Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award 2016 results:
This year’s competition has been an amazing experience. We received cookery books, self-help books, memoirs, young adult fiction, crime, romance – you name it, we enjoyed it. Remember that every penny of the entry fee goes to the wounded, because as you all know by now, the administrators personally absorb all costs.
Our judge, Felicity Trew of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency also had a high old time reading your work. Finally, after much thought and discussion the top three emerged.
Why were these chosen?
Perhaps what any judge is groping for is to find an author writing with a confidence born of practise, endless practise. This practise was evident in the winners. Surely each book had been written, then re-written, and then again,with the authors twisting and turning the words, and the images they were trying to create, until they achieved balance. Balance? Well, between pace, rhythm, tension, show not tell, and closely edited text.
In our winner, especially, there was a surety, and a ‘voice’, and that undefinable difference that makes a book, whether a non-fiction, a cookery book, a memoir, or a novel unputdownable.
It’s always a tough call, but one that has to be made. Bravo to the winners.
Over the next three days we will be publishing more about the winning authors and their novels, and the judge’s remarks. Tomorrow we will be concentrating on our 1st Place winner, the next day 2nd place, and then 3rd place. Tune in and have a look.
Results.
1st place
From both ends of the stethoscope: getting through breast cancer by a doctor who knows. By Dr Kathleen Thompson.
2nd place
The Man Who Didn’t Go To Newcastle by Alison Clink
3rd place
The Secret of Skara Vhore, by Jennifer M Calder
Highly Commended
Food for Thought David Croft
We’ve come to take you Home Susan Gandar
1066 What Fates Impose EK Holloway
The Spirit of London Rob Keeley
Buckinghamshire Spies and Subversives D.J. Kelly
Dead Man’s Legacy Marion Leigh
Requiem for Private Hughes Chip Tolson
Do Not Forget me Quite Richard Pike
Le-Jog-ed Robin Richards
Commended
Traditional Kurdish Food Ala Barzinji
Arnie Jenks and the House of Strangers Tim Bradley
Transform Your Communication Skills Steve Bridger
The Pomegranate Ring Simon Brian Cartlidge
The Father’s House Larche Davies
The Politician’s Daughter Marion Leigh
Little Hoglet’s Christmas Richard Middleton
Blackberry Promises Jan Moran Neil
We will be featuring the judge’s reviews of the top three, and tell you more about the authors over the next few days.
