James Patterson to Give Away $70,000 in Book Gift Certificates to College-Bound High School Students
NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bestselling author James Patterson announced today the launch of the second annual College Book Bucks program supporting college-bound high school seniors. The 230 winners of the College Book Bucks contest will receive gift certificates ranging from $250 to $1,000 apiece, for use at any IndieBound-affiliated independent bookstore.
High school seniors headed for college can enter the competition by visiting www.JamesPatterson.com and submitting an essay that answers the question "How has your favorite book inspired you toward what you'd like to do in life?" James Patterson and select members from his ReadKiddoRead.com board will read the submissions, looking for the students who best express their thoughts on how books can inspire real-life efforts. The prizes are: ten first-place certificates for $1,000 apiece; twenty second-place certificates for $500 apiece; and two hundred third-place certificates for $250 apiece.
"We know college is awfully expensive these days," says Patterson, who is donating the $70,000 in gift certificates. "My hope with these awards is to give some promising students some help picking up the books they'll need for their studies."
For a list of IndieBound-affiliated bookstores, where the certificates can be redeemed, or for the independent bookstore closest to you, visit www.IndieBound.org. Each referral will also give each participating IndieBound bookstore a chance to win signed books and other prizes.
JamesPatterson.com began accepting essay contest entries on September 13, 2011; the deadline is December 31, 2011. Winners will be announced nationally on March 1, 2012.
About James Patterson
Hachette Book Group author James Patterson has spanned six of the New York Times bestseller lists, with 70 bestselling titles and 47 number one bestsellers. His dedication to getting kids excited about reading prompted him to start writing the now-bestselling series Maximum Ride, Daniel X, Witch & Wizard, and Middle School, and he has been voted the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards "Author of the Year." He has also started a website, ReadKiddoRead.com, to give adults an easy way to locate the very best books for kids. Since his first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, won the Edgar Award in 1977, James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies worldwide. His Alex Cross series, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, is the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years. In total, his Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Witch & Wizard series for younger readers have spent more than 220 weeks on national bestseller lists, and all three series are in Hollywood development. He writes full time and lives in Florida with his family.
SOURCE Hachette Book Group USA
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