M. R. Bailey

Congratulations to the two winners of the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Winner: General Fiction:

East of Denver by Gregory Hill

Winner: Young Adult Fiction:

Spookygirl by Jill Baguchinsky

Read by Amazon Vine reviewers, Publisher’s Weekly reviewers, Penguin editors, and ABNA expert panelists–and voted on by Amazon customers–the two winning authors have each been awarded a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. The announcement was made in Seattle.

There were three finalists in each category. The other four finalists were Lucian Morgan, Phyllis T. Smith, Cara Bertrand, and Richard Larson.

The finalists in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest are:

• General Fiction (3)
  • Jennifer Handford:  FORTUNE COOKIES
  • Patricia McArdle:  FARISHTA
  • Johnny Shaw: DOVE SEASON
• Young Adult Fiction (3)
  • Amy Ackley: SIGN LANGUAGE
  • Alex Airdale:  SERVICE OF THE CROWN
  • Alison Stewart:  DAYS LIKE THIS

These six authors and their work have been selected from 10,000 unpublished works first entered in the contest in early February.

Two grand prize winners will be announced in Seattle on June 14, 2010.  One winner in each category – General Fiction and Young Adult Fiction – will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, including a $15,000 advance.

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2009 ABNA Winner:  Bill Warrington’s Last Chance by Jack King

2008 ABNA Winner:  Fresh Kills by Bill Loehfelm