The Richard Tearle Discovering Diamonds Award
To promote excellence in historical
writing, Discovering Diamonds has introduced a cash prize for author of the
year. Helen Hollick founder of Discovering Diamonds explains the
importance of recognizing quality books.
Interspersed with our review posts we
have highlighted various authors via our annual December StorySong short story
entertainment, offered guest posts, made Book and Cover of the Month
selections, reviewed some mainstream traditionally published historical novels
and works of historical non-fiction, but our main aim is to
promote Indie/Self-Published writers and small independent presses
of quality historical fiction. We maintain that ‘a good book is a good book’ no matter
who publishes it, or how - but as many indie writers know, ‘getting noticed’
can be an ongoing, uphill, often disheartening struggle.
Therefore, in order to help, albeit in
a small way, Discovering Diamonds is to run an award through
the kind generosity of a sponsor who has offered a first prize of £150 for two
years (2022 Award/2023 Award). There will be a runner-up prize of £50.
It is to be called The
Richard Tearle Discovering Diamonds Award in remembrance of
Richard who passed away in April 2021. He began as a reviewer for the
Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews in 2011/12, when I was Managing Editor,
then came over to Discovering Diamonds when it was conceived
in November 2016. He personally encouraged many new writers, supported
established authors and, as a rough tally, reviewed not far off 700 novels, so
to name our award in his honour is most fitting.
You’ll find our TERMS & CONDITIONS here
But the basic ‘rules’ are ... you
submit a book to us for potential review and we select the best of the best of
those we do review for initial longlisting for the award.
We have a selection of experienced
writer/reader or editorial judges for the three stages (longlist, shortlist,
finalist) including the acclaimed international bestseller Elizabeth Chadwick
as a finalist judge.
There is no entry fee – all we want at
submission stage is a professionally produced file of your published (or soon
to be published) historical novel – preferably a Mobi file though please
Submission details for reviews are
here:
https://discoveringdiamonds.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html
So what have you got to lose?
https://getbook.at/NFWritersGroup
Helen Hollick
HELEN HOLLICK is an international Indie and Traditional Mainstream author. As a firm
supporter of indie writers since 2007, she founded Discovering
Diamonds at the close of 2016. Published originally by
William Heinemann in 1994 and now with Sourcebooks, Penmore Press, Sadwolf
Verlag, and two non-fiction titles with Amberley Press and Pen & Sword, she
also publishes under her own Taw River Press.
A USA Today Bestseller,
she writes 'King Arthur', the 1066 era, the Sea Witch nautical
adventure pirate-based series and the Jan Christopher cosy
mysteries set in the 1970s. She is friends with several well-known authors,
enjoys talking on conference panels, has been a consultant for and guest on BBC
Radio 4, made several 'appearances' on local radio stations, has appeared on TV
on several occasions and was joint script-writer for a proposed movie.
She lives with her family, various
animals and a few ghosts, in an 18th century North Devon farmhouse,
runs several blogs - and occasionally gets time to write...
2 comments:
thank you Pauline, for promoting our award and for your wonderful ongoing support for Indie writers!
You are welcome, Helen and it is always a pleasure having you here. I am sure the award will encourage authors of well written historical publications to submit.
Post a Comment