13th post about character arcs. It is thorough and informative - very useful! This is a fabulous contest. Love the prizes! ;-)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Hi Ann, I drifted over from Robyn's blog. I love your post on the bush. When I read the part about the lion's roar, I remembered that I did have a male African lion roar right in my face. It was one of the loudest sounds I've ever experienced. He was in a cage in an animal compound and I kneeled down outside the cage, looking at him. However, I didn't realize that a dead chicken was on the other side of the bars, and he leaped from his ledge, landing on top of the chicken and roared. I literally collapsed backward, my heart pounding.
Pleasure to visit your blog.

Anonymous said...

FABULOUS BLOG!! So many interesting and fun articles to enjoy! Cheers, L. :)

Nancy J. Parra said...

Oh- Fabulous prizes!! But you didn't have to bribe me, I love all your posts. do I have to pick a favorite? hmm, I pick... noooo- can't pick. It isn't fair to the other great posts!! I'm tweeting this and will link it to my Monday blog.
Cheers!!

Judith Mercado said...

Ann, picking a favorite post turned out to be a struggle between the heart and the mind and in the end the heart won. I benefit greatly from all your writing technique posts and was tempted to choose one of those. In the end, the heart ruled, and I focused on your South Africa posts. It was down to two South Africa finalists, the Mandela post and the Timbuktu post. There again, it was a bit of a heart/mind choice. The Timbuktu post was very, very interesting, but in the end I had to go with my hero who has taught the world, not just South Africa, how to rise above deep dissension with integrity and grace -- President Nelson Mandela. He always tops my list of most admired and, so, the heart says my favorite of your posts is the one where you discuss members of your family meeting President Mandela.

A Cuban In London said...

What a great contest! I agree with Lady Glamis that the Metaphor was such a witty and well-written post that I will be linking it as soon as.

Greetings from London.

Patti Lacy said...

I read "The Road to Timbuktu" as a friend's daughter lived there as a Peace Corps worker for two years.

Wow! The museum exhibit sounds fascinating, especially the ancient writings. Don't know if scholars' ink is more valuable than the blood of martyrs, though...

Cool blog!

Patti Lacy
www.pattilacy.com/blog

Sharon Mayhew said...

PS..The photo of the tree in the bush is awesome!

Sharon Mayhew said...

Ann,
Very cool contest. I'll link it on my blog tomorrow.

My favorite section of your previous posts are to do with South Africa. The reason for my interest are completely personal. My grandparents spent quite a bit of time in South Africa in the early 80's. They had some serious adventures. The went on a jeep safari ride and ended up lost in somewhere called ?Zoololand? They were rescued by a native tribe and spent the night with them. They ate dinner with the chief and his many wives. They will never forget the beauty of the country or the excitement of the adventure.

If I happen to win, I'll send the prize to my Nanny and Grandad. They'll love it. They are in their late 80's (almost 90) and it will bring a smile to their faces.

Cool contest!

Amanda Holly said...

Hey Ann! Don't enter me ... you know I live here! Just wanted to say ... love your blog! Always keep up with it! And ... beautiful orchid on your writing table!
Hugs from me!

Erica said...

No need to enter me in the drawing, but I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your "Rewrite Reggae" posts! I'm in the middle of revisions and it was great to see that someone else had slogged through and survived the process. I even wrote down your four rules on a post-it note so I could keep them on my computer screen as I worked!

Sophie Playle said...

Hi there, I found your blog through the promo post on Literary Rambles. Very interesting contest you have here! I haven't had a propper look through your blog yet, but I may well enter once I do!

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Ann, SO GREAT TO MEET YOU! Buyadanke (did I spell that right?) for coming over! Yes, I've spent a lot of time in Africa. Most of my time was in Swaziland, but I definitely spent time in SA as well. I love Africa so much--and am jealous of y'all's warm weather right now!

Anywho, it's so great to meet you! Salagahle, sisi!

lotusgirl said...

I liked Writing Tips: The Metaphor best I guess. You have had so many good ones. I also really liked the one where you told us about your WIPs. It was really fun to hear what you're working on.

Romy said...

Happy birthday! At least the sun is shining (for a change).

I'll come find you on Twitter, but won't be entering the contest, as those lovely goodies really need a home outside South Africa.

Have a truly blessed 2010.

Marilyn Brant said...

Ann, is it your birthday??! If so, have a VERY HAPPY DAY!!

I posted a link here from my blog and, because I definitely want to enter your cool contest myself (!!), let me add that it was *really* difficult to choose just one post--you've written so many truly helpful ones. The one you wrote on the different types of dialogue, though, has stayed with me--probably because I'm such a dialogue junkie :).

jdcoughlin said...

Happy Birthday!

And what beautiful things. It must be so wonderful to live someplace where everything is new and different, undiscovering life all the time. Or at least, allowing others to do so through your posts. By the way, what language is that?

Ann Victor said...

CUBAN: I enjoyed writing that post on the Metaphor, so glad you enjoyed it! Will put your name in for the prize draw!

PATTI : I’m so excited you enjoyed "The Road to Timbuktu" post! It was such a marvellous exhibition I just had to post about it. And welcome to the blog – will pop over and pay your blog a visit as well!

SHARON: Thanks for linking to the contest! Very interesting about your grandparent’s South African adventure. :) They were probably in Kwa-Zulu Natal, which is phonetically pronounced as “kwah-zooloo-nu-tell” :) Polygamy is fairly prevalent still in the rural areas; our newly elected President Zuma is a highly controversial figure for many reason, one of which is that he’s a Zulu who believes in polygamy. The tree photo you liked is a photo my husband took up north near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park. It’s called a Boabab tree and that particular tree has a very interesting history (it used to be a meeting point for the migrant workers to find employment on the Witwatersrand gold fields).

AMANDA: Hugs back! As you know (*wink wink*) I love orchids!

ERICA: Good luck with your Rewrites. As you saw from my posts I find rewriting an absolute slog. But – as you say – one survives and lives to write another day! If you can think of anymore rules for re-writes that help make them easier, do come and share them with us! :)

SOPHIE: Welcome! And when you get a chance you’re most welcome to browse. The contest closes on the 27/12/09 but, if you miss this contest, don’t worry! I’ll be holding another one to celebrate the FIFA World Cup Soccer 2010 which will be held in South Africa, so you’ll have another chance to win then.

KRISTEN: Sawubona! Swaziland is also a great part of Africa, and so close to South Africa it’s easy to visit. Your memory is very good: as you thought, “Baie dankie” (prounounced “buyadanke’) is thank –you in Afrikaans, one of our 11 official languages. ‘Hamba khale’ (pronounced ‘humm-bah garshly’) is the Zulu term for “go well”, to which one replies ‘sala kahle’ , a return greeting meaning, in essence, “you go well, too”. And ‘sussie’, is an affectionate, diminutive of the Afrikaans word ‘suster’ meaning ‘sister’. I’m pretty impressed that you remembered all of that!! :):) But you don’t have to be jealous of our “warm” weather – here in Johannesburg we’ve been having a cold, wet and miserable summer. Thank heavens the sun has shone for the last two days so we can dry out a bit!

LOIS (Lotus girl): I’m glad you got a chance to pop over and enter the contest! I’ll add you name to the draw

ROMY: Thanks for the birthday wishes – although I’ve had so many of them I really don’t mind if someone else takes a turn at having birthdays now!!! And, as you say, THANK HEAVENS the sun hasn’t completely abandoned us this summer. Good luck with your current work project – hope you get filming wrapped up before the Christmas week. Have a peaceful Christmas with your family and a great 2010!

MARILYN: *gasp* my birthday secret is out! Thanks for the good wishes! And thanks for posting a link on your lovely blog – I’ll *definitely* enter your name in the draw!

JD: Thanks for the wishes. Getting to the age where I don’t want birthday’s any more :O In my reply to Kristen above,I’ve commented on some of the different languages in South Africa and next year will be doing a few posts on life in South Africa – languages will be a topic as they are an interesting past of our life and culture.

Anita said...

Love the prizes! And your husband has a great name (how is it pronounced...I'm probably making a mess of it in my head) and your cat is very regal (please let her know I said so).

My favorite posts are your book reviews. When I read the same books as you (the Japanese one that MOONRAT had in her club comes to mind), I am astounded at your take on things...so precise and accurate.

Ann Victor said...

ANITA: Thank heavens someone likes my Book reviews! Kazuo Ishiguro's was the Japanese-British author I discovered thanks to Moonrat!! :)

Husband's name is pronounced "Bear-Rick"; he was named after his Mom's godmother's son, who got his name (we think) from a novel by a British author named G A Henty, who wrote boys books at the turn of the last century. This particular book was called "Beric the Briton", about a brave fearless Briton, who fought off the invading Romans to save his people. Inspiring visions and quite a name to live up to (Husband succeeds in doing so!)

Anita said...

I hope you have a copy of BERIC THE BRITON...I love the title and am going to look for it at the library and local used book shops (sounds like a fun thing to hunt for).

Ann Victor said...

ANITA: Two copies in fact. One we found and the other is a collectible given to Husband by a client. :)

Judy Sheldon-Walker said...

What a wonderful thing to do. I have gotten close to 250 if I total all 3 of my blogs and am thinking of doing a contest also to celebrate. Your idea is brilliant.

Ann Victor said...

This competition is now closed. my grateful thanks to all those who promoted the compeition on their blogs and twitter.

Winners will be announced shortly.