SCBWI Announces the 2011 Book Launch Awards -
Friday, August 12, 2011
This year, the SCBWI initiated the first ever Book Launch Awards, which consisted of two awards of $2000 each, to authors or illustrators with a book coming out in 2012.
Two winners were chosen from fifty applicants:
Hilary Weisman Graham and
Sherry Shahan.
Graham won for her marketing proposal for
Reunited which is due out in June 2012 from Simon and Schuster. She plans to use the grant money, in part, to help turn Level3, the fictional band in her book, into a reality by hiring musicians and creating a music video.
Read about Hilary's use of the money
here
Shahan won for her marketing proposal for
Ice Island to be released in January 2012 by Random House. She plans to use the money to promote her book through “IditaRead” initiative where students compete in reading races in their classrooms.
Read about Sherry's use of the money
here
The proposals were chosen for their comprehensive, achievable plans and their inventive ideas. The winners will work closely with their marketing departments to make sure the grant money is used resourcefully. Stay tuned for full reports on the successes and snags our winners experience as they implement their marketing plans over the coming year.
Any SCBWI member with a book coming out in 2013 is encouraged to apply for the 2012 Book Launch Awards. For more information and guidelines please visit the SCBWI website. In addition, to help in your own marketing plans, Sara Easterly has written a new guide, “Extending the Reach of your Book’s Publicity” for SCBWI members. It offers comprehensive marketing advice and ideas for any budget. It will be part of the publication guide and available online starting September 1
st.