Launched by BookBrunch in 2018, the Selfies Book Awards recognize the increasing professionalism shown by indie authors who choose to self-publish their own work in three categories: adult fiction, children’s books, and general nonfiction. Sponsored by Ingram’s award-winning self-publishing platform, IngramSpark, and run in collaboration with the London Book Fair and NielsenIQ, the Selfies are judged on the quality of the writing, the production values of the book, a cover and blurb that successfully addresses the target audience, and an effective and creative marketing and publicity strategy. Winners receive £750 in cash and a profile in BookBrunch, while all shortlisted authors receive free entry to the London Book Fair Authors’ HQ, where a series of events aimed at indie authors is programmed.
The 2023 awards were announced at the London Book Fair in April this year, with the adult fiction category being won The Secret Diary of a Bengali Newlywed by Halima Khatun. The third in a series, which started with The Secret Diary of an Arranged Marriage, winner of the 2021 Selfies award for fiction, this was “fun and readable, with an entertaining voice that made me laugh out loud at times,” and an “effective use of TikTok to market the book,” said the judges, Carolyn Mays of Bedford Square Publishers, Jacks Thomas of BolognaBookPlus, and Chris White of NielsenIQ.
In the children’s book category, the winner was When I Grow Up by Rich Smith, illustrated by Stuart Hinchliff, a “lovely, rhyming, engaging book,” providing “an original approach to encouraging children to work as team players,” according to the judges: media consultant Helen McAleer; writer, journalist, and children’s book reviewer Nicolette Jones; and Sophie Gilligan of the London Book Fair.
In the nonfiction category, the winner was Sarah Ziegel’s Marching to a Different Beat: A Family’s Journey with Autism, which displayed “good, evocative writing,” and a “strong, commercial cover” to tell an important story. The judges were freelance editor Ben Brock, publishing consultant Malcolm Edwards, and Ben Hughes of IngramSpark.
“Every year the entries for the Selfies Book Awards get more impressive,” said Jo Henry, BookBrunch managing director. “The publishing professionalism displayed by the winners is truly impressive, and we expect them all to go on to even greater things!”
The 2024 Selfies Book Awards, for books that are self-published during the calendar year 2023, are due to open at the end of October. Click here for more details.
