Welcome to the 2013 Best Indie Books Submission page.
You Could Win Over $1,200 in Cash and Prizes!
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS:
COME BACK ON JULY 1, 2013 WHEN WE’LL ANNOUNCE THE SEMIFINALISTS
About the Contest: 
If you think your book has what it takes to earn a 2013 Best Indie Book Award, you have come to the right place. Awards and publicity sell books, and this contest has it all… CASH, credentials, and book marketing credits at top-rated book sites!
Awards: $300 cash + NOW OVER $900 in promo credit to EACH winner (x8) compliments of our sponsors!
Who are our sponsors? The BEST in the business.
Support our sponsors and tell them “The Kindle Book Review sent you.”
Qualifications: Any indie/small press author (book) published to Amazon between May 1, 2012 and May 1, 2013 (see categories). ONLY ONE (1) BOOK PER AUTHOR.
Format: All ebooks must be formatted in a Kindle acceptable file such as MOBI, PRC, AZW, AZW1, TXT.
When: Registration starts February 1, 2013 and ends May 1, 2013 (Final cut off… no exceptions).
Cost: $20
What are the Categories?
- Mystery/Thriller
- Romance
- YA (Young Adult)
- Horror/Suspense
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Literary Fiction
- Memoir/Fictionalized Memoir (No “How-To” non-fiction)
- Short Story/Novellas
Prizes and Promotional Credit Packages:
- Each winner (x8) will receive $300 in cash courtesy of The Kindle Book Review ($250) and Digital Book Today ($50).
-
Kindle Boards: $50 group-wide promotional credit via a post announcing winners.
TOTAL PROMOTIONAL CREDIT: $918
TOTAL CASH PRIZE: $300
TOTAL AWARD PER WINNER: $1,218 in cash and promotional credit!
Winning This Contest Could be a Game Changer!
Process/Judges:
This contest is ONLY possible because of the reviewers here at The Kindle Book Review. These folks have read and reviewed over 800 books in the last year and a half. Thank you KBR reviewers!
Here’s how the contest works:
1. You register.
2. Your submission goes to our 3 screeners (Comprised of our top reviewers).
3. The screeners will read a sampling from your book (equivalent to the sample in the “Look Inside” section Amazon provides on your book page). In order to advance as a “Semi-finalist”, you must earn 2 out of 3 “yes” votes from the screeners. If you pass the first test, you advance as a”Semi-finalist”.
4. We will announce the Semi-finalists on July 1, 2013
5. The Semi-finalists’ books will be sent to the genre specific judges. The judges will read your full manuscript.
6. We will announce the 40 Top-5 Finalists in each category on Sept. 1, 2013.
7. We will announce the 8 winners on October 1, 2013.
FAQs…
What are we looking for? We are awarding the very best indie/small press books. It’s that simple.
What’s the judging criteria?: These books must grab us in the first several pages, have excellent literary quality (great story/plot/excellent writing/editing and character development) and be professionally formatted. Only the most professional books will win. Period. Here’s exactly what we are looking for…
Cover image: Does the cover look professional? Grab our attention? (Not judged in initial screening. Used only when deciding the Top-5 finalists, and Winners).
Formatting: Is the book professionally formatted for Kindle?
Sample: Does the sample grab us from the beginning?
Plot: Is it exciting/intriguing/original?
Writing: Is the writing excellent?
Editing: Aside from writing skills, is the book edited professionally?
Characters: Are the characters fully developed? Point of view used correctly?
Themes: Does the book make you think/change the reader? Or is it extremely entertaining?
Story: Did we get lost in the story?
Ending: Was the ending satisfying?
What if my book doesn’t fit into the genres listed: We understand that there are many more categories than we’ve listed. We recommend finding the closest category. Simply write your genre in the “other” category (see registration form).
I don’t have a Kindle file. How can I properly format my book? First of all, if your book is already published to Amazon, you should have a file. We recommend that you have your ebook professionally formatted because it is always best to have your own digital files to provide to reviewers, etc. You can also download your ebook file by going to your KDP Bookshelf, click on “edit book details” and then scroll down the page until you come to “Preview your Book” and click on the blue link “downloadable book preview file”. This is a mobi formatted file. But if you don’t have a mobi file for example, I recommend
Ted Risk at Dellaster designs. He can turn a doc file into polished ebook for kindle and most other platforms. Ted has a 24-48 hour turn around time, and does a fantastic job.
Why ONLY Kindle format? Because we are The “Kindle” Book Review, we only deal in Kindle books, and all our reviewers have Kindle eReaders.
History: The 2012 Best Indie Book Contest was established and judged solely by the reviewers here at The Kindle Book Review. Our reviewers are avid readers, judges at contests like The San Francisco Book Fair, Phd’s, and readers just like you. They pre-screened hundreds of books in 2012, and have read hundreds more this year alone, aside from the contest. 2012 was a great year; we highlighted dozens of amazing authors and are proud of them all. You can see those winners and finalists
HERE.
How Can You Help Promote the Contest?
1. Pay attention to important “announcement” dates and send your readers/fans here to see the semi-finalists, finalists, and winner lists. Important dates are July, 1 (announce Semi-finalists)—Sept. 1 (announce Top-5 Category Finalists)—Oct.1 (announce Winners).
2. Paste the html code below on your blog and write a blog post. Feel free to grab the image below.
3. Tweet about the contest and tweet our announcements. Here’s the short link to this page: http://ow.ly/hj5eO
- Here’s the long link: http://www.thekindlebookreview.net/2013-best-indie-book-contest/
- Here’s a sample tweet: Register for The 2013 Best Indie Book Awards @Kindlbookreview http://ow.ly/hj5eO You could WIN over $1,000 in CA$H and Prizes! #amwriting
4. Post a Link on Facebook and at your writer groups/associations (see links in #3).
Copy the following HTML code to get our contest badge:
<a href=”http://www.thekindlebookreview.net/2013-best-indie-book-contest/”><img class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-5478″ title=”2013BIABANNER-adjusted-2-1″ src=”http://www.thekindlebookreview.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2013BIABANNER-adjusted-2-11.jpg” alt=”" width=”200″ height=”299″ /></a>
**If you would like to submit your book in 2014, join our Author Mailing list HERE.
**If you’d like to subscribe to The Kindle Book Review click HERE.
I am assuming the contest is for fiction rather than nonfiction.
Hi Unity3,
We have added memoir and poetry this year based on the preferences of our reviewers. These are the only non-fiction categories at this time. We will, however, open additional categories as we continue to grow the contest.
Your register page has a spot for the author’s real name and pen name.
If I submit my pen name, will my real name be kept confidential?
If you do not wish to post your real name, just give us your Pen name ONLY. Then if you advance and we need your name, we’ll ask for it. But as long as you only list your Pen name, you won’t have anything to worry about.
Help! I accidentally uploaded the wrong (an older version of my) mobi file. Can I re-upload before the submissions period ends on March 1st? How would I do this / who should I contact?
Send me the file: jeffbennington@ymail.com I’ll get the file in the right place… but it has to be a Kindle friendly file (not word, pdf, or html). Please include you author name and book title so I connect it to the right submission.
Is this novel length fiction only? Or are novellas or shorter works accepted?
Only novel length fiction, with the exception of the poetry and memoir categories.
Hey Tara, Due to the fact that we have not had any poetry submissions, we have replaced that category with short story/novella. Hope that works. Still 2 months to go.
Jeff, What if I have a poetic diary, which would qualify as both poetry and memoir? Would that work anywhere?
That’s a tough one. We actually cancelled the “Poetry” category because we didn’t get any submissions during the first month, but had many short story submissions. Anyway, As long as it is a real diary/non-fiction, I think it qualifies as Memoir. Go ahead and enter. I’ll approve it. Make sure you check memoir, and write in the comments… approved by Jeff Bennington as Memoir.
Thanks!
Hello. Can I submit a children’s picture book that has humor that is entertaining to both adults and children. What category should I place this in?
Sorry, David. We added 2 additional categories this year, but we do not have a category for children’s picture books yet. Perhaps we’ll add that in the future.
I have a short story collection. Will that be accepted?
Hi Joy, We’ve added 2 categories this year, unfortunately shot story collections was not one of them. Hopefully we’ll add that next year.
Jeff, is the PRC file that you get when using the Mobi Pocket Converter the right kind of file?
Hi P Payne, The PRC is an Amazon accepted format. As long as you use one of the following accepted formats: mobi, prc, azw, azw1, txt… you should be good to go. These formats are listed on Amazon’s website as “kindle friendly”. Good luck!
Since my book is registered with the KDP select program can I gift you a copy?
Hi Karen,
You cannot gift us a copy because your book will be passed to 4 of our reviewers (3 screeners, and one category judge). If you gift a copy, the other folks will not have access. But if you are published with KDP, you have access to a mobi version. Here’s how you can get it, taken from our submissions page in the FAQ section.
I don’t have a Kindle file. How can I properly format my book?
First of all, if your book is already published to Amazon, you should have a file. We recommend that you have your ebook professionally formatted because it is always best to have your own digital files to provide to reviewers, etc. You can also download your ebook file by going to your KDP Bookshelf, click on “edit book details” and then scroll down the page until you come to “Preview your Book” and click on the blue link “downloadable book preview file”. This is a mobi formatted file. But if you still can’t access your mobi file, I recommend Ted Risk at Dellaster designs. He can turn a doc file into polished ebook for kindle and most other platforms. Ted has a 24-48 hour turn around time, and does a fantastic job.
Thanks Jeff. Getting the book through Amazon may be difficult b/c it was done through one of my publishers and she is very ill. I did have it converted to mobi using calibre but the file isn’t behaving. I will work on it or pay through Ted.
Jeff, I’ve tried to use the above html code on my blog and it won’t work. Can it be incorrect? I had no problem with the badge from the Horror Giveaway? Mimi
Mimi,
Try this… I checked and double checked this html code. If it doesn’t work, there may be a clash between WordPress and your website’s code. So if it still doesn’t work, you can use the badge image and apply it to your site and simply add the url??
Here’s the new badge. I tried typing the code but it only printed badge. See the contest page for the new code.
Hi there! I want to participate so badly, but my book was published to Amazon in March, 2012. Is there any way I can squeeze in? Chrissy
Hi Chrissy, Sorry, but we have to stick with the dates that we have already set. The dates we set included an over lap time period from last years contest. However, we are considering opening up the dates next year to include a longer publishing range.
The Kindle novel I would like to submit was published traditionally in hardback by my London publisher in 2008. Because I have the paperback and ebook rights, I released it as a Kindle novel in November last year. Could I submit this for the competition?
Yes. The KDP publish date is consistent with our rules and that is the date you should submit. Good luck!
Jeff, I have just submitted my book and completed the payment. Your e-mail address is shown as ymail.com. Can you confirm this is correct. The reason I ask this is because last year my e-mail account was hacked while I was in the Far East. Subsequent to that I discovered that the reply address in my Google settings was ymail.com. This meant my friends and family received nothing from me when I sent replies to their e-mails. It was my son who spotted it.
that is correct….
And thanks for your submission. Good luck!!!
Hi Jeff,
I would like to submit a short story, and I see you have a category for that. Is there a minimum and/or maximum word limit for short stories?
Many thanks, Jules
No limit. We accept short stories and novellas in the new category. Good luck!
Once again … no Children’s Author category ?!??
Sorry. We added 2 categories this year, and we would’ve liked to add more but we have grow a wee little bit at a time–organically, unlike some contests that have a gazillion categories but no true genre specific judges. So hopefully we’ll add Children’s next year. This is our second year, sand we’re working hard to meet more needs each year. If you’d like to join the KBR Review Team, we’d love to add you and then maybe next year you could judge?
HI,
I just discovered the existence of this contest however my Chick Lit novel See Mommy Run came out on Kindle April 1st, 2012. Does this mean I am inelgible for this contest?
Unfortunately that is the case. We provided overlap from last years contest, but unless you are published between May 1, 2012 and May 1 2013, you are not eligible. We may broaden the pub dates next year, but we have to stick to those dates this year. You would’ve been eligible last year! To stay in touch with all of our latest updates in author newsletter, go here ~> http://form.jotformpro.com/form/22311094434949
Hello Jeff, I just registered and then realized I didn’t get the exact link to Amazon correct. This is the right one:http://www.amazon.com/Celestina-Silvenfare-Legend-Begins-ebook/dp/B00BZ505KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364442232&sr=8-1&keywords=celestina+silvenfare –hoping you can add to my registration? Please and thank you. Kelly Lynne
Hi Kelly, I’ll add it. Thanks for registering. Good luck!
All fixed!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your help!
Our pleasure.
Unfortunately, I published my poetry book Feb. 1st, 2012 so it is not eligible. If you make any exceptions, please let me know.
Hi Barbra, Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately, we have dropped Poetry and replaced it with short story/novella. The reason? We had many short stories/novellas that we had turned away and after more than a month we did not receive one poetry submission. So we decided to switch categories because of the obvious. And if your book did not qualify time wise, that still leaves us with zero poetry entries, so we may have made the right choice, as difficult as it was to make. Maybe next year?
Hi Jeff, Thanks for letting me know. I’d have to write a new poetry book to qualify next year. Whose attention would I send my poetry book to for a Kindle Book Review? Which reviewer?
Look for Jim Bennett, but there are a couple others that read poetry, too.
Thanks. Hope the competition is a huge success.
Thank you!
I already entered, but I have a question. I did all the work myself. I had no professional editor or format person. That’s because don’t have the money to pay someone. How much does it matter? I understand if a DIY book came out really terrible, but I think mine looks pretty good.
Hi Jane, You are in the same position as many authors. How much it matters, depends on your ability to format and self-edit. I hope you’re fantastic at both. The quality of many of our submissions are really outstanding. Good luck!
Hi Jeff,
I have a bit of a timeline problem. I will be able to upload my completed mobi file for the contest but my book won’t be on sale until a week or so after May 1. Is that a problem?
Jim, You have to include the “publish date” in your submission. Our screeners will see that you are not published and will disqualify you. Seems rigid but we picked a team from our reviewers that can be trusted to maintain the integrity of the rules. You can write May 1 as your publish date and hope that it is overlooked. However, if you make it to the top-5, or win, your publish date will be scrutinized and possibly disqualified at that point.
Jeff, I’m interested in having my book reviewed by KBR in the near future and have picked a reviewer to whom I wish to submit it. Can I do that AND enter this contest? Also, in regard to publicizing your contest on my blog and on Twitter, my blog is manned by Dr. Crankenfuss, a raving, ranting, and rapping middle schooler who lives in my head and blogs at Freaky Dude Books. Can Dr. Crankenfuss talk about me entering the contest and tweet about it in his own voice?
Hi Daniel er Dr. Crankenfuss…
Yes, you may submit your book for review to a available reviewer and submit your work for in 2013 contest. And by all means, blog away!
Hello, Jeff. I am a small independent ebook publisher on Kindle – can I enter one of my author’s books on their behalf or must they submit it?
Of course! Thanks for considering our contest.
Hi Jeff -
I see on the registration form that there is only room for one author’s name, but I co-wrote a book with another author. How do I handle this?
Thanks
Just write both names in the line, separated by a comma. Good question!
Thank you!
Hi, Jeff,
I see no way to select an “other” category in the registration form. Is this a browser issue, or am I looking in the wrong place? I am using Safari.
Register your book under the “Literary Fiction” genre. That is the closest category and will work fine.
Hi Jeff,
Very excited to be able to submit Suburban Task Force for your competition. Similar to Laurie’s question above, I was looking for Comic Fiction or Chick Lit and there was no ‘other’ category option. Does Literary Fiction work as a catch all?
Thanks
Hi Addison, Literary Fiction is a broad category, judged by one of our reviewers who served on The SanFrancisco Book Fair judging panel–and she enjoys a variety of genres. That’s probably your best bet. Good luck!
Hi Jeff,
I’ve already entered the contest and uploaded my entry but I have a cleaner document of the same book that I would like to send. Is that possible?
Hi James, We can only accept the first submission. The screeners read the submissions as they come in, and your work may already have been read by the judges. They will not read it twice. Sorry.
JB
Hello, Jeff.
I have a question regarding the submission process. Everything seems to have gone through including the PayPal payment. However, when you asked for the file for the book, I clicked on the “browse” button and went to my files and double clicked on the same mobi file I had submitted to Amazon. I assume it’s legit because the book was approved and is now on Amazon. However, there was no verification that you had received the file. I could see the file name in the file bar shown, but no checked box or “thank you” or “file received.” How do I know if the file came through okay? Thanks for your response.
If we received your submission, we received the file. The entire submission and its contest comes together, and you would’ve received a submission confirmation and/or pop up thank you. If you never got a submission confirmation, check your spam. I just checked and we have it.
I think I entered the first day this contest was opened. I’m really excited for it to get under way! Good luck everyone.
HI Jeff,
Can I gift you a copy from Amazon? Is that what you mean by correct format?
I’m also having trouble contacting my formatter,, I’ve emailed and facebooked him, but he hasn’t responded yet. I’m running out of time. My problem is I have some mistakes that need corrected. I can fix them in the Word doc, but I don’t think that is the format you want. I have no way of fixing them in the amazon doc until I reached my formatter.
Is there any way I can send a different format?
Look at the FAQs on the contest page. We tell you how you can get a copy from your KDP “Edit Details” page. Read that and you shouldn’t have a problem downloading it.
Hi Jeff, I submitted my novel a while ago, however it now has a new cover. (The book is the same) Should I send this in?
No need. The screeners and judges may have already evaluated your work. I hope you do well!
Hi Jeff,
I just entered my book (Appalachian Gold) into the contest. I couldn’t tell if the link to it on Kindle came out properly or not as I have a link set up for it in Word that I usually paste in. Here is the link as copied directly off of Amazon in case it is needed.
http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Gold-ebook/dp/B00CA1B88K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367325184&sr=8-2&keywords=j.+michael+herron
Thanks for any help with this.
Mike
Got it fixed. Good luck!
Hi Jeff,
this is a great initiative and much needed for us, who have no means of getting the word out (if we qualify). Thank you!
I obviously missed this years entry, is the next year same date? Please send me the exact date-line.
My question is I published first at KDP 26 marts 2013, will it be sufficient for the next round or will I be refused?
And can I submit all my ebooks (short stories of 6 books, put together they make for a whole book of 300 pages+-) in one entry, or do I have to choose one out of my 6 children, as my favourite ?
(International English)
Thank you in advance for your help here!
Hi Ove, Sorry you missed this year’s contest. I do not have any details about next year’s contest, so I cannot give you any information. We plan to make a few changes so I’d hate to speculate. If you join our author email list, you can get all our updates as they come. Hope that helps.
Jeff