It’s almost Halloween, Launchies, and with a midnight premiere coming up on Halloween, it’s a perfect time for a pumpkin carving contest! (that’s the front of my finished pumpkin above!) This contest is actually for Countdown to NovEnder Day 31, but is being posted now to ensure a lengthy entry period.

If you’ve never carved a pumpkin before, I urge you to give it a try! I first began carving pumpkins about 6 years ago and I’ve had tons of fun every year since. Eventually I started carving foam pumpkins so that I could keep them every year rather than watching all my hard work rot away just a few days later.

How to Enter

To enter, carve an Ender’s Game themed pumpkin and send us photos of it to valentine@enderwiggin.net. Please read the rules carefully. Feel free to download and use our Ender’s Game pumpkin stencils available HERE.

Please include:

Pumpkin lit in the dark

Pumpkin in light

Verification photo – Example of verification photos: the pumpkin with a newspaper with the date clearly showing, the pumpkin next to your computer with the EnderWiggin.net site up, or a photo of yourself with the pumpkin. EnderWiggin.net will NOT post photos of people.

A description of your pumpkin’s Ender’s Game theme.

DEADLINE: Entries must be submitted by November 1st, 2013 at midnight ET.

This contest is open worldwide.

Rules

Pumpkin entries must have a CLEAR Ender’s Game theme. Acceptable types of carvings: pumpkin, watermelon, foam pumpkin. Entry must have been carved in October 2013. Multiple pumpkins are acceptable, but will be judged as one entry unless you submit them separately. You may enter as many carvings as you wish. Limit one prize packet per person.

Pumpkins will be judged on the following criteria:

creativity

attention to detail

quality of photos

Tips for Good Pumpkin Photos

Do not use flash.

Keep camera very still, such as on a tripod or propped up on something.

Do not submit very small images as this can hurt the amount of points you are awarded by judges. If we can’t see it, we can’t judge very well!

Prizes

Prizes are subject to change. This post will be updated if prizes are added.

First Place wins the Grand Prize packet which includes:

Ender’s Game movie tickets from Fandango.com

Ender’s Game Comic Con bag

Ender’s Game Comic Con static clings (8)

EnderWiggin.net bookmarks

Ender’s Game buttons

Ender’s Game Comic Con dog tags (3)

Ender’s Game score by Steve Jablonsky from Varese Sarabande

Ender’s Game book (movie tie-in edition) from TOR Books

Ender’s Game movie poster

Ender’s Game keychain

Dragon Army and Third pins from Smart Pop Books

Ender’s Game IMAX fan collage

Second Place Prize packet includes:

Ender’s Game movie calendar

Ender’s Game score by Steve Jablonsky from Varese Sarabande

Ender’s Game Comic Con static clings (8)

Ender’s Game Comic Con bag

EnderWiggin.net bookmarks

Ender’s Game keychain

Ender’s Game Comic Con dog tags (3)

Dragon Army and Third pins from Smart Pop Books

Third Place Prize packet includes:

Ender’s Game Comic Con static clings (8)

EnderWiggin.net bookmarks

Ender’s Game keychain

Ender’s Game Comic Con dog tags (3)

Fourth Place Prize packet includes: