UPDATE: The winner is…Pansy Petal!
*~*~*
It’s Friday. The kids have one more partial week of school before they’re FREE for the summer. I love summers. Not only do we spend an inordinate amount of time in the pool, my daughter is very skilled at finding things for them to do that are fun. We, of course, like to snack around the pool and cook around the pool. When the bugs aren’t horrible, we bring the outdoor projector out at night and shine a movie against the chicken coop wall (I know that sounds ridiculous, but it is fun! Imagine watching episodes of Jimmy Neutron while sitting in lounge chairs under the stars.). We try to float the river at least once during the summer. We go to the beach at the local lake. We like movie nights inside, where we snack on finger foods. We have special meals where we’re all involved with prep. Do you own a raclette grill? We bought one maybe five years ago, and we bring it out to set up in the middle of the dining table to melt cheese over meat and veggies. It’s like fondue, I guess, but everything is grilled in individual trays. Then you place your grilled bites on hard crackers or bits of bread and gobble it up. Tasty and fun! We head to the movie theater several times during the summer. We buy the refillable popcorn tubs and eat before we head out to the movies to save on expenses. And we buy tickets to the matinees as opposed to buying full-price tickets for nighttime movies. We have craft projects—painting days, for example. So many things. We head to the library. We have plans. Lots of them. But we’re always looking for fresh ideas.
I’d like to do the same here and look for fresh ideas for this blog. I talk a lot here. It’s my daily habit to open up a blank screen and word-vomit about what’s happening with books and share the space with other authors who want to be seen. We play games (do you still love the puzzles?). While contemplating clearing my bookshelves, I instituted a new contest this last week, the “Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway,” that you apparently like, at least for this first outing, because the comments have surged. Yes, I prefer giveaways of cyber-gifts because I hate going to the post office, but I also hate the thought of consigning books to the burn barrel—it seems like a crime to even consider, but I have a finite amount of space in my office, and it’s time to thin out those books.
So, there’s a point somewhere in this post. Maybe I’ll find it. My fingers are typing, but they often speed ahead of my brain. Thank goodness, otherwise I’d never write a book.
I’m pausing now, because I do need to find the point. Today’s question… What was I talking about?
Oh, yeah. New ideas. Things you’d like to see. I’m glad I put that at the top of this post in the subject line, or I’d just keep rambling. Tell me what you like seeing here in this space. What sorts of prizes do you like? I can do signed books, downloadable books, bookmarks, small pieces of art, gift cards… Gift cards are easy, but they do add up. Mailing things isn’t so easy, but I do like to change things up, and I can enlist my dd to head into town for me. Yeah, she’s going to be busy with the kids this summer, but she’s a great multi-tasker. She rarely reads this blog. I hope she doesn’t decide to do so today.
Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!
Comment
I like your outdoor movie idea. I remember reading where a family had a sleepover or a large family and did outdoor movies on their garage door. They had individual boxes for everyone and decorated them with tires and a steering wheel. All the kids sat in their/car boxes at the ‘drive-in’ movie. What a brilliant idea. We all did family stuff growing up– board games, picnics, watching TV together, playing penny poker… Such memories.
But all that doesn’t answer your question. What about tossing out a plot and asking for names or suggestions or directions? If you use something that was posted, include the name in a dedication. You could come up with a whole new series of books from the Blog Meeting Club…
Comment
I enjoy the games/ puzzles you share here, a fan of word searches, puzzles, matching, tell a story, etc… I like the voting poles… I also enjoy when you have a topic and you share others’ pics…
Comment
Scavenger hunts, using lrg. paint chips on cardboard from paint department like home depot with clothespin. To collect something that color.
Survival book, learn to make something that helps you with surviving outside I case of emergency. Like make candles, firestarters, a shelter,
Outdoor games, scrabble, connect 4, jenga, yachtze, cornhole, and horse shoes etc.
Gardening of different kinds. What can you grow.
Crafting with found objects.
Learn about pioneering or homesteading of old.
Learn to cook without power, tin can stove, open fire, hobo meals, pie, and sticks.
I love any giveaways. I do love real books because it doesn’t require electricity to enjoy.
Comment
Honestly, I love everything you do here. Kinda why your blog is just about the only one I follow faithfully. Most others I delete, usually without reading. I adore your games. All of them. I have no issue with whatever prize you decide on, though I do like extra book funds, (fixed income here so gcs are helpful for my habit.) and signed books. Love this contest. New ideas for anything? Afraid I am no help with that. Keep doing what you are doing and I am happy.
Comment
I do love all of the puzzles. Feel free to clear up your book case and gift cards are always welcome.
Comment
lawn games, volunteer
Comment
I love that you and your family spend time together in so many fun ways, and that you continue to look for ways to mix it up. And I do love the mix you’ve got going here on your blog, with the guests and the various topics you share on, from your family to your art to your hobbies to your amazing stories… I definitely enjoy the different puzzles you create for us–those are fun!
I wonder if occasionally it might be fun to try a book-club experience/read-along with some of your backlist titles? You could announce the title maybe a month or so to give everyone a chance to read. Then you could post a few questions about the story and give everyone a chance to comment and discuss, and maybe do some puzzles based on that book during the week? couple days? that we’re “meeting”?
As for prizes, maybe a longer-term/bigger stakes prize might be you writing the winner into a future story with a role to be determined? Sidekick? Villain? Bumbling bystander?
I’ll keep pondering… thanks for all the fun, Delilah!
Comment
We used to do theme summer. like history summer and science summer. I like your blog the way it is and so have no suggestions for improvement. Sorry
Comment
I love the puzzles, especially the jigsaw puzzles! I look forward to Saturday just for them! I’d love for you to post them more often. I also like all the pictures of your art and all you tell us about your family and busy life. It’s all interesting. I also like the signed book giveaways. I won one of your hand painted bookmarks, and that’s also fantastic. I think all of your readers would enjoy them, and they are easy to mail. (Note: this is not for the contest. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy the blog.)
Comment
I saw someone mentioned using the winner’s name in your novel as a prize which is also my suggestion
Comment
I would love a chance to win signed books or electronic books, and some of your art work.
I love the puzzles and word searches, you could maybe do the hidden items in a picture too.
I enjoy that you share with us what you have going on in your every day life. I think that is great. It gives us a chance to share our day to day things.
Comment
I love when you post your artwork so maybe have the kids post artwork they have made. Maybe you could do a game night and choose one game to highlight in your post. You could possibly introduce people to board games they don’t already know. I love the gift cards in the giveaways because I am always buying more books but it’s great when you offer a digital copy of books because then I can get the books I don’t have in my collection. Maybe you can give digital artwork as prizes. People could print them out or use them as screen savers.
Comment
Thanks so much for the input, everyone!
The winner of the gift card is…Pansy Petal!
Comment
Ooh! I especially like that idea for digital artwork…