The Rules!!!! (or a draft thereof)

I apologize for the picture not working yesterday. It worked for a while, but now it's not and blogger won't let me repost.

And now I've gotten a couple more I really want to add (and yes, I'm talking about you, numchuck-carrying Jennifer Lynn Barnes), but don't worry--I'm on the case.

In the meantime, yesterday's pic is also posted on my agent, Kristin Nelson's, blog, so check it out over there!


In other news, for everyone who has been asking about the title of the second Gallagher Girls book I can tell you I know it.

And I love it.

A lot.

And I'd tell you...

But first you've got to earn it!

That's right, the title has been encrypted by Gallagher Academy faculty members (Mr. Mosckowitz really needs to get a life), and at this moment I'm looking at a 49-digit code that will tempt you, tease you, and bring the puzzle-loving cryptographer in all of you.

Oh yeah--it's a REAL code!

Real spies have used this real method to convey real covert secrets for years--so if you think you've got what it takes to be a Gallagher Girl (or boy), now's your chance to prove it!

I'll post it to the blog on Tuesday for the general public, but if you subscribe to my newsletter you'll get an email with the code sometime Monday--so go sign up now if you want a head start.

In the meantime, here are the rules as they stand now. I'm still working on them, so if you've got suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Step 1--Pick your category!

You are allowed to participate in one category only. In other words, if your class is doing it, you can’t also submit an entry as an individual under 18 and another as a book blogger—you’ve got to pick one!

(With the exception of the I'm-Terrible-With-Numbers-But-Tried-It-Anyway Category.)

Categories are as follows:

Individuals 18 and under:

Open to all operatives ages 18 and under.

1^st place: $100 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice, an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of GG2, and you will be mentioned in acknowledgements of GG2.

2^nd place: $50 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice and an ARC of GG2.

Individuals over 18:

Open to all operatives over the age of 18 (no limit to how much older you can be!)

1^st place: $100 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice, an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of GG2, and you will be mentioned in acknowledgements of GG2.

2^nd place: $50 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice, an ARC of GG2.

The Book Blogger Category:

Open to any authors/booklovers/librarians/readers etc who blog about books and/or writing!

You don’t have to mention the contest on your blog to be eligible, but that would be really, really cool of you.

1^st place: Extreme bragging rights, an ARC (advance reading copy) of GG2, and a $100 donation to the library of your choice.

2^nd place: Right to brag that you’re better than everyone (except whoever finishes first), and an ARC of GG2.

School Group

Open to any class or school club that is working with a teacher’s guidance and supervision to crack the code as a group.

1^st place: Ally will visit your school and take questions, eat lunch with you, do an assembly—whatever! You’ll have an author for a day!

(But she will not take place in anything gym-related—especially the climbing of the big rope. She couldn’t do it in the fifth grade and she sure as heck can’t do it now.)

This prize will only be awarded to classes that are located within the continental United States since Ally only has so many frequent flyer miles.

2^nd place: The class will receive a $100 gift certificate to the store of your choice for books or other cool stuff to be used at the teachers’ discretion.

The I’m-Terrible-With-Numbers-But-Tried-It-Anyway Category

This is where you submit your wittiest, funniest, craziest, wildest result EVEN if you've already submitted to another category!

This one is a wildcard--a free-for-all.

Anyone can submit to this category.

This is the one category in which you may make multiple submissions.

Ally will post her top five on her blog and then people will be able to vote for the winner.

1^st place: $100 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice, an ARC of GG2, and mentioned in acknowledgements of GG2

2^nd place: $50 gift certificate to the bookseller of your choice, an ARC of GG2

Step 2: Come up with your answers

Step 3: Email answers to Ally.

Unless stated otherwise, the winner in each category will be the person who emails Ally first with the correct title.

Step 4: Be sure you place your category in the subject line of your email.

Step 5: Go buy Learning to Play Gin (optional step, but one that is highly recommended.)

And that's it. That's the contest.


What do you think?


-Ally