Rules: Huff/Post50 & AARP Announce Memoir Contest

Rules: Huff/Post50 & AARP Announce Memoir Contest
a pup of coffee and box with...
a pup of coffee and box with...

MEMOIR CONTEST UPDATE: We are pleased to announce the 10 finalists in our AARP & Huff/Post50 Memoir Contest. We received thousands of wonderful entries. For those who did not make the cut, we hope to reach out to at least some of you in the coming months to see how we might be able to help tell your stories as well. These 10 finalists have until Dec. 15 to complete their memoirs. Soon after, a winner will be announced. Good luck and thanks for participating everyone!

THE 10 FINALISTS

Bill Bonham
Michael Bryan
Isaac Herschkopf
Frances Hofman
Alan Horowitz
Mary Jumbelic
Karen Albright Lin
Edward Moran
Kathleen Murray
Elaine Vigne

MEMOIR CONTEST UPDATE: We are pleased to announce that the response to the memoir contest was much greater than anticipated. Since the contest started, we've received thousands of submissions. As a result, it's taking our judges longer to evaluate each one in a timely and fair manner. Currently, the plan is to announce and notify the 10 finalists this summer. Final manuscripts will then be due in the early fall with an eye towards announcing a winner in late fall. Thanks again for participating and stay tuned for more updates in the coming months. We've received some wonderful stories!

Huff/Post 50 and AARP are excited to launch a memoir contest. Below are the rules. Read them carefully. Starting Dec. 1, please send submissions to 50memoir@huffingtonpost.com and remember to put "memoir" in the subject line.

AARP & HUFF/POST50 MEMOIR CONTEST

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

1. Eligibility: The AARP & Huff/Post50 Memoir Contest (the “Contest”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who were born before Dec. 31, 1964. Employees, contractors, and their immediate families (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and their respective spouses), including those living in the employees’ households of AOL Inc., AARP, Simon & Schuster, Inc. (“S&S”), and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, advertising and promotion agencies (collectively, the “Contest Entities”), are not eligible to enter or win a Prize. Void in Puerto Rico, all other U.S. territories and possessions, overseas military installations and where prohibited. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws & regulations. United States law governs this Contest. Void where prohibited.

2. Sponsors: AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 and AARP, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049 (collectively, the “Sponsors”).

3. Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

4. Submission Period: The Contest Submission Period begins at 12:00 a.m. ET on December 1, 2013 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on February 15, 2014 (the “Submission Period”).

5. How to Enter: During the Submission Period, go to huff.to/memoir (the “Contest Website”) and follow the instructions to register for the Contest by emailing a synopsis of your memoir and the first 5,000 words of your memoir (the “Initial Entry”), written in English, to 50memoir@huffingtonpost.com. Initial Entries must be written by the entrant and cannot have been previously published in any manner. Initial Entries should include entrant’s name, date of birth, mailing address, email address and telephone number. Limit one (1) Initial Entry per person. Initial Entries must be truthful, and Sponsors reserve the right to verify information contained in the Initial Entry. Initial Entries must be the original work of the entrant; must not infringe any third-party’s rights; must be suitable for publication in Sponsors’ sole discretion (i.e., may not be obscene or indecent); may not contain defamatory statements; may not invade the privacy, publicity or other rights of any person, firm or entity; may not in any other way violate applicable laws and regulations; and may not contain any copyrighted works owned by third parties. All Initial Entries will be reviewed for content eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules before being judged. Initial Entries containing false information, prohibited material or inappropriate content, as determined by the Sponsors, in their sole discretion, may be disqualified. The Sponsors make the final determination as to what Initial Entries are eligible to participate in this Contest. Submission of an Initial Entry grants Sponsors and their agents the unconditional, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to publish, use, adapt, edit and/or modify such Entry in any way, in any and all media, without limitation, and without consideration to the entrant, whether or not such Entry is selected as a winning Entry.

BY SUBMITTING THE ORIGINAL ENTRY, THE ENTRANT REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT (S)HE HAS ALL RIGHT, TITLE AND INTEREST NECESSARY TO GRANT THE SPONSORS THE PERPETUAL, WORLDWIDE, IRREVOCABLE AND UNRESTRICTED RIGHT AND LICENSE TO ADAPT, PUBLISH, USE, EDIT, AND/OR MODIFY SUCH ENTRY IN ANY WAY AND POST THE ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE INTERNET OR USE THE ORIGINAL ENTRY IN ANY OTHER WAY AND AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD SPONSORS HARMLESS FROM ANY CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY.

Initial Entries may be posted on the Contest Website after being submitted. Having an Initial Entry posted on the Contest Website does not constitute that the Initial Entry has met the submission requirements listed in these Official Rules.

6. Finalists Selection: All Initial Entries will be judged by a panel of judges (“Judges”) who will select ten (10) Finalists based equally on the following Finalist Judging Criteria: originality, appeal, and the power of the storytelling. In the event of a tie, an additional judge will judge the tied Initial Entries based on the Finalist Judging Criteria listed above in order to determine the Finalists. All submitted Initial Entries and entrants in this Contest shall be governed by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Judges and Sponsors. Entrants agree that the Sponsors and Judges have the sole right to decide all matters and disputes arising from this Contest and that all decisions of Sponsors and Judges are final and binding. In the event an insufficient number of qualified eligible Initial Entries are received during the Submission Period, Sponsor reserves the right to select less than ten (10) Finalists. Selected potential Finalists are subject to eligibility verification prior to proceeding in the Contest as a confirmed Finalist. Confirmed Finalists will be required to submit their original memoir (referred to in these Official Rules as the “Entry” or “Memoir”) by 11:59 pm ET on June 15, 2014. Memoirs must be 20,000-50,000 words in length and in English. Memoirs must be written by the entrant and cannot have been previously published in any manner. Failure of a Finalist to submit Memoir by the stated deadline will result in disqualification and an alternate Finalist may be selected if time permits, at Sponsors’ discretion. Entries must be truthful, and Sponsors reserve the right to verify information contained in the Entry. Entries must be the original work of the entrant; must not infringe any third-party’s rights; must be suitable for publication in the Sponsors’ sole discretion (i.e., may not be obscene or indecent); may not contain defamatory statements; may not invade the privacy, publicity or other rights of any person, firm or entity; may not in any other way violate applicable laws and regulations; and may not contain any copyrighted works owned by third parties. All Entries will be reviewed for content eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules before being judged. Entries containing false information, prohibited material or inappropriate content, as determined by the Sponsors, in their sole discretion, may be disqualified. The Sponsors make the final determination as to what Entries are eligible to participate in this Contest. Submission of an Entry grants Sponsors and their agents the unconditional, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to publish, use, adapt, edit and/or modify such Entry in any way, in any and all media, without limitation, and without consideration to the entrant, whether or not such Entry is selected as a winning Entry.

BY SUBMITTING THE ORIGINAL ENTRY, THE ENTRANT REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT (S)HE HAS ALL RIGHT, TITLE AND INTEREST NECESSARY TO GRANT THE SPONSORS THE PERPETUAL, WORLDWIDE, IRREVOCABLE AND UNRESTRICTED RIGHT AND LICENSE TO ADAPT, PUBLISH, USE, EDIT, AND/OR MODIFY SUCH ENTRY IN ANY WAY AND POST THE ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE INTERNET OR USE THE ORIGINAL ENTRY IN ANY OTHER WAY AND AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD SPONSORS HARMLESS FROM ANY CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY.

7. Grand Prize Winner Selection: Finalists’ Memoirs will be judged based equally on the following Grand Prize Judging Criteria: originality, appeal, and the power of the storytelling. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected. In the event of a tie, an additional judge will judge the tied entries based on the Grand Prize Judging Criteria listed above in order to determine the Grand Prize Winner. Disclaimer of Similarities: Due to the nature of this Contest, there is a possibility that similar Entries may be entered by multiple individuals. Any similarity between Entries shall in no way entitle you to any consideration or compensation from the Sponsors or from any third party, including in the event an Entry similar or identical to yours is selected as a winner in this Contest. By submitting your Entry, you specifically acknowledge this possibility and agree to the terms stated in these Official Rules. The potential Finalists and/or potential Grand Prize Winner may be subject to a background check (including, without limitation, civil and criminal court records and police reports) to be conducted by or on behalf of Sponsors. The Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any Entry if the results of such background check or interview reveals that the entrant and/or the person that was nominated is either not eligible to participate in the Contest or if the Sponsors determine, in their sole discretion, that participation of entrant might reflect negatively on Sponsors or S&S or any of their related or affiliated companies, employees, or affiliates, or if the Entry contains false, deceptive or incomplete information. Failure to agree to a background check will result in disqualification. Entries may also be disqualified for: (a) failing to provide the required information in a timely manner; (b) a violation of any of these Official Rules (including failure to satisfy any eligibility requirements); or (c) any other reason affecting the fairness or propriety of this Contest as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion.

8. Verification of Potential Finalists/Grand Prize Winner: The potential Finalists/Grand Prize Winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and becoming a Finalist and/or Grand Prize Winner is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. The potential Finalists/Grand Prize Winner will be notified by email, telephone, or postal mail and may be required to sign and return to Sponsors or their designee, within a timeframe to be specified, an affidavit of eligibility, and liability/publicity release (except where prohibited), an assignment of rights, and an IRS W-9 form in order to proceed as a Finalist in the Contest or, if selected as the Grand Prize Winner, to claim the prize. If a potential Finalist or the Grand Prize Winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release and W-9 form within the required time, or if the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, the potential Finalist/Grand Prize Winner will be disqualified. In the event that a potential Finalist is disqualified for any reason, Sponsors may either select an alternate Finalist if time permits, or may proceed with the Grand Prize Winner selection process with less than the number of Finalists stated in these Official Rules. In the event that the potential Grand Prize Winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsors may award the applicable prize to an alternate winner based on the corresponding Finalist who had the next highest score according to the Grand Prize Judging Criteria.

9. Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will (1) receive $5,000; (2) receive a book publishing contract with S&S for publication of Winner’s Memoir in hardcover, trade paperback or ebook format (in S&S’s sole discretion). The approximate retail value of the book publishing contract is a book advance of no less than $5,000; (3) be featured in The Huffington Post online site; and (4) have an excerpt of the winning memoir printed in AARP The Magazine and posted on AARP’s online website. All components of prize, including but not limited to, publication, online feature, and excerpt publication are in Sponsors’ sole discretion. S&S will be fully responsible for any issues related to the publishing contract offered by S&S and entered into between S&S and the Grand Prize Winner, including the payment of an advance to the Grand Prize Winner. Approximate Retail Value of Grand Prize Prize is not transferable and no substitution may be made, except by the Sponsors, who reserve the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize or portion of the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion. The winner is responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize.

10. Entry Conditions and Release: By entering, each participant agrees to: (a) comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors and/or the Contest judges which are binding and final in all matters relating to this Contest; (b) release and hold harmless the Contest Entities and their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies, the prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Contest, and all of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a participant’s Entry, creation of an Entry or submission of an Entry, participation in the Contest, acceptance or use or misuse of prize and/or the broadcast, exploitation or use of Entry; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Sponsors against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or relating to an entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or entrant’s acceptance, use or misuse of Prize.

11. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes winner’s consent (as applicable) to Sponsors’ and their agents’ and S&S’s use of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, quotes, images, opinions, Entry, and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.

12. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsors may, in their sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize from among the eligible Entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsors reserve the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsors’ failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

13. Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Contest, entrants (and nominees, as applicable) agree to release and hold harmless the Contest Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Contest or the processing of Entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Contest Entities’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the Contest Entities be liable for attorney’s fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

14. Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant (and nominee) agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia.

15. Contest Results: For Contest results, send a hand-printed, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: AARP & Huff/Post 50 Memoir Contest Winner’s List Request, 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049. Requests for the winner’s list must be received by December 31, 2014.

© Copyright 2013 AOL Inc. All rights reserved. Participants are hereby authorized to copy these Official Rules on the condition that it will be for the participant’s personal use and not for any commercial purpose whatsoever.

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