Our Second Blogiversary, a Critique Giveaway, and a Special Poem!

Hooray! Today is our Second Blogiversary!

Where does the time go? Can you believe it's been two years since we launched this blog? Once again, we will celebrate by giving you, our loyal readers, a present:

Our Second Annual TeachingAuthors Critique Giveaway!

Full details are posted below. But first, since today is also Poetry Friday, I'd like to share a special blogiversary poem by my amazingly talented co-blogger April Halprin Wayland. If you'd like to read the story behind this poem, along with more of April's Poetry Month poetry, visit her website. And don't forget to check out today's Poetry Friday roundup at the Book Aunt blog.

      OUR  BLOGIVERSARY!
      by April Halprin Wayland

     We six who ride our blog horse here

     are rather like that Paul Revere

     “One if by land, two if by sea,”

     was revolution's poetry

     We TeachingAuthors gallop, too,

     to share our lantern light with you

     we aim to help, support and cheer

     so you can write with joy, not fear

     in this New Land: Kidlitosphere

(c) 2011 April Halprin Wayland, all rights reserved

And now for our Giveaway Details:
For our blogiversary last year, we offered our first ever critique giveaway. This year we decided the best way to "help, support and cheer" would be to do it again. Only this time, TWO winners will have their choice of a critique of one of the following by a TeachingAuthor:

• fiction picture book up to 750 words
• nonfiction picture book up to 1000 words
• first five pages of a novel (chapter book, middle grade, or young adult novel): up to 1250 words
• poetry: up to 16 lines, 12-point font (1-2 poems)
• magazine short story: up to 800 words 
• synopsis of a middle grade or young adult novel: up to two pages max, single-spaced, 12-point font (Note: only one winner may choose this prize.)

Contest rules:
Since the manuscripts will be submitted via email, this giveaway will be open to all our readers worldwide. However, be sure to read the rules below carefully before entering:

1. This giveaway is for our readers. Therefore, to qualify, you must follow us via Google Friend connect, Facebook/Networked Blogs, or as an email subscriber. If you are not already a follower, subscribe via one of the links in the sidebar before you enter. (We will verify that you're a follower!)
2. Post a comment saying how you follow us for one entry. If you are an email subscriber, you must also provide your email address in your comment. Be sure to indicate which type of critique you'd like to win, too.
3. You may receive one bonus entry by helping to spread the word about this giveaway via a blog post, Tweet, or Facebook link. As proof, you must post a second comment containing a link to your blog post, Twitter address, or Facebook wall.
4. No more than two entries per person. All entries must be as comments to today's post.
5. Entry deadline is 11 pm (CST) Tuesday, May 17, 2011.
6. The winner will be determined using the random number generator at Random.org, and will be announced Wednesday, May 18. 

Please note: your manuscript must be formatted in the same way you would to submit it to an editor or agent: in a standard 12-point font on 8 1/2 x 11" paper with one inch margins. For more on manuscript format, see this article.

After we have identified the winners, we will assign the appropriate TeachingAuthor to each critique. That TeachingAuthor will contact the winner via email regarding the submission procedure.

If you'd like to read about our qualifications before submitting your entry, see our "About Us" page.

Important: Feedback and comments to the winner from the TeachingAuthor cannot be used as an endorsement in any way.

That's it! If I've left out something important, feel free to ask questions in your comments.
Good luck to all, and happy writing!
Carmela