2002 IPPY AWARD RESULTS ARE IN!

DC PRESS HAS AN AWARD-WINNER!!!!!!

Winners and Finalists in the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2002 have been chosen, the Ten Outstanding Books of the Year have been named.

DC Press was honored with a “Finalist” award for In Search of Ethics: Conversations with Men and Women of Character authored by Len Marrella.  The book was judged in the category “Business/Career.”

This is how the announcement reads:

Category 23: Business/Career
Winner:

Side by Side Leadership (Bard Press)
Finalists:

The Business of Winning (CEP Press)
In Search of Ethics (DC Press)

Each winning title for 2002 was one of 1180 books submitted by 765 participating publishers, and the competition was especially tough this year. We saw a marked rise in quality among the entrants, both in design and content. So much great writing, and so many beautifully designed, illustrated, and photographed books! Independent publishing is alive, well, and getting better all the time.

CONGRATS to Len Marrella for a great job of authoring a book that will have an influence on readers throughout our nation for some time to come.  CONGRATS to Jonathan Pennell for the fantastic cover that truly captured the message of the book.

History and Background:

The Independent Publisher Book Awards, launched in 1996, are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Established as the first awards program open exclusively to independents, nearly 700 "IPPYs" have been awarded to publishers throughout North America. The upcoming 2002 Awards will recognize Ten Outstanding Books of the Year in categories such as Most Inspirational to Youth and Most Likely To Save the Planet, and to a winner and two finalists in 49 different categories, ranging from non-fiction categories like Architecture and Religion, to fiction categories like Multicultural and Horror.

Entering titles in awards programs does take time, money, and effort, but the pay-off can be great. First, there is a possible financial reward (the Ten Outstanding Books receive $500 each). Next, there is personal recognition--a great morale boost for all those involved with a recognized title. Finally, there's the prestige that winners and finalist receive. This can influence reviewers, as the book comes to them with a "seal of approval." Buyers are also influenced, at the retail level as well as at chain stores, libraries, and at specialty stores. For example, one of the winners in our inaugural contest, Southern Settings, a cookbook published in 1996 by The Decatur General Foundation and Favorite Recipes Press, recently reordered 6000 IPPY stickers for their new print run. The book just keeps on selling, thanks in part to that gold seal on the cover.

Independent Publisher (formerly Small Press) has built a strong reputation as source for the best independent publishing "news, reviews, and how-tos" for 18 years as a print journal, and two years exclusively on the Web. Independent Publisher Online now goes out monthly to over 40,000 subscribers worldwide, many of whom are agents, buyers, and librarians. A side benefit of entering our Awards stems from the fact that our parent company, Jenkins Group, specializes in large-quantity sales of books to corporations, so entered titles receive exposure to Special Sales buyers and sellers. A 1999 finalist, Fit to Cook: Why 'Waist' Time in the Kitchen? by Denise Hamilton, Chantal Jakel and Cynthia Kereluk, was discovered this way, and 187,000 copies were sold to a pharmaceutical company.

All independent publishers (which we define as those not owned by a publicly traded corporation) are eligible, which ranges from self-publishers to major university presses. This may seem like a David vs. Goliath scenario, but what we're really looking for is innovation and excellence, and that isn't determined by budget. Nearly 800 publishers participated in the 2001 Awards, from all 50 United States, the Virgin Islands, and four Canadian provinces.