Hey Everyone!! :-)
You all have a chance to win the opportunity to have a character in my next short story!!!! :-) First of all, if you haven't yet read Taken By The Huntsman and Bound By The Summer Prince, stop reading this post now and go get the books:
Taken By The Huntsman On Amazon,
Bound By The Summer Prince On Amazon. Otherwise you might learn things here that will give away the stories! ;-)
Okay, has everyone still reading this post already read the books? Great! Then I hope you'll be excited to learn that my next project will be a short story about Jillian. She and Angelica (a character you were briefly introduced to in Bound By The Summer Prince) will learn about a plot to ruin Roni and Uaine's wedding and coronation and ultimately kill them! Naturally, a loyal friend like Jillian can't let that happen, so she and her new Pixie companion will have to find out who the bad guys are, what they're up to, and figure out how to stop them! Want to know the details? You'll just have to stay tuned! :-)
Now, what can you win? I'm glad you asked!! A royal wedding/coronation is obviously going to be a large and elaborate affair. After all, how often are a new king and queen crowned in a society where the monarchs are all ageless? ;-) All the major players will be invited. The Winter Court king will be there, as will Cadeyrn and Cassie. Representatives of all the different types of Summer Fae will be there, and also a few surprise guests! :-) The contest will be to nominate/create a character who you would like to see as a wedding guest.
Okay, the rules: First, you can nominate/create as many characters as you like, but I won't guarantee that all or even any of them will make it into the story. Sorry, that's why I said a chance to win. Second, the characters I've already mentioned in this post will definitely be there, as will Briallen, and I'm afraid I've already got the creative details for them nailed down, so they are off limits for your creative efforts, again sorry. Third, you can nominate any character I've created, but if you just use one of my characters your "prize" will be a little different than if you create a whole new character.
Finally, the rules for creating a character: You can use any of the types of Fae I've already described, or you can create a whole new one. If you create a new type of Fae, you need to include general characteristics about the type as well as specific characteristics about the individual. IE: the type of Fae usually has skin that is gold, orange, or red, but the specific Fae has orangey-yellow skin. Or the type of Fae is usually strong in natural magic, but the specific Fae wields power over animals. Etc. All the details need to be nailed down before you send me the character. :-) If you use one of the types of Fae I've created, the specifics of the individual need to be consistent with the type I've described. And don't forget to give your character a name!! :-) For guidelines about the type of information I'll need for your character, you can refer to the Who's Who sections in the back of your books. :-) Also, you'll need to tell me if you'd like them to be a good guy or a bad guy, what Court (if any) they belong to, and if they have any mannerisms or speech patterns you'd like included. If you'd like them to play a particular role, you can also include that information. Caveats: I reserve the right to alter your character if necessary to fit my story, and if I contact you because I need further information/clarification about your character and you do not respond in a timely manner, I reserve the right to alter/invent as I see fit. :-)
Submitting entries: First, by submitting your idea you are consenting to the terms I've laid out within this post and to my using your character in my short story, and in any of my future stories the character may become a part of. Let me make this clear because it is very important, once you submit your entry you are giving me permission to use your creation however, whenever, and in whatever manner I choose. You are yielding the rights to, and creative control of, your creation to me, for this story and for any future stories I write that include your character. That permission and control includes both the specific individual character and the type of Fae (if you create a new type). That also means I may make changes to your character, have the character evolve, create new characters within the type of Fae you create, and basically use your creation within my stories however I decide to. The only compensation you are guaranteed is that, if I use your character, you will be named in the acknowledgements of the short story about Jillian, and receive thanks and credit there. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I don't want there to be any confusion about what submitting an entry means. :-) You can submit your ideas by emailing me at mistralkdawn@gmail.com but any emails you send that you want entered into the contest must contain the phrase Mistral Dawn's Character Creation Contest Entry in the subject box and within the body of the email you must include the phrase I Have Read And Understand The Contest Rules And I Understand And Agree That By Submitting My Entry I Am Ceding The Rights To And Creative Control Of My Idea To The Author Known As Mistral Dawn. Both of these things must be present for your entry to be valid.
What do you win? Another great question! If you just nominate one of my characters, and they ultimately make it into the story on the basis of your nomination, then I will mention you in the acknowledgments and thank you there for participating in the contest. If you create a new character, and they make it into the story, your character will be placed in the Who's Who section of this story and future stories, as well as into the story itself, and in the acknowledgments of the short story about Jillian thwarting the plot against Roni and Uaine's wedding and coronation I will thank you and give you credit for your creation. If you create a whole new type of Fae, that type will also be included in the Types Of Fae section in this story, and in future stories, and I may create new characters within your type of Fae. :-) I'll also give you the opportunity to send me any other information you'd like to include in the acknowledgments (though I reserve the right to edit). The thanks to and mention of you may be displayed as your first name only, your whole name, or a pseudonym/pen name of your choice. I'll leave the decision of what name I use to acknowledge your contribution to you. :-)
How do you win? Ah, now there's the rub! ;-) First, obviously, you'll need to submit your idea(s) as I've stated. Any ideas that are not submitted in the way I've specified will not be eligible for entry. Sorry. :-( If I only receive a few entries I'll just pick one and let that person know, but if I receive lots of entries I'll host a contest here on my blog and let you all vote for your favorites!! :-) There may even be more than one winner, so keep those entries coming!! :-)
How long will the contest last? I will keep the contest open until May 1, 2015 at 4am EDT. Any entries submitted after that will not be eligible for consideration, so don't wait! :-) If there are enough entries for a vote, I will host the vote on May 2, 2015 on my blog. If there are not enough entries for a vote, I will announce the winner I choose then.
Sorry for the lengthy post today, folks, but I thank you all for taking the time to read it and I look forward to your entries!! :-)
Mistral
