Celebrating Independent Authors
Congrats to A.V. Carden, the readers’ choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.
The winning entry is recognized with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.
Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
We are pleased to announce the Indies Unlimited Readers’ Choice Excellence Awards. This is our way of providing recognition to those in the indie community who have given valuable assistance, resources, information, or other support to improve the quality and visibility of indie authors.
This is the first year of what we hope will become an annual tradition. In our first outing, awards will be given in three categories:
Best Book Review Site
We feel book review sites are critical to book discovery. Having a lot of great reviews on your book’s page is nice, but book review sites introduce your book to their followers, giving you a better shot at finding new readers. These sites and reviewers deserve our thanks.
Best Writers’ Resource Site
From writing tips to marketing strategy, there are sites out there that help you get it done. Lots of oases dot the indie savannah. Where are your favorite watering holes? Which sites add value to your day and help make you a better writer?
Best Writers’ Watchdog Site
The web is alive with predators, ready to pounce on unsuspecting and hopeful indies. Fake awards, bad contracts, and overall exploitation are rampant. Thankfully, there are a number of warning and advisory sites out there that throw light into the dark corners, alerting us to scams, shams, and flim-flams. Which sites do you count on to keep you safe?
Obviously, as the sponsor of these awards, Indies Unlimited is excluded from the process. Oh well, it is more blessed to give than to receive. *sniff*
Nominations for each category will be opened with a special announcement post in January. Rules for nominations and voting will be posted at that time. Just so nobody gets too excited, there are no cars or money at stake here. The finalists and winners will receive handsome, hand-crafted digital plaques commemorating their victory. It is not merely the plaque, but the votes of confidence and thanks behind it that give the award its proper meaning. We hope you are as excited about the awards as we are, and we look forward to your enthusiastic participation.
We have been informed by an inside source who wishes to remain anonymous (it was Hise) that effective after December 13, 2013, Freebie Friday will be merged with Thrifty Thursday.
“Thrifty Thursday will now incorporate 99¢ and free e-books as well as those with upcoming Kindle Countdown Deals. This will present readers with more of a one-stop shopping experience and add to the overall utility of the weekly feature,” said the anonymous source (Hise). The last Freebie Friday is scheduled to run tomorrow (12-12-2013).
The anonymous Hise went on to explain, “We have seen some diminished participation by authors in the Freebie Friday feature, and we believe this is a signal that marketing strategies have moved in a different direction. This is a way for Indies Unlimited to recognize those changes without abandoning those who still embrace free promotion.”
The Freebie Friday feature had been a mainstay of Indies Unlimited almost since the beginning of the site. Asked what will now become of the vacated time slot, the unnamed Hise suggested that Indies Unlimited has plenty of content to keep readers entertained and informed.
As of the time of this report, no riots had been reported. Well, there was one, but it seemed to be related to holiday shopping. Still, the day is young.
You can check out this week’s Thrifty Thursday post here.
Just in time for the holidays, check out these new releases from the awesome minions right here at Indies Unlimited!
Grumpy Old Menopause by Carol E. Wyer
Sail through that tricky part of a woman’s life with ease and humour. Should prevent you from turning into Mrs Crabby or a demonic monster.
Grumpy Old Menopause is available through Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Amazon UK.
Crosswind: Land, Sea, Sky Book 1 by Lynne Cantwell
The pagan gods recruit three humans to protect their new Earthly Paradise from the greedy, power-mad men who used to be in charge.
Crosswind is available through Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Amazon UK.
Believing Again: A Tale of Two Christmases by Martin Crosbie
A heart-warming tale of love, commitment, family, and, of course, Christmas.
Believing Again: A Tale of Two Christmases is available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.
So This Is Christmas by Jim Devitt
For young and old alike, this magical tale of finding Christmas spirit is sure to become a new tradition for years to come.
So This Is Christmas is available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.
The Dreamt Child: Book Three of Earth’s Pendulum by Yvonne Hertzberger
The goddess decrees sweeping changes. Seer Liannis must bear a seer. Merrist becomes a healer. Catania sees rebellion. Lieth faces regency.
The Dreamt Child is available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.
Dragonslayers: Kill Box by K. Rowe
Dragonslayers: Kill Box. Military thriller. An elite Special Forces team discovers that the good guys don’t always win. #ebook
Dragonslayers: Kill Box is available at Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Amazon UK.