Okay, so I have complete and total book trailer envy! All of my authors friends have these awesome book trailers for their books! (authorial peer pressure, hehe) I haven’t figured out how to make one yet and I was planning on doing it, but I’m pretty busy with finishing up the revisions on Still Sucks to Be Me. So…I was thinking…it’s contest time!

Especially since the paperback of Sucks to Be Me is coming out August 11th! Woot! (I just got a box of them in the mail from the publisher and it’s so exciting!)

What you gotta do:

• Create a book trailer for Sucks to Be Me (you can search YouTube for examples of other book trailers). It can be something from the book (like quotes or a scene or whatever) or something inspired by the book or whatever you come up with!
• Upload it to YouTube and tag it with “Sucks to Be Me” and “book trailer” and either post the link here in the comments or send it to me via email or the contact form on the site.
• Deadline: September 30th, 2009 (Extended deadline by request!)

What you can win:
(three prizes, provided I get enough entries!)

• Third prize: a signed copy of the paperback Sucks to Be Me and various vampire paraphernalia (fangs, bite mark tattoos, etc.). PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback) and The Stowaway (paperback).
• Second prize: a signed copy of the hardback first edition Sucks to Be Me, a Sucks to Be Me batty t-shirt and various vampire paraphernalia. PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback), The Stowaway (paperback), and the Practical Guide to Faeries (hardback).
• First prize: a $25 Amazon gift certificate, a signed copy of the hardback first edition Sucks to Be Me, a Sucks to Be Me batty t-shirt and various vampire paraphernalia. PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback), The Stowaway (paperback), the Practical Guide to Faeries (hardback) and a signed copy of the Practical Guide to Monsters (hardback)!
• Update: And everyone who enters will get something (can’t resist, I know these things are hard work!)!

Any questions or comments, post ‘em here. Good luck and I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

(prize list updated 7/24)

I’m going to post the submissions here too, so they’re easier to find. And because they’re so cool! Woot!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw7vjnIEZz8 (Ari)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjevxeEuhqw (Briana)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXIKHdFpT1E (Taylor)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoJhTi2N_ws (Cassandra) *Includes Some Spoilers*
• http://animoto.com/play/hVha9VAsNsQkSTUGJ5fHew?autostart=true# (Victoria)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH6s-6RI-Nw (Junwan & Wynter)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1zgROnb_E (Bianca)
• can’t upload for some reason, but was emailed to me (Sarah)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muku59SCU5M (Eliza) Late entry, didn’t make it in time for the contest, but still wanted to put it up!

Update August 3, 2009

I modified the contest end date to September 15th!!

Check out the comments section and let me know — should this be split into two contests? One for “regular” homemade book trailers and another for ones made with more “advanced” stuff? Would love to hear your thoughts! I think I can get my publisher to donate some more prizes (and I’ve got more books and t-shirts too), so it is doable. Of course, it does all somewhat depend on how many entries there are by the end!

Update: August 6th

Okay, I’m going to check with my publisher on getting more prizes (pretty sure it is okay) so that if I get enough submissions of “regular” vs. “advanced” trailers I can do two sets of prizes!

Update: September 14th

Extended the deadline to September 30th, by request! Remember, every entrant will get some type of prize. So tell your friends too!

Update: October 5th

Okay, I’ve edited this entry to show all the official entrants. Some were emailed to me rather than posted in the comment thread and one, for some reason, won’t post on YouTube. Ah, technology. I’m now waiting to hear back from the judges and will post the winners ASAP.

In the meantime, everyone who is listed above please email me your full name & address because EVERYONE is getting a prize!!