The Very Cool Swoony Awards

What Are the Swoony Awards?
The Swoony Awards were created to recognize excellence in clean fiction. There are so many books published every day and it can be hard to find the ones worth reading. We want to help recognize authors who write entertaining books that are wholesome. It’s our hope that each year we will help provide everyone with a great list of books to read and maybe introduce them to new authors.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
-Publication Year: Only books published during the current contest year may be nominated. To be fair to all books, contest dates will run from December 1, 2013 – November 31, 2014.
-Clean romance: No sex or closed door, low/mild innuendo. Only M/F romances.
-Language: None/mild, anything over a handful of profanity (especially the more offensive words) would not be considered clean.
-Violence: None/mild
-Other: Nothing overly dark, depressing or heavy subject matter

Novels, novellas and short stories are all eligible for nomination, no limits on page number. Any (clean) genre is eligible (i.e. contemporary, fantasy, mystery, historical, etc.).

Each voter is able to choose up to 100 books to vote on or nominate each contest year. There is no cap on the overall number of books nominated.

**BIRTHRIGHT is eligible and nominated, so be sure to go vote! 

How Are Winners Selected?
We will be accepting entries throughout the year and the winners announced the first week in January. There are fifteen award categories (i.e. Best Novel of the Year, Best Historical, Best Contemporary, etc.). Winner’s will be announced via our blogs (Bookworm Nation, KJ’s Book Nook and Katie’s Clean Book Reviews) and through Goodreads Swoony Awards Group.

Since this is a reader’s choice award the winners are determined by a combination of the number of votes received and how high the voter rated the book and what rank the voter gave each book they voted for.

Who Are We?

 
Kathy (Bookworm Nation)

I've been hosting a book review blog, Bookworm Nation, for over five years. I love to read and review books. And of course, I love to discuss books! A few years ago I started the Goodreads group, Happily Ever After Book Club. It's through Goodreads that I met Katie, Kathy Jo and Heidi and while discussing our love of books one day we thought it'd be fun to host our own Reader's Choice award. We're excited to introduce the Swoony's this year, it's going really well and we look forward to hosting it for years to come. 

Contact Info for Kathy:

Email: bookwormnation@hotmail.com

Twitter: @bookwormnation

Blog: www.bookwormnation.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bookworm-Nation/204548468640

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happilyeverafterbookclub

 

 
Kathy Jo (KJ's Book Nook)
This may come as a shocker but I have NOT always been a little bookworm. In fact growing up I was not the kid you saw jumping at the chance to read. I was the one that just did it to make my teachers happy. That silent reading time during school?! Yeah.. I was the kid napping! ;) About 12 years ago someone loaned me a book and said I just HAD to read it. I took it just to get them off my back and much to my surprise I could NOT put it down! And from then on I would read... but only that one author. I refused to read anything else! It wasn't until 2009 when 2 of my favorite people introduced me to the Twilight Series that I actually started branching out. And ever since then I haven't been able to STOP reading! ;) About 5 months ago I decided to start a book blog and I have been loving it! I get to be another voice for all the amazing authors that I love! How cool is that?! And of course through my adventures in reading I have been able to meet some amazing women who love books just as much as, if not more than, me! I love chatting with them about all the books we read! We have become such great friends that at times I forget that I've never really met them in person! Books just have a way of bringing people together! My reading choices vary... I love a lot of different genres.With that said... I am not ashamed to admit that I am a romantic and I love fluff! As long as it's clean and has a HEA, I'll definitely give it a try! Any book that gives me a break from reality and puts a smile on my face is definitely a book for me!   
Contact Info for Kathy Jo:
Email: kjsbooknook@gmail.com
Blog: kjsbooknook.blogspot.com 
Twitter: @kjincali

 
Katie (Katie's Clean Book Collection)
I started blogging about a year and a half ago. I've always loved to read and talk about books--it's my obsession. The first book I learned to read on my own was Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham. I love a lot of different genres, but my favorite is clean romance, which is perfect for the Swoony's! I've had a blast meeting new friends who enjoy the same types of books that I do.

Contact Info for Katie:
Email: lilacqueen75@gmail.com
Twitter: @lilacqueen75
Blog: www.katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/katiescleanbookcollection

 
Heidi 
I'm a mother of four amazing kids and married to my own Prince Charming. I love to read, kiss my handsome Prince, bake, run (because I love to bake), ride horses, play sports, and spend time with my little family. I first fell in love with reading at a very young age because of my sweet grandmother who always took the time to read me my favorite books over and over again. She could never tell me no. My wonderful mother is also entirely addicted to reading and we love to "talk books" late into the night....and plot how we are going to buy more. :) I adore clean, happily ever after books, and I've loved getting to know so many other women who do as well. Who knew books would be the reason I would meet some of the dearest people in the world?! 
Contact Info for Heidi:
Email: curlyhide9@hotmail.com

Note to Authors:
If you’ve written a book that matches the above criteria fill free to nominate it for a Swoony! Don’t be afraid to promote the award or to let your fans know your book is up and that it needs votes. We are doing some promoting, but sometimes a Facebook, Twitter or blog post directly from the author is the best way to let your fan base know your book has been nominated. Only books with a minimum of THREE votes will be added to the official nomination list found on the Goodreads Swoony Awards group page. Winners will be announced January 2015.

To stay up to date on voting and nominations, please join our Goodreads Swoony Awards group page!

Note to Readers:
If you’ve read a book this year that you think is awesome…VOTE! This is a great way to let authors know you appreciate all that hard work. You can vote for up to 100 books on the list. We’ve also learned that the order you rank the books you vote on does affect the overall score of the book. So take a minute and make sure you have your books in the order you want them. Invite your friends to vote! Voting ends December 31, 2014.

The 2014 Swoony Awards is now accepting nominations and votes for your favorite books of the year. Polls will be open until December 31, 2014. 

Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

As a thank you for making the Swoony Awards a success,
we'd like to offer an Amazon gift card! The winner will
have 48 hours to claim the prize. Only valid
where Amazon gift cards may be used. You must
be 13 or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Over the Top Bloggy Award

Last week was a little trying for me. I don’t really know why, a bunch of small things added together with some not-so-small ones and by the end, I was ready to run away and start a new life in another country. Well, okay, maybe not an entirely new life. Still, sometimes I feel that way, you know?

And then my friend Ronda awarded me with the “Over The Top” blogger award, and the fact that she would think of me, and her reasons behind giving me the award made my week. I am one lucky lady to have such supportive and wonderful friends like Ronda, and our larger Authors Incognito group, as well as my other writing groups and all the extended support I get every day from each of them. Also, I have some amazing and wonderful friends who are not writers, and who love me no matter what.

Thanks to a combination of those people, this week has been wonderful, and so much better than last week. Hooray for awesome friends. Thanks, Ronda, for the award. And now, I’ll try to do justice to your fun questions.

1. Where is your cell phone? Right next to me on my bed (since that’s where I’m sitting right now.)

2. Your hair? Clean, just past my chin, auburn this month, flat because it’s almost bedtime.


3. My mother? Um, what about her? She’s my mother.


4. Your father? Same deal. Neither of them live very far away, so I see them regularly.


5. Favorite food? Snow crab. And really, I’m not very picky.


6. Your dream last night? Can I plea the fifth on this one? No? Let’s just say it involved me, my friend Jen, Las Vegas, shopping, lightening and some seriously amazing thunder. Oh, and probably a bestselling novel—or I could be inserting that in mentally, not sure. Don’t remember much else, sorry.

7. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper rocks!


8. Your dream/goal? You already know this answer—my novel on the New York Times Bestseller List. Duh!


9. What room are you in? My bedroom.


10. Your hobby? Besides writing? Reading, listening to music, driving around in my car, shopping, traveling, hanging with my family.


11. Your fear? Something happening to my husband or kids.


12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? A bestselling author living on a tropical island.


13. Where were you last night? In Las Vegas.


14. Something you aren't. Fake, a liar, perfect.


15. Muffins? Yes please. I like all except ones with walnuts in them.


16. Wish list item? Trip to Hawaii. Macbook Air, new carpet, living room chairs.


17. Where did you grow up? Everywhere. =) Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Utah.


18. Last thing you did? Caught up on three days worth of email.


19. What are you wearing? Pajamas.


20. Your TV? On. Watching “The Breakup”.


21. Your pet? Two golden retrievers, Tika and Dixie.


22. Your friends? THE BEST!


23. Your life? Is now complete. =) Full, awesome.


24. Your mood? Calm, content, happy.

25. Missing someone? Always.


26. Vehicle? 2004 Ford Mustang convertible. Red.


27. Something you're not wearing? Jewelry. (Are ya shocked? Yeah, well, I don’t wear it to bed.)


28. Your favorite store? That is a loaded question. Depends on what I’m shopping for, and the purpose for which I need it. Express maybe? Victoria’s Secret? Dillards? Really, I have to choose just one?

29. Your favorite color? Depends on my mood. Usually green or purple. Or pink. Or blue.


30. When was the last time you laughed? A few minutes ago. I laugh regularly.

31. Last time you cried? Last week, I think.


32. Your best friend? Besides Gary and my kids, Jennifer, Tiffany, Raylene, Lori, Mitzi, and Tova.


33. One place that I go over and over? The schools. Drive to school, pick up from school, drive to school, pick up from school. It’s a never-ending cycle. Same thing with the grocery store. Can’t figure out why…


34. One person who e-mails me regularly? My writing groups—SuperEdits, AuthorsIncognito, NovelThoughts, ANWA—my cousin Kellie, my coauthor Cindy…wow, do you really want this list? It’s pretty long.

35. Favorite place to eat? Mexico, a cruise ship, the beach, the mountains. (No one said it has to be a restaurant.)


Now for the five I've tagged to receive this award:



1. Rachelle: For always being there when I need encouragement or a good edit. Also, for her ability to continue on when most other people would give up, and seeing the forest for the trees. You are a constant example to me.

2. Danyelle: For patience and strength, and a deep and abiding ability to encourage others and be a good friend. Even as she collected rejection after rejection, she always rejoiced with others when they found success, and continues to do so every day.


3. Josh Perkey: Who watches out for others, gives excellent input, and is generally an all around great guy/editor. I’m so lucky to have him for a friend.


4. Darvell Hunt: Who is the head and heart behind Authors Incognito, and who has toiled and labored at his writing as long or longer than anyone else I know. Success is headed his way very soon.

5.Tristi Pinkston: For always saying it like it is with class and panache. The Storymakers wouldn’t be the same without her, and neither would Authors Incognito.

Since I was limited to five people, there are others I didn’t tag. Cindy Beck was tagged by both Karlene Browning and Ronda Hinrichson, and Connie Hall is dealing with a lot of things and I’m not sure she’s up to answering all these questions. But she definitely deserves an honorable mention for her sweet generosity, kind heart, and stalwart strength.

Thanks again, Ronda. And good luck with the release of your book, Missing.


Hey, you five, if you answer this tag, let me know. I really want to read your answers. Thanks. Until next time, write on.

Nichole

The Let's Be Friends Award

Oh my goodness. After a day that was busy in the extreme, I finally sat down to check my email. Lo and behold, my good friend Joyce DiPastena had sent me a sweet email informing me that she has just awarded me a "Let's Be Friends Award."

That made me smile. It also made my day.

So, I clicked the link and visited her blog to read more. Here's what I learned:

"Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers."

Let me first just say that I am completely flattered, and truly honored to have been given such a thoughtful gift. Thank you, Joyce. I'm so glad to have you as a friend.

Now to pass the honor on. I'm going to follow Joyce's example and give the award to my most diligent commenters:

Cindy Beck

L.T. Elliott

Connie Hall

Danyelle Ferguson

Rachelle Christensen

Christine Bryant

Ali Cross

David J. West

Thank you all, for being good friends who support me in my writing journey by actually reading what I have to say--and then leaving comments so I know you were here. There is nothing more gratifying to a writer than to have little reminders that someone is reading their words. But then, you all know that, don't you?

I Won the Superior Scribbler Award

My friend Jordan has given me a blog award for helping her with a recent query letter. In that case, I should give one right back to her, since she also helped with mine. But I think that's against the rules, so I'm going to have to pass the joy on to other people who have helped me during my writing journey.

The trick, I think, is picking only five people out of a whole lot who help me every day.

These are the rules:

Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.

Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

Though choosing five bloggers has been extremely difficult, I've chosen people who've helped me recently, and who I know will respond to this award with a post of their own.

Many thanks to: Cindy Beck, Rachelle Christensen, Tristi Pinkston, Ali Cross, Elana Johnson, and Connie Hall. (I know, I'm a bit of a cheater to give it to six people instead of five. I told you it was a tough choice!)

Thanks for all your help, you guys! I wouldn't survive this whole writing thing without you.

Peace and Love--until next time.