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Teen Writing Contest

Gotham has teamed with Sonya Sones, Simon & Schuster publishing, and Teen Ink for a truly original writing competition - The What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know Writing Contest.

If you’re like us, you hated to see What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know end...but now it doesn’t have to!

Tell US what YOU think happens next!

Sonya Sones will read the entries, and the author of her favorite entry will win a free six-week online writing class from Gotham Writers’ Workshop and Teen Ink! Sonya will even post the winning entry on her website, SonyaSones.com!  Ten runners-up will receive a year’s subscription to Teen Ink. The winner and the ten runners-up will also receive a personalized copy of What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know signed by the author. There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary. You can even enter online below.

To help in getting your creative juices flowing, check out these poems from What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know:

SOPHIE TAKES HOLD OF MY HANDS

Right
in front
of everyone—
sending supersonic shockwaves all through me.

And we just sit here,
grinning at each other like Muppets,
knees pressed together under the table,
eyes locked…

Until the bell rings.
“Check, please,” I call,
snapping my fingers at an imaginary waiter. 
This makes Sophie laugh.

And the sound of that laugh,
and knowing that I’m the one who made it happen,
makes me feel sort of all-powerful,
indestructible,

immortal, even.


SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW

I’ll tell you what happens.

Rachel and Grace creep toward us,
clutching each other’s arms
like they’re approaching an open coffin—

Grace’s eyes bigger than DVDs,
Rachel’s mouth hanging open so wide
you could reach right in and perform a tonsillectomy.

“Fee,” Grace hisses
through teeth clenched tighter than lockjaw,
what are you doing?”

When Sophie looks up at them,
her smile disappears,
and suddenly I feel like a man overboard.

Like
if she lets go of my fingers,
I’ll drown.

For more poems from What My Girlfriend  Doesn't Know - click here.

TO ENTER

Submitting is easy. Here's what you've got to do:

Read What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know and, when you get to the very last poem, write a continuation of the story, but write this part of the saga from Sophie's point of view, sort of a What My Boyfriend Doesn't Know kind of thing.

Tell us what happens next. Does Sophie stick to her guns? Does Tessa fight back? Does Dylan seek revenge? Does Robin get bitten by a vampire?
 
Keep it short, but sweet—no more than ten pages or 1,500 words. And, of course, write it in the same style as What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know—in a series of poems.

By the way, if you’re looking for some writing tips that might help you win the contest; check out the Writers Only page on Sonya’s website!

Use the convenient form below to submit your entry.

Entry Form
First Name:
Last Name:
Address Line 1:
Address Line 2:
City:
State:
Postal Code:
 
Country:
Phone:
Email:
How you heard about this Contest:

Entry Title:
Entry Text:

 
 

By submitting this entry you signify:

  1. That you are the author of the entry
  2. That you are 13 to 18 years of age on the date of entry
  3. That the work(s) is/are original and unpublished
  4. That you agree to the rules of the competition
  5. That you are entering only one work to the competition

All entries must be received by 11:59PM EST on April 3, 2009, the contest deadline. Limit one entry per person. Keep it short but sweet - no more  than 1,500 words or ten pages.

As entries are forwarded to Sonya Sones for judging as soon as they are submitted, be sure that you’ve uploaded your best work before hitting the “Enter” button. We cannot accept revisions for any entry.

PRIZES:
Author Sonya Sones will read the entries, and her favorite entry will win a free six-week online teen writing class from Gotham Writers’ Workshop and Teen Ink!  Sonya will post the winning entry on her website, SonyaSones.com.  Ten runners-up will receive a year’s subscription to Teen Ink. The winner and the ten runners-up will each also receive a personalized copy of What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know signed by the author.

No Purchase Necessary. Starts on 12/16/08 at 12:01 a.m. EST. Ends on 4/3/09 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Open to legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13-18 years of age. Void in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and where prohibited by law. Subject to official rules. For official rules, click here

Visit SonyaSones.com for more information about writing and Sonya's books.




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