You Are Cordially Invited to Haunt Jaunts Third Blogiversary Party (there will be goodies)

As the days grow longer and the end of March draws near, I find myself remembering back to the time when my will to live was renewed. I’d made it through several rounds of chemo. I still had a few left to do, plus radiation to go. But I was having more good days than bad ones. I knew I was going to live.

On my good days, I’d get my keister to the computer and build something I’d long wanted to, but had never given myself permission or made time to do: my Haunt Jaunts travel guide.

This year my “get off the couch” recovery project, a.k.a. my beloved blog, Haunt Jaunts, and I are celebrating our third victory birthday. I’m three years in remission. HJ is three years old.

We’re going to go big this year. Bigger than we have in years past. We’re going to celebrate in three ways, with:

1. Our first ever exclusive newsletter subscribers only giveaway.
2. A calendar.
3. A writing contest.

I couldn’t decide between a calendar or a writing contest, so I decided to do both. That gives me more opportunities to do what this birthday celebration is really aimed at anyway, which is raising money for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

CHANCE FOR FREE GRUB ON HJ TO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS 

This past year has seen us grow in new directions, including the addition of a newsletter. We don’t use it very much, only for the most special of special announcements. (We subscribe to newsletters too. We appreciate the ones who don’t send them just to send them so we try to follow that same style.)

We sure do appreciate those who dig us enough to subscribe to our newsletter. That shows just how very interested in us you really are.

We want to reward that. So if you’re a subscriber, watch soon for a newsletter to hit your inbox about how you can enter for a chance to win one of two $25 gift cards on us. (One to Applebee’s, the other to Chili’s.)

If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter but want a chance to win, you still have a little time to subscribe. There are two was to sign up:

1. Visit the Newsletter page
2. See the sidebar to the farthest right (under the pic of the Bon Voyage ghost in the Come Cruise with Us! box)

HAUNT JAUNTS COLLABORATIVE CALENDAR

Are you a jaunter who likes taking pictures of haunted places? Want to share your images with others and have it seen in a calendar?

Haunt Jaunts is going to look for pictures to include in its first calendar.

These calendars will be for sale, however $5 from each one will be donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, a cause near and dear to my heart. (Literally. My tumor grew just over my heart. Thanks to research strides made in part by organizations like the LRF, it’s why I’m still here today.)

If you’re photo is chosen, you’ll receive a copy of the calendar (which at this point is looking to be a $15 value). More details to follow soon about how to submit and such.

WRITING CONTEST

This will be open to two categories: fiction (any genre) and travel.

There will be a $5 entry fee, with all entry fees being donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

I’ve also enlisted the help of two judges, who are fellow jaunters, paranormal investigators, and writers themselves: Pamela K. Kinney (who’s latest book, Virginia’s Haunted Historic Triangle, I recently reviewed) and P.W. Creighton (who’s debut novel, Nightfall, is in my reading queue anxiously waiting to be read and reviewed).

There will be two winners, one in each category (fiction and travel). They will each receive a $25 gift Amazon.com card, and the winning pieces will be published on HJ.

As with the calendar, more details on entry guidelines and deadlines will follow soon.

CELEBRATE WITH A DIRECT DONATION

Of course, if you want to help us celebrate but don’t have any photos to send in or stories or articles to share, you can always donate directly to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Here’s the links to the various gift-giving options they provide:

1. Make a General Gift – You can choose your amount, and even choose any particular research initiatives you’d like to support.
2. Memorial Gift – Did you lose someone to lymphoma? Want to make a contribution memorializing them?
3. Honor Gift – Pay tribute to someone affected by lymphoma, whether a survivor or caregiver, by sending a personalized e-card.