Press Release Fun: Contest Stuff

March 29, 2012; New York – If you’re a blogger who loves books, that passion might get you far: all the way to New York and the publishing industry’s premier annual event, with free travel and an all-access pass.

Nominations are now open for the new Independent Book Blogger Awards, a free online contest recognizing bloggers unaffiliated with/not compensated by a publishing company who write primarily about books and the industry. Four winners, chosen by the public and a judging panel, will attend BookExpo America in June with free airfare and hotel accommodations and a pass to the three-day global gathering.

The contest is co-produced by the Association of American Publishers Trade Division member organizations and Goodreads, the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations.

The Independent Book Blogger Awards calendar:
Nominations are now open until Monday, April 9, 11:59 PM
Readers’ voting runs from Tuesday, April 10, 12:01 AM until Monday, April 23, 11:59 PM
A shortlist of finalists will be announced the week of May 1, with expert panel judging to follow
Winners will be announced the week of May 7
All nominations and voting will take place through Goodreads on its special Independent Book Blogger Awards section.

General contest information:
US-based bloggers at least 18 years old who dedicate at least ¾ of their blog writing to coverage of books and publishing and have posted regularly between 2/1/2011 and 2/1/2012 are eligible. The blog cannot be affiliated with or compensated by any commercial or academic publication but may include those who blog for institutions such as libraries or bookstores with no commercial media ties. Contest terms

Submission categories are Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Children’s/Young Adult and Industry News. Judging will be based on such qualities as writing, analysis, design and presentation and reader impact. More information on the judging process at Contest terms

Bloggers, readers and fans can connect with the Independent Book Blogger Awards on Facebook and on Twitter at @bkbloggerawards.

“In the global digital dialogue, book bloggers are arguably the unsung heroes of our industry,” said Tina Jordan, Vice President, AAP. “Their passion is endless and their insights are valued. We’re pleased to be able to show them our appreciation through this effort.”

“Every book blogger is an important part of the conversation on what to read next. We think that’s an incredibly important conversation as a great book can be entertaining, thought provoking and can even change the world. Co-hosting these awards is our way of saying thanks. Thanks for supporting Goodreads right from our earliest days. And thanks for being active participants in telling the world ‘You must read this!’” said Otis Chandler, CEO and co-founder, Goodreads.

About Goodreads:
Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Founded in 2007, Goodreads is where readers discover and share books they love. The site has seven million members who have added more than 250 million books to their shelves and written more than 14 million reviews. Loved by avid and casual readers alike, Goodreads members can discover new books by seeing what their friends are reading or by using the Goodreads Book Recommendation Engine; share ratings and recommendations; track what they have read and list what they want to read. Goodreads is also a place where more than 35,000 authors and their publishers connect with readers. It is a privately owned company.

About AAP:
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association representing the country’s premier book publishers. Its 300 members develop and publish the highest-quality entertainment, education, scientific and professional content in all print and digital formats. The AAP Trade Division member organizations are active in promoting the joy of reading, literacy, the value of publishers in an information society and First Amendment rights. They are committed to raising awareness through a variety of initiatives produced independently and in collaboration with libraries and other groups.

Media contacts:
For AAP: Andi Sporkin, asporkin@publishers.org (general media); Jason Mollica, Jason.r.mollica@gmail.com (social media)
For Goodreads: Suzanne Skyvara, suzanne@skyvaracommunications.com