August book giveaway: Francine Prose, Reading Like a Writer

Update 8/31: The results are in! Believe me, this was not easy. My co-judge and I debated the various entries at great length (which, come to think of it, isn't a bad thing to do with one's daughter). There were some that she liked and I didn't like; some that I liked and she didn't like. But there was one we both agreed on liking very much. Hence, the winner is: Douglas of Crossword Bebop!

Thanks to everyone for participating. I was very happy with the level of participation and the quality of the entries. Meanwhile, stay tuned to book-blog.com because tomorrow I'll be announcing another contest for September....

Write a haiku and post it on your blog for a chance to win a free copy of Francine Prose's new book, Reading Like a Writer. Click on the post continuation below for details.

ENTRIES SO FAR:

Geoffrey Philip, Geoffrey Philip's Blog Spot
nrkii, Journey Woman
Douglas, Crossword Bebop
Jersey Girl, surviving nj
Clare Dudman, Keeper of the Snails
L. Lee Lowe, Lowebrow
Star, Stars in My Heart
D.T. Kelly, The Secret Government Eggo Project
Becca, Becca's Byline
Paige, Zeeee Ol' Cracked Nuts
Susan, In Over My Head
Gemma, Gemma
Poppy, c/o Keeper of the Snails
skint, skint writer
Juliet, Crafty Green Poet
Ian Russell, Living with mr. fleas
Cailleach, Barbara's bleeuugh!
Anna, My Gap Year
Karen, Verbatim
Karan, Flummel, Flummer, Flummo

DETAILS:

I happen to have in my possession a hardcover copy of Francine Prose's new book, Reading Like a Writer. Here's what Publisher's Weekly has to say about it:

"The trick to writing, Prose writes, is reading—carefully, deliberately and slowly. While this might seem like a no-brainer, Prose (Blue Angel; A Changed Man) masterfully meditates on how quality reading informs great writing, which will warm the cold, jaded hearts of even the most frustrated, unappreciated and unpublished writers. Chapters treat the nuts and bolts of writing (words, sentences, paragraphs) as well as issues of craft (narration, character, dialogue), all of which Prose discusses using story or novel excerpts. This is where the book truly shines; Prose is remarkably egalitarian in choosing exemplars of fiction: David Gates, Denis Johnson, John le Carré and ZZ Packer, for instance, are considered as seriously as Chekhov, Melville, Flaubert or Babel. Prose insists that 'literature not only breaks the rules, but makes us realize that there are none,' and urges writers to re-read the classics (Chekhov, especially) and view 'reading as something that might move or delight you.' Prose's guide to reading and writing belongs on every writer's bookshelf alongside E.M. Forster's Aspects of the Novel."

So, what's this to you? I mean to give this book away. Here's what you have to do to win it:

(1) Write a haiku that contains the word "prose"--used either as a proper noun or not.

(2) Post your haiku on your blog, with a link to this post's permalink.

(3) Let me know about your post by adding a comment below.

Post your haikus on or before August 30th, 2006. I'll collect the entries and my daughter (aged ten) and I will pore through them and decide which we like the best. I'll announce a winner on August 31st.

UPDATE: I suppose if you are utterly blogless you can enter the competition provided that you get a friend to host the haiku in a post (i.e., not just the comment section) on their blog.

Tags: book giveaway, contest, Francine Prose, free books, haiku

Comments

[Geoffrey Philp]

1.

Okay, Debra. I've posted the haiku on my blog.

Peace,
Geoffrey

[nrkii]

2.

Thanks Debra. Mine is done!

[Jersey Girl/Deb]

3.

I posted mine! Here's the link. Thx

http://survivingnj.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-for-book-blog.html

[Clare]

4.

And here's my effort...

http://keeperofthesnails.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-competition.html

[Lee]

5.

And here's mine, Debra:

http://lowebrow.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku_17.html

[Debra Hamel]

6.

Thanks, everybody! Clare, I love the narrative surrounding your haiku.

[Star]

7.

What fun! I couldn't resist giving this a whirl after reading about it on Clare's blog. Find me at:

http://twinkletwinkleinmyheart.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-on-prose.html

[Star]

8.

What fun! I couldn't resist giving this a whirl after reading about it on Clare's blog. Find me at:

http://twinkletwinkleinmyheart.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-on-prose.html

[D.T. Kelly]

9.

Hello,

I don't know if mine will qualify... but here it is none-the-less.

http://www.dtkelly.net/?p=226

[Becca]

10.

What a fun idea - here's my entry:

http://beccasbyline.blogspot.com/2006/08/power-of-prose.html

[Paige]

11.

Here is my entry. Thanks for the change to be a part of this.

http://rrma.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-contest.html

[Gemma]

12.

My Haiku is at
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=30062630&postID=115595127798139738
Thanks Gemma

[Clare]

13.

Hi Debra, here is one from Poppy, who left one at my address:

http://keeperofthesnails.blogspot.com/2006/08/poppys-haiku.html

[skint writer]

14.

here's mine http://skintwriter.com/2006/08/19/haiku-competition/

[Crafty Green Poet]

15.

Great idea! Here's the link to my haiku:

http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-containing-word-prose.html

[Susan]

16.

The link you've got up top doesn't work. This time I know why - I've been up to my old tricks, editing. I added a picture which I like better than the haiku. Anyway, it's here...I think...
http://inover.blogspot.com/2006/08/debras-haiku.html

[ian russell]

17.

hi. nice challenge, here is my entry. thanks!

http://livingwithmrfleas.blogspot.com/2006/08/haiku-tuesday_22.html

[Aphrodite]

18.

Ian Russell, right up above this comment, has a nice blog and all his own teeth. Sounds like a winner to me!

[Debra Hamel]

19.

Susan, you're now Aphrodite? Does this have something to do with the naked guy?

I'm really pleased that so many people are taking part in the haiku contest. And by the way, I have a surprise planned for you folks come September 1st....

[Susan]

20.

Actually, I was 'incognito' at the time. Didn't want to get stale with all my comments so I thought I'd introduce another persona to bore you. I suppose the name WAS subliminally inspired by your naked guy!

[Cailleach]

21.

Hi there,
Just spotted this today and thought I'd give it a go. Swing by and have a look: ’prose entry’

[Cailleach]

22.

Bugger! Linky things don't work over here - try again: http://intendednot2b.blogspot.com/2006/08/check-out.html

[anna]

23.

Here's mine. Thanks for the fun of doung it

[Karen]

24.

Done!
http://verbatim.blogs.com/verbatim/2006/08/dont_you_tell_m.html

[Karan]

25.

I did it too: http://www.flummel.com/ee/index.php/weblog/haiku_me/

[Karan]

26.

Here's one that I give to the cosmos:

prose prose prose prose prose
prose prose prose prose prose prose prose
prose prose prose prose prose

hehe

[nrkii]

27.

Whoo hoo and CONGRATS to Douglas!!!! Nice job mister!

[cynceruse]

28.

HI THERE plz ant one know arbic translate that for me http://www.s7ak.com/banatfun-f18.html - http://www.s7ak.com/banatfun-f18.html all thanks