OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES
This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Amazon. You are providing your information to Obie Williams (henceforth known as “the Author”) and not to Facebook or Amazon. The information you provide will be used for this Contest and the Author’s promotional purposes, and will not be shared to third parties in any form.
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This Contest is run solely by the Author.
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ELIGIBILITY
The Contest is open to legal residents of their respective countries where not prohibited by law, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry. The Author has the right to verify the eligibility of each entrant.
CONTEST PERIOD
The Contest begins on September 30, 2017 at 12:01 AM PDT and ends when the Author declares a winner. The Author reserves the right to extend, shorten, or terminate the Contest at their sole discretion.
HOW TO ENTER
You can enter the Contest through the Official Contest Post on the Author’s Facebook page. Entrants must post their answer to the Contest question in the form of a comment on the Official Contest Post on the Author’s Facebook page. For the purposes of entrant transparency, no other forms of entry will be accepted, not limited to but including: Facebook private message, email, phone call, or any other form of communication outside the Official Contest Post on the Author’s Facebook page.
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ONE ENTRY PER PERSON
If the Author has reason to believe a single person is attempting to enter the contest repeatedly using multiple Facebook accounts, they will be disqualified and banned from the page. Please don't make me be a jerk. Play nice, follow the rules, and just do your best the first time around.
All entries must be formatted in an UNAMBIGUOUS date format which includes start and end month, day, and year. Because of international differences in standard formatting of numerical dates (MM/DD/YYYY vs DD/MM/YYYY), it is STRONGLY advised that all answers be submitted where the months are spelled out in WORDS. If an ambiguous answer is potentially correct AND the Author sees it BEFORE a separate, unambiguous correct answer is posted, the Author will make every effort possible to ask the original poster for clarification. If the original poster responds with clarification BEFORE any subsequent correct answer is submitted, the Author will accept the clarified answer at his sole discretion. NO clarification of ambiguous answers will be accepted after a subsequent unambiguous correct answer is posted. You have been warned. Be safe, post unambiguously from the start. Examples below:
AMBIGUOUS: 1/5/1900 – This could mean January 5, 1900 OR May 1, 1900 depending on international date formats.
UNAMBIGUOUS: January 5, 1900 OR Jan 5, 1900 OR 5 January 1900 OR 5/January/1900. Let it be noted that this final unambiguous example is strange and though it will be accepted, you may be (gently) ridiculed for the odd format. Answers MUST include the START and END dates of the linear events (chapters, NOT interludes) of the novel. An example of acceptable format is: March 10, 1991 – March 25, 1992. This is only an example and in no way remotely resembles a clue as to the true correct answer.
For the purposes of integrity (and to cover his own legal ass), the Author will, at the time the Contest begins, post a photograph which contains the correct dates but has them blacked out. Upon announcement of the winner, the Author will also post the undoctored original version of the photo which shows the correct dates.
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Throughout the contest, the Author will, to the best of his ability, inform entrants if their answer is incorrect. An entrant may edit their answer UNTIL the Author has commented to inform them they are incorrect. ANY EDITS AFTER THAT POINT WILL BE INELIGIBLE.
Any person spamming the contest will be banned from the page. Any person who harasses, belittles, or is otherwise an asshole to other participants in any way will be banned from the page and their entry will be considered invalid.
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WINNER SELECTION
The Author will declare the winner to be the person who submits the correct answer in an unambiguous format with the earliest Facebook comment time stamp. EDITED comments will be judged by their LATEST time stamp.
The winner will be announced on the Official Contest Post on the Author’s Facebook page as soon as the author is able to read and comment. The winner will be asked to PM the Author to arrange delivery of the prize. The winner has thirty (30) days from the date the Author announces the winner to contact the Author. If the winner fails to do so, they forfeit the prize. Whether or not a secondary winner is subsequently chosen will be up to the Author’s discretion based on the content of the other Contest entries.
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PRIZE
There is one Grand Prize: One (1) $100 Amazon gift card to be delivered to the winner electronically. Due to risk of shipping errors, a physical gift card will not be substituted.
Prize is non-transferable. No substitution or cash equivalent of prizes is permitted. Author is not responsible for any typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of the Contest, including, but not limited to, errors in any printing or posting or these Official Rules, the selection and announcement of any winner, or the distribution of any prize. Any attempt to damage the content or operation of this Contest is unlawful and subject to possible legal action by the Author. The Author reserves the right to terminate, suspend or amend the Contest, without notice, and for any reason, including, without limitation, if the Author determines that the Contest cannot be conducted as planned or should a virus, bug, tampering or unauthorized intervention, technical failure or other cause beyond the Author’s control corrupt the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper play of the Contest. In the event any tampering or unauthorized intervention may have occurred, the Author reserves the right to void suspect entries at issue. The Author is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate transcription of entry information, or for any human error, technical malfunction, lost or delayed data transmission, omission, interruption, deletion, line failure or malfunction of any telephone network, computer equipment or software, the inability to access any website or online service or any other error, human or otherwise.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Beginning September 30, 2017 at 12:01 AM PDT, the Kindle ebook format of THE CRIMES OF ORPHANS will be offered as a free download on Amazon.com. This promotional period will end no later than October 4, 2017 at 11:59 PM PDT. If a Contest winner has not been declared before the end of the Kindle promotional period, the Author will offer free copies of the ebook directly. Contact info@obiewilliams.com to request a free digital copy for contest participation. Distribution of free copies by the Author is subject to begin and end at the Author’s discretion, but at no time will a free copy of the Kindle ebook be unavailable to entrants before the Contest officially ends. The Author makes no guarantees regarding how quickly a free copy may be provided directly from the Author upon request, as the Author requires sleep and human interaction away from the computer. No free copies of the Kindle ebook will be provided by the author while the Amazon free promotional period is still in effect. No other ebook formats besides Kindle .MOBI will be provided. No free paperback copies will be provided.
Terms and conditions may apply. Incidental expenses and all other costs and expenses which are not specifically listed as part of a prize in these Official Rules and which may be associated with the award, acceptance, receipt and use of all or any portion of the awarded prize are solely the responsibility of the respective prize winner. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZE IS SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER.
INDEMNIFICATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, EACH ENTRANT AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE AUTHOR, THE FACEBOOK PLATFORM, THE AMAZON COMPANY, ADMINISTRATOR, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES, AND ALL THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS FROM ANY LIABILITY, DAMAGES, LOSSES OR INJURY RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THAT ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST AND THE ACCEPTANCE, USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE THAT MAY BE WON. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE CONDITION, FITNESS OR MERCHANTABILITY OF THE PRIZE. SPONSOR AND ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES, AND ALL THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS DISCLAIM ANY LIABILITY FOR DAMAGE TO ANY COMPUTER SYSTEM RESULTING FROM ACCESS TO OR THE DOWNLOAD OF INFORMATION OR MATERIALS CONNECTED WITH THE CONTEST.
PUBLICITY
By participating, each entrant grants the Author permission to use their name, likeness, and/or comments for publicity purposes without payment of additional consideration, except where prohibited by law.
Any questions regarding the Contest may be directed to the Author via the Official Contest Post on the Author’s Facebook page, via Facebook private messaging of the Author’s official Facebook page, or by emailing info@obiewilliams.com.