Another writing contest!
Per the request of several Title Magicians here, I’ll talk a bit about the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.
This is the first time Amazon.com, along with Penguin Group and CreateSpace, has initiated this contest. It is an international contest that covers all sub-genres of fiction. Entries into the contest were required to be completed manuscripts where the author still retained distribution rights at the time of entry, and was capped at exactly 5,000 entries. From those entries, only 835 made it into the semi-finals (36 from the romance category!). Entries in the semi-finals are then placed on Amazon.com for people to download (a free excerpt) to read and review. On March 2nd, at the conclusion of the semi-finals, the ten entries with the most reviews and highest ratings will go on to the finals. All semi-finalists also get their manuscript reviewed by Publishers Weekly. That review is posted as well, or will be, as soon as they get the reviews in from Publishers Weekly. The ten finalists go through the process again of getting reviewed by people with an Amazon account, where the three top entries will land on the editors’ desks at Penguin who make the final decision on a winner. The winner gets their book published.
From now until March 2nd, you can have a say in who gets to move on. Fellow Magician, Lexie O’Neill and I have both made it through to the semi-finals! We encourage and welcome all reviews. Heck, we’re on our knees here. I’m not above a little begging. =)
Lexie’s entry, THE EDDY COMPLEX, can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00122GTSW
And my entry, THE PROPHECY, can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00121WDWY
Or just go to http://www.amazon.com/abna to access the front of the contest, then click on the Romance category link, and look for us by our titles. We’ll need all the buzz and reviews and stars we can get. Let’s help prove to the world that romance is not the ugly step-sister of literary, science-fiction/fantasy, or historicals! If enough fans show support for the romance authors, I firmly believe the romance genre will be looked upon with a little more respect than it’s currently receiving. We love romance, and we’re not afraid to write or read it!
That’s my soapbox talk for the day. I’ll leave off with the blurb for THE PROPHECY and hope that you’ll stop on by at http://www.amazon.com/abna to download the free excerpt and cast a helpful review.
THE PROPHECY – ABNA semi-finalist
Historical Fantasy Romance
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00121WDWY
Antiquities specialist, Kate Madison, is close to proving the existence of a mystical land called Zenith. Then she learns her father has less than six months to live. When an ancient scroll catapults her into Zenith, it's a race against death to return to her father. But how does a modern-day girl prove to a warrior-dominated kingdom that she'll save them from certain doom if she can't save herself from falling in love with a man not of her time or place, and returning to her world first? King Warwyck Lyonn of Argun has vengeance on his mind and an ancient curse to end or a great evil will be unleashed. The last thing he needs is a strange woman from another time and place. But if the prophecy is to be believed, then saving his kingdom means enlisting Kate's help. When confronted with the choice between saving his kingdom or losing Kate, will he sacrifice the fate of the kingdom for love, or risk his heart to fulfill THE PROPHECY of Argun?
**THE PROPHECY is actually the first book in my Zenith fantasy series. PRINCE OF DARKNESS, my American Title finalist, is the second book.
END NOTE: Don't forget that today starts the beginning of Round 4 in the American Title Contest. Round 4 voting will be based on best dialogue scene and will run from today, January 21st through Sunday, February 3rd. We're gearing down to the end here. Only one more round to go after this. Please take a moment to head on over, read over the dialogues, and vote for your favorite Title Magician. We all truly appreciate your continued support of the contest. Here's the link to check out the dialogues: http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php
6 comments:
So much good contest news! Mai and Lexie, huge congrats on finaling in the Amazon contest. Here's rooting for our Title Magicians!
Mai, can I post your blog on the Passionate Ink forum? Sylvia Day was the president when I first joined the RWA chapter, Passionate Ink. Might get some reviews for the Amazon contest.
Thanks for the info. And I kept wondering when the next round of the American Title IV would begin again. So I can go vote (insert maniacal laughter). Good luck to all of you!
Congrats to you and Lexie on a great final in the Amazon contest. I can't even believe it but I know ten (yes 10 people) who have finaled in that contest! It's a great opportunity and I'm going to get out there and post my reviews as soon as I can.
Wow! We have such a talented group of writers who are so close to that magical "breakthrough" moment. I wish you all the best and you know my thoughts, and votes, are with you! :)
I will definitely be going along to give you both a review when I get my head on straight. Lots of computer woes at the moment!
Well done Mai and Lexie. Lots of luck in the Amazon contest.
Hi Savanna,
Yes, please do! Feel free to post it anywhere you like, lol.
Good luck to all the Magicians still in the contest!
Thanks, Trish. OMG, I'm having big regrets. Have you read what the Publisher's Weekly review said about me? They so did not like my writing. The funny thing was they made a comment about how, and I quote "the story quickly turns into a romance". Hello? It IS a romance.
Oh well. I've learned to develop skin as thick as an alligator from ATIV and the Amazon contest. =)
I'll be glad when this is all over. Then I'm going to become a hermit. =)
Post a Comment