First all the books in these awards were read by me in 2022 but could have been published at any time up to and including 2022 (with the exception of the covers as that includes all the covers I have seen during the year whether or not I have read the book). I have seen a lot of covers!
Cover of the year -
- Cover by Lauren Willmore
I choose the cover that would make me pick up the book, keep it in my hand and turn it over to read the blurb, which is my view is a cover's job, that and making me stop scrolling on Amazon.
Unforgettable - R E Loten I read this at the beginning of the year and I have read a lot of books since but I can still tell you the basics of the story - also I read it twice which is a rarity. I would gladly read it again, which is almost unheard of.
Novella of the year -
I have never read a book like it. The award winning short story writer in long form. I read it twice. 10 plausible possibilities one
'I did not see that coming' ending.
Page turning Paulson has not finished this series so this is a bit of a cheat but I have read 5 books one after the other and I have no reason to think that whatever comes next will change my mind about how much I love it.
The book I never have expected to read award -
This is a western, A western! Apart from the bits at the end when you are waiting for the next programme I can't say I've ever watched one. Yet I read this book. What? This is definitely a case of being won over by the author's writing.
Poetry Collection of the year -
Things I did not do at the weekend - Dreena Collins I tend to read poetry a poem at a time. I read this twice straight through some of it three times in the same day. I have never done that ever.
Poem of the year -
It was difficult to decide from this book which poem to choose, but in the end emotion won out. This moving poem about Karen's daughter is the one that stayed with me and provoked a similar reaction with every read.
Newsletter of the year - Cheryl Burman and J C Paulson
Two very different newsletters (technically three as Jo has two).
Jo's short newsletters have me nodding my head with her well considered thoughts a fellow analyst like me appreciates. The link from Twitter is to the shortest one. The longer one (sign up on her website) is more book focussed.
Cheryl's has the whole enchilada. Check out writers corner, fiction, behind the scenes, interviews, book reviews. Last year's winner is still top of her game.
Blogger of the year Fi Phillips for fiphillipscopywriter.com blog
Fi has two blogs and two newsletters. Her copywriter blog speaks to all writers and I think that came across strongly this year. I find her posts inspirational and motivational. I have a number of them bookmarked. The writer who inspired my original blog and newsletter talks a lot of sense.
Blogger of the year (entertainment) - Louise Wilford - Lou's Writing News, Cues and Reviews
Louise's humorous look at life is a joy to behold.
Writer of the year -
Novelist, award winning short story writer and poet. Dreena (or her alter ego Jane) can write anything and does. Adding And then she fell and Things I did not do at the weekend to her CV while also publishing Embers and Buttercups in the Basement in the same year and doing such a great job with all of them, she had to be my writer of the year.