It’s a time of gifts and as there is no Saint Nick
over here in charge of distributing them (we have our own Saint Basil who does
this job quite nicely on January 1st) and since yours truly is named
after him, I’ve decided to spread some cheer in the midst of all this dire talk
of impending Hellenic bankruptcy. Here’s the deal (please don’t beware of
Greeks bearing gifts)—I’m going to give away two autographed copies of my first
book Sentences (only 300 copies were published) to the first two
people who can answer the following question:
What was my first girlfriend’s name?
Hint (but not much of one): It’s not of Greek origin.
All entrants can enter only one name and they cannot
enter more than once; if by the end of the contest (12.00 midnight December 31st,
Greek time) there are no winners (or only one), the names of the remaining
participants will be put into a Mexican straw hat (idea courtesy of William
Michaelian) and on the evening of January 1st, 2012, the soberest
guest at my name day party will be asked to draw the first two (or one) names out
of the hat. A photograph commemorating the occasion will be taken and duly published
on my blog together with the names of the lucky, soon-to-be well-heeled winners,
as a signed copy of Sentences is now
selling online at over $35 (just think of all the things you could buy for that
very special person if it were 1950 and you were six years old).
Please send your guesses to vzambam3@otenet.gr together
with your snail mail addresses—good luck (unless you’re psychic or have a pint-sized sphinx in your pocket, you’re going
to need it)!
UPDATE: 12/23/11. Hey, guess what--I don't expect anyone to guess the right answer--all you have to do is send in any crazy name to enter. So let's send in those entries!
UPDATE: 12/23/11. Hey, guess what--I don't expect anyone to guess the right answer--all you have to do is send in any crazy name to enter. So let's send in those entries!
From Sentences:
ReplyDeletePoetry Lesson
And yet, we know something of bitterness —
this draining out of love in syllables
teaches us, among other things, silence
and how to talk our way around it.
By which I mean to say (as the proud and lucky custodian of one of the 300), the winners of this generous contest are soon to know wealth in ways that will surprise, inspire, and define them.
Thank you, William, for your kind words. I hope they make more people send in their entries.
ReplyDeleteMy dear Vassili, Merry Christmas, Kala Xristougenna, for you and your family. I am one of the happy and lucky owners of that most precious of books. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Thank you, Mario. I'm happy you have one--it certainly is in good hands.
ReplyDeleteMay 2012 be better than 2011!
I'll give it a try. If only Rumpelstiltskin could work.
ReplyDeleteThatta girl!
ReplyDelete