Win a copy of KNIFE!

[rj_anderson]

KNIFE (Front Cover)
Originally uploaded by rj-anderson

I got four brand-shiny-new first edition copies of Knife in the mail yesterday, and one of them could be yours!

All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment to this post with your answer to one of the following questions:

Imagine that you are one of the Oakenfolk, a colony of small winged faeries living in a massive hollow oak tree deep in the English countryside. But you have no magic, and must survive using your wits and your skills alone. What practical ability do you have to contribute, and how will you use it to help your fellow Oakenfolk?

OR:

All the faeries in the Oak are named after plants, whether flowers or herbs or trees. What plant name would you choose if you were a faery, and why?

This contest is open to all English-speaking readers*, regardless of country. All eligible entries will be numbered and the winner randomly selected from among them on January 8, 2009.

But even if you don't win, do not despair! I will also be selecting two runners-up to receive an official Knife bookmark, as supplied by my publisher and currently available only to readers in the UK -- a prize which is not nearly as long as the actual book, but I assure you, every bit as shiny.

Let the hunt begin!
--
* I am sorry to say, however, that my fellow debut2009 authors are not eligible. I love you all dearly, but that is what ARCSwap is for!


ETA: Non-LiveJournal users are welcome to enter using the Anonymous feature, but if you do so, PLEASE sign your comment with a name or alias (and/or an e-mail address) that I can use to identify you if you win!

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

*thoughtful*
I think I would name myself Nettle. Because, you know, living without magic and having to fend for myself and my folks day-to-day wouldn't just make me the most wonderful personality ever. I'd be kind of irritable, and cross with strangers and old people of my folk, but tender with the children because they're the future and they do deserve better. I'd be very pragmatic and down-to-earth, hiding my worries and hopes behind a brisk exterior. The only fairies I'd listen to would be some slightly older, universally liked uncle, who, while being very helpful and wise in a practical way, would also always insist that I listen to my heart and let the feelings flow, at which point I would scoff and leave the conversation to find something to do with my hands.
...Besides, I just like the name Nettle.
diamanda@abv.bg is where I could be found. Not that I'd win anything, but it was interesting to create a character like this inside my head. I can picture him very clearly.

[branquignole.livejournal.com]

Woah, I only just found this and hope I'm still in on the hunt. (After all, it is still Thursday 8th.)

Imagine that you are one of the Oakenfolk, a colony of small winged faeries living in a massive hollow oak tree deep in the English countryside. But you have no magic, and must survive using your wits and your skills alone. What practical ability do you have to contribute, and how will you use it to help your fellow Oakenfolk?

Practical ability? Are you kidding me? My practical ability would be to talk the others into doing pointless things, because that's what I like to do. Let there be fun in faery land! We will be singing, play-acting and making mud-angels (except if we have snow - then we will make snow-angels!), puns and we will make up stupid poems. Because, you know, in every society there has to be some entertainment, and I will ensure there is some. (In my mind, faeries can get far too bad-tempered and grim. Let's counter-act that.)

[(Anonymous)]

The name I would choose is honeysuckle. I love honeysuckle as a kid we used to eat the nector when they were in bloom. And now if I ever smell it I buy the fragrance. Love it.

Here is my email

malleycc (at) hotmail (dot) com.

[luminousdesire.livejournal.com]

Imagine that you are one of the Oakenfolk, a colony of small winged faeries living in a massive hollow oak tree deep in the English countryside. But you have no magic, and must survive using your wits and your skills alone. What practical ability do you have to contribute, and how will you use it to help your fellow Oakenfolk?

Hmmm...very fun question. I would contribute the ability to love and form real friendships. Sounds completely cheesy, I know, but to me there is nothing stronger than forming a real bond with another because SO MUCH grows from there...trust, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, a helping hand in a time of need, a comrade in battle, or a word of advice when a decision must be made.