What is Your Favorite Prize in a Writer's Contest?

Some authors actually give away a Kindle as a prize to someone commenting on a blog post during a blog tour. I've seen a few that have given away an Amazon gift certificate. Most give away a copy of the book that they are promoting on the blog tour.

I have given away a copy of the book I'm promoting if a blog host has asked for that. However, since I'm on a blog tour to promote a particular book I'd rather that the readers following the tour would buy the book, I prefer to give away and earlier book in the series.

Lately though, the most popular prize on my blog tours has been to have the winner's name used for a character in the next book. How do I know it's the most popular? Because I have so many people who make comments on nearly every blog I'm visiting.

And yes, sometimes the winner turns out to be a fellow author, and I've had several reader end up being a character in the book.

I write down each and every name that is posted on each blog and keep track diligently of how many times a person commented.  The one who commented the most times is the winner.

I've had a lot of fun doing this and will probably continue for my next book.

At the moment I'm finishing up a book with a winner's name as a very important character.

What do you think? Would you take the time to follow a blog and commenting hoping to have a character in the next book named after you?

If not, what kind of prize would keep you commenting?

Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith

Available from Amazon as an ebook and tradepaperback.