After going over all the responses from the questionnaire and having several discussions amongst the three of us, we have finalized all the changes that will take effect this year!
So... without further adieu... we proudly present the...
2019 Swoony Awards!
What are The Swoony Awards?
The Swoony Awards are a Reader’s Choice Award recognizing excellence in clean, secular, wholesome romance. We wanted a way to show our appreciation to these amazing authors who write the kind of books that we love. It’s also a great way to find new books, new authors and it's a good go-to when you're looking for something fun to read.
What are the published dates for eligible books?
Eligible books will need to be released from January to December of each year. Since we didn't want to leave out books that were published in December 2018, the date range for the 2019 Swoony Awards will be December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019.
Will there be a list showing eligible books?
Yes! We will have a reference list on Goodreads showing eligible books. This will be a REFERENCE LIST ONLY. It will NOT be the way to VOTE. The numbers listed on Goodreads will NOT be counted as votes. Click here to head on over to the reference list. We will also try to keep a running post on our blog showing the eligible books in each category for those voters who are not on Goodreads.
When and how do you vote?
Voting will be taking place during the entire month of December by using a Google Form. We will share the voting form on December 1, 2019. You will be able to vote for up to 3 books per category. There will be a total of 24 categories. When voting, please make sure to include the title of the book as well as the author. If the author is left off, then the vote will be removed. Winners will be announced on or before January 31, 2020.
What are the categories for the 2019 Swoony Awards?
Best Book of the Year
Best Anthology
Best Contemporary Romance
Best Young Adult
Best New Adult
Best Western Contemporary
Best Billionaire/Celebrity/Royal
Best Christmas
Best Military/Police/Firefighter
Best Suspense/Mystery
Best Sports
Best High Fantasy Romance
Best Fairy Tale Retelling
Best Urban Fantasy Romance
Best Paranormal
Best Time Travel
Best Steampunk Romance
Best Dystopian Romance
Best Historical Romance
Best Historical Western
Best Medieval/Highlander
Best Regency (1811-1820)
Best Victorian (1837-1901)
Best Novella
Is there a full list of the eligibility requirements?
Yes! See below for the full list. As in previous years, if the book does not meet the qualifications then it will be removed from the list.
Eligibility:
-ONLY books PUBLISHED December 1, 2018 – December 31, 2019 are eligible.
-Books must be published OR have arc reviews before being nominated. Since the award is based on readers having actually read and enjoyed the book(s) they are voting for, the book has to have been published or arcs read in order to receive nominations.
-Intimacy: No sex, no/low closed door/fade-to-black, no/low innuendo, nothing crude or crass. G-PG13.
-Language: None/mild (No F words or other explicit language), nothing overly crude.
-Violence: Mild/low.
-Page Count: 100 pages or higher, anthologies are okay. No short stories. No collections.
-Age: Only Young Adult, New Adult and Adult. NO children’s or middle grade.
-Religious: NO Christian fiction, some *very mild* religious elements may be allowed.
And just in case you're wondering, here's all the ways to stay updated on all things Swoony!
Blog: The Swoony Awards
Facebook: Swoony Awards Group and Swoony Awards Page
Instagram: SwoonyAwards
Twitter: @theswoonyawards
Pinterest: The Swoony Awards
We are SO excited for this year's Swoony Awards and we hope you are too! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
Happy reading our fellow Book Dragons!
