IMPORTANT: Please read these Official Rules before entering The Mara Brock Akil Experience Series Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”), presented by Storehouse Voices, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC (“Sponsor”). By entering the Sweepstakes, you agree to the terms of these Official Rules. These Official Rules shall govern in the event of any inconsistency with other Sweepstakes-related materials.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open to residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. All federal, state, and local regulations apply. LIMIT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PER PRIZE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, and agencies, and their immediate family members and persons living in their household are not eligible to enter the Sweepstakes. Winners of one prize are not eligible to win another prize offered in the Sweepstakes.
ENTRY PERIOD: The Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on May 8, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on July 7, 2026.
Entry period for the Merch Kit Prize begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on May 8, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on May 15, 2026.
Entry period for the Essence Festival VIP Experience Prize begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on May 16, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on May 22, 2026.
Entry period for the Book Club Virtual Appearance Prize begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on June 6, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on June 19, 2026.
Entry period for the Virtual Matcha Chat Prize begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on June 21, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on July 4, 2026.
Entry period for the Pre-Publication Virtual Event Prize begins at 12:01 AM (ET) on May 23, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on June 5, 2026.
HOW TO ENTER: Enter by uploading your order receipt for THE REVELATION OF DIONNE DAPHNE by Mara Brock Akil and completing the entry form as instructed at LINK. Alternatively, you may enter without preordering by sending a postcard, postmarked by the end of the entry period, with your name, mailing address, and email address:
Penguin Random House LLC
Storehouse Voices
The Mara Brock Akil Experience Series Sweepstakes
1745 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
In the event of a dispute, entries will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the email address used for entry. Automated entries are prohibited, and any use of automated devices will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry of information by entrants; lost or late entries or transmissions; interrupted or unavailable network, server, or other connections; scrambled transmissions or other errors or problems of any kind whether mechanical, human, or electronic, technical malfunctions of any computer hardware, software, or any combinations thereof; or problems associated with any virus or any other damage caused to entrants’ systems. Incomplete or illegible entries will be voided. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned.
Comments and/or posts including photographs or videos may not include obscene, offensive or inappropriate (in Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion) material or defame any person, or otherwise infringe on any person’s proprietary rights. If you are posting a photograph or video, you must have permission from the photographer/videographer (or be the photographer/videographer yourself) and have permission from any persons who appear in the photo or video before submitting it.
PRIVACY POLICY: All information submitted in connection with entry to this Sweepstakes shall be governed by Sponsor’s privacy policy (at http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/privacy/). By entering this Sweepstakes, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this privacy policy.
PRIZE:
Every entrant who submits entry between May 8, 2026 and July 7, 2026 will receive access to an exclusive virtual event, occurring on August 2, 2026. (Pre-Publication Virtual Event Approximate Retail Value: $0.00)
Seventy- (70) Merch Kit Prize Winners will receive (i) one (1) silk scarf; (ii) one (1) journal; (iii) one (1) lapel pin; and (iv) tote. (Merch Kit Prize Approximate Retail Value: $20.00).
One (1) Essence Festival VIP Experience Prize Winner will receive two (2) VIP weekend passes and front row access to Mara Brock Akil’s appearance at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture® in New Orleans, Louisiana (travel and accommodations will not be included); and (ii) two (2) signed copies of THE REVELATION OF DIONNE DAPHNE by Mara Brock Akil. (Essence Festival VIP Experience Prize Approximate Retail Value: $500.00).
Five (5) Book Club Virtual Appearance Prize Winners will each receive a virtual appearance by Mara Brock Akil for the winner’s book club. (Each Book Club Virtual Appearance Prize Approximate Retail Value: $500.00). Virtual book club appearance will occur on a mutually agreed upon date within twelve (12) months of winners’ acceptance of their prize.
One (1) Virtual Matcha Chat Winner will receive a thirty-minute virtual meeting with Mara Brock Akil. (Virtual Matcha Chat Prize Approximate Retail Value: $500.00). Virtual Matcha Chat will occur on a mutually agreed upon date within twelve (12) months of winner’s acceptance of their prize.
Actual value of prize may vary. No transfer or cash or other substitution of all or part of a prize is permitted, except by Sponsor, which reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute the prize or prize component with another of comparable or greater value. Any and all taxes on the prize will be the responsibility of the winners. Sponsor shall not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, postponements, substitutions, changes in services, damage in the delivery of the prize, and/or loss of any prize in connection with delivery of the prize via mail. In the event that there is an insufficient number of eligible entries, Sponsor reserves the right not to award the prizes.
WINNER SELECTION: Seventy- (70) Merch Kit Prize Winners, One (1) Essence Festival VIP Experience Prize Winner, Five (5) Book Club Virtual Appearance Prize Winners, and One (1) Virtual Matcha Chat Winners will be selected in a random drawing on or about the following dates: May 17, 2026 for the Merch Kit Prize Winners, May 24, 2026 for the Essence Festival VIP Experience Winner, June 21, 2026 for the Book Club Virtual Appearance Prize Winners, and July 7, 2026 for the Virtual Matcha Chat Winners from all eligible entries received by the entry deadline. The odds of winning depend on how many eligible entries have been received. Winners will be notified via email and must respond to email notification within ten (10) days of receipt. Winners may also be required to complete, execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release. Noncompliance with these conditions may result in forfeiture of the Prize, and Sponsor reserves the right to select alternate winners (in random drawing from other eligible entries received before the deadline) in such circumstance. If winner notification of the Prize is returned as undeliverable, Sponsor may, at its discretion, select an alternate winner.
DISCLAIMERS/LICENSE: By competing in this Sweepstakes and/or accepting the prize, entrants agree that Sponsor, and its respective parent companies, assigns, subsidiaries and affiliates, and advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and all of their respective employees, officers and directors will have no liability whatsoever, and will be held harmless by entrants for any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind to person and property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prizes, or participation in this Sweepstakes.
To the extent allowed by law, participation in the Sweepstakes in any way, or acceptance of, or participation in, any prize constitutes each entrant’s consent for, and grant of a non-exclusive, sub-licensable and assignable license to Sponsor to use, publish, post or display entrant’s name, social media handles, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, statements, as submitted in connection with the Sweepstakes, and prize information, regardless of whether altered, or used alone or with other material, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, for promotional, advertising, and publicity purposes in any medium now known or later discovered, worldwide and in perpetuity, without review or approval, and without further notice, payment, or consideration of any kind. All rights, consents and licenses granted to Sponsor under these Official Rules and/or any Affidavit of Eligibility and Release will survive the termination of this Sweepstakes.
RIGHT TO MODIFY OR CANCEL: Sponsor may cancel, suspend or modify the Sweepstakes or any part of it, in any way, if Sponsor determines in its sole discretion that the Sweepstakes is not capable of executing as Sponsor intended, or that any error, omission, fraud, technical failure, tampering, computer virus, or other factor, technical or otherwise, beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control, impairs or may impair Sponsor’s ability to properly conduct the Sweepstakes, subject to any applicable law or regulation.
In the event of any inconsistency between these Official Rules and any disclosure or other statement contained in any Sweepstakes-related materials, these Official Rules will govern.
DISPUTES: Any dispute arising from this Sweepstakes will be determined according to the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and by entering the entrants consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New York County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.
WINNERS LIST: For a list of the Winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope by December 30, 2026 to Storehouse Voices, Attn: The Mara Brock Akil Experience Series Sweepstakes, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
SPONSOR: Storehouse Voices, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.