Win a SIGNED copy of Adventures in the Dream Trade by Neil Gaiman!
Still can’t get enough of Neil Gaiman? Here is your chance to win a SIGNED copy of Neil Gaiman’s Adventures in the Dream Trade (trade paperback edition)!
SIGNED by Neil Gaiman
This giveaway is part of Avalon.ph (still) celebration of our 10th year online. We are one of the longest running online shopping websites in the country. You can read a quick history and timeline here.
Adventures in the Dream Trade is one of Neil Gaiman’s harder-to-find book locally. The book covers Neil Gaiman’s web log during the publication of American Gods, some essays, introductions, stories, poems and song lyrics.
Just how can you win this amazing signed book?
Complete this phrase: “Ten years ago……..”
Be creative, sentimental, funny or just be honest! Feel free to add images if you write your entry in your blogs. I reserve the right to disqualify tasteless entries.
So how to submit an entry?
Easy/basic:
a) Answering in the comments section below gives you one (1) point.
or
b) Answering in your blog, with a link back to this post gives you three (3) points. You must mention Avalon.ph in your blog entry. Note: one blog per person/entry.
On blog entries, I will award you one (1) extra point if I like your post. This will be purely based my personal discretion and I expect myself to be stingy with it.
Basically that’s it, you are now qualified to win this Neil Gaiman signed book. But wait! Want to have more chances of winning? We are giving options to submit more entries that’s worth the effort.
Advanced:
- Twitter – one (1) extra point. You may also follow our Twitter account: avalonph. Twitter entries can be easily traced as long as you use the following tweet format:
RT @avalonph Win a SIGNED copy of Neil Gaiman’s Adventures in the Dream Trade! Exclusive giveaway only on www.avalon.ph #avalonph
I suggest you copy and paste before you tweet. Helpful comments before RT is okay, the rest must be entered once and as is during the contest period (Aug 26 – Sep 22). Please do not spam.
Sorry, no Plurk entries because their search system isn’t optimize to guarantee your entry gets counted.
- Purchases on Avalon.ph. For every valid purchase worth Php500.00 on Avalon.ph, you will earn one (1) extra point. This is valid during the contest period (Aug 26 – Sep 22) and must already be paid/fulfilled before the end of the contest period. There is no limit to the number of points to be awarded.
I’m tempted to include a Facebook point reward system but I believe that’s too much already. However, I will deeply appreciate if you “share” the contest details once it is posted in our Facebook Page. If you are not a fan of Avalon.ph yet, here’s our Facebook Page link: www.facebook.com/avalonph. We also have giveaways exclusive to our Avalon.ph Facebook Page Fans so make sure you add us up.
This giveaway will run from August 26 until September 22, 2009, 11:59pm Manila time. Raffle is only open for those with a Philippine-based address that’s serviceable by major couriers. Raffle will be through Random.org or other facilities that can handle random drawing.
Raffle winner will be announced before 12:00nn September 23. We will exert best effort to communicate with the winner within 5 days, but if efforts fail we will use our discretion in choosing a new winner either through a re-draw or pick #2.
As much as we want everything fair and square there might be unseen issues. Loopholes or oversights regarding rules- common sense applies!
So what are you waiting for? Good luck! Most of all, reminisce something in your life ten years ago!
www.avalon.ph
Ten years ago, I met an old acquaintance of mine in a mall. He had just arrived from Atlanta and was here in Iloilo City for a short vacation. We decided to grab a bite in a burger joint while we reminisced our past. I was a second year college student at that time and life was a living hell for me.
As we shared our experiences, something caught my attention. At first, I thought I saw a picture. He kept on talking as I fixed my gaze on another image. Then, it struck me! I was reacquainted with an old flame. It was like a dream come true! I was looking on a comic book.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Comic books were considered an ordinary thing unless of course if you were staying here in the City of Love. You see, comic books were quite rare in Iloilo. Being a genuine Ilonggo based in Iloilo, I was not blessed as compared to my cousins who were staying in Cebu and Manila.
And like a 5 year-old kid with eyes wide open, I used my courage and quietly asked my friend whether or not I can see his comic book. He looked at me and with a suspicious look, took out his comic book and showed me. As I set my hands on that book, I looked at the pictures. Being a visual type of guy, the art looked pathetic to me. During those times, I would often go and look for comics illustrated by Jim Lee.
I looked at the title. The word “Sandman” was visible. I was not impressed at all. I tried to look at the name of the artists. It stated Mike Dringenberg. You have to understand during those days, X-Men dominated my world when it came to comics. I looked at the name of the writer. Neil Gaiman. I thought, “Neil Gay-Man?” I mean, how gay can you get?
My friend’s lip started flapping and telling me how good the book was. Sure, I told him. I was planning to return the book immediately to him but he told me to give it a try. So, I brought the book with me as we parted ways and cell numbers (he was after all planning to get the book back in a week).
That night, with nothing important to do, I opened the book. The art was simply rubbish for me. The rendition of hell was too dark for me, not in the same manner as the great Jim Lee. The story was fairly okay, or so I thought. As I finished reading a hundred or so pages, I felt moved as the character Morpheus made his way to hell in search of Nadia. And who better to meet him there than the Almighty Lucifer!
Boy, this was surely a unique experience! My love towards the comic book turned into an obsession as I raced the through the remaining pages trying to figure out as to whom will Morpheus give the Key of Hell to. I had my assumptions. And as the final pieces were revealed one at a time, I was shocked. But yet again, I was relieved with the logic behind it. The ending was just that – - perfect.
So, here I am, 28 and a collector of Neil Gaiman books and comics. I personally haven’t met Mr. Gaiman in person but I’d like to say “thank you” to perhaps the best writer who in one way changed my perceptions about comic books.
As I close this piece, you might wonder as to what had happened with my buddy’s Season of Mist? But that is another story…
Ten years ago, If someone told me that I would meet Neil Gaiman, I would never believe it. The authors of the books/comics that I read are always a big blur to me. They are like ghosts, you are not really sure if the exist, yet there are numerous proofs that they do.
Around five years after, I did meet Mr. Gaiman. I wasn’t really aware that he is coming here in the Philippines until a friend asked me to accompany him to one of the book signing events. Each person were only allowed 2-3 books to be signed and he had around 6, so he asked me to go with him.
We were amongst the first few people on the waiting line. While there, I heard other people talking about the questions that they were going to ask Mr. Gaiman. *GASP* I thought. I didn’t have one.
The guy on the megaphone said that we still have 3 hours until Mr. Gaiman arrives. Hurrah! Atleast I have a lot of time to think of a unique question. However, apparently 3 hours isn’t enough time for me to think for one. The line is now moving and I am slowly inching my way to Mr. Gaiman with no question or anything witty to say to him.
My heart leaped. I’m the next one. I smiled, looked at the floor and gave him my copy of Death: The high cost of living and one comic book from The Sandman Series. He finished writing on both books, smiled, looked at me and said “Alright.” in a tone that was obviously asking if I have any questions for him. BLANK. A few seconds have passed and there was nothing but silence and people looking at me. I didn’t know what to say, or even how to get out of the situation.
I cried.
I heard a chorus of “Awwww” from the audience. Apparently, I’m the first one to cry on that event. Mr. Gaiman stood and hugged me. On the way out, I heard a man said “Uy oh, tingnan mo yung babae, umiiyak!”
Everyone must have thought that I am a die-hard fan of him, but in fact, I have only read Death: The High Cost of Living. I wiped my tears, and looked at his autograph. On the Death comic book, it read: “Don’t Die”… but I did.
Ten years ago, I fell in love with Toni Kukoc. And I was stupid to think then that I’ll pass for his mistress.
Ten years ago… was my High School Graduation and I never thought I would see him again. I am talking about the boy, Michael Vincent, who was my seatmate for 4 years. Surprisingly, we never lost touch all these years and now more than ever, since we’re together. <3
hi
you can read my entry here http://wormwhore.blogspot.com/2009/09/ten-years-ago.html
My quick blog entry in here:
http://bastaigatsikat.blogspot.com/2009/09/ten-years-ago.html
-MyMaria
I finally got my post up about this here. Got the twitter a few days ago too hehe. Good luck!
*crosses fingers*
ten years ago i thought i would be on the easy life today. wrong… it is still always up and down.
but thinking about it and looking at my other contemporary friends, i think that is how life is supposed to be. a series of ups & downs.
you will be dead if your life is represented by a flatline.
Hi there! My entry’s here: http://funkysoul.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-big-world.html. Also following you on twitter and I’ve RT-ed it there weeks back (username: phfutbolera). Thanks!
Ten years ago I promised myself I wouldn’t cry and shriek for hours (literally) over petty matters. I tried not to, tried hard when my mom forbid me to go outside our house, harder still when my little brother had more than what I have at that time.
But then again, everything is relative. What others may find petty may bear great significance on me. Cheesy telenovelas make me cry, even Kris Aquino’s funeral speech for her mother made me stifle a sob.
I guess I can’t keep that ten-year old promise. I’m human after all.
Ten years ago was a lot of things.
here’s my entry at blogspot: http://themedicineispoison.blogspot.com/
thank you Avalon for this wonderful chance of a Dream!
Ten years ago, I met my one true love. And now he is my husband.
Ten years ago, I was crazy over Star Wars Episode 1.
CLOSED. Thanks everyone!