Previous Finalists





At Last! A Book Awards Run By Another Author

Hi, my name is Billy Bob Buttons and I'm a UK-based children's author. I'm pretty successful. My books, twenty in all, including Felicity Brady and the Wizard's Bookshop, The Gullfoss Legends, TOR Assassin Hunter, TOR Wolf Rising, The Skeleton Clock and I Think I Murdered Miss, sell thousands a year, many of them directly to UK primary and secondary schools. Not bad, I guess, for any independently published author.

But for all my success, I detest entering book awards. Not that I don't do okay. I was a runner-up in the Rubery Book Awards and the prestigious UK People's Book Prize. In fact, I won the 2014 UK People's Book Prize for my children's novel, I Think I Murdered Miss. But the problem with many book awards for independently published authors is they don't seem particularly interested in the books. All the organisers seem to want to do is sell 'Winner!' and 'Runner-up' stickers.

So, back in 2013, I (my real name is Edward Trayer, Billy Bob Buttons is simply a pen name) set up The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. I wanted to offer other independently published authors a very different award to what was presently offered on the internet. I wanted authors who enter to feel 'involved' and I wanted them to know we will judge all the books entered thoroughly.

The Wishing Shelf Awards

I visit approximately 200 primary and secondary schools a year giving literary workshops. Here, I thought, was the perfect judging panel. I convinced a number of the headteachers (ten, in fact) to allow their students to read and judge the children's books entered in the award. This way, not only are the finalists and winners decided by the intended readers and not a panel of so-called 'experts', but the feedback they send to us we then send on to the authors.

The adult books are judged by two Reading Groups, one in London where I often work and one in Stockholm where I lived for many years. They love reading the books and discussing them for hours over coffee and cake.

The next problem I faced was cost. I wanted to keep it cheap so as not to exclude any authors; but also, the award cost a lot to run. I had to set up and pay for the website, cover the cost of posting the picture books (Category 1) between schools (Category 2 - 6 work with PDFs of the books, saving the author the costs of posting and printing the books), have a 'very cool' certificate designed and printed, a medal designed and produced and, most importantly, I wanted to advertise the finalists on a popular 'reader' website. In the end, I set the price at £59 or US$75; a lot, LOT cheaper than other awards. But you can, if you wish, pay £109 or US$140. Then, whether you win or not, you will get feedback from the judging, an honest Goodreads and Bookbub review based on the readers' comments, and a catchy quote for the back of your next book or reprint. You can also, if you wish, post the feedback on Amazon as an Editorial Review using your Author Central account. And I decided to advertise the finalists on Goodreads and Facebook. It costs a fortune, but I think it's worth it and it helps the authors to sell their books.

Why Choose Us

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards boasts 100% satisfaction from every publisher and author who has, so far, entered (42 in the first year, 104 in the second and 155 in the third) . The problem with other awards is, if you win, you win. Fantastic! But if you don't, you get nothing. With our award, every entrant (who pays £109), finalist or not, gets all the feedback from the judging, a catchy quote for the back of their next book or reprint and, if they wish us to, a review posted on Goodreads and Bookbub. Then, if they are a finalist, they also get a logo, a certificate, marketing on the web and their book advertised on Goodreads, Facebook and The Fussy Librarian. Over the years we have even organised for all the finalists in the children's category to have their book reviewed by The School Librarian. The authors were very happy.

With so many awards right now, particularly for self-published authors, the author is simply a '$' or a '£' sign. Even if they win, by then the organisers are concentrating on getting next year's authors to enter. But we answer every email personally and we ask authors to send us the blurb of their book prior to entering; if we think it's not the sort of thing our readers will enjoy, we urge them not to enter (we turn away approx. 10% at the moment; I often read the first chapter on Amazon (Look Inside) and if it's full of errors and needs a good edit, I recommend the author not to enter). There is even a Facebook page so the authors can make suggestions on how to improve the awards and how to best spend the entry fees to best market their books.

If you are interested in entering The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, everything you need to know is right here. I can promise you your work will be respected and the benefits will far out-weigh the cost. To see what authors think of the awards, go HERE.

All the best and good luck with your writing.

Billy Bob Buttons
(Edward Trayer)


Sponsored Ads



Comfort in the Wings
An inspiring, heartfelt
journey of joy after loss
Amazon


Memoir of Millennial Caregiver
A story of caregiving, loss,
and acceptance of the unknown.
Amazon


The Great Billy Butlin Race
First and only footrace from
John O’Groats to Land’s End
Stairwellbooks


Sam & Me & the Hard Pear Tree
A personal account of
a mother’s ultimate loss
Amazon


UNTANGLING YOU
Take control of how u respond
to difficult relationships
www.kerryhowells.com/books


The B-17 Tomahawk Warrior
"This happened in 1944 but
honored 80 years later!"
Amazon


Puppy Pals and Puppy Tales
Letters from the family
dog’s point of view, 5-9 yrs.
Amazon


The Last Lumenian
Most princesses need saving.
This one saves you.
Amazon


The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Karin Adams


Exclusion Zone
The VORKOSIGAN SAGA
meets DIE HARD.
Amazon


RED CHAIR PRESS
Titles in Dyslexic and
/or Large Print editions
ReadHowYouWant


BURT, THE AIRPORT CAT
Follow Burt, the black cat,
on a fun family adventure
Amazon





Tuskie’s Travels
Tuskie teaches his crew to
dissolve upsets in 30 seconds!
www.thekidcode.ca


The Great Billy Butlin Race
First and only footrace from
John O’Groats to Land’s End
Stairwellbooks


HENRY
Inspiring WWII Nonfiction
survival account
Amazon


Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
seeks a wife rom-com
Amazon


Look 'N Up Invasion
Celebrate diversity by
imagining a world without it.
looknup.us


SECRET SKY
Everybody wishes they could
fly - until it happens
books2read.com


NUDGES FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Must-read for those who grieve
or curious about the afterlife
Amazon


Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon


Sneaky Snobby by Jennifer Kvam
LOOK OUT! Making trouble is
Sneaky Snobby´s hobby!
Amazon


Ruby the Emotional Stingray
Handling emotions for kids.
BEDTIME STORY
Amazon


Anna and the Adders
A rhyming counting book
to get little ones learning
Amazon


The Nephilem
A Sun-soaked setting
with a difference.
www.exquil.com