Send an e-mail to rhpg@randomhouse.com and explain (in 500-1000 words) the significance Jane Austen has had on the literary world and in your own life, and you will be entered for the chance to win a signed copy of A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED, along with The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, volume 1 and The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, volume 2.

OFFICIAL “A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED” ESSAY CONTEST RULES



1. Entry. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. To enter, send an email with the subject “A Truth Universally Acknowledged" to RHPG@randomhouse.com at any time between 12:01 a.m. EST on November 1, 2009 and 11:59 p.m. EST on December 31, 2009. Include your name, mailing address, valid email address, age, and original Contest submission (English language only; 500-1000 words) describing why you read Jane Austen and the importance of her novels in the literary world and in your own life. Your submission may be either a WORD attachment or text written directly in the body of your email. Only one entry per person. Only entries submitted electronically in accordance with these rules will be eligible for consideration. Mechanically reproduced entries not accepted. All entries become the property of Random House, Inc. ("Sponsor") upon submission. To be eligible to win, all entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 31, 2009.



2. Eligibility. Contest open only to legal residents of the fifty United States who are 18 years of age or older as of November 1, 2009. Employees of Sponsor, including Sponsor’s corporate affiliates and parent companies, and members of the immediate families of such individuals and persons living in their households are not eligible to enter. All applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Contest offer void wherever prohibited or restricted by law. Entries received from persons residing in geographic areas in which entry is not permissible will be disqualified.



3. Selection of Winners. One (1) grand-prize winner and one (1) runner-up will be chosen by the Editor of A Truth Universally Acknowledged, Susannah Carson, and Sponsor’s staff on or about January 15, 2010, from among all eligible entries submitted and received before the deadline. The entries will be judged on the basis of writing style and entrant's ability to convey the importance of Jane Austen to the literary world and to their own personal life . The decision of the judges will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. Winner and runner up will be notified by e-mail within fifteen (15) days after selection. If any selected entrant cannot be contacted within seven (7) days after first attempted contact, Sponsor may at its discretion select an alternate winner from other eligible entries received before the deadline or award the winner's prize to the first runner-up and select an alternate runner-up from other eligible entries received before the deadline.



4. Winner Notification and Acceptance. Winner and runner-up may be required to execute affidavits of eligibility, tax acknowledgement forms, liability releases and, except where prohibited by law, use of name and likeness releases and to return them within seven (7) days of issuance. Return of any prize notification as undeliverable, or failure of potential winner or runner up to accept the prize, respond to notification attempts, or return completed releases within required timeframe will result in disqualification and an alternate winner or runner up may be selected at Sponsor’s discretion. No substitution of prizes is permitted. Winner and runner-up may be required to sign an agreement confirming, for the benefit of Sponsor, the winner's and runner-up's conveyance of copyright in the entry to Sponsor.



5. Names of Winning entrants. For the name of the winner and runner-up, available after January 15, 2010, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Random House, Inc., Attention: Random House Publishing Group, Marketing Department, 1745 Broadway, Mail Drop 22-1, New York, NY 10019.



6. Prize. The prizes consist of: One Grand Prize- one (1) signed edition of A Truth Universally Acknowledged (ISBN: 9781400068050) and one (1) copy each of the Modern Library books: The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, volume 1 (ISBN: 9780679600268) and The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, volume 2 (ISBN: 9780679600251). One runner-up will receive a signed edition of A Truth Universally Acknowledged(ISBN: 9781400068050.) Total cash value of all prizes is $98. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value if at any time following selection of the winner any portion of the prizes becomes unavailable for any reason. No refunds or credit for changes. No portion of any prize may be combined with any other credit or offer. Prizes are nontransferable and must be accepted as awarded. No cash or other substitution may be made. All taxes, fees, and surcharges on prize are the sole responsibility of the winner/runner-up.



7. General Release. BY ACCEPTING THE PRIZE, THE WINNER AND RUNNER-UP AGREE THAT THE SPONSOR, ITS SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, PARENTS, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION AGENCIES, AND ALL OF SPONSOR'S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS, WILL HAVE NO LABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND WILL BE HELD HARMLESS BY WINNER AND RUNNER-UP AGAINST ANY LIABILITY FOR, ANY INJURY (INCLUDING DEATH OR DISMEMBERMENT), LOSS OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY WHETHER SUCH INJURY, LOSS OR DAMAGES ARE DUE IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE OR MISUSE OF THE PRIZE OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY CONTEST OR PRIZE-RELATED ACTIVITY. SPONSOR ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY COMPUTER INJURY OR DAMAGE RELATED TO OR RESULTING FROM ACCESSING AND/OR DOWNLOADING ANY CONTEST MATERIAL.



8. Miscellaneous. All entries become the sole property of Sponsor and none will be returned. No liability is assumed for lost, late, incomplete, inaccurate or misdirected e-mail, for technical, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connection, or failed, incomplete, garbled, corrupted, or delayed computer transmission or any human error which may occur in the receipt or processing of the entries in this Contest. Sponsor (including its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries) is not responsible for errors in printing or electronic presentation of the Contest. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by a computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor that negatively affect the administration, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. In the event the Contest must be terminated, a notice will be posted on the Contest web site. In the event of a dispute regarding online entry, the entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized holder of the e-mail account submitted at the time of entry. An authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by the Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization that is responsible for arranging e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. A potential winner may be required to provide Sponsor with proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry. Rules are subject to any requirements and limitations imposed by the FCC and any other state and federal agencies having jurisdiction.



9. Governing Law. All disputes and questions regarding the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of any participant, and the Sponsor, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than New York. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these Official Rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.



10. Sponsor. The Sponsor of this Contest is Random House, Inc., whose address is 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019