Official Rules

Important: Please read these rules before entering the Nothing but the Truth Essay Contest (the "Promotion"). By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and represent that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements in paragraph 1 below.

1. Eligibility. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN; PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE ODDS OF WINNING. PROMOTION OPEN ONLY TO RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. (EXCLUDING NEW YORK, FLORIDA AND PUERTO RICO), OVER THE AGE OF 12 AND UNDER THE AGE OF 24, IF YOU ARE NOT A RESIDENT OF THE U.S., YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN A PRIZE, AND JUSTINA CHEN HEADLEY ("SPONSOR") RESERVES THE RIGHT NOT TO AWARD PRIZES TO ENTRANTS WHO RESIDE IN EXCLUDED AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS. To be eligible to win a prize, entries must be completed and received by Sponsor in the format designated below. Sponsor; employees, directors or officers of Little, Brown and Company and Time Warner Book Groupor any of their respective affiliate entities;  agents, professional advisors, advertising and promotional agencies (and employees, directors and officers thereof) of the foregoing entities and Sponsor (collectively, the “Participating Entities”); and immediate families of each of the foregoing are not eligible to win any prizes, All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Offer void where prohibited. Limit one entry per person.

2. Disclaimer. The Participating Entities will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled or distorted or damaged entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related malfunctions or failures; (c) any Promotion disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Promotion.

3. Promotion Period. The Promotion period is from 12:01 a.m. (all times Eastern Time) on April 1, 2006 to 11:59 p.m. on July 31, 2006 (the "Promotions Period"), All entries must be sent by July 31, 2006 and received by 11:59 p.m. on August 7, 2006 to be eligible to win a prize.

4. Prizes. (a) Grand Prize: The Grand Prize winner will receive a $5,000.00 U.S. Savings Bond to be used for college expenses. First Prize: One (1) First Prize winner will receive Little, Brown and Company books (approximate retail value is $250). Second Prize: One (1) Second Prize winner will receive Little, Brown and Company books (approximate retail value is $100). Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received. ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZES ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH WINNER, Prizes are not transferable, No substitutions or exchanges (including for cash) of any prizes will be permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value for any prize, Prizes won by a minor (as determined by the laws of state or province of residence) will be awarded to a parent or legal guardian on the minor's behalf, Limit one prize per household or address, All prizes are awarded "AS IS" and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied, (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose), Each winner will receive an IRS Form 1099 reflecting the final value of the prize.

(b) Prize Notification. Winners will be notified by U.S. Mail, on or about September 15, 2006, and will be required to sign, execute, and return, where legal, an affidavit of eligibility and acceptance of these Official Rules and release of liability, and/or rights transfer document within ten (10) days of prize notification. If the winner is a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, affidavit of eligibility and acceptance of these Official Rules and release of liability and rights transfer document must be signed, executed and returned by his/her parent or legal guardian. If (a) any winner fails to respond to notification within ten (10) days after its mailing; (b) any winner fails to execute and return the affidavit of eligibility and acceptance of these Official Rules and release of liability and rights transfer document within ten (10) days after its mailing; (c) any notification or prize is returned as undeliverable; (d) any winner fails to notify Sponsor and claim a prize within ten (10) days after notification that they have won is sent; or (e) any winner does not otherwise comply  with these Official Rules, such winner may be disqualified and an alternate winner may be selected. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given. All prizes will be awarded provided they are validly claimed by November 30, 2006, after which no alternate winners will be selected, nor unclaimed prizes awarded.

5. How to Enter. To enter, write a creative, original personal truth statement structured along the lines of what Patty Ho writes in Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies), There are lots of “truths” that you discover throughout your life, And your own truths aren’t necessarily the same as anyone else’s truths. In 750 words or less, tell us about a truth you recently discovered about yourself, How has it influenced the way you see yourself, your family, your school, your community or the world? 

The essay must be no more than 750 words; at least four (4) paragraphs; and an original typewritten, double-spaced work on 8 1⁄2 x 11" paper. Enter by completing and mailing the Official Entry Form with your essay and proper postage to Nothing but the Truth Essay Contest, 11400 SE 6th Street, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98004. All essays must be written in the English language. Collaborative works will not be accepted. All requested information must be provided for your entry to be valid, By entering the Promotion, you consent to being placed on a mailing list for promotional and other purposes, However, you may opt-out of receiving emails or other promotional materials from Sponsor upon receipt of the first e-mail by following the “unsubscribe” instructions contained therein, EACH ENTRY SUBMITTED BY AN ENTRANT WHO IS A MINOR MUST COME WITH SUCH ENTRANT’S PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN’S SIGNATURE ON THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM OR SUCH ENTRY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

6. Promotion Rules. Because of the expected volume of entries, they will be read continuously during the Promotion Period, with judging concluding on or about September 7, 2006, A panel of judges that have the required knowledge and experience to apply the judging criteria will decide upon the winners, The judges will determine the winners based on the most apt, original and interesting essay and on the following criteria: originality, creativity in applying a truth statement to applicant’s personal experiences; eloquence, and appeal to readers.

Judges reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify any entries that are inappropriate for any reason, including without limitation for depicting or referencing sex, violence, or drugs/alcohol.

7. Sponsor Ownership of Entries. All entries and materials submitted to Sponsor in connection with the Promotion (collectively, "Entry Materials"), along with all copyright, trademark and other proprietary rights associated therewith, become the property of Sponsor upon submission, and Entry Materials will not be returned to any entrant. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge that Sponsor will own all rights to use, modify, reproduce, publish, perform, display, distribute, make derivative works of and otherwise commercially and noncommercially exploit the Entry Materials in perpetuity and throughout the universe, in any manner or medium now existing or hereafter developed, without separate compensation to you or any other person or entity. You agree to take, at Sponsor's expense, any further action (including, without limitation, execution of affidavits and other documents) reasonably requested by Sponsor to effect, perfect or confirm Sponsor's ownership rights as set forth above in this paragraph 7.

8. Original Work of Authorship. You hereby warrant and represent that (a) you own all rights to all Entry Materials submitted by you; and (b) all such Entry Materials are original works of authorship on your part and have not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other work and do not violate, misappropriate or infringe any copyright, trademark or other proprietary right of any other person or entity.Each entrant indemnifies Sponsor for any damages arising out of misrepresentation of his/her original work of authorship.

9. General Release. By entering the Promotion, you (and, if you are a minor, your parents or legal guardians) release Sponsor and all Participating Entities from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Promotion or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

IF YOU ARE A MINOR, YOUR PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS FURTHER AGREE TO INDEMNIFY EACH OF THE PARTICIPATING ENTITIES FROM ANY claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH WHICH MAY BE SUFFERED BY YOU.

10. Use of Winner's Name, Likeness, etc, Except where prohibited by law, entry into the Promotion constitutes permission for the Participating Entities to use each winner’s name, address, likeness and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes without further permission or compensation. As a condition of being awarded any prize, except where prohibited by law, each winner may be required to execute a consent in favor of the Participating Entities to the use of his/her name, address, likeness and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes without further permission or compensation,

11. Affidavit & Release. As a condition of being awarded any prize, winners (and if winner is a minor, winner's parent or legal guardian) will be required to execute and deliver to Sponsor a signed affidavit of eligibility and acceptance of these Official Rules and release of liability,

12. Winners List; Rules Request. For a copy of the winners list, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope after August 15, 2006 and before August 15, 2007 to Sponsor at the address listed below, Attn: Nothing but the Truth Essay Contest Winners List. To obtain a copy of these rules, send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to Sponsor at the address listed below, Attn: Nothing but the Truth Essay Contest Rules Request. Residents of VT may omit return postage.

13. Copyright Notice. The Promotion and all accompanying materials are copyright © 2006 by Sponsor. All rights reserved.

14. Miscellaneous. The Promotion and these Official Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the state of Washington. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Sponsor reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in her sole discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Promotion or any entrant's participation in the Promotion should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond Sponsor's control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Promotion or Sponsor otherwise becomes (as determined in her sole discretion) incapable of running the Promotion as planned, Entrants who violate these Official Rules, tamper with the operation of the Promotion or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Sponsor, the Promotion or any other entrant (in each case as determined in Sponsor's sole discretion) are subject to disqualification from entry into the Promotion. Sponsor reserves the right to lock out persons whose eligibility is in question or who have been disqualified or are otherwise ineligible to enter the Promotion. If you have any questions about these Official Rules or the Promotion, please e-mail them to www.justinachenheadley.com or send written questions to 11400 SE 6th Street, Bellevue, WA 98004.