Welcome to The Personal Book Shopper Contest!

To recap, we know word-of-mouth is the #1 one way readers find their way to their next book. And we know that if you're into social media, you're used to sending out the call for recommendations of one sort or another. So to hearken back to my earliest days as @BookMadam, I'm going to hook you up with some good books. It's the personal touch.

How does it work?

We're inviting readers to submit a few "choice words" to describe themselves. Have a deep think and get as creative as you'd like. Using those words, I, along with a rotating door of readers, publishers, booksellers, authors, bloggers, librarians—you name it—will attempt to come up with not one but three books we think you might like . . . and then we're gonna give 'em to you! We'll choose three winners per contest. Counting on my fingers, that's, yep, nine books given away each month. Even if you don't win, you'll still walk away with a new reading list!

And the first contest begins . . . now!

Enter in one of three ways:

1) Twitter: Follow @CdnBookshelf so you'll never miss our news and announcements. When each Personal Book Shopper Contest is announced, using the hashtag #mybookshopper, reply to @CdnBookshelf with a minimum of five choice words to describe yourself.

2) Facebook: Each contest will be created as a separate event. For June's event listing, visit here. Leave your "choice words" on the wall for that listing. Simple!

3) Leave your "choice words" in the comment field of each Personal Shopper Contest announcement.

We'll gather all the entries and select the three winners using a randomizer whatchamacallit.

(Feel free to enter words to describe someone else if you're thinking of giving away the books as gifts.)

More details:

The Personal Book Shopper contest begins today at 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, June 21 and will close 12:00 p.m. ET, Friday, June 24 with three winners announced the following Monday.

The chosen books will be announced a week from the day each contest closes in a video address from The Book Madam herself. (I promise to drag a comb through my hair.)

Good luck, and have fun choosing your words!

How to participate in other ways:

Publishers, if you'd like to show your support by donating prize copies to Canadian Bookshelf's Personal Book Shopper contest, please contact Julie Wilson at host@canadianbookshelf.com to indicate your interest.

Booksellers, if you'd like to show your support by matching each prize with an in-store or online gift certificate, again, please be in touch with Julie Wilson at host@canadianbookshelf.com.

Booksellers, librarians, readers, publishers, authors and book bloggers, if you'd like to be considered for our rotating panel of experts, you too can send an email to Julie at host@canadianbookshelf.com.