Here's your chance to get published in Read by writing about a book that inspired your love affair with books.

The top 3 stories will be published in a future issue of Read and the winners will receive exciting prizes from Powerbooks.

1. ELIGIBILITY

a. This contest is open to anyone, 16 years old and above, who wishes to write about a book that inspired his lifelong passion with books.

b. The participant must not be a professional writer (i.e. book author, columnist, or member of the editorial staff of any publication). Members of the READ editorial team, the employees of Powerbooks are likewise disqualified from this contest.

2. HOW TO JOIN

a. Each participant should submit a brown envelope containing the following:

i. Sealed letter size envelope containing the duly accomplished Official Entry Form and Authorization Form at any Powerbooks branch. The Title of the Entry and the Author�s Pen Name should be written or typed on the face of this sealed envelope.

ii. Printout of the entry.

iii. Soft copy of the entry (CD or floppy disk)

b. An entry refers to a short story or an essay about the participant's true experience about a book. Each entry should be typewritten in English, double-spaced on 8.5'' x 11'' bond paper in font size 12. THE AUTHOR'S REAL NAME MUST NOT APPEAR ON THE ENTRY.

c. Submit the above requirements to any Powerbooks branch or mail them to the Powerbooks Head Office at #25 Brixton St., Capitol Subdivision, Pasig City.

3. CONTEST MECHANICS

a. Each entry should have a minimum of 500 hundred words and a maximum of 1,000 words.

b. The period of the contest is from December 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009.

c. All entries will be judged based on the following criteria: Content (relevance to theme) 50% Mechanics (grammar, punctuation, sentence construction) 25% Writing Style 25% TOTAL 100%

d. When submitting an entry, the contestant represents and warrants that the work is his own, that the events that transpired in his work are true and that the work has never been published. Contestant also warrants that he has absolute ownership of all intellectual property rights to the entry.

e. In order to allow public access to the winning works, the author hereby grants, assigns, and transfers to Powerbooks Inc. the right, without necessity of any payment other than the prize awarded, to publish the winning entry or selection or portion thereof as it may desire; to edit the work or any portion thereof to suit the demands of publication and to make the works available for downloading on the Internet or other electronic medium. Powerbooks Inc. shall also have the right to appoint or designate editors or directors who may edit the work or any portion thereof to suit the demands of publication or exhibition.

f. The selection of winning entries shall be made by judges appointed by Powerbooks Inc. The decision of the judges shall be final and cannot be appealed. Ownership over all submitted stories shall be deemed transferred to Powerbooks Inc.. Powerbooks Inc. may use these stories and the author's names in any publicity or advertising campaigns related to the contest or for any future promotions of Powerbooks Inc. without need of compensation or approval.

g. The deadline for submission of entries is on February 28, 2009 at 9:00pm. Entries will not be returned. Powerbooks shall not be responsible for lost entries.

h. Winners will be notified through registered mail, telephone, mobile phone and/or e-mail and these names may be featured in press releases. Winners shall also be posted at the Customer Service area of all Powerbooks branches.

i. Winners will be announced on March 31, 2009.

j. All parties submitting entries are deemed to have accepted the rules of the contest, and agree to abide by the same.

k. Participating Powerbooks branches are the following: Shangri-La, Megamall, Greenbelt 4, Glorietta, Ermita, Mall of Asia, Alabang, Trinoma, Festival Mall and Cebu.

4. PRIZES

First Prize: P5,000 worth Powerbooks Gift Certificate and Powerbooks Gift Pack

Second Prize: P3,000 worth Powerbooks Gift Certificate and Powerbooks Gift Pack

Third Prize: P1,500 worth Powerbooks Gift Certificate and Powerbooks Gift Pack

Download the form here.