![]() |
Texaco Havoline Racing Hat - Ernie Irvan #28 - Checkered Flag Sports - Nascar US $12.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 11:53:12 PST |
![]() |
NEIL *SOAPY* CASTLES autographed ViNTAGE PRO SET card US $6.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:07:36 PST |
![]() |
Terry Labonte autographed TOP SHELF NASCAR card MINT! US $3.99 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:21:34 PST |
![]() |
AUTOGRAPHED JEFF GORDON WITH BONUS ROOKIE CARD US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:33:23 PST |
![]() |
Signed Sterling Marlin Card US $2.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:34:21 PST |
![]() |
JEFF GORDON signed RED INK TRAKS *GOODYS INVITATIONAL* RC card RARE! US $24.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:36:16 PST |
![]() |
Marcos Ambrose autographed 2009 MINI FIGHT CARD +2 unsignedHTF US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:41:08 PST |
![]() |
CASEY MEARS autographed 2011 MAIN EVENT GEICO *GECKO* TOYOTA card!! US $1.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:43:43 PST |
![]() |
David Ragan autographed UPS ELEMENT 2011 FORD FUSION #6 card US $1.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:45:01 PST |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS autographed POCKET PORTRAIT Insert card w/COA US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:47:22 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Mark Martin US $2.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:56:48 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Dale Earnhardt US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 12:59:21 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Dale Earnhardt US $14.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:02:52 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Sterling Martin US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:06:30 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Ward Burton US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:08:26 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Rick Mast US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:10:01 PST |
![]() |
NEIL BONNET signed 1992 TRAKS TRADING CARD US $50.00 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:16:12 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Brett Bodine US $2.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:17:08 PST |
![]() |
RICHARD PETTY 2008 PRESS PASS LEGENDS AUTOGRAPH US $49.99 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:19:17 PST |
![]() |
Robbie Loomis 1995 Maxx NASCAR Signed Card US $2.49 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:19:59 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Ken Schrader US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:23:11 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Ernie Irvan US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:25:57 PST |
![]() |
1996 Scoreboard Charlie Pressley Autographed Nascar Card US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:27:44 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Derrike Cope US $2.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:28:05 PST |
![]() |
1995 Classic Kyle Petty Autographed Nascar Card US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:29:40 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Bobby Hamilton US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:30:06 PST |
![]() |
BOBBY ALLISON AUTO AND PATCH CARD 2008 DONRUSS CELEBRITY CUTS 31/50 US $20.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:30:28 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Dale Jarrett US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:32:44 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Michael Waltrip US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:36:21 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Morgan Shepherd US $8.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:38:44 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Bobby Labonte US $3.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:41:32 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Ricky Rudd US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:43:53 PST |
![]() |
NED JARRETT AUTOGRAPHED 2000 UPPER DECK NASCAR CARD US $12.00 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:48:07 PST |
![]() |
RICHARD PETTY AUTOGRAPHED 1991 PRO SET NASCAR CARD US $15.00 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:53:18 PST |
![]() |
RICHARD PETTY AUTOGRAPHED 1992 PRO SET NASCAR CARD US $15.00 End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 13:54:39 PST |
![]() |
KEVIN HARVICK autographed DAYTONAS COKE ZERO Winning Ticket card!! US $6.25 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:29:02 PST |
![]() |
2011 MATT KENSETH autographed LEAD FOOT Main Event card US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:29:54 PST |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS autographed 2010 stealth DUAL OPERATOR card#60 US $6.50 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:31:20 PST |
![]() |
CARL EDWARDS autographed 2011 MAIN EVENT *LEAD FOOT* nascar card!! US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:32:06 PST |
![]() |
DALE EARNHARDT JR autographed 2002 ECLIPSE TALLADEGA WIN #8 card! US $6.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:32:31 PST |
![]() |
CLINT BOWYER autographed 2011 ELEMENT CHEERIOS #33 nascar card!! US $3.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:32:48 PST |
![]() |
Jeff Burton autographed 2011 MAIN EVENT catipiller #31 DRIVER INTRODUCTION card! US $2.31 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:33:13 PST |
![]() |
RYAN NEWMAN autographed PREMIUM US ARMY #39 card US $2.39 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:33:40 PST |
![]() |
2011 Marcos Ambrose autographed PP *STEALTH* Stanley driver card!!! US $5.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:34:01 PST |
![]() |
DALE EARNHARDT JR autographed 2003 NO BOUNDARIES BUD #8 card US $5.50 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:34:32 PST |
![]() |
RYAN NEWMAN autographed 2010 ELEMENT US ARMY #39 card US $3.39 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:34:54 PST |
![]() |
2011 PRESS PASS FANFARE ROBERT RICHARDSON AUTHENTIC AUTOGRAPH CARD US $3.45 (5 Bids) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 14:59:52 PST |
![]() |
RYAN NEWMAN SIGNED 2002 PRESS PASS TRADING CARD US $1.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 15:00:13 PST |
![]() |
2011 PRESS PASS FANFARE "RACE-USED GLOVES & AUTOGRAPH CARD US $5.23 (4 Bids) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 15:09:25 PST |
![]() |
1996 Action Packed Nascar Embossed Driver Bill Elliot US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Feb-06-2012 15:13:19 PST |

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)