Thank you so much for participating in the awards. The entries all had something truly unique or special about them. However, there can only be one winner and just like a good steak, our judges must trim the fat.
Below, are the first round results for Fantasy.
Good luck to those continuing and thank you for your efforts to those who didn't make it through.
Judged by eatingher_words
Entries that will not be making it through:
Portable Magic, JaneQuill28
Title: 3/5
Cover: 2/5
Blurb: 5/10
Hook: 2/10
Total: 12/30
Notes: I think that there is too much going on in the blurb; specifically, I don't feel any mystery, as it's all laid out. It's more like a summary. The story itself was quite ordinary – as a story about magic, I'm wanting to see more elements incorporated from the beginning. The tension with the rain and lightning is good, but I really didn't feel a plot-driven pull from the beginning here. Some mystery with the last dispatch, but it's as it's written: this is a "usual" morning, so there really isn't anything interesting or out of the ordinary happening. I think this would do better if we started with a bit more action. However, this doesn't seem to be the purpose of this first chapter (which is fine). In terms of whether I was gripped, I'd say I was not, but that doesn't mean this book doesn't grip readers later. It just wasn't for me in the beginning.
Raven and Rue, ella_rowan
Title: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 5/10
Hook: 5/10
Total: 18/30
Notes: The blurb is cute, but too pitch-y for me. Less like a hooking blurb and more like an elevator sales pitch. Perhaps this can be used elsewhere, but the blurb is not the right area for it. Unfortunately, I was turned away by the opening line of the book. I'm not sure if it was meant to be ironic or not (and from further reading I concluded that no, it wasn't meant to be ironic), so my reaction was a cringe. I also didn't care for the ending; this was all a flashback? Or perhaps foreshadowing? But this isn't a prologue, so it felt odd that we saw this backstory from the start.
The Epitomes, Timothy441
Title: 3/5
Cover: 1/5
Blurb: 2/10
Hook: 1/10
Total: 7/30
Notes: The blurb was quite lacking; very vague in its explanations of plot and ran a bit short. I could sum this up to say: "amnesiac boy with no family discovers he has extra-human abilities and goes on a journey to learn his purpose." If this isn't as basic a premise as you can get, I don't know what is. I need more plot elements here, just a little bit more specificness. In a large world of stories, you have to be a bit more unique to catch your readers' attention. As for the hook: I wasn't impressed. This type of writing simply isn't my thing: addressing the audience and spelling out long back stories may work for some, but this felt incredibly exposition-y to me. It isn't a hard and fast rule to start a story right in the middle of the action (books can be perfectly successful without doing this) but with over half the chapter dedicated to exposition, the plot doesn't seem to move a whole lot. Impart this backstory/worldbuilding on us as we go, this way we are engaging more emotionally with the MC from the start.
Teardrops of the Volcano, jordynsaelor
Title: 5/5
Cover: 1/5
Blurb: 4/10
Hook: 5/10
Total: 14/30
Notes: Sounds very much like a comedy / slice of life book. The way the blurb is set up is very matter-of-fact, and I'm led to believe the story will be directionless; like a reality TV series following these two mermaids and their shop. The blurb lacks plot direction. The first chapter was more expository than anything, and as mentioned above: this definitely comes across as comedic from the start. I personally wasn't hooked by the comedic flair, but it did serve as an entertaining start. The rest of the chapter was a bit slow for my taste, though.
The Lamia, Awakenings, JimHeter
Title: 3/5
Cover: 2/5
Blurb: 1/10
Hook: 7/10
Total: 13/30
Notes: Is the cover hand-drawn? Cool! (Though I'm not a fan of the font placement or title treatment.) The blurb is... practically nonexistent here. Just stating this is part one; the intriguing thing, though, is "what is a Lamia?" I asked myself this. There's just not enough in the blurb to tell me anything about this story, and I have to give it a low score because of that. The first chapter started strong, then had a few moments where it felt like the pacing lagged a bit. Otherwise, I thought the intro was rather nice. Great writing quality and descriptions were lovely.
Art1-The Ties that Bind, RAllenLancaster
Disqualified for not completing payment correctly.
A God's Wish-The Bearer of Fruit, minnyisnothere
Title: 2/5
Cover: 2/5
Blurb: 1/10
Hook: 3/10
Total: 8/30
Notes: The cover is very difficult to read, and I'm not sure if it conveys the title properly. The blurb is grammatically messy and confusing. I'm not sure I understood the majority of it. The prologue and opening chapter are also a bit messy grammatically, and there isn't really a strong pull for me to continue reading.
Sea Gypsies, HeideHunt
Title: 3/5
Cover: 2/5
Blurb: 7/10
Hook: 5/10
Total: 17/30
Notes: I thought the concept was interesting in the blurb, though the vague "item" that can end peace is brought up twice, which makes me think I should know what this item is. Bringing up the mysterious thing once would've been fine, but when it was brought up again, I wanted to know what it is. Maybe only include the mystery once? The historical background here is pretty cool – I think the premise is set up nicely and concisely while still leaving us room for discovery. The first chapter was well-written and had a good balance of tension.
Books that are going through to the next round:
The Gemini Age, Oxviola
Title: 4/5
Cover: 1/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 9/10
Total: 24/30
Notes: Other than some initial confusion about certain meanings of words in this blurb, this sounds very much like what I might find on the back cover of a book in a store or on a shelf in a library. Well done. The first chapter was engaging from the start with great descriptions, and the author has a clear storytelling ability.
The Apprentice and the Lost City, justalex99
Title: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 7/10
Hook: 9/10
Total: 24/30
Notes: Points removed from the blurb for some punctuation errors; otherwise I love the logline and the charming nature of the first paragraph, ending with "she's not even a witch!" It adds character. We also get some good background here, without it being overbearing. I could do with more plot elements outside of this though. We get the mystery revealed to us right away (her position as descendant of Merlin) but we don't get many more plot-centric elements. I loved the first line of the first chapter, and I also liked the setup for the next chapters to come. It was very engaging.
On Sapphire Wings and Jade Scales, Nightingale257
Title: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 8/10
Hook: 5/10
Total: 22/30
Notes: Quite short; I like the word choice used. I can sense some voice already in the blurb, which is a good sign. It did feel a little sudden in the first paragraph, jumping from the twins to their discovery of the wounded man. I'd suggest making that a new paragraph, since it's a different idea. The opening chapter was whimsical and set up the story nicely, but I didn't feel a distinct hook; the story didn't grip me and entice me to read on in the same way others in the genre have.
Of Caverns and Casters, avadel
Title: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 10/10
Total: 29/30
Notes: Other than wanting a few more specifics – the stakes as the three protagonists journey together – this has a very well done blurb that reads very much like the back cover of a book. Quite intriguing; I love the way it's been set up. The opening chapter is gripping, the world-building is seamless, and we end with a cliffhanger. I had a very difficult time not wanting to turn the page to read more!
The Withered Kingdom, tpmwrites
Title: 5/5
Cover: 2/5
Blurb: 8/10
Hook: 7/10
Total: 22/30
Notes: Great title; cover is lacking. I love the cover on your other book. Maybe consider getting something like that? At least for title treatment, aesthetics etc. The blurb is good. I love the wordplay and drama. I feel enticed to read. The story started in the action and pulled me through to the end of the first chapter, but I was personally missing the spark. Great cliffhanger at the end.
Cut From a Tattered Cloth, KryssaStevenson
Title: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Blurb: 8/10
Hook: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Notes: I love the cover! The blurb is good, though I'm wary of some of the language used here – I'm wondering if there are better ways to convey the girl's admiration and the MC's lack of interest. It felt a bit too black and white; this left me slightly confused, but I have no doubt these personalities will be developed in the story.. Otherwise, very good. Well-written. Same thoughts about the hook: I love the intro with the dialogue and the scene that unravels from there. The cliffhanger as Tokuda turns to leave is enticing.
The Circle of the Paw, MichaelSToledano
Title: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 8/10
Total: 24/30
Notes: Quite well-rounded, the blurb gives me the perfect dose of intrigue while also balancing a good amount of information about the world. I didn't feel overloaded with too much plot detail, nor did I sense that there was anything dragging. There was just one abrupt moment, about the sewer in the second sentence in Akhi's description. Otherwise, very solid blurb. The first chapter set us up nicely with a potential problem, and Akhi seems like he wants to "solve" it by finding his people. It was a cozy read; the way animals are personified was cute and eclectic; very enjoyable. The tension is definitely still building; the adventure is simmering.
Son of Mah, Shivran86
Title: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Blurb: 5/10
Hook: 8/10
Total: 19/30
Notes: The blurb, while intriguing, had some voice inconsistencies. With the descriptions, the story sounds quite comical but I'm assuming it's actually quite serious. The first line is BOMB and then the rest felt a little scrambled. The ending line feels like it should pack a punch, but it felt a bit too random; and we already got this line in the beginning, which worked great. The first chapter was great; started out strong and had a smash-hit ending. The story is filled with culturally-rich dialogue and the world building is good!
The Traitor's Gamble, naur_writes
Title: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Blurb: 6/10
Hook: 9/10
Total: 21/30
Notes: The blurb was fine, though there were quite a few fragments, some punctuation issues, and run-on sentences. However, we get the premise and I think I have a grasp on what the story will be about. The first chapter was quite intense; gripping from beginning to end. Very nicely done.
Epsilon, khionewrites
Title: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 6/10
Total: 22/30
Notes: Very good blurb. Well-crafted, has good pacing, is worded expertly. It sounds like a back cover of a book, and what's more: as someone who doesn't typically read werewolf stories, this one has me extremely interested. My only qualm is the last bit, which tells us she is the only one with the power to save the kingdom... And my brain immediately jumped to: "because she's the main character, right?" And I feel like that means we need a mystery or something here to clue us in on why she's so important. She's new to this werewolf thing, right? I want to know what makes her special then. The hook was decent; I think the intro is a bit overused, but otherwise the scene following was good.
Once again, congratulations to all who made it to the second round!
Good luck as you progress!