IndieReader Announces the Winners of the 2013 "IndieReader Discovery Awards" at BEA

MONTCLAIR, N.J., June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, 6/1, Hugh Howey, indie author of the bestselling WOOL, and Amy Edelman, founder of IndieReader (www.indiereader.com), announced the winners of the 2013 "IndieReader Discovery Awards" (IRDA) at BEA in New York City.

IndieReader, the essential consumer guide to self-published books and the people who write them, created the IRDAs to give indie authors access to people who can make a difference in their book's success. With the rush by traditional publishers to sign them and their noteworthy bestselling status, there's no longer much doubt that indie authors can be both commercially and creatively successful. All that was left to do was create a credible vehicle by which to find them. That's where the IRDAs come in. And while writing a great book is the first step, getting it in front of the right people—be they readers or agents or traditional publishers—is also a critical part of making an indie book a success. To that end, judges on the IRDA panel included publishers, agents, PR professionals, top reviewers and more. Judging was based on the quality of writing and the originality of the story.

There is a first, second and third place winner in each of the fiction and non-fiction categories, in addition to 36 titles in 32 sub-categories, indicating that each book has received at least a 4-5 star review (out of 5 stars).

The winners, the genre and the authors contact information follows below.

Fiction

First Place
Amber Butler/The Burning of Cherry Hill
Science Fiction
Contact: [email protected]

"One of the best and most haunting dystopian-future novels I have read in years. It is thought-provoking, emotionally powerful, disturbing and uplifting."

Second Place
Robert C. Yeager/ The Romanov Stone
Mystery/Suspense
Contact: [email protected]

THE ROMANOV STONE weaves together fact and fiction from the annals of Russian history into this deftly executed mystery thriller.

Third Place
Anne Pfeffer/ Girls Love Travis Walker
Popular/Lit Fiction
Contact: [email protected]

GIRLS LOVE TRAVIS WALKER is an absorbing and enlightening story about a young adult struggling to lead a normal life as he teeters on edge of poverty and homelessness.

Non-Fiction

First Place
Kay Stephens/ Vinitha Nair - Cyberslammed
Self Help
Contact: [email protected]

A useful resource that deserves to be read by anyone in regular contact with a tween or teenager.

Second Place
Romy Wyllie/Loving Andrew
Parenting/Memoir
Contact: [email protected]

Several parts of the book are absolutely heartrending but the emotional tone of the book in general is loving, gentle, and full of hope.

Third Place
Victoria Hopewell/Grade A Baby Eggs
Heath/Memoir
Contact: [email protected]

A fascinating, often funny memoir chronicling author Victoria Hopewell's three-year baby-making mission.

CATEGORY WINNERS/Fiction

Chick-Lit
Jackie Townsend/Imperfect Pairings
Contact: [email protected]

Erotica
Sandra Deighan/Captured Hearts
Contact: [email protected]

Fantasy
Selina Fenech/Memory's Wake
Contact: [email protected]

Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans Fiction
Wickedly Sisters/Margaret Hultz/Spoon and the Moon
Contact: [email protected]

Graphic Novel
Mark V. Sroufe/2084
Contact: [email protected]

Historical Fiction
Brian Duncan/ The Settler
Contact: [email protected]

Humor
Mark A. Rayner/ The Fridgularity
Contact: [email protected]

Kids/Tie
Elaine Russell/ Martin McMillan and the Secret of the Ruby Elephant
Contact: [email protected]

Kids/Tie
Don M. Winn/ The Knighting of Sir Kaye
Contact: [email protected]

Kids/Tie
R.S. Verne/ Haee: The cat with a crooked tail
Contact: [email protected]

Literary Fiction/Tie
B. B. Shepherd/ Bronze (The Glister Journals)
Contact: [email protected]

Literary Fiction/Tie
Freddie Owens/ Then Like the Blind Man
Contact: [email protected]

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Ian Walkley/No Remorse
Contact: [email protected]

Paranormal/Tie
Aeryn Dougan/ Benajah's Keeper
Contact: [email protected]

Paranormal/Tie
Michael Weinberger/ Madman's Monster
Contact: [email protected]

Poetry
Peggy Troupin/A Poem Alights
Contact: [email protected]

Popular Fiction
Joanne DeMaio/ Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans
Contact: [email protected]

Romance
Marion Thomas/ Oxford Whispers
Contact: [email protected]

Science Fiction
Mark Souza/Robyn's Egg
Contact: [email protected]

Short Stories
John Isaac Jones/ Alabama Stories
Contact: [email protected]

Women's Fiction
Sarah Caravello/Dogs Have Angels Too
Contact: [email protected]

Young Adult
Jeanette Battista/ Long Black Veil
Contact: [email protected]

Non-Fiction

Anthology
Keren Taylor/ No Character Limit
Contact: [email protected]

Business
Ryan Fisher/ Corporate Recruiter Tells All
Contact: [email protected]

Cooking/Baking
Joe Famularo/ Viva la Cucina Italiana
Contact: [email protected]

Gift/Holiday/Specialty
Jackie Hennessey/ How to Spread Sanity on a Cracker
Contact: [email protected]

Health/Medicine/Nutrition
Lisa Tillinger Johansen/ Fast Food Vindication
Contact: [email protected]

How-To
Kirt Manecke/ Smile: Sell More with Amazing Customer Service
Contact: [email protected]

Inspirational
Nita Whitaker LaFontaine/ Finding My Voice: My Journey through Grief to Grace
Contact: [email protected]

Memoir
Julie Mannix von Zerneck/Secret Storms
Contact: [email protected]

Photography
Robert Flatt/Rice's Owls
Contact: [email protected]

Religion
Jennifer Sharp/ A GENDER NEUTRAL GOD/ESS
Contact: [email protected]

Self-Help
Ginny Callaway/ A Friend in Grief: Simple Ways to Help
Contact: [email protected]

Sexuality/Relationships
Taylor Fulks/ My Prison Without Bars
Contact: [email protected]

Travel
Jennifer Richardson/ Americashire: A Field Guide to a Marriage
Contact: [email protected] 

Women's Issues
Michelle L. Whitlock/How I Lost My Uterus and Found My Voice
Contact: [email protected]

2013 PANEL OF JUDGES

Publishers
Elizabeth Keenan, Publicity Director, Penguin Group USA
Emily Graff, Simon & Schuster
Megan Reid, Simon & Schuster

Agents
Dan Kirschen, ICM
Nicole Tourtelot, Kuhn Projects 

Film Development
Thane Economou, 20^th Century Fox

Publicists
Sandra (Sandy) Poirier-Diaz, Smith Publicity
Jessica Glenn, MindBuck Media

Reviewer
Karen Schechner, Senior Indie Editor, Kirkus Reviews

SOURCE IndieReader