![]() |
CASEY ADWOOD Press Pass Authentic Autograph BLUE Ink US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:30:08 PDT |
![]() |
Bill Elliott 98 Stealth FANTALK #2 BV$3! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:32:12 PDT |
![]() |
ERIK DARNELL Press Pass Authentic Autograph BLUE Ink US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:32:50 PDT |
![]() |
Terry Labonte 98 Stealth FANTALK #6 BV$2.50! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:33:05 PDT |
![]() |
Ricky Rudd 98 Stealth FANTALK #8 BV$2.50! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:33:48 PDT |
![]() |
Jeff Gordon 98 Stealth FANTALK #3 BV$8! US $2.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:34:48 PDT |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS Press Pass Authentic Autograph low #24/45 US $19.95 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:36:00 PDT |
![]() |
SAM HORNISH JR Press Pass Authentic Autograph # 26/65 US $9.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:39:26 PDT |
![]() |
JEFF GORDON SIGNED 1992 PROSET PSA/DNA AUTOGRAPH US $39.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:39:41 PDT |
![]() |
ROBBY GORDON Press Pass Authentic Autograph HALO wow US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:42:29 PDT |
![]() |
Kenny Irwin 98 Stealth AWARDS #3 BV$5!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:43:02 PDT |
![]() |
Jeff Burton 98 Stealth AWARDS #2 BV$6!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:43:57 PDT |
![]() |
Mark Martin 98 Stealth AWARDS #4 BV$15!! US $4.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:45:05 PDT |
![]() |
MARK GREEN Press Pass Authentic Autograph 2002 SIGNINGS US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:45:08 PDT |
![]() |
CALE GALE Press Pass Authentic Autograph 2007 SIGNINGS US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:50:51 PDT |
![]() |
1986 CALE YARBOROUGH RARE SPORT STAR PHOTO GRAPHIC CARD US $15.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:51:11 PDT |
![]() |
ERIK DARNELL Press Pass Authentic Autograph BLUE Ink US $4.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 8:57:26 PDT |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS Battle Armor WHITE Sheet Metal #'d 005/115 US $1.80 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:00:50 PDT |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS Solar Swatches BLACK Car Cover #'d 264/299 US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:04:20 PDT |
![]() |
Bobby Labonte 98 Stealth STARS #9 BV$6!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:18:30 PDT |
![]() |
Dale Jarrett 98 Stealth STARS #8 BV$6!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:19:11 PDT |
![]() |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 98 Stealth STARS #3 BV$12!!!! US $3.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:21:17 PDT |
![]() |
Rusty Wallace 98 Stealth STARS #17 BV$8!!!! US $1.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:22:16 PDT |
![]() |
Mark Martin 98 Stealth STARS #12 BV$8!!!! US $1.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:22:58 PDT |
![]() |
lot of 10 Autograph Kasey Kahne 2010 Poster Daytona 500 US $22.39 (4 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:27:36 PDT |
![]() |
03 Eclipse DOUBLE HOT TREADS #DT6 Martin/Kenseth BV$40! US $14.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:28:55 PDT |
![]() |
Bill Elliott 98 Stealth STARS #4 BV$4!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:29:17 PDT |
![]() |
Jeff Burton 98 Stealth STARS #2 BV$3!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:30:02 PDT |
![]() |
Terry Labonte 98 Stealth STARS #10 BV$3!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:30:46 PDT |
![]() |
Sterling Marlin 98 Stealth STARS #11 BV$3!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:31:19 PDT |
![]() |
Ricky Rudd 98 Stealth STARS #15 BV$3!!!! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:31:58 PDT |
![]() |
02 Press Pass HOT TREADS #HT34 Michael Waltrip BV$25! US $7.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:36:39 PDT |
![]() |
1995PressPassVIP ErnieIrvanAutographed#47MintCond US $10.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:51:10 PDT |
![]() |
Dave Blaney signed 2001 Authentic Wheels Memorabilia US $10.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:57:48 PDT |
![]() |
Joe Nemechek signed 2001 Authentic Wheels Memorabilia US $15.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 9:58:34 PDT |
![]() |
Justin Labonte signed Press Pass Authentics Autograph US $15.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:00:19 PDT |
![]() |
1996PressPassVIP AutographsErinieIrvanMintCondInPlasHld US $10.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:01:19 PDT |
![]() |
Casey Atwood signed Press Pass Authentics Autograph US $10.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:01:23 PDT |
![]() |
1996FlairAutographsBobbyLabonteMintCondInPlasticHolder US $10.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:18:09 PDT |
![]() |
Bobby Labonte 98 Stealth OCTANE DIE-CUT #19 BV$12!!!! US $2.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:25:11 PDT |
![]() |
Ricky Rudd 98 Stealth OCTANE DIE-CUT #29 BV$6!!!! US $1.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:28:02 PDT |
![]() |
Terry Labonte'sCar 98 Stealth OCTANE DIECUT #22 BV$3.75 US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:29:18 PDT |
![]() |
1999 Press Pass Signings Dale Earnhardt Jr. Auto 83/125 US $34.33 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:30:37 PDT |
![]() |
Dale Earnhardt 98 Stealth OCTANE #9 BV$4! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:32:41 PDT |
![]() |
Dale Earnhardt 98 Stealth OCTANE #10 BV$4! US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:33:18 PDT |
![]() |
1995 AUTOGRAPHED LABONTE KINSER LITTLE NASCAR WHEELS US $49.99 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:33:40 PDT |
![]() |
Mark Martin 98 Stealth OCTANE #25 BV$5! US $1.50 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:35:16 PDT |
![]() |
Rusty Wallace 98 Stealth OCTANE #35 BV$5! US $1.50 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:35:55 PDT |
![]() |
Mark Martin 98 Stealth FUSION #25 BV$7.50!!!! US $1.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:43:05 PDT |
![]() |
Rusty Wallace 98 Stealth FUSION #31 BV$7.50!!!! US $1.95 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 10:43:43 PDT |

Blogdigger Media search for Trading Cards
Blogdigger Media search for Trading Cards
WTCs
Last year I began collecting ATCs, or artist trading cards. Those of you who hang out at sites like Etsy.com or Quilting Arts are familiar with these miniature wonders, which are 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" one-of-a-kind works of art. Recently I snagged a copy of Patricia Bolton's 1000 Artist Trading Cards, which offers detailed photographs of, yep, one thousand ATCs along with some helpful instructions on how to make them from different materials.
I've also been fooling around with making my own watercolor, photograph and quilted ATCs (click on the images to see larger versions):

This has mostly been just for fun, but the more I think about ATCs, the more I want to see what writers and bloggers can do with them.
Last year we talked about using an online generator to make character cards as a fun way to remember our character stats and possibly to serve as a form of self-promo to hand out at signings and conferences. I think we can get more out of it, though; possibly come up with a writer's version of the ATC -- a writer's trading card or WTC, if you like.
I've seen writers handing out business cards and fridge magnets with cover art, release dates, ISBN#s and so forth, but I've never had a writer hand me a card with a quote or mini-excerpt from a story on it. Since words are our art form, I tried making a card with some of mine: 
One problem is size -- you can't fit a lot of text onto trading card. Even with the smallest readable font, I'd say fifty to seventy-five words, max. With such a small space, the temptation is to write a teaser instead of using an actual excerpt. You could fit on a card a URL to an author's website, blog or an longer excerpt posted online -- but what's going to make the recipient curious enough to check it out? A great hook line or hot premise, i.e. "She knows your darkest secret" or "See what everyone is hiding" Or maybe a one-line joke? "This is why I didn't get the laundry done for three months."
Another problem is the visual aspect -- words aren't exactly colorful or attention-catching. I think using weird fonts in other-than-black shades makes the text hard to read, and any background image would have to be very light, semi-transparent or somehow muted to keep it from overwhelming the words. Unless you used an image on one side and words on the other.
I don't know. I've been thinking it through for a couple days now, and I'm a bit frustrated. It's as if there's an answer dancing just outside my brain's reach. What I do know is that these cards would be simple for a writer to make, print out, swap and otherwise distribute. The trick is to figure out what to put on them to make them a) one of a kind, b) irresistible to readers and c) potentially collectible.
I probably need to let the idea percolate for a while, but in the meantime, what do you guys think? Good idea, bad idea?
Related links:
Author Joumana Medlej has an amazing page with all you ever wanted to know about ATCs: Art in Your Pocket: ATCs.
Artist Trading Cards ~ a Collaborative Cultural Performance
U.S to Roll Dice on Lifting Internet Gambling Ban?
Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), chairman of the house Financial Services Committee, indicated at a press conference Thursday he intends to push for a repeal of the three-year-old Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which effectively quashed online gambling in the United States by barring businesses from knowingly accepting payments from credit cards, checks, and electronic funds transfers made in connection with unlawful Internet gambling. When enacted, the ban strained trade ties with the European Union, as European online casinos and other operations lost billions of dollars in market value and revenue as their U.S. customer pools dried up. At the time the
Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | Lifestyle
Comments Off





































































































Entries (RSS)