Yes, more awards, but this is a really big one in indie publishing.
I’m so excited that two of my books have made it into the finals of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Benjamin Franklin Awards. Daughter of Destiny is a finalist in the Best New Voice: Fiction category and Been Searching for You is a finalist in the Romance category. We’ll find out if either of them wins the Gold Award on April 7. Regardless, they are both Silver Award winners.
Just a quick note to let you know Daughter of Destiny and Camelot’s Queen are both finalists for the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards in the adult fiction category. We will know final results around April 1. I’m excited about this one because it’s a contest run by another author and the judges are reading groups in London and Stockholm. Awards determined by readers are extra cool because they are the people I am trying to reach and the reason I started writing in the first place! And I’m excited that this is an international audience!
I just found out that all of my books are now SELF-e Select picks from Library Journal! (We’ve known about Daughter of Destiny since January, but the others are news to me as of this morning!)
Library Journal‘s curated SELF-e Select module is a nationwide module available on BiblioBoard Library at any local library subscribed to BiblioBoard and participating in the SELF-e program. This means my books will be available to libraries across the country (and possibly across the world because there are several other countries that use SELF-e) to purchase. So go tell your local library you want to see my books on your shelves! They take patron requests very seriously, so if you don’t see it in your catalog, don’t be afraid to ask.
Missouri readers, we have an even better chance of seeing it because all of my books are now “highlighted selections” throughout the state. But please request them if you want to see them in your library. This is especially important in St. Louis County as they are still reticent about purchasing indie books. The more people who request my books, the more likely they are take us seriously.
I’m so happy to announce that Daughter of Destiny (fairy tale/folklore) and Been Searching for You (romance) both placed first in their categories at the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) EVVY Awards this weekend! Here’s the full list of winners. (They are the only two books I entered. I’ll enter the other two next year.)
And…
Been Searching for You was meant to be a standalone book, but so many of you have asked for a sequel that I started to think about it and I’m proud to say, there will be not one more book in the series, but at least two more. I’m actually thinking this *could* end up being an open-ended series. I have an idea for a fourth book percolating. But I have to write the second one first.
The second book doesn’t have a title, but I can tell that the main character is Miles’ long ago ex, Violetta. (She’s mentioned very briefly in Been Searching for You. Blink and you may have missed it.) I don’t know all the details yet, but I promise you our favorite BFF gets his happily ever after AND you get to see Alex and Annabeth’s wedding. I’m hoping to write it at some point in 2017. Not sure on a publication date. I’m still hoping Guinevere will start talking soon so I can write Mistress of Legend next.
Help me name this new series! I was originally thinking Love in the Windy City, but I’m not sure if I want to tie myself down to a location. Book 2 will take place both in Chicago and LA, as will book 3. Do you have any series name suggestions? I’d love to be able to say that a fan helped name the series! Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
I just found out that both Daughter of Destiny and Been Searching for You are finalists in Colorado Independent Publisher’s Association (CIPA) EVVY Awards Book Competition. Daughter of Destiny is in the Fairytale/Folklore category and Been Searching for You is in romance. Final placement will be announced August 20. More info then!
Daughter of Destiny is in a book cover competition. If you are so inclined, please vote for me here:
http://bookviral.com/bookviral-brilliant-book-cover/4592485237 . Thanks!
My books are on sale in July at Smashwords. Use the promo code on the book pages to get sale price. See all my books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NicoleEvelinaAuthor or click on the image below.
I’m happy to say that if you live in LA or near Bellingham, Washington, you can now purchase my books from two physical book stores!
The Ripped Bodice – Los Angeles, CA
You may remember that I was a proud Kickstarter backer for the opening of this romance-only bookstore. (I sponsored a shelf.) Now, they are selling Daughter of Destiny, Camelot’s Queen, Been Searching for You and Madame Presidentess (once it’s published), both in-store and online.
Village Books – Bellingham, WA
A perk of being one of the top five bestsellers at the Chanticleer Author’s Conference is that Daughter of Destiny and Camelot’s Queen are now for sale in their store. Been Searching for You and Madame Presidentess (pre-order) are available on their website.
Ireadbooks.com
This is a new site by the folks behind Serious Reading. Daughter of Destiny and Been Searching for You are available for free on this site. Yes, you read that right. You can download them for free and I get paid for every download. I will eventually add my other books as well.
More to Come, and You Can Help!
As soon as I get some time to talk with my local indie book store owners, you’ll be seeing my books on shelves here in St. Louis and hopefully Chicago as well. I’ve also been told of a book store in Glastonbury, England that is interested; I need to follow up on that one. Not bad for an indie author who just published her first book on January 1!
Are there book stores in your area you’d like to see carry my books? If so, let me know. You asking them is always a big help, but if I know where you like to shop, I will contact them as well. Together, we can get books on shelves all over the world!
To celebrate the publication of Camelot’s Queen, the second book of Guinevere’s Tale, on April 12 (less than a week away…ahhh!!), the ebook of Daughter of Destiny, the first book in the series is on sale for only $0.99 through April 16! So if you haven’t purchased it yet or were on the fence, it won’t cost you much to pick it up!
Here are the purchase links:
I’m not sure why the discounted price isn’t showing up on Kobo. If that’s your store of choice, please keep checking back. It *should* pick up the new price.
And, if ebooks aren’t your thing, don’t forget that you can still purchase the print and audio versions (although those aren’t on sale – I can’t control my audio book price).
And please, if you read the book and like it, leave a review. Amazon is preferred, but Goodreads is always welcome if you have an account.
