Gather ’round, my friends! I have good news!
Ten short days from today, one of my blog readers will win TWO of my books: Pirate & Penguin (2023) and its seafaring sequel, Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew (2024)!
It’s a pirate-and-penguin-palooza!
It’s a treasure trove of bountiful booty!
Most importantly, it’s really easy to enter.
How To Enter
To enter the contest, all you need to do is leave a comment below that answers the following question:
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Who is your favorite cartoon character and why?
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That’s it! Leave a comment and you’ll be entered in a random drawing to win signed copies of Pirate & Penguin and Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew!
And who will select this lucky winner?
Him:
This guy has been my loyal raffle picker for the past 12 years. When it comes to picking winners, he is second to none.
He is currently in Massachusetts doing some of that fancy college book-learnin’, but when I told him about this contest, he vowed to return to New Jersey next week! Isn’t that wonderful? He is traveling hundreds of miles from his school just to give someone free books!
If he can do that, the least you can do is enter for a chance to win.
How To Increase Your Chances of Winning
What’s that? You want me to stuff the ballot box in your favor?
No problem.
If you promote this contest on your blog, I’ll give you an extra ballot!
And if you promote this contest on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, that Blue Sky thing, or whatever else, I’ll give you an extra ballot for every social medial platform you post on!
And if you want to suggest a completely different way to promote the Pirate & Penguin contest, let me know what you have in mind; I’ll almost certainly give you an extra ballot for that, too!
That’s a lot of chances to win.
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The random drawing will be held on on Friday, November 29.
The winner will be posted on this blog on Saturday, November 30.
And that’s it! So leave a comment! Spread the word! Celebrate Pirates and Penguins! And win!
GOOD LUCK!
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
My favorite cartoon character is Hobbes, the Tiger, because his gentle philosophy and fierce aim with a snowball are just what we need in times like these. We know he makes a great pirate, and if he got transmogriphied into a penguin, he could take lessons from Opus and rock the tuxedo.
Oh, I’m with you all the way, Susan!
And I assume you know about the Bloom County/Calivin and Hobbes crossover strips?
The Latest Bloom County/Calvin & Hobbes Crossover : r/calvinandhobbes
The link didn’t work but i am familiar.
So two ballots for you, yes?
yes two so far
Mike!!! Now we know where you have been! Writing more books! How awesome for you!!
My favorite cartoon character has always been the Pink Panther. I live that he never talks and the music is great, isn’t it?? He’s airways getting into trouble.
Kimber! Great to hear from ya!
The Pink Panther cartoons were required viewing when I was a kid. I was always a big fan.
Do you remember the commercials where PP pitched attic insulation?
Owens Corning Insulation Commercial with Pink Panther
I did not remember that commercial. But it looks familiar. I also loved Pinkie and the Brain. Because he was always going to take over the world! 😂
I’m a fan of Brain as well.
Don’t forget, Kimber! The more you promote this contest, the more ballots I’ll give ya! Good luck, my Texan friend!
Gah! I just wrote a whole comment and lost it because of WordPress! I’ll try again!
Oh, my goodness! How can I possibly pick just one favorite cartoon character? I love Simon Barsinister because how can you not with that name and all those eveil schemes?! I love Muttley because of his trademark snicker at all of Dastardly’s underhanded tricks… I love Hong Kong Phooey because he always gets stuck in that filing cabinet and has to be rescued by Spot… But I think maybe my favorite is Wile E. Coyote because of his persistence and determination to catch the Road Runner. Even though is ridiculous plans fail every single time he never gives up! 🙂
(I will be posting the guidelines for the Holiday Contest soon and you and your books will get a little visibility there because you are so kindly offering copies of these fabulous books as a prize!)
Oh, man, your list is a trip down memory lane. I always loved Underdog cartoons (though I always found it weird that the well-meaning pooch could only be “super” when he took drugs; ah, the 1970s).
I also once proudly owned a Hong Kong Phooey lunchbox–a piece of cartoon merch that is apparently quite valuable today.
Wile E., though, is the gold standard in cartoon awesomeness. Just about all the major characters in the Warner Brothers cartoon stable are at or near the top of my cartoon list.
Two ballots for you!
At your request:
2. Hobbes for being a tiger of flair and living in his own reality (plus he puts up with Calvin).
2. Instagram and blog posts are forthcoming—links to be sent shortly.
3. Promote your books with Instagram posts of the characters with helpful hints thus trending on the Gocomics, Sandra Boynton, DIY wave.
3a. Recruit a capybara or a squirrel or other cute critter to promote your books. Cute animals gain likes.
Four ballots? Five?
Another Hobbes vote! An admirable choice, my friend.
So lemme count: One ballot for the comment, one for Instagram, and one for the blog.
As soon as there is documented proof of rodent promotion, I will offer up a fourth ballot.
What do know—Your post made it over to Linkedin. Another ballot?
Another ballot indeed!
Woo hoo!
Fun post and contest Mike. My favorite character is Linus for his kind heart.
Linus really is the soul of the Peanuts universe.
And you’ve got a ballot!
Thanks Mike!
Blog post is up!
FYI: I tried posting to LinkedIn and Tumbler and WordPress got, lack of a better word, obstinate, about doing so. How about 1/2 a ballot for trying?
Still working on the Instagram post.
BTW: I’m heading off to Okinawa soon. It’s capybara petting time once again. Oh, yeah, and to see the new grandkiddo.
No. Now you have to visit Antarctica so you can read my new books to penguins! Come on, now!
Mmm—Australia and New Zealand have penguins. I’d rather read in shorts than my thermals.
I was thinking back to Loonie Toon days and thought of that rooster that always said, “I say, I say there, sonny.” I can’t remember much else except that I liked him for some reason.
I just now caught the joke that your son is actually coming home for T-day. When I saw the pic of him, I thought, no way. He’s so big now! I knew that already, since I knew he abandoned you for higher learning, but it was still a shock to my system. Happy for you on his soon arrival. Loving the throwback image to mid-eating. 🙂
You’re thinking of Foghorn Leghorn, which was one of my dad’s favorites. (I’m a big fan, too.) Since you selected a character from the stellar Warner Brothers cartoon stable, I am going to politely ignore your heartbreaking misspelling of “Looney Tunes” and put your name in the hat.
Ah, Foghorn Leghorn! That’s right. Thanks.
And sorry. It’s been a long long time, brother.
All is forgiven!
Good luck, Izzy! And be sure to let me know if you plug this contest elsewhere so I can add more ballots in your name!
Hey Mike! I got it on Instagram. Tell your son to get his stirring stick ready to draw on my name. Four ballots, right?
Yep. Four. You have taken the lead in the ballot race.
Greetings, Mike. My favorite character(s) are the Animaniacs . . . mostly because they are unpredictable.
A great choice, Amy! And you have a ballot!
If you decide to promote this contest elsewhere, let me know so I can add a few extra ballots in your name.
Good luck!
Tigger Tigger Tigger!!!! Because, well, Tigger!
I am shocked, I say, SHOCKED! that I can now comment on your blog! What did WP change? Well, maybe I won’t tell them their efforts to inhibit my bloggy participation failed! Wahooo!
As a dyed-in-the-wool Rabbit fan, I cannot say I approve of your hyperactive choice. But you are now entered in the raffle.
Hi Mike! My favorite cartoon character is Wile E. Coyote and I posted about your blog on BlueSky. Your books look so fun!
Oh, I forgot to say I like Wile E. Coyote because he never gives up no matter how many times he fails.
Wile E. is a model of determination…and and excellent choice!
Your comment plus the the BlueSky plug gives you two ballots in the raffle! (If you plug the contest anywhere else, btw, let me know so I can add more ballots in your name.)
Thanks for playing, Heidi! Good luck!
I just added a post about the contest to Twitter. 🙂
And you get another ballot! Well done!
Nice. Check my blog, I am new here☺️
Give me a favorite cartoon character to enter the contest, Kweni!
My favourite cartoon character is always Jerry in Tom and Jerry
As a fellow who is very pro-rodent (or “prodent”), I approve of your cartoon choice.
And your name goes in the hat! Good luck, Olive!
Nice
Hank Hill: Hank is a true hero to the DGS community. He suffers from a fictional genetic disorder called Diminished Gluteal Syndrome (DGS). His essentially non-existent buttocks provide insufficient cushioning when he sits, causing him great discomfort and eventually forcing him to wear an “ortho-gluteal” prosthesis.
I like Hank Hill as well, but not for the reason you stated. ‘Cause that’s weird.
But, hey! You have a ballot, Celeste! Good luck!