U.S. Selfies Book Awards 2021 – shortlists announced

Finalists Named in Two Categories for Self-Published Book Prizes –

NEW YORK, NY—May 28, 2021— Fourteen finalists will compete for the top honors in the U.S. Selfies book awards, seven in each of the adult fiction category, now in its second year, and the children’s book category, in its inaugural year.

Publishers Weekly, the international news platform, and BookBrunch, the daily online news service for the U.K., have today announced the awards’ shortlists, all self-published authors living in the U.S. The adult fiction category finalists include Paty Jager (who was also shortlisted in 2020) with her crime procedural Fox Goes Hunting; N.D. Jones with her fantasy novel A Queen’s Pride; Lilianne Milgrom with an historical novel L’Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece; Charlie Newton with a WW1 thriller, Privateers; Adam Pelzman with his coming-of-age story, The Boy and the Lake; Penny Reid with her romantic mystery Engagement and Espionage, Solving for Pie; and Nicolas Lietzau with a fantasy novel Dreams of the Dying.

The children’s book category sees four picture books (Steadfast: Frances Perkins, Champion of Workers’ Rights by Jennifer J Merz; The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete in New York by Serena Minott and Asha Gore, illustrated by Caroline Buzio; How to Fold a Taco by Naibe Reynoso, illustrated by Ana Verala; and The Big Adventures of Little Tree by Nadja Springer, illustrated by Tilia Rand-Bell) compete against middle grade reader The Rumble Hunters by Courtney Dunlap and two YA novels, The Lost Coven by Bekah Harris and The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island by Scott Semegran to be the first winner of the U.S. Selfies Book Award for children’s books.

The winner of the first U.S. Selfies book award for adult fiction was Tim Westover with his second novel, The Winter Sisters, set in pre–Civil War Georgia and called by the judges “an absorbing, well-researched and beautifully written novel.”

This year’s winners will be announced on Thursday, June 24, 2021 during Happy Hour (5:30 p.m. CT) at the American Library Association’s annual conference, again being held online. The U.S. Selfies are sponsored by IngramSpark, Combined Book Exhibit, Barnes & Noble Press and Author Solutions.

“The number of entries for the second year of the adult fiction awards, and the first year of the children’s book U.S. Selfies, has far exceeded our expectations, and we’re delighted to know that the indie publishing community has been so receptive to these awards. The shortlists are incredibly strong, and I’m looking forward to hearing the choices of this year’s judges” said Jo Henry, managing director of BookBrunch.

“The quality of the entries in both adult fiction and in children’s books is an exciting testament to the creativity and resourcefulness of the self-published community of authors in the U.S.,” said Cevin Bryerman, CEO and publisher of Publishers Weekly.

Carl Pritzkat, president of BookLife, which administers the awards in the U.S and is the self-publishing arm of Publishers Weekly, said, “The U.S. Selfies showcases the breadth of talent among self-published authors, including sales and marketing finesse, since that is one of the criteria for entry.”

Two juries for the awards will vet the entries: BookLife editor and former Publishers Weekly associate children’s book editor Matia Madrona Query; Joshua L. Carlson, White Plains (N.Y.) Public Library children’s librarian; and Paige Allen, director of IngramSpark, for children’s books.

Adult fiction jurors are Robin Cutler, president of LMBPN Worldwide Publishing, CEO of HowToPublishBooks.com and creator and developer of IngramSpark; BrocheAroe Fabian, owner of River Dog Book Co., a location-independent bookstore focused on diverse, global, inclusive and representative books; and Emily Thomas Meehan, who joined Barnes & Noble in 2021 and oversees all of Sterling Publishing’s operations, leading new strategies for both children’s and adult titles, and former vice president and publisher at Disney Book Group.

The judges will look for stories that entertain and delight readers; high production values in e-book or print format; enticing covers and blurbs that successfully nab the target audience’s attention; and effective and creative marketing and publicity strategies with the potential for significant sales.

The U.S. awards are co-sponsored by IngramSpark, an award-winning platform that provides global print and e-book distribution services, Combined Book Exhibit, which showcases published works at trade shows and expos around the world, Barnes & Noble Press, the bookseller’s self-publishing operation, and Author Solutions, the parent company of iUniverse and more than 10 other supported self-publishing imprints around the globe. The winning authors, in addition to receiving $1,000 cash supplied by IngramSpark, also receives promotional book displays valued at over $2,500 from Combined Book Exhibit at major book fairs around the world and a $5,000 package of advertising in Publishers Weekly’s print magazine and online.

The mission of the awards initiative, which was the creation of BookBrunch and introduced to great acclaim in the U.K. in 2018, is to discover new talent and reward the best self-published titles each year.

For more information, contact Christi Cassidy, +1-917-217-4269, ccassidy@publishersweekly.com.

About BookBrunch

BookBrunch is a daily news service and information site for the book industry and has been keeping thousands of publishing professionals informed about the latest developments on a daily basis since 2008. Joint editors Nicholas Clee and Neill Denny have 40+ years covering the book trade between them, and BookBrunch’s news coverage reflects their knowledge and experience of the industry.

About Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly is the international news platform of the book publishing industry. Founded in 1872 and published weekly since then, the magazine boasts 1.23 million social media followers; publishes 10 e-newsletters, BookLife (a website and semimonthly supplement), two blogs, podcasts, a mobile edition, digital editions, and apps; and features a thriving website that reaches 14 million unique visitors annually.

About BookLife

BookLife taps the experience, integrity and authority of Publishers Weekly to help self-published authors achieve their goals. BookLife offers in-depth articles, professional tips and strategies for creating and marketing books; a free weekly BookLife Report e-newsletter; BookLife Reviews, a paid review service; and a free, easy tool to submit self-published books for free review consideration in Publishers Weekly.

About IngramSpark

IngramSpark is a self-publishing company with a global distribution network, which allows self-published authors to publish and distribute print books and e-books.

About Author Solutions

Author Solutions is a leader in supported self-publishing. Through strategic alliances with leading trade publishers, Author Solutions makes it possible to efficiently develop new literary talent and provide authors with platforms to bring their books to readers everywhere.

About Barnes & Noble Press

Formerly NOOK Press, B&N Press is a free, fast and easy-to-use self-publishing service created by Barnes & Noble. As one of the most authoritative voices in the bookselling and publishing industry, B&N Press offers a service that helps independent authors and content creators succeed. Self-publishing is made easy with B&N Press’s seamless publishing services in both print book and e-book options, allowing authors to share their stories with millions of readers.

About Combined Book Exhibit

Founded in 1933, Combined Book Exhibit is a book marketing resource that showcases published books at trade shows and book fairs internationally on behalf of publishers and authors. Combined Book Exhibit can be seen at more than two dozen domestic and international shows annually, including the forthcoming book fairs in Beijing, Frankfurt and Shajah. It is the co-owner, with Publishers Weekly, of PubMatch.

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