Annual Literary Awards 2011

 

CLOSED FOR 2011 SUBMISSIONS - PROGRAM WILL REOPEN IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH. PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PROGRAM OPENS UP AGAIN.

WINNERS FOR 2011 COPYRIGHT AWARDS WILL BE CHOSEN IN FEBRUARY.

2010 Winners
2010 Finalists

picture of a man studying a book

The annual literary awards were established to honor writers who self-published or had their books published by a subsidy publisher, small press, university press, or independent book publisher geared for the North American reading audience. POD books are accepted.



Listen to podcast: Choosing the Right Book Contest
Read article on Writer Beware - Tips on Evaluating Literary Contests

Eligibility
Reader Views Literary Awards are open to all authors regardless of residency, however, the books must be published in the English language and targeted for the North American market. Work published by major book publishers are not eligible.  Books must have 2011 copyright date. (Copyright date is on the copyright page of the printed book. Yes, that means copyright date - no, it doesn't mean a copyright date of 2010 and publication in 2011. This means copyright in 2011.) Submission for more than one category or more than one title is acceptable.  Books that have racist themes will be not be accepted.

Regional or Global entries may refer to the book's topic or the author's residency. For example, an author living in Alberta writing about a plot in Alabama may enter Canada-West as a regional author and/or the South-East as a regional book. Or, an author living in the UK writing about a plot in Texas may enter Global EU as well as Regional S.

Judging

All initial judging will be done by reviewers from Reader Views.   They are experts in their fields as well as avid readers.  Consider them your reading audience.  Criteria for judging is content/originality, presentation/design, innovation, social relevance, production quality, enjoyment/impact, plot/story line, and resoursefulness (depending on category.) Three finalists in each category will be determined by a point system. Final judging will be determined by a jury of judges.

In the first level of judging, a reviewer will write a review and it will be forwarded to you. The review will also be posted on Reader Views or Reader Views Kids as well as our weblog and amazon.com. We cannot guarantee the timing when you will get the review, however, we will attempt the best we can to review/judge your book as soon as it is submitted. Keep in mind, the sooner you submit your book, the sooner you will get a review. The review will be in a form of tear sheet and you may use it for your marketing purposes. If you have already received a review from us, you will not be receiving another review. Your book will automatically go into the second level in the process. Please do not wait until deadline date to submit your book if your book is now in print. It is only fair to other authors, who publish late in the fall, to use this deadline date.

Categories

Children/Teen/YA
# Code, Genre

  • (1) Children - toddler to 5
  • (2) Children - early reader, age 6 to 8
  • (3) Children - young reader, age 8 to 12
  • (4) Teen - age 12 to 16
  • (5) Young Adult - age 15 to 18

Adult
# Code, Genre

  • (6) Aging/Retirement/Seniors
  • (7) Art/Music/Pop Culture/Performing Arts
  • (8) Body/Mind/Spirit
  • (9) Business/Sales/Economics
  • (10) Cooking/Crafts/Hobbies/How-to
  • (11) Erotica
  • (12) Fantasy
  • (13) Gay/Lesbian
  • (14) General Fiction/Novel
  • (15) Graphic Novel
  • (16) Health/Fitness
  • (17) Historical Fiction
  • (18) History/Science
  • (19) Humanities (Men’s-Women’s issues/Multi-cultural/Sports)
  • (20) Humor
  • (21) Memoir/Autobiography/Biography
  • (22) Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror
  • (23) Parenting/Family/Relationships
  • (24) Poetry
  • (25) Religion (Eastern/Western)
  • (26) Romance Novel
  • (27) Science Fiction
  • (28) Self-help
  • (29) Societal Issues (Politics/Society/Environment/Current Events/True Crime)
  • (30) Spirituality/Inspiration
  • (31) Travel
  • (32) Writing/Publishing

Regional
Letter Code, Region

NE:      North-East – ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY
MA:     Mid-Atlantic – PA, WV, VA, DE, MD, DC, NJ
S:         South – MS, LA, AR, TX, TN
SE:       South-East -- KY, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL
GL:      Great Lakes -- OH, MI, IN, IL, WI
MW:    Mid-West – MN, IA, MO, OK, KS, NE, SD, ND
WM:    West-Mountain – MT, WY, ID, UT, CO, NM, AZ, NV
WP:     West-Pacific – CA, OR, WA, HI, AK
CE:      Canada-East – ON, QB, NF, NB, NS, PE, NT
CW:     Canada-West – BC, AB, SK, MB, NWT, YK

Global
Letter Code, Country

SA: South America
CA: Central America
EU: Europe
AS: Asia
AU: Australia/New Zealand/Australasia
AF: Africa

General Awards

Three finalists will be chosen in each fiction and non-fiction category. First and second place winners will be awarded in each category. Third place will receive an honorable mention.

One finalist, the top score in each area, will be chosen in each regional and global category.

Each winner will receive a certificate. All certificates and awards stickers will be dated for year 2012.

Finalists will be announced in our weekly e-mail newsletter on March 5, 2012 and the winners on March 26, 2012. If we can possibly speed it up, we certainly will.

Specialized Awards

Aside from general awards the following awards will be presented. All books submitted will qualify and be considered for these awards. A jury of judges will make the final decision on awards.

If you are a winner of a specialized award, it must be claimed within 60 days of notification otherwise forfeited. The awards cannot be transfered into cash and must be used as is.

Children/Teens

*Reviewers Choice Award for Best Book Written by An Author Age 18 and Under

Award: $900 value. One year full-page listing on First Chapter Plus, an e-Catalog sent to librarians, book store owners and potential readers/bloggers/reviewers.  Sponsored by First Chapter Plus.

Criteria: Author must be Age 18 or under.

*Reader Views Kids Award for Best Children’s Book of the Year

Award:  $600 value. One year of advertising on the right side-bar of Reader Views Kids website.  Size of ad will be 200 x 200 px.  Link will go to winner’s choice.  As well, author will be interviewed for Inside Scoop Live, and the interview featured on Reader Views Kids, and, Reader Views. Sponsored by Reader Views Kids.

Criteria:  Winner will be chosen from the first place winners in the Children’s categories.

*Reader Views Kids Award for Best Teen/YA Book of the Year

Award:  $600 value. One year of advertising on the right side-bar of Reader Views Kids website.  Size of ad will be 200 x 200 px.  Link will go to winner’s choice.  As well, author will be interviewed for Inside Scoop Live, and the interview featured on Reader Views Kids, and, Reader Views. Sponsored by Reader Views Kids.

Criteria:  Winner will be chosen from the first place winners in the Teen/YA categories.

*Feathered Quill Be Kind To Animals Award

Award: $150 value. Book Review, interview with author, and feature on website. Sponsored by Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Criteria: Winner will be chosen from all categories of childrens/teens entries. Theme of book must display kindness to animals.

Adult

*Kick Start Guy Book of the Year Award - awarded to the book that has the possibility to develop into national success through a unique marketing platform. The book's message uniquely influences the way people think, act, and become motivated to live their lives.

Award: $1,500 value. Two personal consulting sessions from The Kick Start Guyand Director/Writer of the family film "Doggie Boogie" with the addition of marketing planning and implementation templates.

Criteria: First place winner from each categorywill compete for the Book of the Year.

* Garcia Memorial Award for the Best Fiction Book of the Year

Award: $1000 value. Package consists of one press release written and distributed to at least 100 media targets, plus 1/2 hour phone consultation. Sponsored by Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity.

Criteria: Winner will be chosen from all first place winners in the fiction categories.

*Reviewers Choice Best Nonfiction Book of the Year

Award: $1000 value.   One year full-page listing on First Chapter Plus, an e-Catalog sent to librarians, book store owners and potential readers/bloggers/reviewers. Plus $100 cash. Sponsored by First Chapter Plus.

Criteria: Winner will be chosen from all the first place winners in the nonfiction category.

*Herman School of Business Award for the Best Business Book of the Year

Award: $1000 value. Winner will receive a cash prize of $250.00 AND a two hour consulting session with Herman centered on the marketing of the book, getting PR for the author, and a continued relationship as a contributor with Herman School of Business. Sponsored by Herman School of Business.  

Criteria: Winner will be chosen from all first place winners in the nonfiction categories.

*Black Belt Mindset Self Improvement Award

Award: $1000 value. Two Black Belt Mindset mentoring packages; one for the author and one to use as a promotional giveaway to help market his or her book. (Value $900) Also: Featured review and special Think Like a Black Belt: The Show segment and sponsorship package. ($100 value) Sponsored by Jim Bouchard.

Criteria: Self-published or published by small independent publisher- awarded to a non-fiction personal development/self-help book that is motivational, inspirational or functional presenting a story or system that encourages the cultivation of any or all of the following: self-confidence, discipline, focus, courage and respect.

*Blazing Award for Best Fantasy Book

Award: $550 value. Video book trailer up to 2 minutes in duration, up to 20 images, up to 2 video clips, up to 2 tracks of music, and animated titles and backgrounds. Sponsored by Blazing Trailers.

Criteria:  Winner will be in first place of the Fantasy category.

*The Green And Profitable/Green And Practical Award for Best Nonfiction on an Environmental Theme

Book marketing and publishing consultant Shel Horowitz, who specializes in getting authors noticed by telling "the story behind the story," is also a multiple award-winning author who writes regularly on the intersections of business and the environment. His most recent book on the subject is Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green (John Wiley & Sons), and he also writes two monthly columns, Green And Profitable and Green And Practical.

Award: Value $520. A one-hour phone/Skype marketing and/or social media consultation with Shel, an excerpt of your book or blog entry about it on whichever of Shel's websites is the best match, and an electronic copy of Shel's book, Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers. Sponsored by Shel Horowitz, Book Marketing and Book Publishing Consultant.

Criteria: Highest scoring nonfiction book on environment issues or theme.

*Life Journeys Award for the Best Memoir or Biography

Award: $500 value. An hour long consultation/Q&A session with two-half hour follow-up phone sessions (anytime, availability permitting) plus a free "PR Tips and Marketing Information" package (mailed out) containing advice from many of the industry's top professionals. A free posting of your website and book cover at the top of Karen Villanueva's "Arts and Other Favorite Websites" page. Sponsored by: Karen Villanueva Author Services

Criteria: Winner will be in first place of the Memoir/Biography category

*Pump Up Your Book Award for the Best Regional Book of the Year

Award: $399 value. "Silver Package Plan" virtual book tour with 15 to 20 blog stops during a one month period. Includes a syndicated press release sent to media. Sponsored by Pump Up Your Book.

Criteria: Winner will be chosen from the first place winners, fiction and nonfiction, in the regional category.

*Tyler R. Tichelaar Award for Best Historical Fiction

Award: Value: $375. $100 cash, book review, a press release written and distributed by Reader Views, and a copy of “Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers.” Sponsored by Tyler R. Tichelaar

Criteria: First Place in the Historical Fiction category.

* Polka Dot Banner Award for the Best Body/Health Book

Award: $300 value. Formerly known as our Pro-Promoter package, the award includes an expanded profile listing - created for you to save you time and effort. Listings include author and book information, links to reviews, POD casts, and personal website, contact info and more. In addition, the award includes a top-of-the-page, author highlight banner announcing the book as a winner in this category. These banners are placed randomly throughout the site and click the reader direct to the author's profile. As an award winner, the author will receive extra visibility on the site with additional book highlight images and direct Amazon links. The listing lasts for a period of one year. Sponsord by Polka Dot Banner.

Criteria: First place winner in the Body/Health category. 

*The Tom Wanek Award for the Best Book on Societal Issues

Ward: $300 value. Winner will receive a two hour consulting session with Tom Wanek, and a free copy of his book, "Currencies That Buy Credibility." Tom will discuss your marketing strategy and give recommendations to elevate your credibility and help you stand out from the crowd. Sponsored by Tom Wanek, Marketing Beyond Advertising

Criteria: First place winner in the Societal Issues category

* Pacific Book Review Award for Best Romance Novel

Award: $245 value. Receive a professionally written review of your book. The review will be posted on Amazon.com, Amazon.UK, Amazon CA, Barnes and Noble, Google Books, Authorsden.com, Ezine Articles, Twitter, Digg, Filedby.com, Fetchbook.info, Book-Views.com, Book-Critique and Shelfari.com. An addition you will be published in the Author Spotlight Listing on Pacific Book Review. It will be eligible to become a featured book of the month or one of the top 5 reviews on Pacific Book Review for the entire month on the homepage of Pacific Book Review.  Sponsored by Pacific Book Review.

Criteria: First Place Winner in the Romance category

*Richard Boes Award

Richard enlisted into the US Army and served in Vietnam in 1969 - 1970 with the
First Air Cav. He is the author of two books, The Last Dead Soldier Left Alive (2007)
a firsthand inquiry into why thousands of Vietnam veterans have committed suicide
and Last Train Out (2008). Right up to his death Richard was writing a third,
In the Valley of Dry Bones.  He passed away on Feb 21st, 2009 at the VA Hospital
in Albany, NY.

Award: $200 cash prize. Sponsored by Modern History Press

Criteria: Best debut book by a Veteran (fiction or memoir)

*Savvy Book Marketer Award for Best Writing/Publishing Book

Award: $200 value: one copy of each of the Savvy Book Marketer Guides.
Sponsored by Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer.

Criteria: 1st Place book in the Writing/Publishing category

*Inside Scoop  Live Award for the Most Innovative Book of Poetry

Award:  Value $125.  Interview and poetry reading on Inside Scoop Live as well as feature on Inside Scoop Live and Reader Views websites. Sponsored by Inside Scoop Live.

Criteria: Book must possess creative use of elements as well as originality of subject matter.

*Jack Eadon Award for the Best Book in Contemporary Drama

Award: $100 cash prize. Sponsored by Jack Eadon

Criteria: The characters must be vividly portrayed as those individuals who can exist side-by-side with someone living in this world now, dealing with issues of today in a dramatic fashion. The setting must be excruciatingly real.

*Donna Kakonge Award for the Best Canadian Regional Book

Award: $100 value. Two of editing, proofreading or polishing consultation on present or future work. Sponsored by Donna Kakonge.

Criteria: Chosen out of first place winners in the CE:  Canada-East, or, CW:  Canada-West. Preference will be given to Canadians from Southern Ontario.

* We Are One Spirit Award for the Best Spiritual Book of the Year

Award: We Are One in Spirit Podcast interview as an award for 2011.

Criteria:   It would go to an author who writes the best book in the spiritual, self-help, mind-body-spirit, or metaphysical topics/genres.  Sponsored by Yvonne Perry

*UnBreak Your Health Award for Best Alternative Health Book

Award: Podcast interview with author and autographed copy of UnBreak Your Health. Sponsored by Alan Smith of UnBreak Your Health

Criteria: Book must focus on complementary or alternative health.

 

Entry Fee

$75.00 per title (for the initial category) if postmarked before October 31, 2011, $85.00 if postmarked between November 1 and December 15, 2011. $20.00 for each additional category or regional/global entry.

Entry may be combined with any Express Review Package if requested at the same time. (Indicate on Express Review submission form that you want to add your book into the awards program.) Entry fee is reduced to $50.00 per title (for the initial category) if requested before October 31, 2011, $60.00 if requested between November 1 and December 15, 2011. $20.00 for each additional category or regional/global entry remains the same.

Entry fee must be in USD via U.S. check or U.S. money order payable to: Reader Views. (Our bank will no longer accept International Money Orders. If you are from out of the United States please contact us for instructions for payment.) If you are requesting your book be entered in the awards contest at the same time as your Express Review is done, you may pay by credit card.

Submission for more than one category or area is acceptable. Submit two copies of the book for the first category, and an additional book for each other category to be considered. For example, if you enter your book in the "Fiction - Historical" category as well as "Young Adult" and "SW Region" you must send in four books.

All books entered will become the property of Reader Views and donated to local charities after the awards program is completed.

Submissions received without the entry fee will not be considered.  Entry fee is non-refundable.

Registration Deadline

Authors are encouraged to submit their entries as soon as possible but postmarked no later than December 15, 2011. Any submission postmarked after this date will not be accepted. (Help us prevent judge burn-out and submit your book early! Hint: our judges read the book in its entirety - give them plenty of time to read the book.) We will confirm your entry via e-mail so print your email address clearly.

Registration

Download:

Registration form without Express Review Package
Registration form with Express Review Package

Be sure one form is included with each title submitted.  If submitting more than one title or in more than one category, one check or money order may be included for all submissions.

Be sure to send appropriate number for books. (Two for the first category, one for each additional category.) Registration form must accompany each title and sent to:

Reader Views Literary Awards 2011
Reader Views
3267 Bee Cave Rd., Suite 107-380
Austin, TX 78746-6700

Rights

Reader Views will not retain any rights to submitted books. Nor will they reproduce or publish any submission.  All contact information will not be disclosed to a third party other than the sponsor of the above noted awards.

Reader Views reserves the right to disqualify any entry, without prior notice, if guidelines and criteria are not met. Entry fee is non-refundable to disqualified entries.

Important Notice
In the past we would contact the submitter if the appropriate number of books were not enclosed with the submission. This year we will not be doing that. Please be sure you enclose two copies of your book for the first category as well as one book for each additional category.

Do not deface your book by stamping it as "review copy" or "promo copy." After the judging is over we donate the books to a local library or a school library(every year donation is a different one) and SafePlace Austin - a center for abused women and children. We may also use some of the books as a fund raiser and all the proceeds we receive go to Higher Power Foundation Scholarship Fund. This fund supports people, in need of recovery, to attend life-changing workshops.

2010 Winners
2010 Finalists
2009 Winners
2009 Finalists
2008 Finalists
2008 Winners
2007 Finalists
2007 Winners
2006 Finalists
2006 Winners

List of Other Awards