Giveaways

Fifteen Year Blogiversary Giveaway Winners

/ Whispering Gums / 6 Comments

As promised, I drew the two winners of my fifteen year blogiversary giveaway today, May 10.

There were 4 entries in the non-Australian draw and 12 in the Australian draw. I used the random number generator at mathgoodies.com, and it generated 3 in the non-Australian draw, and 8 in the Australian draw.

The winners are:

Help Books Clker.com
(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com)

Congratulations to Davida and Tony and commiseration to everyone else. I really wish you could all have won, though that would have dented my wallet rather much! Thanks everyone for playing along, and for all your good wishes for my fifteen years. And, you never know, I might run another giveaway for a future anniversary.

Now, to claim your surprise prizes Davida and Tony, you will need to send me your postal address for delivery of your book by midnight (AEST) on 18 May 2024. (My email address as at the bottom of my Who am I? page.)

If either or both of you don’t email me by the given date then I will re-draw a new winner for the prize/s. And, there is an extra condition – when you receive your surprise book would you please announce it as a comment on this post, as there are some enquiring minds who want to know what I choose.

Meanwhile, I will get on to selecting your special prizes! My thinking cap is working overtime …

Fifteen Year Blogiversary for Whispering Gums, with a Giveaway

/ Whispering Gums / 109 Comments

At the auspicious time of 1.18pm on 2 May 2009, Whispering Gums was born. I knew nothing about scheduling then because if I had I might have thought to published it at a more precise time. Anyhow, the point is that today, my blog turns 15. I found it hard enough to believe when the Gums turned 10, but somehow, in the flash of a few more books and a few more posts, here we are at 15.

Snow Gum, Dead Horse Gap walk, Kosciuszko National Park

It hasn’t been an easy five years though, personally. All looked hunky-dory in May 2019, but then COVID hit and my mother died in 2020, followed by my father in 2021. Then there was last year’s exhausting downsizing exercise. But, there have been great personal moments during that time, too, including the birth of a second grandchild, and a new partner joining our family circle. Things are now feeling a bit more settled – on the personal front anyhow. And so, as the Sentimental Bloke said, life mooches on.

15 years of blogging

I have written 2,350 posts, or, just over 13 a month, which is not prolific but it keeps me busy. Of these, 691 have been Monday Musings’ posts, which I started in August 2010 as an experiment. Now, although they can be a lot of work, they are among my favourite posts to research and write.

So, that’s the writing aspect of the blog, but what about you lot! I’ve had over 1.2 million views, and nearly 47,000 comments. The comments are the real gold, because they are where we readers and bloggers come together. Our conversations mean a lot to me. You make me think harder; you make me feel useful; and sometimes, you make me laugh. In Marie-Kondo speak you give me joy – and I will keep you all a bit longer if I can!

(For those who joined me later in the piece, here is a link to my first post which explains my name.)

To mark this anniversary

As I did for my tenth anniversary, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have made this blogging journey such a fun and meaningful one through a book giveaway, in fact, two book giveaways – one to an Australian-based reader and another to a non-Australian-based one. The book I send to each winner will be a surprise, making this a readers’ lucky dip.

The rules. Express your interest in the comments below, noting whether your postal address is Australian or not, by midnight on May 9 (AEST) and on May 10, I’ll draw from each list using a random number generator. If you win, you will need to provide me with your mailing address (privately) as specified in the post announcing the winner. If you don’t, I’ll redraw. We can’t let a book gift go to waste, after all.

Meanwhile, once again, a big thanks to you all. You make this blog what it is – well, the good things about it, anyhow. The rest, as they say, is mine!

 

Ten Year Monday Musings Giveaway Winners

/ Whispering Gums / 24 Comments

And so, as promised, I drew the two winners of my ten year Monday Musings giveaway this evening, August 17.

There were fewer entries than for last year’s blogiversary draw, but that just gives the entrants a higher chance of winning! There were 7 entries in the Australian draw and 4 in the non-Australian draw.

However, before I announce the winners, I thought I’d share some of the comments made regarding my questions about favourite Monday Musings and recommending future topics.

Regarding favourite Monday Musings, Meg said that she particularly enjoyed the posts introducing her to “another Australian author”. I like writing these author-based posts, so will try to inject a few more into the schedule over coming months. Bill (The Australian Legend) didn’t surprise when he said that he most liked the pre-WW2 posts, especially those inspired by Trove. I love writing those too, and do have one in the offing. I started it months ago, but hope to find time soon to finalise it.

Kate (booksaremyfavouriteandbest) didn’t name a favourite, but she was “amused” that my post on Older Men Protagonists was among those achieving the most hits. I know what she means.

Regarding ideas for future Monday Musings, a couple were put forward and – phew – both feel doable. First up was author Angela Savage who has been announced as the new CEO of Public Libraries Victoria. She said she’d love a post on libraries and librarians in Australian literature. Author Carmel Bird seconded that, and pointed me to some references to libraries in some of her novels. Thanks Carmel! The other idea came from a relative new commenter here, the originally named Sue. (Sorry Sue, as another Sue, I couldn’t resist that!) She wrote:

Australian Urban Novels – there’s so much emphasis on regional writing which is wonderful – since I live outside the cities – but I think urban based fiction could be interesting.  

I like this idea, partly because it’s been on my list of possible ideas for a long time. I have been pondering how to approach it, but Sue’s request has got my mind working and I think I have an idea. Watch this space …

Thank you Angela, Carmel and Sue for these ideas.

Meanwhile, on with the real business of this post. The winners are:

  • 7A (Australian-based address): Neil@Kallaroo
  • 3N (Non-Australian address): Cathy (746books)

Help Books Clker.com

(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com)

Congratulations to Neil and Cathy, and commiseration to everyone else. You all deserve to win. Thanks so much for taking part, and thanks to everyone for your good wishes for Monday Musings’ ten years.

Now, to claim your surprise prizes Neil* and Cathy, you will need to send me your postal address for delivery of your book by midnight (AEST) on 24 August 2020. (My email address as at the bottom of my Who am I? page.)

If either or both of you don’t email me by the given date then I will re-draw a new winner for your prize.

As for me, I will get on to selecting your special prizes!

* Of course, I have yours, Neil!

Monday musings on Australian literature: Ten Year Anniversary, with a Giveaway

/ Whispering Gums / 49 Comments

Today (well, yesterday actually, except yesterday wasn’t a Monday) marks the 10-year anniversary of my Monday Musings series. When I came up with the idea, and wrote the first post back on 9 August 2010, I couldn’t have imagined that I’d be here ten years later still blogging, let alone still posting weekly Monday Musings.

My aim, as I wrote in that first post, was very simple – to promote Australian literature.

Some highlights

I have published over 500 Monday Musings posts, across a wide variety of topics – all of course relating to Australian literature in some way.

Miles Franklin

Miles Franklin, c. 1940s (Presumed Public Domain, via Wikipedia)

My first post was titled, simply, Making a start, and in it I shared five random facts about Australian literature. The first real post – 5 to get you started – came the next week, and here I shared five novels that I thought might attract newbies to Australian literature. Would I choose different ones now? Probably, but I still think my list from 2010 isn’t bad.

In terms of number of all-time hits, my top five Monday Musings posts are:

Interesting, eh. These, however, are not the posts that have engendered the most comments. Those top five are:

I have tried to mix up the sorts of topics I’ve covered in Monday Musings, but there have have some threads, such as:

I said, in my first post, that Monday Musings would “explore in more depth all sorts of writers, works and issues relating to literature in Australia. It will be rather serendipitous.” And this is how it has panned out. I have written on themes and motifs, forms and genres, individual writers, awards, issues, and, dear to my heart, on Australia’s literary history (inspired mostly by Trove. What a wonder – and help – that has proved to be.)

Keeping this series going has been challenging at times – coming up with the topics, and finding the time to research and write them, hasn’t always been easy. Many of the posts haven’t received the time and thought they deserve, but I’ve hoped that getting topics on the (web)page has some value.

Overall, Monday Musings posts have faired very well in my comment stats, which confirms that many of you are big supporters of this series. For this, I am hugely grateful. I love that so many people read the posts, and that so many of these posts stimulate discussion. That is the best fun for a blogger – and I learn so much from you all too. I feel very lucky. So …

To mark this anniversary

As I did for my tenth blogiversary, I’d like to do two book giveaways – one to an Australian-based reader and another to a non-Australian-based one. The book I send to each winner will be a surprise, making this a bit of a lucky dip.

The rules. Express your interest in the comments below, noting whether your postal address is Australian or not. Although this is not mandatory for the giveaway, I’d love to know whether you have a favourite Monday Musings post or whether there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in a future Monday Musings (though I don’t promise to do it!)

The winners. Late on August 17 (in my AEST-zone), I’ll draw from each list using a random number generator, and will announce the winners in that night’s Monday Musings (that is, next week’s MM post). If you win, you will need to provide me with your mailing address (privately) as specified in the announcement post. If you don’t, I’ll redraw, as I want someone to win.

Meanwhile, a huge thanks to you all for reading my blog – and particularly for supporting Monday Musings over all these years. You make it worthwhile. I look forward to sharing more with you – for another ten years? Watch this space …

 

Special Event and Book Giveaway Winners for Jessica White’s Hearing Maud

/ Whispering Gums / 6 Comments
Book cover

As promised, I have drawn this morning, using an online random number generator, the two winners for Jessica White’s Hearing Maud giveaway, which I announced a little over a week ago. As you may remember, the two giveaways were a book and admission to Jessica’s “in conversation” with author Inga Simpson at Muse Books and Cafe, this Saturday 2 November, and a book only for non-Canberra residents.

There were just 2 entries for the Book and Event draw, and 9 entries in Book Only draw.

Here are the winners:

  • Book and Event, No. 1 : Rosalind Moran
  • Book only, No. 5: Sharkell

Congratulations to Rosalind and Sharkell, and commiseration to everyone else, but thanks everyone for playing along. I do hope that those of you who didn’t win do seek out the book! It’s my next read and I’m looking forward to it.

Now, to claim your prizes:

  • Rosalind, just turn up at Muse on Saturday 2 Nov, at 4.30pm. Your name will be at the door.
  • Sharkell, please send me your postal address for delivery of your book by midnight (AEST) on 6 November 2019. (My email address as at the bottom of my Who am I? page.) If you don’t email me by the given date then I will re-draw a new winner for the book.

Again, thanks everyone – and especially thanks to Jessica for sponsoring this giveaway. I look forward to seeing (and hearing) her at the event – and to introducing Rosalind to her.

Special Book and Event Giveaway for Jessica White’s Hearing Maud

/ Whispering Gums / 34 Comments
Book cover

Regular readers here will know that I very rarely do give-aways. However, when Jessica White, who is on the Australian Women Writers Challenge team with me and whose novel Entitlement I’ve reviewed, asked whether I’d be happy to do a giveaway for her latest book, Hearing Maud, and her conversation with Inga Simpson at Muse, how could I refuse? Of course, I couldn’t, and didn’t want to.

So, here’s the deal:

On Saturday 2nd November, from 4.30 – 5.30pm at the wonderful Muse Books and Cafe, Jessica will be in conversation with writer Inga Simpson about her hybrid memoir on deafness, Hearing Maud, which details Jessica’s experiences of deafness after losing most of her hearing at age four. It charts how, as she grew up, she was estranged from people and turned to reading and writing for solace, eventually establishing a career as a writer. Central to her narrative is the story of Maud Praed, the deaf daughter of 19th century Queensland expatriate novelist Rosa Praed. In researching Maud’s story, Jessica reached back into the history of the deaf and realised how, although her and Maud’s stories are a century apart, they both still struggled with the expectations that they be like hearing people.

Jessica is offering not one but TWO giveaways:

  • a copy of the book and a free ticket to this event; or,
  • a copy of the book

Please leave your name in the comments, noting which of these two draws you wish to go into, by midnight AEDST Tuesday 29th October.

The draw, using a random number generator, will be made on Wednesday 30th October:

  • The winner of the book and event will just need to turn up at the event as his/her name will be recorded at the door.
  • The winner of the book will need to email his/her address as requested in the announcement email.

Jessica and I look forward to hearing from you!

Ten Year Blogiversary Giveaway Winners

/ Whispering Gums / 10 Comments

And so, as promised, I drew the two winners of my one year blogiverary giveaway yesterday, May 10, but I was out of town, so decided to way until I returned home to my proper computing facilities, to write the announcement post.

There were 11 entries in the non-Australian draw and 16 in the Australian draw, and, would you believe that the random number generator at mathgoodies.com generated 5 in both draws! That’s random for you.

The winners are, therefore:

  • 5A (Australian-based address): Louise Allan
  • 5N (Non-Australian address): Nancy Elin

Help Books Clker.com

(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com)

Congratulations to Louise and Nancy, and commiseration to everyone else. I wish you could all have won, though that would have dented my wallet a little too much! Thanks everyone for playing along, and for all your good wishes for my ten years. You never know, I might run another one for a future anniversary.

Now, to claim your surprise prizes Louise and Nancy, you will need to send me your postal address for delivery of your book by midnight (AEST) on 18 May 2019. (My email address as at the bottom of my Who am I? page.)

If either or both of you don’t email me by the given date then I will re-draw a new winner for the prize/s.

Meanwhile, I will get on to selecting your special prizes!

Ten Year Blogiversary for Whispering Gums, with a Giveaway

/ Whispering Gums / 145 Comments

Today, my blog turns 10! I can hardly believe it. I really didn’t expect to be still writing it ten years on when I started way back there in May 2009, but it can become addictive, as many of you know yourselves!

I must say that I started shyly. I was nervous about sharing my opinions/ideas publicly, so I did very little to advertise myself, but you can’t be on-line for 10 years without becoming at least a little known, or so I’ve discovered. Fortunately, the responses have been positive and supportive. Litblogs, in fact, are remarkable for the absence of nastiness, proving that people can be polite on-line even when they don’t always agree.

Some highlights

So, I have written over 1600 posts, or, around 13.5 a month, which is not a stupendous number, but a comfortable rate for me. Of these, 442 have been Monday Musings’ posts which I started in mid-2010 as an experiment. Never did I believe I would still be finding topics to write about nearly nine years later, but the interest of readers here has encouraged me to continue. I have hosted a number of guest posts – and thank the generosity of those writers who wrote those posts – and I’ve guest-posted for others. I’ve taken part in other bloggers’ reading weeks and memes, and am also involved in administering or editing four or five other blogs.

Whispering Gums has been archived on the National Library of Australia’s web archive, Pandora, since 2012, which means it will be there, along with other litblogs, for researchers of the future who are interested in how we in the early 21st century shared books and reading, how we communicated on-line, and what we said about our literary culture and environment. I was “freshly pressed” in November 2010 – for a travel-oriented post (hmm) – resulting in my biggest single day of hits ever. (I don’t believe WordPress does this anymore.)

Because of my blog, I have been involved from the start, as a mentor, in the ACT Writers Centre’s arts blogging program. This is a joy, which brings me to the best highlight of all ….

My blog has introduced me to some wonderful people – bloggers, readers, writers, publishers – who have enhanced my understanding of literary culture immeasurably. I won’t name names because I’m sure to miss one, but you know who you are – don’t you? You mean a lot to me. Talking with other readers, as well as with practitioners and professionals in the arts, has added depth and breadth (too) to my own reading experience. I love that I’ve read and engaged with bloggers on every continent – oops, I lie, I don’t think I’ve ever engaged with a blogger from Antarctica! I’m not sure that Emperor Penguins read, though it would certainly give them something to do while they stand around nurturing those eggs!

Finally, for those who joined me later in the piece, here is a link to my first post which explains my name.

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To mark this anniversary

To express my gratitude to all of you who have made this blogging journey such a fun and meaningful one, I would like to do a book giveaway, in fact, two book giveaways – one to an Australian-based reader and another to a non-Australian-based one. The book I send to each winner will be a surprise, making this a bit of a lucky dip.

The rules. Express your interest in the comments below, noting whether your postal address is Australian or not, and early on May 10 (in my AEST-zone), I’ll draw from each list using a random number generator. If you win, you will need to provide me with your mailing address (privately) as specified in the post announcing the winner. If you don’t, I’ll redraw. We can’t let a book gift go to waste, after all.

Meanwhile, a huge thanks to you all. You make this blog what it is – well, the positive things about it, anyhow. The rest, as they say, is mine! I look forward to sharing more with you in the future.

 

Monday Musings on Australian Literature Special: Book Giveaway Winners

/ Whispering Gums / 11 Comments

Two weeks ago I announced my first blog giveaway, courtesy the generosity of Irma Gold, editor of the Canberra Centenary anthology, The invisible thread. Irma offered me two copies to give away, both signed by most of the authors represented in the anthology – and who are still living of course! Entries closed midnight, AEST, on 31August.

The invisible thread, by Irma Gold

Cover (Courtesy: Irma Gold and Halstead Press)

So, here are the winners, chosen using an Internet-based random number generator:

  • AUSTRALIAN ADDRESS winner is Rosemary, the lucky last Aussie to throw her hat in the ring; and the
  • OVERSEAS ADDRESS winner is Glenda in Switzerland

Congratulations Rosemary and Glenda … And commiserations to all you others. Thankyou though for showing interest. It’s a shame everyone can’t be winners.

Here is the deal, Rosemary and Glenda. You need to email me, at wg1775[at]gmail.com, your postal address by midnight AEST 7 September, 2013. I will redraw a new winner if I don’t have your address by that deadline.

Once again, a big thank you to Irma for offering this giveaway. … it is a real booklover’s treat.

Oh, and the book can be bought from Fishpond so all is not completely lost.

Reminder: a Book Giveaway

/ Whispering Gums / 17 Comments

Time is running out to win one of the multiply signed copies of The invisible thread. Anyone from anywhere can enter as the editor and donor of the copies, Irma Gold, and I have agreed to quarantine one copy for an overseas address, and the other for an Australian address.

The invisible thread, by Irma Gold

Cover (Courtesy: Irma Gold and Halstead Press)

To read more about the book – gorgeous centenary anthology, The invisible thread, edited by Irma Gold – click on the following links to see my post on its launch, my review, or my description of the beautiful Woven Words event inspired by it.

So to recap the giveaway:

Eligibility:  The giveaway will be open to Australian and international readers, with ONE copy to go to an international reader, and ONE to an Australian reader. I will use a random number generator to identify the winners.

How to enter: Leave a Comment on this post, and state which country you live in so I can place in the right giveaway group. I’d love to hear why you’d like to have the book – but it’s not essential.

The fine print: Entries will close at midnight AEST on 31 August. If you win, you must email me with a postal address by the deadline that I advise in the post announcing the winners. I will redraw a new winner if the deadline isn’t met.

I can’t thank Irma enough for this offer … and hope those of you who lurk here won’t be too shy to enter.  This is a booklover’s treat that doesn’t come around often.