Hi, my name is Billy Bob Buttons and I self-publish my own children’s novels in the UK. I do pretty well but I’m fed up of entering in American book awards. They cost a fortune and I doubt many of the books even get opened. So I decided to set up my own book award for self-published authors living and/or selling their books in the UK.



I write children’s books, I’m a secondary school English teacher and I just did an 80 school book tour of London, so I thought I’d mix the three things up and organize for the children’s books to be judged by the children in the schools I just visited. The adult books, not so much my forte, will be assessed by members of established reading groups who know a good book when they read it.



I also thought 75 dollars to over 120 dollars (90 odd quid) to enter a book award was a gigantic rip-off. They must be making a bloody fortune over there. So I thought £28 would be okay; cover the costs of posting the books to the schools, hosting the website (www.thewsa.co.uk), advertising the finalists, buying and inscribing medals and perhaps even stretch to a bit of prize money for the winners. This is a non-profit making Award.



This bit is very important. This is my first year doing this and I’m not promising chests of gold, and I very much doubt Oprah will be knocking on the doors of the winning authors. But I do promise your books will be properly read cover to cover and judged by children and adults who love reading, and the entry fee will be used to cover the cost of running the Award plus a prize or two for all the finalists.



Also, if you do do well in this Award, you can publicise your success in any way you see fit. I just discovered many of the independent book awards in America charge a licensing fee if you wish to publicise the fact you won! Cheeky, or what!?



So, best of luck and if lots of authors enter, I may even do this next year!



Billy Bob Buttons



www.thewsa.co.uk
www.felicitybrady.co.uk