Sunday, March 2, 2014

2014 BigAl's Books and Pals Readers' Choice Awards


In the twelve months ending February 28th, 2014, BigAl and the Pals will have received over 1,400 books to consider for review and published 368 book reviews. From those, we chose the books we felt stood out from the pack as exceptional examples of Indie (self-published and small press) writing and divided them into thirteen categories.

For the next 10 days you'll have the chance to vote on your favorite books to pick a winner in each of thirteen categories. We're also having a giveaway with the following prizes:


  • Grand Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card (Your choice of Amazon.com or Amazon UK)
  • First Prize: Your choice of any six of the nominated books gifted to you in Kindle format.
  • Second Prize: The latest book from three of our Pals. Pete Barber's Allah's Revenge, Keith Nixon's The Fix, and Michael Thal's Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback, gifted to you in Kindle format.

For each category you vote in you'll receive one entry in the giveaway raffle. You'll also note there are many other ways to enter the giveaway including signing up for our newsletter which can be done using the form on the right hand side partway down the page. This new newsletter will be a weekly email that will consist of a list (with links) of the reviews and posts (excluding free book listings) we've had along with author and reviewer interviews at The IndieView from the prior week, plus occasional special announcements. It's ideal for those who want to keep track of what we're doing, but find a daily email or visit to be too much.

Since many of these books may be unfamiliar, you can find our review of any of them using the index by author or index by title pages (links on the top right of any page on the site). For the next several days our posts will be focused on these awards, with multiple posts each day spotlighting the nominees in the various categories with an occasional new review thrown in.


Might we suggest that if you aren't familiar with the books in categories you enjoy, now would be a great time to sample them using Amazon's "Look Inside" feature,  and please encourage all your book loving friends to drop by and participate.

Award winners will be announced on a special post 3/15/2014.




BigAl's Books and Pals was recently selected as the Best Review Site

If you aren't familiar with the Rafflecopter application/form, here are a few quick hints. 

First, If you see a sign-in page below, you'll have to either sign-on using your Facebook login or by giving a name and email address by clicking the appropriate button. No, we won't use your email address or any information gathered to start spamming you. The Rafflecopter application picks winners for the giveaway randomly and provides us with the email address for the winners. Otherwise we'd have no way to reach the winners to award the prizes. It also helps to limit a person voting more than once. (If it is discovered someone voted multiple times their votes and giveaway entries will will be invalidated.)

Second, you'll see thirteen boxes with down arrows and the verbiage "Your vote in the ________ category". Click the down arrow, make your choice, then click enter.


Third, as I mentioned above, there are other ways you can get additional entries to the giveaway, which are each of the boxes with down arrows below the voting boxes. Click the down arrow on each of these and it instructs you on what to do for each.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Al - I just wanted to thank you and your readers for considering my novel A Reason to Live, for the 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. I'm flattered to be in such great company!

If readers would like a deeper look at A Reason to Live,, Al's review is of course a great place to start. Also, the book is currently free at Smashwords and Kobo and just $.99 at Amazon, if you'd like to get a taste of the book before voting.

Again, many thanks to Al for holding the awards contest and for the nomination!

Best,
matt iden
A Reason to Live

Eagledancer4444 said...

My great thanks for the nomination of my Coyote Still Going: Native American Legends and Contemporary Stories under the Short Story Collections and Anthologies Categories. I really appreciate it and hope folks enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Harvey Chute said...

Thank you for including "Stone and Silt" in the YA category. I've read several of the other books in that category and am very pleased to be in that company of nominees!

Dee DeTarsio said...

Mahalo! Thank you so much for including Haole Wood in your nominations! What an amazing group of books (and authors) to be part of, and what an honor! Congratulations to everyone!

DVBerkom said...

Talk about some GREAT nominees! Very lucky to be included! Thanks, B&P :-)

Gelo said...

Thanks for nominating Shadowcursed (http://www.amazon.com/Shadowcursed-Gelo-Fleisher-ebook/dp/B00BYEW02M)in the fantasy category. Lots of good books on this list so it's a big honor.

Lyn Horner said...

Thank you, Al and Pals, for nominating Dearest Irish for a Reader's Choice Award in the Romance category. I'm thrilled to be in such esteemed company!

Fiona Pearse said...

Wow, lots of votes already! Congratulations Al and Pals on your recognition by Indies Unlimited.
And thanks for nominating Orla's Code in the Women's Fiction category. The next few days will be very exciting!

Anonymous said...

Grateful and excited to be nominated in Chick Lit/Women's Fiction for It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead. Best of luck to all the fabulous nominees!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Al and the book Pals, for nominating Different in the Fantasy category. You are all awesome. What else can be said? :)

Anonymous said...

As always, thanks to BigAl and Pals for ALL of the support over the years. Love y'all!

Erica Lucke Dean said...

Thank you so much for nominating Suddenly Sorceress for best paranormal romance. I'm honored.

Barbara Silkstone said...

Thank you so very much for nominating Cairo Caper in the mystery category. It is such a honor to be among so many wonderful novels and on Big Al's! It doesn't get any better that this. :)

Elizabeth said...

Thanks so much for nominating Oracle of Philadelphia for the best fantasy of the year! I'm looking forward to the contest!

Unknown said...

I'm so honored and excited to have Nine Feet Under nominated in the Mystery category! Thank you, Big Al and Pals, from the bottom of my heart; it's made my year!

Christine Rains said...

Thank you very much for the nomination of THE HARBINGER in the Fantasy category. I'm honored to be among these fine authors. I've read a few among the nominees, and I've heard good things about many others. Good luck to everyone.

Shah Wharton said...

Congrats to everyone for getting selected. Your all winners. Christine, you have my vote in Fantasy for HARBINGER. :) X

Unknown said...

Al, thank you so much for including Lay Death at Her Door! I am honored. EB

Donna Fasano said...

I have a grin on my face that's a mile wide! Thank you, BigAl and the Books And Pals staff! I love seeing RECLAIM MY HEART among the nominees.

vickiejohnstone said...

Voted. Good luck to all the entrants.

Jackie Wegr said...

Big Al, Learning Flaps Down-
the Reluctant Hero has been nominated for a Reader's Choice Award 2014 was a Woot! Woot! Thrill. I am so honored and excited to have a title among so many fabulous books and talented authors. They ALL have my vote. Best, Jackie Weger

Jan Hougland said...

Thanks for such a wonderful chance to vote for a fave book of mine...and to try to win something in the bargain! What's not to like about this!? :-)

Rebecca Forster said...

Al-I'm beyond jazzed to find Eyewitness is nominated in the thriller category. Thank you so much for a great site and for the marvelous work you do for all us indies. Rebecca

Unknown said...

Bitter Nothings - is another one of Ms. Tyleys works that keeps you guessing. I have enjoyed every one of her books. She is the type of author that draws you in on the first book of hers that you pick up and cannot stop until you have read them all. Her books are alive with suspense and all of them keep you guessing. An author you should not pass by, if you do, you are missing some magnificent reading!!

K.S. Brooks said...

I am truly honored to have works nominated this year. Thank you so much.

Laurie Boris said...

Thank you for the nomination! I'm honored (and in other countries, honoured) to be among such stellar company.

Grady Hendrix said...

Thanks for nominating SATAN LOVES YOU in the humor category! Even if I lose, it's an honor to be nominated. But I will also cry.

JQ said...

Wow, thank you so much for the nomination for THRALL. It's an honor to be included!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for the nomination! I'm honored to be surrounded by some fantastic authors and books!

Jackie Wegr said...

Good Golly! Over 6,000 Voters in Reader's Choice Awards 2014. I am thrilled that Flaps Down-the Reluctant Hero is among the titles nominated in Romance. It is in very good company. Great good luck to every author and nominated books. I can't wait for the winners to be announced. Every single one is heading to my buy and TBR list.

Dylan said...

JUST realized there's space to leave a comment down here. Thanks so much for including LAUGHS LAST in your list of nominees. Very, very cool of you!

Carol E Wyer said...

And bringing up the rear is my own comment.
Al, thank you so much for including Just Add Spice in this tremendous list. I am truly honoured to be among such talented people.
Now awaiting all the results.
Thank you, Al for all your support too. XXX