The SCBWI Summer Conference is only two months away (August 3-6), and we want you to go. Why? Because we wanna meet you. We wanna hang out with you. We wanna party with you!So? Do ya wanna go? Huh? Do ya?
Okay, here’s the deal, we also wanna pay for you.
Screeeeeech! Say what!?!?
Not your airfare, not your hotel stay, and definitely not your bar tab, but we will pay for your tuition. Sound good? Good!
In honor of the sale of Jay’s first book, Thirteen Reasons Why (available this October, but you can pre-order it now!), we're asking for you to give us thirteen reasons why you deserve/want/need to have the Disco Mermaids pay for your tuition. Think about it this way: If you don’t enter, someone else will win the money…and you don’t want someone else winning it, do you? Neither do we.
Why are we doing this? It’s a little thing called paying it forward. Over the years, SCBWI has been very good to us (particularly to Jay). In 2000, Jay won the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award, which earned him a free trip to New York City. In 2003, Thirteen Reasons Why won the Work-In-Progress Grant for an Unpublished Writer. Jay met Chris Crutcher and Gordon Korman at SCBWI summer conferences, and they later wrote wonderful blurbs for his book. It’s because of those summer conferences that the three of us joined forces and won three costume contests in a row. And it is because of those contests that we formed this blog. All of that momentum led to a better-than-expected offer on Jay’s debut novel. So this year, Jay’s footing the bill for the first Disco Mermaid Scholarship. Next year…well, that depends on how hard Robin & Eve’s agents work.
Send an e-mail to RobinJayEve[AT]aol.com to enter. Put Thirteen Reasons Why I Want that Mermaid Money! in the subject line. In the body of the text, simply list your 13 reasons. Entries must be received by 5pm PST, Friday, June 8th. Oh, and only one entry per person (you’re not allowed 26 reasons why, or 39 reasons why…just put the brakes on at 13!).
And what if you’ve already paid your tuition? Tough!
No, just kidding. We’ll repay you…it really is that simple.
How are we gonna judge this thing? First, Jay is going to choose his top five. Then, Eve and Robin will pick the winner. You must send your name along with your entry, but names will be removed before judging because we are fair and impartial Mermaids.
What are we looking for? Well, it’s kind of like art…we won’t know it till we see it. Do we want humor? Sure. Heartwarming? Okay. A nice mix of both? Sure…whatever. You decide. Feel free to be honest, silly, mushy, or self-disclosing because the winning entry will not be posted…only the winner’s name.
Ready! Set! Let’s party!!!
25 comments:
Oh, fine. Perfect Mermaids. And you've ruined the "pay my tuition so you can meet me!" contest on my blog.
Once again, y'all prove why I liked ya from the get go. OK, sure, you were dressed up mighty...uh...fine when I first saw you, but it's more than skin deep with you three....
You guys are seriously the best inspiration for other writers who are submitting and waiting their little hearts out (me).
Wow, this makes me cry.
~~Laura
Yep. What Laura said.
I'm posting this contest on my blog for all my friends to see. I hope that's okay.
As much as I'd love to enter, I have a FT job and am able to pay my way. I hope someone who couldn't go otherwise is chosen! :)
You three are truly AMAZING! See you in LA!!!!!
You three are amazing! What a great contest.
See you there!
Wow, you guys are amazing. It would still be impossible for me to go, but I'm sure it'll make someone very happy.
You guys are Da Man!
Ok,if we get technical Jay is probably the only one who qualifies as Da Man, but you know what I mean.
You're awesome. All of you, singularly and collectively.
The conference timing doesn't work for me, but I just want to say y'all are such sweethearts! You're going to make someone very happy!
Cool idea!You guys and gals always got it going on over here.
rilla: Wow! What a wonderful idea! That's what I love about being a children's writer...you are surrounded by the BEST people...giving back to the community just as soon as something good comes their way...
Rilla: Yeah. Funding someone's way to the conference...what a great idea...bet that'd count as tax deductible...gotta start thinking about those tax breaks now that...
rilla: Taxes? Who cares about taxes? This isn't about money...it's about doing what you love and helping others do the same...
Rilla: There you go again... Someone's got to be practical in this writer's imaginary world of makebelieve...
rilla: Practical...we don't have to be practical...
Rilla: Oh?
rilla: We just leave that part to the agents...what would we do without them?
Wow - cool - no way. Can you three get any better?
(tho I can't make the conference if I give you thirteen really great reasons why, would you pay my kid's overnight camp tuition?)
You (3) truly - rock!
alan
ps: Jay, have you survived the whirlwind week that was??? can't wait to read about it!
Could the three of you BE any nicer? I mean, really.
And just think what may come of this for the person who wins--networking, a spark of inspiration, feeling connected to other writers, an affirmation to keep going even when the rejections keep coming. Just as Jay thanked SCBWI (among others) in his book, I'll bet we'll be seeing a nod to the Disco Mermaids in someone's book one day.
Wish I could go this year and meet you guys...I'll be in the U.S. visiting my family on the east coast (who would kill me if I left for L.A. for four days after I haven't seen them for almost three years!) Maybe next year...
This is just too cool!!
Thanks,
gail
You guys really are too cool. Serious karma points!! We posted a link to your contest on FW.
You guys totally, completely rock. What a fabulous idea and a great tribute to you book, Jay.
If I wore a hat, I'd take mine off to you three, throw it in the air like Mary Tyler Moore, and give you a triple salute.
Your offer is incredibly kind and thoughtful, not to mention very moving. I am honored I had the chance to meet you last year.
With great respect and admiration,
David LaRochelle
www.davidlarochelle.net
Wow! What an incredibly generous thing to do. (And, it must be said, "2007 Disco Mermaid Scholarship" is one of those things that I suspect everyone wants on his or her resume.)
I hope you guys are prepared for an avalanche of entries!
Please tell us techno-dweebs where to send our 13 reasons. Do I have to post them, or is there a contact link I'm not finding? Wonder if there's a workshop at the conference on contacting bloggers...
Hi, Sasquatch. I'm assuming that's a nickname? :-)
Email us at robinjayeve@aol.com
Thanks!
Robin
Wow, I'm coming to the L.A. conference and I hope I get to meet the Disco Mermaids. You guys sound pretty great:-) This will be my first time in L.A. so I will need friends!
Thank you, Robin. Sasquatch no understand blog. (And yeah, Sasquatch is a nickname. But it IS relevant when we're talking about my blogosphere savvy--or lack thereof.)
Ummm...slightly off-topic, but I've always been curious...how do mermaids reproduce, given their limited anatomy?
Is that Sasquatch asking that question?? Answer is that we don't reproduce. We're dropped to earth by the Mer-Stork.
And what do you mean, "limited anatomy"? Fishes reproduce, don't they?
Eve
(P.S. Who's this Sasquatch dude? Funny!)
That's really, really, really sweet and generous you guys! I'm not going to enter or try to win cuz I already paid for it and it's fine, but this is a great thing to do for an aspiring author who may not otherwise be able to attend. Good karma, mer-babies, good karma!
Sasquatch here...
No, I didn't ask the Mermaid reproduction question. That would be as silly as wondering how I came to be-- without Mama and Papa Sasquatch to "do it." Right?
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