My friend and colleague, Mayra Calvani, wrote a children’s story, The Doll Violinist, which is a finalist in the ABC’s Children’s Picture Book Competition. If the story wins, Mayra gets a publishing contract with a 10,000 print run plus 1,000 copies of the book to do with as she pleases. That’s huge, so I hope you’ll help her out. Us struggling authors need all the help we can get. Judges selected the 12 finalists, but it’s readers that will decide the overall winner by voting for the best story.
The voting starts on 16 September on the ABC’s nomination site and will run until 30 September. The 12 finalist stories will be available at that time for you to read and decide (but I hope you’ll vote forMayra!)

To encourage you to go read the story and vote for it, Mayra is holding a contest, with her own prizes for her readers. Here it is:

Vote for THE DOLL VIOLINIST and Win Prizes!

Mayra ’s story, THE DOLL VIOLINIST, is a finalist at the ABC’s Children’s Picture Book Competition!

What makes this competition different is that while the finalists are chosen by judges, the winner is chosen by online public vote. In other words, YOU the reader, get to choose the winner—that lucky author who will walk away with a publishing contract!

The Doll Violinist is a heart-warming Christmas tale set in Victorian Europe and features illustrations by talented artist Amy Moreno.

To view the finalists in the competition and vote for Mayra’s story, please visit the competition website at http://www.ABCbookcompetition.org . The two week voting period starts September 16, 2007 and will continue through midnight September 30, 2007. The winning author / illustrator team will be announced October 8, 2007.

People who vote for The Doll Violinist will be automatically entered in a drawing and prizes will be as follows:

• 1st Prize: An enchanting antique doll in Brussels lace
• 2nd Prize: $50 Amazon gift certificate
• 3rd Prize: Beautiful zirconium & sterling silver ring (size 8 )
• 4th Prize: A print copy of Mayra’s latest paranormal thriller, DARK LULLABY
• 5th Prize: A print copy of ANGEL IN A BUBBLE (children’s picture book)

All you need to do is vote for THE DOLL VIOLINIST, then send a message to mayra.calvani@gmail.com and write ‘You got my vote’ on the subject line. You must send a message in order to enter the drawing, so please don’t forget!
The winners will be announced on Mayra’s Secret Bookcase (http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com) on October 1st, 2007.