Category: Contests
- The Orbit Team - December 3rd, 2008
Following an office re-shuffle here at Orbit Towers we’ve unearthed a batch of books that were put aside for a special occasion. December 25th or thereabouts is always pretty special for a variety of reasons, so we thought that we’d take the opportunity to spread a little joy with a seasonal Goodie-Bags Giveaway…
What’s in the bags? What’s in the bags?
A whole heap of good stuff! The number of Goodie-Bags will vary, as will their contents, but they could include some (although not necessarily all) of the following:
- - Proof (ARC) copies of Matter by Iain M. Banks (and possibly a signed hardback or two)
- - Proof (ARC) copies of Halting State by Charles Stross
- - Hardback copies of The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod
…and all sorts of other assorted loot as well.
What do I have to do? What do I have to do?
The sweepstake is open to everyone who is a member of the Orbit UK e-bulletin list as of 5.00 p.m. (UK time) on Monday December 15th. If you’re already a member of the Orbit UK ebulletin list then you don’t have to do a thing; you’ll automatically be entered into the draw, as long as you don’t unsubscribe from the list before the sweepstake closing date.
On the other hand, if you’re not already receiving our regular eBulletins, then you’ll need to visit the ebulletin sign-up page and subscribe to the Orbit UK list to be in with a chance of winning a Goodie-Bag (and do feel free to subscribe to our US and Australian lists at the same time!)
When will I get my Goodie-Bag? Eh? Eh?
Well, if you’re one of the lucky winners, we’ll do our best to get your Goodie-Bag sent out in time for delivery before December 25th, but depending on where you live, your books might arrive a little later…
Standard competition rules apply, Orbit’s decision as to the number and contents of the Goodie-Bags will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into, etc.
by The Orbit Team • 5 Comments • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK
- The Orbit Team - November 14th, 2008
Fantasy author J. V. Jones is running a photo-competition via her website and journal to mark the paperback release of A Sword From Red Ice [UK], the latest instalment in her Sword of Shadows saga.
Here’s a bit of the old explanatory from J. V.:
Here it is, the chance to win all sorts of goodies: a complete set of signed J.V. Jones books (seven and counting), artwork, cover flats, collectible (and extremely rare) galley copies, etc. You get the idea: extremely cool prizes will be given.
All you have to do is take a photo of yourself and A Sword From Red Ice. Mug it up for the camera, dress up, dress down, use experimental media, commandeer family and friends, get outside, stay inside, reenact a scene from the book, eat a sandwich, go on location to the bookstore or the woods. Whatever you do: Take a photo. Then send that photo [to J. V. - email address given in her Journal]. We’ll post it on the website, everyone can have their say, and may the best photo win.
Simple as that, folks, but please do visit JVJones.com (where a few early entries have been posted already) for full competition rules and the email address to send your photos to [N.B. Don't send your photos to us here at Orbit, in case we don't get a chance to send them on to J. V. before the deadline!]
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, News, Orbit UK
- Alex Lencicki - September 5th, 2008
The Orbit US edition of Orcs is out next week, but the verdict is in on the cover model: UGLY. Which is, of course, exactly what we were going for when we hired the orc on the cover (we interviewed hundreds of orcs before settling on Walter, who had the perfect combination of pathos, anger and ugly.)
Walter’s visage has proven too ugly even for some of the genre’s most prominent critics. Jeff VanderMeer (who, let’s be honest, must have seen an awful lot of ugly covers in his years as an SFF critic) eventually decided he had to pretty up the orc.
Jeff writes:
“Just look at what a few randomly applied stars, flowers, smiley-faces, and the like can do to make a cover more humane! In fact, maybe Orbit should even run a “Beautify Your Orcs” contest. I bet readers would get a kick out of that.”
So inspired by Jeff’s suggestion, we’re asking you to beautify Walter. Here’s a link to a jpg image of the cover – Photoshop it, print it out and draw on it, scribble on it in MS Paint – then post the result to your blog or send us a copy of the image. To sweeten the deal we’ll send a copy of Orcs to the first five people to email their image to orbit@hbgusa.com .
Where did Walter come from, you ask? Our orc was sculpted by Nimba Creations, an FX firm that has created effects for films including King Kong, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Nightmare on Elm St.
Every wrinkle, scar, and pore on Walter was done by hand. And there are a lot of lovely details that you don’t see on the final cover – Walter’s slightly beseeching eyes and gloriously awful teeth. You can practically smell his breath just looking at him.
by Alex Lencicki • 2 Comments • Posted in: Contents, Contests, New Titles, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - August 19th, 2008
We’re hugely excited about the recent release of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series here in the UK. Shapeshifters, werewolves, vampires and mechanics? We were hooked!
And now there’s not one but two opportunity to win the entire series – Moon Called, Blood Bound, and Iron Kissed – and check them out for yourself. Visit LoveVampires.com and Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review for your chance(s) to win today!
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: All posts, Contents, Contests, News, Orbit UK
- Alex Lencicki - July 31st, 2008
The Orcs are coming! And to help introduce them we’ve created an Orc Mail website and Orc widgets.
And… if you’re one of the first ten people to post an Orc widget to your website or myspace page, and you email us the link at orbit@hbgusa.com, we’ll send you a finished copy of the book when it’s available in September! (US residents only!)
by Alex Lencicki • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contents, Contests, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - July 4th, 2008
Midnight on Monday was the cut-off point for entries to our Midnight Never Come prize quiz competition and Tuesday saw a flurry of activity as the overall winner and runners-up were selected (by means of our polyhedral plastic random number generating system) from amongst the fantastic volume of correct entries we received.
Thank you very much indeed to everyone who took part, and we do hope you enjoyed puzzling out the answers. All the winners were contacted earlier this week, so I’m afraid if you haven’t heard from us by now, then your luck wasn’t in… at least, not this time – do keep your eye out for more Orbit competitions in the future.
The overall winner – who will soon be enjoying a $500 spending spree with their book retailer of choice, as well as receiving a signed copy of Marie Brennan‘s Midnight Never Come – is:
Carmen R from Columbus, Georgia
And the ten runners-up, who will be receiving a signed copy of Midnight Never Come, are (in approximate order of distance from Orbit’s London HQ):
- Ian S from Dunstable, Bedfordshire
- Linda R from Mildenhall, Suffolk
- Susie A from Alsager, Cheshire
- Bill T from Huyton, Merseyside
- Brian S from Beverley, East Yorkshire
- Kathleen G from Haddon Heights, New Jersey
- Charlene C from Hymera, Indiana
- Mary W from Chicago, Illinois
- Kristy G from Orem, Utah
- Dawn L from Redwood City, California
Many congratulations to our overall winner and runners-up, and we do hope you all thoroughly enjoy reading Midnight Never Come!
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - June 23rd, 2008
The sixth and final question in our Midnight Never Come themed prize quiz went live on Friday, on the Competition Gallery page over at www.midnightnevercome.com.
Correctly unravelling all six cryptic clues will grant you six entries to our email sweepstake. The competition will remain open for entries until midnight (GMT) on June 30, after which the over-all winner and runners-up will be drawn at random from the correct entries received.
So, you still have a week to puzzle out the answers and make sure you’re in the running for the £250 / $500 book voucher first prize..! What are you waiting for? www.midnightnevercome.com!
[P.S. Don't forget, if you wish to gain entry to Invidiana's court, you'll need to look to the moon...]
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - June 16th, 2008
The dice-of-randomness have spoken again and we’ve drawn weekly winner #2 in our Brian Ruckley Facebook competition. This week’s lucky winner is – Jan Ove B from Norway – who will be receiving a signed, personalised copy of Brian’s brand new novel, Bloodheir [UK/US] in the near future.
There are now just two more chances to win during June, folks. To be in with a shout, you’ll need to sign up as a Fan of Brian’s Winterbirth Facebook Page in time for the remaining draws at lunchtime on June 20 and 27.
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - June 13th, 2008
The third of six cryptic clues linked to the world of Marie Brennan‘s Midnight Never Come [UK/US] has been revealed today, over at the Competition Gallery page of www.midnightnevercome.com.
Remember, correctly answering all three questions gives you a triple chance of winning the first prize of £250 / $500 of vouchers from your favourite book retailer. And with another three conundrums to come next week, that will give you a half-dozen chances to win… tell me, what could you possibly be waiting for?
Oh, and have you made your way to Invidiana’s court yet? You haven’t? Well then, perhaps you should look to the night sky..?
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK, Orbit US
- The Orbit Team - June 9th, 2008
Midnight Never Come, Marie Brennan‘s novel of suspense, intrigue and fae magic at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, is now available in both the UK and the US. To celebrate we’ve launched a micro-site, packed with background information on the characters and locations in the novel, over at www.midnightnevercome.com.
And as of today, there’s another reason to visit the site: the first phase of our prize competition – in which you could win £250 / $500 (or the local equivalent) of vouchers to spend with your chosen book retailer, with ten runners-up each receiving a signed copy of the UK edition of the book – has now gone live.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks a new cryptic question will be posed via the Competition Gallery page of the site. Solving each puzzle will result in your being invited to submit your email address to enter the competition (so by answering all six questions correctly, you’ll be able to enter a total of six times). Full entry instructions, rules and regulations are available on the site and the usual entry restrictions (employees of the Hachette Book Group are unable to enter, etc.) apply.
The competition will be open for entries until Midnight (GMT) on June 30 and the overall winner and the ten runners-up will be announced by the end of that week.
So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to www.midnightnevercome.com, dust off your thinking cap and by the end of the month, £250 / $500 worth of book vouchers might very well be yours…
And meanwhile, in other Marie Brennan news, Marie has been interviewed by SF CrowsNest and we recently posted excerpts from a couple of great reviews of the book.
by The Orbit Team • Post a Comment • Posted in: Contests, Orbit UK, Orbit US
