Tag: Awards

DARK DATA: Control, Alt Delete by Douglas J. Wood – Independent Press Award Winner in Political Thriller

Posted on by Keely Flanagan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Douglas J. Wood receives national recognition through the  INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD®!

(NEW YORK, NEW YORK) — The INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD recognized DARK DATA: Control, Alt, Delete by Douglas J. Wood in the category of Political Thriller as a winner.

The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters. Selected award winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

DARK DATA: Control, Alt, Delete by Douglas J. Wood
Political Thriller Winner

 Paula Jankovic is a willing tool of Constantine Petrenko, a Russian oligarch with a penchant for world domination and insatiable greed. Using a superstorm of dark data and fake news, Jankovic has become skilled at harnessing the power of the mysterious Selfish Ledger and personal social media accounts to get innocent people to do her bidding, however horrible it may be. Abu al-Badri is a terrorist leader who wants to further his cause. By aligning himself with the same wealthy benefactor, he has all he needs to access top targets around the world to wreak unimaginable violence and destruction.

Together Jankovic and al-Badri unleash a coordinated attack that is designed to leave societies and financial markets in ruins and no one richer or more powerful than the Russian standing at the top.

In 2020, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide. Participating authors and publishers reside in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, India, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, and others. Books submitted included writers located in cities such as Austin to Memphis to Santa Cruz; from Copenhagen to Mumbai; from Albuquerque to Staten Island; from Boise to Honolulu, and others.

“We are thrilled to announce the winners and distinguished favorites in our annual 2020 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD. This year included a myriad of excellent independently published books. It is clear that independents are prospering in every corner of the earth. We are so proud to be highlighting key titles representing global independent publishing.” said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.​

For more information please visit independentpressaward.com; and to see this year’s list of IPA Winners and Distinguished Favorites, please visit the website pages:

2020 WINNERS:

https://www.independentpressaward.com/2020winners

​2020 DISTINGUISHED FAVORITES:

https://www.independentpressaward.com/2020distinguishedfavorites

 

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Book Awards for Indie Authors

Posted on by Keely Flanagan

There are limitless strategies devised to drive book publicity and generate sales. Whether it’s maintaining social media, mining micro-influencers, or tracking both with your editorial calendar, these tools serve the same purpose. What about one method that encompasses the results of all three? You might have a winner in books awards.

If you’re an author just starting out, you may think book awards are reserved for those established in the industry –or signed with the “Big 5” publishing houses. That isn’t necessarily the case. While big awards like PEN/America or the Pulitzer Prize tend to shine more favorably on well-known authors, there are other prestigious options that even offer cash prizes and opportunities to consult with experts in the business.

Much like any step in generating buzz around your book and book sales, selecting reputable awards takes scrupulous research. Some book awards, even those that are well known, serve only to line the pockets of those in charge. See what fellow authors are saying about your chosen award. There is no definitive verification process for these awards, which means that the most reliable information will be from others in your station. One list we consulted while building our award database can be found here, custom tailored by the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Researching awards and curating the perfect, realistic list also depends on your budget. Many book awards have an application fee, and additional fees per category in which you submit. Some also require that you pay a fee for the subsequent social media boosting and online advertising that would accompany your win. If your budget is limited, don’t worry; there are book awards that do not require entry/additional fees. Looking for book awards local to your state or town will greatly reduce, and sometimes all-together cut out that entry fee -you also save on travel expenses that way!

While you can find book awards with no entry fee, it is worth investing the money for others. You might even see a return tenfold on your investment. A recent Authors Guild study revealed that book awards and prizes, along with advances, royalties, foreign sales, serial rights, reprint/permission rights, and mass media rights comprise writer income on average.

Putting aside dollars and cents, there are priceless advantages to winning awards. Organizations like The North Street Book Prize and The Indie Author Project Regional Contests offer opportunities to consult with established authors and publishers, placement of a piece detailing your win in reputable publications, and book promotion at local hotspots. These awards will often do email blasts announcing your win and plug across media platforms in conjunction with the other prizes.

What’s our proof that this stuff actually works? Recently, our indie authors Douglas Wood and David Finkle won categories in the 2018 Independent Press Awards. Doug won Humor & Wit for his book Asshole Attorney, and David won Distinguished Favorite in Humor & Wit for his book Humpty Trumpty Hit a Brick Wall.

If they can do it, so can you!