1) First Prize: FREE accommodations for 2007 Book Club Cruise (including airfare) and complete marketing/promotion package as Premier Author. (For author only; additional companion must pay standard cruise fees.)

2) Runner-Up: FREE Marketing package with Book Club Bulletin and Hot New Books home page promotion on Cushcity.com.

Criteria for nominations:
1) Writer must have a debut novel, book of poetry, or non-fiction work released within the past two (2) years (copyright in 2005, 2006 or 2007). Author may have a second or third published work, but debut book (ANY BOOK OF ANY GENRE OR KIND) must have copyright in 2005, 2006 or 2007.

2) Writer must be a U.S. citizen and reside within the contiguous United States.

3) Book must be published in a standard, perfect-bound format.

4) Book cannot be pornographic in nature; however, erotic books with tasteful artwork will be considered at the discretion of Cushcity.com.

5) An author may nominate him/herself and/or be nominated by friends, family and business associates. An individual may nominate more than one author, but may NOT nominate the same author more than once.

6) The winner of a previous Cushcity.com Best New Author Award CANNOT be nominated; however, a finalist from a previous Cushcity.com Best New Author Award CAN be nominated, as long as he/she qualifies under the above five criteria.

Nominations: January 8-February 28, 2007 mailto:nominations@cushcity.com).  IN THE SUBJECT OF THE E-MAIL MESSAGE, PUT THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR YOU WISH TO NOMINATE PLUS "BEST NEW AUTHOR AWARD."  (EXAMPLE:  John Doe - Best New Author Award).  All nominations must be submitted via e-mail.  DO NOT send any attachments with your nomination.

To see the list of current nominees, click here:  http://www.cushcity.com/displaypages/nominees.htm

Authors may nominate themselves ONE TIME ONLY, but other nominations must come from friends, family, business associates and reading fans.  The twenty (20) authors who receive the most nominations will be tallied and the list of 20 will be announced by March 10.  Nominees will be notified via e-mail or phone.  [NOTE: If Cushcity.com does not have your author information, you will need to contact Cushcity so we can notify you during nominating process.]

Voting for Top 20: March 15-April 15, 2007.

The ten (10) authors who receive the highest number of votes AND the highest number of books sold at Cushcity.com during the voting period will become the ten (10) finalists.   Book sales are based on all of author’s titles, if author has published multiple books. Finalists will be notified via e-mail or phone by April 20.  Finalists will receive a logo designation (Finalist 2007 Cushcity.com Best New Author Award) which they may place on their web sites.

Ten (10) Finalists Essay Submission: May 1-15, 2007

The winner and runner-up will be selected from among the ten (10) finalists based upon the following criteria:

Submission by author of a 500-word essay titled, “Why I Became a Writer.”  Essay must be submitted between May 1-15, 2007.  Ten (10) book clubs from around the country will judge the essays and the final result will be based on votes by the book clubs.  Book clubs will be asked to select their first, second and third place essays.

The Cushcity.com Best New Author Award will be bestowed upon the author receiving the most combined votes by the book clubs and the runner-up will be the author who receives the second highest number of combined votes by the book clubs.  Winner will receive a logo designation (Winner 2007 Cushcity.com Best New Author Award) which  may placed on his/her web site.

Winner and Runner Up Announced:  June 1, 2007

The two winners will be announced at the Cushcity.com Houston retail store on Wednesday, June 1, 2007 and the winners will be notified via e-mail and/or phone. Their names will be posted on the Cushcity.com web site and their promotional campaigns will occur during the third quarter of 2007 (July-Sept).

E-MAIL NOMINATIONS TO:  nominations@cushcity.com.  ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA E-MAIL.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE CRUISE, GO TO:  http://www.cushcity.com/displaypages/2007cruise2.htm