We are thrilled to announce that Terry Shaw, author of The Way Life Should Be is the Grand Prize Winner of Gather.com’s First Chapters Writing Competition. In addition, in a surprise move, Simon & Schuster has decided to award a second publishing contract to runner-up Geoffrey Edwards, author of Fire Bell in the Night. Congratulations to Terry and Geoffrey for such a tremendous achievement.
“It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the Gather.com community had done their job so well that in the end we decided to go with a grand prize winner and a runner up,” commented Mark Gompertz, Executive Vice President, Publisher, Touchstone. “We look forward to publishing both of these terrific novels in the fall.”
As the Grand Prize Winner, Shaw will receive a total of $10,000 – including a $5,000 cash prize from Gather, and a $5,000 advance from Simon & Schuster. Edwards will also receive an advance from Simon & Schuster. Both books will be published this coming September, and will be available for purchase at Borders and other bookstores nationwide. Read the press release for full details.
To help spread the good cheer, we invite you to share your best wishes and congratulations with Terry and Geoffrey. Your Gather username will be included in the published books’ acknowledgements!
Sign Terry Shaw’s Guest Book
Sign Geoffrey Edwards’ Guest Book
Learn more about the soon-to-be-published authors during these live chats:
Chat with Terry Shaw, author of The Way Life Should Be, tonight at 5pm ET.
Chat with Geoffrey Edwards, author of Fire Bell in the Night, on Friday, June 1 at 2pm ET
Thank you to everyone who participated in this competition and helped make First Chapters a success!
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Comments: 107
Best of luck on the book tours!
Steve, Geeta, Scott, Congratulations are in order for your fine entries too. It will be rewarding to read each of these "soon to be published" novels in the coming year.
Bravo!
Everyone involved in the First Chapters experience should be proud!
To Steve, Geeta, Scott (especially Steve), never give up the dream. It's your turn next!
I had a feeling! You deserve this wholeheartedly. Congrats to you. You must be floating on air. Your novel is chock-full of all the wonderful stuff they have been waiting for. The third chapter flew along as one and two had. That's the sign of a great book, when it's so easy and enjoyable to read that it goes so fast. I'm so excited for you. Get ready to ride the whirlwind!
To all of the others contestants who worked so hard in the competition, we are all proud that you have risked something of yourself and devoted so much of your life to exploring and creating art. It is tremendous to have so many talented people as part of the community. It was exciting to see this first First Chapters competition bring this exceptional talent forward for the world to see. We hope you will join us in a future First Chapters competition.
And to the thousands who read, discussed, and debated these works, thanks so much for your investment. As the winning stories demonstrate, the "wisdom of crowds" is hard at work here at Gather.
I wish I had been chosen too. :-)
Congratulations! I enjoyed your chapters and look forward to seeing the published novels. Also, congrats to the other finalists Steve, Geeta and Scott; you did a great job getting to this point and I'm confident that publication is in your future.
Finally, congrats to the rest of the novelists who took a shot at putting their content out for review in this contest. It's been a great experience for me personally and a fine opportunity for prospective authors to learn from the many constructive comments that were posted for the entries.
I have no doubt that all of the top five authors will be on the bookshelf some day. You are all so talented and committed to your craft. What you have earned is no small accomplishment at all so I hope you're each basking in some well-placed pride.
-Judi
Top 20 Finalist, Beauty and The Best
www.JudiFennell.com
Who is the home team anyways?
Congratualtions I guess- I am so busy doing my own thing I guess sometimes I can get lost in the mad rush to produce- Thank you everyone who has connected to Nigel and my Rabbit Hole.
What We didn't Win?
Oh well there is always the next time..
We will be back..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHJ8ZMXWMBU
I can only imagine what the two of you must be feeling right now. It's been a long five months full of highs and lows; what a great way for it to end!
Your hard work has paid off. I applaud you.
I look forward to seeing your novels in the store soon.
Now, celebrate!!
All my best,
Eric
Another humble top 20 semi-finalist, TRACKS
www.Train-Tracks.blogspot.com
Could not get the link to the live chat. I clicked on it and it referred me back to the homepage, which is where I am now, back to square one.
Maybe I have to wait for the transcript, seeing as the event has passed. Also will be working during Geoffrey's live chat, too. Maybe I'll just have to email the two fine fellows.
I am just glad I didn't have the final decision that would be just too hard!
I also hope the other authors will publish their books too! You all know you have alot of people who love your stories.
I did not have the pleasure of reading everyones entries, but the few I did get to read just blew me away. This group of writers was a talented yet down to earth bunch and I am proud to have been in their company - if even for a short while.
Terry,
Congratulations on having your work honored with the Grand prize ! I look forward to seeing you on Oprah's book club.
Geoffrey,
Your entry so thrilled the judges that they just had to print your words too. Congratulations also !
To the other finalists and semi-finalists,
I will be watching for your entries next year. Please put me on your list/newsletter so I don't miss your chapters.
Congratulations are certainly in order for all of you also because your talent with the written word took you far. Your turn will come.
Diana
Diana's Vintage & Gift Shop in Hubbard, Ohio
or even to read what was written.
Now it's easy to tell that you did well
by the writing bug you were bitten.
Best of luck to you both
It was a lot of fun being a part of this event.
amr
you each hold a masterpiece... just get it out there.
Priya.
Cathy
Pamela Camp
This is a dream come true for you!
Once again, accept my congratulation!
You give other writers like me hope!!!!
Good luck to all aspiring novelists in the gather community. Start polishing your manuscripts NOW in anticipation of the next contest, or in order to submit to a publisher. Be ready next time.
Congratulations Terry and Jeff! You're both very talented and deserving.
Cathy
Brian "Still Hungry" Laesch
Congratulations.
Congrats to you, too, Geoffrey. You both must be so thrilled!
Looking forward to your book signings when you get to Connecticut...
Rita :o)
Best,
Alex