Saturday, May 17, 2014

Do a Books Awards Make You Want to Buy It? - Lena Nelson Dooley

You readers may not know that starting in January and continuing through most of the first half of the year is contest season for books. In 2014, the books released in 2013 are in the contests. And winners are announced a lot of different ways. I've been blessed to have received awards with several of my books. Three books had already been finalists in contests before I was a winner.





Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, was awarded the Will Rogers Medallion for Excellence in Western Media for Fiction.









Maggie's Journey, book one in my McKenna's Daughters series, received the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference Selah Award for Historical Fiction.










Mary's Blessing, book two in the series, was a Selah Award Finalist for Historical Romance.








Catherine's Pursuit, book three in the series, has already been awarded the NTRWA Carolyn Readers Choice Award for Inspirational novel.




It also is one of three finalists in the CAN Golden Scroll Award for Novel of the Year. The winners will be announced in Atlanta, Georgia, in June.

These are exciting times for an author. But what does all this mean to a reader?

If you see a gold sticker on a book announcing an award, or read about a book receiving an award, does it make you want to read it? I'd really like to know.

Answer this question in the comments, and next Saturday, I'll choose a winner to receive a copy of Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico. Even winners in foreign countries are eligible to receive an ecopy of the book.

5 comments:

Ginger Solomon said...

I answered this on Facebook, but I'll answer here too.

I am happy for the author, but no it doesn't usually make me want to read the book. I know what kinds of books I'm likely to enjoy, and I read them whether they have won an award or not.

Congrats on all of the well-earned awards you have received.

Ginger

Lena Nelson Dooley said...

Thank you, Ginger.

I have found that some acquisition editors like to see that an author has won an award.

Amy C said...

It really exciting to see a favorite author win an award. But an award doesn't necessarily mean that I will pick a book from an author I have never read before.
Congratulations on your awards. I know for a fact you deserve it!
campbellamyd at gmail dot com

Lena Nelson Dooley said...

Thank you, Amy, for calling a favorite author.

Lena Nelson Dooley said...

Ginger Solomon, email me at: safe[-]LDwrites[at]flash[dot]net

You are the winner of Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico