All you have to do is subscribe to enter the contest is my newsletter and write one sentence. If you are already a subscriber, just write the sentence and share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any social media outlet. There will be six winners. Read more.

Writing is fun; selling my books is work, which can also be fun. However, I’ve learned over the years that the best way to get the word out about my books is through direct contact with my readers.

Some of you have been reading my newsletter for years. That makes me happy. It’s like we are sitting in the same room having a chat. I want you to know how appreciative I am of all of you.

My goal for 2023 is to find more folks to invite into my world or into “our” world. And I’d like to give back to my newsletter readers, so I’m running a contest. There will be two winners for each place. One winner will be a current subscriber, and the other will be a new subscriber to my newsletter.

What I’ve learned is that readers can also be great writers. All you have to do is create one sentence. The sentence would be the first line in a novel.

Examples of great first lines:

Harlan Coben’s The Stranger: “The stranger didn’t shatter Adam’s world all at once.”

William Gibson’s Neuromancer: “The sky above the port was the color of television, turned to a dead channel.”

Alice Walker’s The Color of Purple: “You better not never tell nobody but God.”

The winners will receive the following:

1st Place

Free signed hardcover of the next Sydney Lockhart book, Murder at the Pontchartrain.

Free signed copy of any of my previously published books.

Have a character named after you in the next Syd book.

Free shipping on any of my books ordered directly through me.

Feature you in my summer newsletter.

2nd Place

Free eBook of Murder at the Pontchartrain.

Free shipping on any of my books ordered directly through me.

3rd Place

Free eBook of any Sydney book.

Feature you in my summer newsletter.

The contest begins today and runs until the end of January.

Good luck!

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