On Friday here at Gettysburg, fellow blogger and historian Rea Andrew Redd was spotted with his copy of The Complete Gettysburg Guide during a battlewalk - he's the second winner of the free copy of our Audio Tour based on the book. Rea is a big supporter of our book, and he was very happy to be our second winner.
Steve Stanley and I have made a few trips around the field today (Saturday) but haven't located our third winner yet. The tour is in several stores around town, and it has been selling extremely well - in fact, it's far outselling the other tours currently available, including another tour that was just released on July 2. We are very honored by that, and we hope folks who have them enjoy and learn.
Congratulations again Rea, and who will be our third winner....?
Wow...Need to make the contest a bit more legit.....
ReplyDeleteIt's legit - these are literally the two first people we spotted with the book. At first we didn't recognize either fellow until they introduced themselves to us...
ReplyDeleteJD
I am the winner of the July 1 contest and author "Cannoneers, To Your Posts!" I can understand some cynicism in the fact that two authors were the winners of Mr. Petruzzi's tour guide CD, but I can assure you that it was entirely a chance meeting while I was on a battlefield walk. I was not even aware of the contest until I saw Mr. Petruzzi and Mr. Stanley approach me on July 1 to say that I was a winner. I asked "Winner of what?" Mr. Petruzzi proceeded to identify himself to me, but I did recognize him from his photo in the book and I did meet him several years ago, but he did not remember me until I introduced myself and told him I was an author, too....THIS IS REALLY THE WAY IT HAPPENED!!!! Let me say that another unusual thing happened to me this weekend. While I was at a place autographing books, a man approached me and told me he was looking for me for some time to provide me with some research information. He said that he had no idea that I would be in Gettysburg and just happened to come into the store after I arrived. Incidentally, he had some of that information with him in his car even though he had no idea he would see me. He lives in Alabama and I am from Pennsylvania. Was it fate? Frank Piatek
ReplyDeleteTrying so hard to convince us this all was merely by "chance" I for one still don't buy it. But what is done is done. I just think it could have been better planned.
ReplyDeletelol, Anonymous...If they had wanted to have it all "set up" why wouldn't they have just givin the tours to their friends and left it at that? Why go to the trouble of a "Fake contest"? Stop being an Anarchist...And I say Anarchist because only someone who gets off on attacking people would even suggest that the contest was rigged.
ReplyDeleteJD and Frank, you are good men who should never explain yourselves to a@@holes, they will NEVER be satisfied with your answers.
So again, lol anonymous!
Thanks. Yes indeed, the contest was real. Steve and I probably put at least 100 miles on my truck riding all over the battlefield (and out of the way spots) trying to spot someone with the book. We scoured hundreds of folks taking battlewalks. We sat on Little Round Top, at the Angle, at Devil's Den watching folks go by. The winners could have been anyone - and they were. The fact that I had met Frank once at a booksigning, and had an internet connection with Rea, was pure happenstance. And our third winner was someone with whom we'd had no prior connection whatsover. And the question was correct - why have the contest if it's not completely left to chance? Otherwise, what would be the point?
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed hunting folks carrying the book, and our winners were very gracious and grateful. Thanks to all of them for making a very exciting weekend!
I did not know that questioning a "contest" was attacking someone ? Is that what it has all come too ? If someone ask's a question about someone or something, they are now an "Anarchist" ?
ReplyDelete100 miles ? 100's of people ? in the one place that your book could be used, and you could only find 3 people with it ? Two of them being authors ? Oh I am sorry here I am asking questions again and being an "Anarchist" We should NEVER question things.....
Yes, only 3 people were found with it. Obviously it has to involve a great deal of timing to be at the right place at the exact time someone has the Guide in their hands. With over 6,000 acres to happen upon someone the odds are very long at our paths crossing. I live here in Gettysburg and in the year since the Guide was released I have only ran into 3 people actually using the Guide. Again the odds of myself and a person actually using the Guide crossing paths are very low. If you are upset because we did not find you on the battlefield using the Guide, why did you not stay put at one location for the entire four days with the Guide firmly in your hands awaiting us to drive or walk by? J.D. and I certainly did not have to do this contest, we simply wanted to have fun this past weekend hoping to spot the Guide on the battlefield and in use. Plain and simple as that.
ReplyDeleteSteve
" With over 6,000 acres to happen upon someone the odds are very long at our paths crossing. "
ReplyDeleteSo true about the ODDS I guess,Steve. But this past weekend was the busiest of the season. It was the 147tn anniversary of the Battle. Must have been 1,000's upon 1,000's during those 4 days. Yet you could only find 3 people in 4 days with one of the best selling books about Gettysburg out there and low and behold of those 3, 2 were authors. Wow....what are the ODDS of that happening !! But what is done is done....
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou say that the contest was not legit. Maybe there were individuals out there with the book. I told JD that on the afternoon battle walk with John Heiser there were at least 7 individuals carrying the book, but low and behold, JD and Steve were not at that location. but it doesnt mean they werent out there looking. they couldnt be on the battlefield 24/7 fore they had signing commitments. I know this to be true fore I saw JD and Steve at the Old Civil war wax museum, and later on at the History book store... And why not sign your comments with a name..
Jim Coyle
Correct, Jim - our signings meant that we had about 2 hours each day to look.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm not sure what your beef truly is, but I have a challenge for you... next July, you ride around the field for a couple hours each day during the anniversary, and let me know how many folks you see carrying a particular book... ours or another.
And I will add that we do these books and audio tours so that folks will do one thing and one thing only: to enjoy the battlefields and historical sites. Please send me your name and address at jdpetruzzi@live.com, and I will be happy to send you a free copy of the tour. All we ask is that if you enjoy it, tell your friends.
JD