Penguin.com (usa)

Just as every dog has a gift, we also believe every dog owner has a story. We're looking for a few good dog tales. If the stories in this book have brought back memories of your own dogs, we'd like to read your personal dog story. It can be funny or heartwarming; but like the stories in Every Dog Has a Gift, it should be a true tale that highlights how a dog(s) has impacted your life or the life of someone you know.

Enter for the opportunity to have your story published in the paperback edition of Every Dog Has a Gift, by Rachel McPherson.

Open to residents of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, ages 18 and older.

Emailed entries must be received no later than June 18, 2010, 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time. Entries sent by postal mail must be postmarked on or by June 14, 2010 and received on or by June 18, 2010.

On or about June 25, 2010, one Grand Prize winner and nine runners-up will be selected by a qualified panel of judges based on the overall appeal of the story and the writing quality, with equal weight given to each criterion.

Void where prohibited by law.

Scroll down for full Official Rules and an entry form.

First and Last Name (required):

Email (required):

Address 1:

Address 2:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Upload your story (required):

(Only document files of maximum 1MB filesize accepted)

Official Rules for the Every Dog Has a Gift Contest

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT ENHANCE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WIN.

Open to residents of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, ages 18 and older.

How to Enter:

1. To enter the Every Dog Has a Gift Contest (the "Contest"), submit a true personal story about how your dog has impacted your life or the life of someone you know. Individual entries should be a maximum of 2,000 words, and may be submitted via the entry form or in the body of an email to: tarcherpublicity@us.penguingroup.com or uploaded to the online entry form. Each email entry must include your full name, email address, mailing address and telephone number at the top of the email, and the subject line must have the following: Every Dog Contest. For entry via the online form, fill out the required fields, upload your story (please include your name, email address, mailing address and telephone number at the top of the story itself) and submit. To be eligible, all email or online entries must be received no later than June 18, 2010, 11:59:59 PM, Eastern Time. You also may enter via postal mail. Send typed (not hand-written) hard copies, with the word counts and your full name, mailing address and telephone number in the upper right hand corner to: Tarcher/Penguin Publicity, Every Dog Contest, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Entries sent by postal mail must be postmarked on or by June 14, 2010 and received on or by June 18, 2010. You may enter as many stories as you want, but each story must be entered separately.
2. Entries will not be returned. By entering the Contest, contestants agree to abide by these rules, and represent and warrant that the entries are their own and original creations, and do not violate or infringe the rights, including, without limitation, copyrights, trademark rights or rights of privacy, of any third party.
3. Entries are void if they are in whole or in part illegible or incomplete. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for late, lost, incomplete, illegible, or misdirected e-mail entries.
4. Tarcher Books, a division of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. ("Sponsor"), and its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest which may limit the ability to play or participate, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized holder of the email account.

Judging:

1. On or about June 25, 2010, one (1) Grand Prize winner and nine (9) runners-up will be selected by a qualified panel of judges chosen by Sponsor.
2. Entries will be judged on the overall appeal of the story content and the writing quality, with equal weight being given to each criterion. The decisions of the Sponsor with respect to the selection of the winners, and in regard to all matters relating to this Contest, shall be final.
3. Winners will be notified via email and/or telephone.

Prizes:

1. Prizes will be awarded as follows:
   • One Grand Prize winner will have his or her story published in the forthcoming paperback edition of Every Dog Has a Gift, by Rachel McPherson.
   • Nine runners-up will receive copies of the paperback book signed by the author (ARV = $14.95).
2. In the event that there is an insufficient number of qualified entries or if the Sponsor determines in its absolute discretion that no or too few entries meet the quality standards established to award the prizes, Sponsor reserves the right not to award the prizes.

Eligibility:

1. Open to residents of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, ages 18 and older. Void where prohibited by law. All state and local restrictions apply.
2. Employees of Sponsor and its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates or other parties in any way involved in the development, production or distribution of this Sweepstakes, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible to participate in the Contest.

General:

1. No cash substitution, transfer or assignment of prizes allowed. In the event of the unavailability of a prize or prizes, Sponsor may substitute a prize or prizes of equal or greater value.
2. All expenses, including taxes (if any), related to receipt and use of prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner.
3. Winners may be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release. The affidavit must be returned within fourteen (14) days of notification or winner will forfeit their prize and another winner will be selected. Should the ARV equal or exceed $600.00, winners shall be required to provide a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to Sponsor for issuance of a 1099 Form.
4. By accepting a prize the winners grant to Sponsor the right to edit, publish, copy, display and otherwise use their entries in connection with this Contest, and to further use their names, likenesses, and biographical information in advertising and promotional materials, without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.
5. By participating in the Contest and/or accepting the prize, contestants release Sponsor, its parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies or the agencies of any of them and the author of the book promoted hereby from any liability, injury, damages, cost or expense, including reasonable attorney's fees, arising out of or connected to participation in this contest or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prizes.
6. Any dispute arising from this Contest will be determined according to the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and the entrants consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New York County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.

Winners List:

For a copy of the winners list, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by December 25, 2010 to Tarcher Books Publicity, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014, Attention: Every Dog Has a Gift Contest.

Sponsor:

Tarcher Books
A Division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
345 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10014