Amazon has announced the winners in the sixth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
"Ten thousand entries came in from around the world—the most entries ever in the history of the contest—and after several rounds of judging, Amazon Publishing has selected one winner in each of five categories: general fiction, mystery/thriller, romance, science fiction/fantasy/horror and young adult fiction."
From now until 29th May you can read excerpts from the winning books and vote for your favorite novel to help choose the Grand Prize winner.
The five winners are:
General Fiction: It Happened in Wisconsin by Ken Moraff, Lexington, MA
It Happened in Wisconsin follows an aging ballplayer who looks back on his teammates’ battle for justice, the struggle between ideals and temptation, his own bittersweet love story, and his glory days barnstorming the back roads and dusty ballparks of the old Midwest.
Mystery/Thriller: The Hidden by Jo Chumas, Barcelona, Spain
The Hidden is a fast-paced thriller that takes place during the political turmoil of 1940s Egypt. Worlds collide when a popular young university professor is brutally murdered in the Sinai desert, leaving his new bride, a 20-year old Egyptian-born teacher, to search for answers and justice.
Romance: A Man Above Reproach by Evelyn Pryce, Pittsburgh, PA
A Man Above Reproach is a Regency romance featuring a stoic duke who falls for a mysterious piano player at a brothel and then must navigate the choppy waters of class, identity and love.
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror: POE by J. Lincoln Fenn, Haiku, HI
In POE, a 23-year old obituary writer and college dropout runs afoul of an evil spirit while on a haunted house assignment and must uncover the common link between (among other things) a string of killings, his own deceased parents, and the strange numbered “code” that obsesses him.
Young Adult Fiction: Timebound by Rysa Walker, Cary, NC
In Timebound seventeen-year-old Kate learns that she’s inherited a genetic license to time travel when her grandmother shares a strange blue medallion, an even stranger tale about future historians, and the unshakeable conviction that the fate of half the planet lies in Kate’s hands.
The Grand Prize winner will be revealed at a special awards ceremony in Seattle on June 15, 2013 and will receive a contract from Amazon Publishing, as well as a $50,000 advance. The remaining winners will each be awarded a publishing contract with a $15,000 advance.
You can download excerpts of the winner's books at the official Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award web site: www.amazon.com/abna
