EPPIE winners--veinglory

Edited to add a question: Would you be more likely to buy a book based on an EPPIE win? Have you ever bought a book after looking it up following the EPPIE announcements?

Category A - Action/Adventure: Murder By Proxy by Robert L. Hecker—Hard Shell Word Factory

Category B - Children/YA: Grizzelda Gorilla by K. D. Huxman—Dragonfly Publishing/Imprint – Kittycat Books

Category C - Contemporary Romance (TIE): Perfectly Good Nanny by Paty Jager—The Wild Rose Press & Thin Ice by Liana Laverentz—The Wild Rose Press

Category D – Erotica: Woman of the Mountain by Angela Caperton—eXtasy Books

Category E - Erotic Romance Contemp/Suspense/Mystery (TIE): Too Good To Be True by Marie Nicole Ryan—Samhain Publishing & Craving Candy by N. J. Walters—Ellora’s Cave

Category F - Erotic Romance Historical Fiction: Let Me Love You by Mary Wine—Samhain Publishing

Category G - Erotic Romance Fantasy/Paranormal: Rated X-mas: Spiritual Noelle by Jet Mykles—Loose Id

Category H - Erotic Romance Science Fiction/Futuristic: Hara's Legacy by Bianca D'Arc—Samhain Publishing

Category I – Fantasy: North Star by Pier Giorgio Pacifici—Calderwood Books

Category J - Fantasy/Paranormal Romance: Rapture by Renee Field—Ellora’s Cave/Imprint - Cerridwen Press

Category K – GLBT: The Lost Temple of Karttikeya by Laura Baumbach—Loose Id

Category L- Historical and Western: Black Crossing by C. K. Crigger—Amber Quill Press

Category M - Historical Romance: By The Sword by Alison Stuart—Wings ePress

Category N – Horror: Labyrinth by L. B. Milano—Mundania Press LLC

Category O - Inspirational Fiction: Meagan's Chance by L. C. Monroe—Samhain Publishing

Category P – Mystery: Underdead by Liz Jasper—Ellora’s Cave/Imprint - Cerridwen Press

Category Q - Nonfiction: General/Category R - Nonfiction: Self Help (combined): Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume 1 by Michele Acker, Jeanne Allen, Piers Anthony, Milena Benini, Orson Scott Card, Carol Hightshoe, Ian Irvine, Dave A. Law, Wil Mccarthy, Michael Mcrae, Tina Morgan, Bob Nailor, Darin Park, Kim Richards, Simon Rose, Bud Sparhawk—Dragon Moon Press

Category S – Poetry: The Swing by C. S. Fuqua—Uncial Press

Category T - Romantic Suspense: Bed of Lies by Pam Champagne—Samhain Publishing

Category U - Science Fiction: Twisted Tales II: Time on Our Hands Volume 1 by J. Richard Jacobs—Double Dragon Publishing

Category V - Science Fiction/Futuristic Romance: A Noble Sacrifice by Ciara Gold—Champagne Books

Category W - Single Title/Mainstream: Tales from the Treasure Trove, Volume III: A Jewels of the Quill Anthology by Christine DeSmet, Liz Hunter, Nancy Pirri, Jane Toombs, Cassie Walder, Karen Wiesner, C.J. Winters—Whiskey Creek Press

Everyone Likes to Win...--veinglory

But how many book awards do we need?

...said the grinch.

But seriously, not only is it Eppies [EPIC] and CAPA [Romance Studios] time but the preditors and editors readers poll is now open and every online bookreview site that I had never heard of is giving out their own. Oh, and these guys.

I find myself thinking: what award out there so impresses me that I would run out and buy the book that won it, or even make a point of having a look at it? How many of these awards have any clear function beyond free publicity given by the author to the awarding body? [If you can think of an award that is an endorsement you pay attention to as a reader, which one? Please tell!]

I know how to do well in the polls, you get a whole lot of friends, associates and fellow forum members to vote for you--most of whom have never read the book. But does promoting a website do the author any good, if the few who actually win the small colored digital image prize get no sales as a result? Even a little trophy is, what, a $10 payment to one person for the promotion efforts of every nominated author.

Don't get me wrong, awards are nice. If some one other than me nominates one of my books, I appreciate that a lot. If I win then that probably gives me a little happy feeling. But I am not chasing these things any more, or playing a game of voting for people reciprocally or based on some tenuous social connection. I will not be nominating my own books and I will be voting, should the opportunity arise, only for books I have actually read and liked.

2008 EPPIE Finalists

Congrats to you all.

Edited to add: category K will be corrected and updated soon to reflect the withdrawal of 'A Hidden Passion'.

Category A - Action/Adventure

Murder By Proxy
Robert L. Hecker
Hard Shell Word Factory

Until Death Do Us Part: Book 2 of the Incognito Series
Karen Wiesner
Whiskey Creek Press

Category B - Children/YA

Grizzelda Gorilla
K. D. Huxman
Dragonfly Publishing/Imprint – Kittycat Books

Attack of the Killer Prom Dresses
Donna McClaire
Calderwood Books/Imprint -Calderwood Kids

Category C - Contemporary Romance

Perfectly Good Nanny
Paty Jager
The Wild Rose Press

Thin Ice
Liana Laverentz
The Wild Rose Press

Cover Me
Sharona Nelson
Amber Quill Press

Bride Of The Emerald Isle
Trish Wylie
Harlequin Romance

Category D – Erotica

Coming Together: For the Cure
Alessia Brio (Editor)
Mundania Press/Imprint - Phaze Books

Woman of the Mountain
Angela Caperton
eXtasy Books

One To Grow On
Caitlyn Willows
Amber Quill Press

Category E - Erotic Romance Contemp/Suspense/Mystery

Play Hard
Barrie Abalard
Amber Quill Press

Instinct
Denise A. Agnew
Ellora’s Cave

Fortune Cookies
Dee Dawning
eXtasy Books

Tea for Three
Anne Douglas
Loose Id

Derailed
Rhiannon Neeley
Whispers Publishing

Love My Way
Bridget Midway
Loose Id

Too Good To Be True
Marie Nicole Ryan
Samhain Publishing

Mr. Fullservice
Ruby Storm
Ellora’s Cave

Craving Candy
N. J. Walters
Ellora’s Cave

Category F - Erotic Romance Historical Fiction

The Ice Princess
Cheryl A. Cornell
Cobblestone Press

The Sanctity of Marriage
Philippa Grey-Gerou
Liquid Silver Books

Scandalous Profession
Elaine Lowe
Ellora’s Cave

Let Me Love You
Mary Wine
Samhain Publishing

Category G - Erotic Romance Fantasy/Paranormal

Blue Moon Magic 4: Night of the Blue Moon
Lynn Crain
Loose Id

Love's Alcemy
Ciar Cullen
Loose Id

The Knight's Challenge
Summer Devon
Samhain Publishing

Love Me Wild
Renee Field
Ellora’s Cave

Rated X-mas: Spiritual Noelle
Jet Mykles
Loose Id

Cemetery Dancer
K. Z. Snow
Ellora’s Cave

New Year's Kiss
Tielle St. Clare
Ellora’s Cave

Supernatural Bonds: Sophie's Dragon
Jory Strong
Ellora’s Cave

The Witch Stone
Brenda Williamson
Whiskey Creek Press

Category H - Erotic Romance Science Fiction/Futuristic

The Ta'e'sha Chronicles I: Daughters of Terra
Theolyn Boese
Loose Id

Hara's Legacy
Bianca D'Arc
Samhain Publishing

Triple X
Amelia June
eXtasy Books

Hothouse Orchid
Vashti Valant
Ellora’s Cave

Category I – Fantasy

A Time To…

Carol Hightshoe, Lee Martindale, Michele Acker, Kayelle Allen, Bobbi Sinha-Morey, Elizabeth Barrette, J. Michael Matuszewicz,Tracie McBride, M.H. Bonham, Marve Dasef, Ashley Arnold, Ken Goldman
Wolfsinger Publications

Wolves on the West Side
Michelle L. Levigne
Mundania Press

North Star
Pier Giorgio Pacifici
Calderwood Books

Category J - Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

A Knight's Wish
Linda Andrews
Zumaya Publications

Unbound
Lori Devoti
Silhouette Books

Rapture
Renee Field
Ellora’s Cave/Imprint - Cerridwen Press

Threads
Michelle L. Levigne
Amber Quill Press

Category K – GLBT

Chiaroscuro
Jenna Jones
Torquere Press Publishers

Ghosts
Olivia Lorenz
Torquere Press Publishers

A Hidden Passion [edited to add: Oh dear]
Lucia Logan
Dreamspinner Press

Finding Jason
Lyndi Lamont
Amber Quill Press

Persistence of Memory
J. M. Snyder
Amber Quill Press

Category L- Historical and Western

Black Crossing
C. K. Crigger
Amber Quill Press

The Hyghcock Chronicles
E. Michael Fisher
Whiskey Creek Press

Korinna: Daughters of Fire
Kristina O'Donnelly
Books for a Buck

Flag
J. E. Toombs
Treble Heart Books/Imprint – Sundowners

Category M - Historical Romance

His Majesty, The Prince of Toads
Delle Jacobs
Awe-Struck eBooks

Have Christmas Card…Will Travel
Susanne Marie Knight
Unical Press

By The Sword
Alison Stuart
Wings ePress

Highland Magic
Christine Young
Awe-Struck eBooks

Category N – Horror

Shadows in the Heart:
A Jewels of the Quill Halloween Anthology
Margaret L. Carter, Christine DeSmet, Carrie S. Masek,Jane Toombs, Karen Wiesner, C.J. Winters, Karen Woods
Whiskey Creek Press

Labyrinth
L. B. Milano
Mundania Press

Weep Not for the Vampire
William A. Veselik
Mundania Press

Category O - Inspirational Fiction

Hope: An Inspirational Anthology
Barri Bryan, Mary Eason, Loretta Jackson, Giovanna Lagana, Linda L. Lattimer, Janet Mills, Kathleen O'Connor, Steven Douglas Womack
Whiskey Creek Press

Meagan's Chance
L. C. Monroe
Samhain Publishing

Adopting Alyssa
Denise Patrick
Grace Publishing

Category P – Mystery

Switcheroo
Herbert Holeman
epress-online

Underdead
Liz Jasper
Ellora’s Cave/Imprint - Cerridwen Press

The Falling Down Man
James M. Lally
Calderwood Books

A Shadow In The Night
Kenneth L. Levinson
Unical Press

Judgment Fire
Marilyn Meredith
Mundania Press

Moon Over Chicago
J. D. Webb
Wings ePress

Combined

Category Q - Nonfiction: General

Category R - Nonfiction: Self Help

Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume 1
Michele Acker, Jeanne Allen, Piers Anthony, Milena Benini, Orson Scott Card, Carol Hightshoe, Ian Irvine, Dave A. Law,Wil Mccarthy, Michael Mcrae, Tina Morgan, Bob Nailor, Darin Park, Kim Richards, Simon Rose, Bud Sparhawk
Dragon Moon Press

Self-Promotion for Authors
Larry Moniz
MA Publishing

A Place Called the Bla-Bla Café
Sandy Ross
SLR Productions

Category S – Poetry

The Swing
C. S. Fuqua
Unical Press

Phaze in Verse
Kally Jo Surbeck, Will Belegon, Aurora Black, Kara Fey, James Buchanan, N (Nelli Rees), Michelle Houston, Eden Bradley, Sapphire Phelan, Alessia Brio, Charlotte Boyett-Compo, Missy Lyons, Dahlia Rose, Jenna Allen, Victoria Blisse, Kathryn Lively, Brenna Lyons, Sarah Winn
Mundania Press/Imprint – Phaze Books

Category T - Romantic Suspense

Foxfire
Carol Ann Erhardt
The Wild Rose Press

Bed of Lies
Pam Champagne
Samhain Publishing

Liquid Hypnosis
Tina LaVon
The Wild Rose Press

Seeing Things
Jana Richards
Unical Press

Departed Acts
Katherine Smith
Tigress Press

A Killer's Agenda
Anita Whiting
Samhain Publishing

Your Saving Grace
J L Wilson
Ellora’s Cave/Imprint - Cerridwen Press

Category U - Science Fiction

Twisted Tales II: Time on Our Hands Volume 1
J. Richard Jacobs
Double Dragon Publishing

Twisted Tales II: Time on Our Hands Volume 2
J. Richard Jacobs
Double Dragon Publishing

Hoven Quest
Michelle L. Levigne
Writers Exchange e-Publishing

Category V - Science Fiction/Futuristic Romance

Devil's Due
Rhobin Courtright
Wings ePress

A Noble Sacrifice
Ciara Gold
Champagne Books

Falling
Imogen Howson
Drollerie Press

Category W - Single Title/Mainstream

Tales from the Treasure Trove, Volume III:
A Jewels of the Quill Anthology
Christine DeSmet, Liz Hunter, Nancy Pirri, Jane Toombs, Cassie Walder, Karen Wiesner, C.J. Winters
Whiskey Creek Press

Road Kill Art and Other Oddities
Niles Reddick
Whiskey Creek Press

And the Truth Will Set You Free
Linda Rettstatt
Wings ePress