Announcing the
2005 EPPIE and QUASAR
FINALISTS and WINNERS
The Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC) is proud to present the sixth annual EPPIE Awards. These awards, which honor the finest electronically published books of the year, were presented on Saturday, March 12, 2005 in Long Beach at the EPPIE Banquet during EPICon 2005.
Jane Bierce, EPIC's president, said, "What can I say that hasn't been said before? The EPPIES spotlight excellence in electronic publishing, in moving the art of popular fiction forward into new dimensions of creativity. They are open to a wide range of electronic authors, not just EPIC members. Each year, the strikingly forward-looking awards grow in esteem in the publishing world."
Finalists were selected from 457 entries in 19 categories -- a significant number of entries for a six-year-old competition in a young industry. The judging was done by EPPIE members, all published authors or publishing professionals. The 86 finalists were sent to another panel for final judging.
"Film has Cannes and the Oscars. The stage has the Tonys and television has the Emmys," said Micqui Miller, Vice President of EPIC. "We're still a fledging industry, but in ten years, when PDAs are an accepted part of everyone's life like cell phones and e-mail, you'll see our EPPIEs right up there with Oscar and Tony. I've garnered some prestigious awards and critical praise for my writing over the years, but none I cherish more than finaling in last year's EPPIEs. Our peers are our toughest critics, so their acclaim means the most."
The winners in each category were announced and awards presented at a gala ceremony at EPIC's annual convention aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, March 10-13, 2005. Finalists will receive official certificates in the coming weeks, and winners have received trophies.
According to the head of Epic's Publisher Coalition, Karen Syed, "When a publishing company steps into the electronic arena, EPIC is a must. The EPPIE Awards offer those publishers an opportunity to showcase their best titles and gain accolades and credibility in a highly competitive industry."
In addition, each year EPIC presents the Ariana Best in Category Cover Awards and the Quasar Award for superior achievement in cover art, along with the Patricia White Service Award to one individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to EPIC and the Friend Of E-Publishing Award to an individual who has made a contribution to e-publishing as a whole.
And the 2005 EPPIE goes to...
 ACTION/ADVENTURE
- **WINNER** For the Love Of... Book One Luck of the Irish By Kally Jo Surbeck—Loose-ID
- Cracked Crystals By Larry Rochelle—eXtasy Books
ANTHOLOGY
 **WINNER** Beyond the Mundane: Unravelings By Daniel J. Reitz, Sr. (ed.), Nick Aires, Nick Andreychuk, June Avila, Michele R. Bardsley, Margaret L. Carter, Lawrence Crossett, Frances Evlin, Sharon K. Garner, Robert L. Hecker, Linda Hope Lee, Carrie S. Masek, L.B. Milano, Carolyn Russell,Terry Sheils, Eolake Stobblehouse, Jeff Strand, C.J. Winters—Mundania Press LLC
- Fantasy Readers Wanted -- Apply Within By Nick Aires (ed.), Terri J. Barczak, Michael Bracken, Rebecca Bradley, Richard Bray, Ralan Conley, Frank Fradella, Neil Gaiman, John Heeder, Erin Hoffman, Matthew Hughes, Murray Leeder, Chris McMahon, Nicole R. Murphy, Richard Parks, Jack Rice, James Richey (ed.), Bruce Holland Rogers, Stephen D. Rogers, Tracey Schelmetic, Stephen M. Wilson, Breanna Wojcik, E.G.—Silver Lake Publishing
- Northwest Tales of the Season By Judith B. Glad, J.A. Clarke, Maureen Mackey, Rubylee Schneider, Jewel Stone, Mary Taffs—Awe-Struck Books
- Soulful Sex: Erotic Tales of Fantasy and Romance By Diana Laurence—New Age Dimensions
  CHILDRENS TIE!
- **WINNER** The Thing in the Tub and Other Poems By Charlott Babb, Jim Johnson, KG McAbee, Richard C. Meehan, Diane Thompson, Steve Thompson—Mystic Toad Press
- **WINNER** Brother Dragon By Terri Branson—Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
 **WINNER** All's Faire By Sally Sorenson—Scheherazade Tales
- Isn't It Romantic? By Ellen Fisher—New Concepts Publishing
- Loving Ben By Jan Janssen—Whiskey Creek Press
- Crazy About You By Barbara McMahon—Hard Shell Word Factory
- Those Hills By Rian Monaire —eXtasy books
- The Fifth Favor By Shelby Reed—Ellora’s Cave
- Broken Promises By Nancy Ann Rose—Whiskey Creek Press
- The Hired Hand By Melissa Schroeder—Whiskey Creek Press
EROTICA
 **WINNER** Natural Law By Joey W. Hill—Ellora’s Cave
- Primordial By Denise A. Agnew—Ellora’s Cave
- Venus Rising By Annalise—Ellora’s Cave
- Table for Four By Diana Hunter—Ellora’s Cave
- Something Wicked By Jacqueline Meadows—Ellora’s Cave
- Something Wanton By Jacqueline Meadows—Ellora’s Cave
- Wet and Wilde By Tawny Taylor—Ellora’s Cave
FANTASY
 **WINNER** The Crow Queen By Elaine Corvidae—Mundania Press LLC
- Shadow of the Scorpion: Book 2 of the Everdark Wars By Elizabeth K Burton—Zumaya Publications
- Destiny's Seduction By Isabo Kelly—LTD Books
- The Last White Knight By D. Lee—Books Unbound e-Publishing Co.
- Vassal of El By Gloria Oliver—Zumaya Publications
FANTASY/PARANORMAL/SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE
 **WINNER** To Challenge a Dragon By Shelly Laurenston—Triskelion
- Never Love a Stranger By Ellen Fisher—New Concepts Publishing
- Pack Challenge By Shelly Laurentson—Triskelion
- Renegade's Run By Brenna Lyons—eXtasy Books
- Promises to Keep By Janet Miller—New Concepts Publishing
- Talking Dogs, Aliens, and Purple People Eaters By Shelley Munro—Ellora’s Cave
- Touch of Gypsy Fire By Shiloh Walker —Ellora’s Cave
HISTORICAL
 **WINNER** The Golden King By Max Overton—Mundania Press LLC
- Killraven By Arline Chase—ebooksonthe.net
- Firetrail By Lydia Hawke—Wings ePress
- The House of Pendragon I: The Firebrand By Debra A. Kemp—Amber Quill Press
- Angels on Crusade By Jennifer Macaire—Novel Books Inc.
- Death Rides a Pale Horse By Dusty Rhodes—Treble Heart Books
 HISTORICAL ROMANCE
- **WINNER** Promises Linger By Sarah McCarty—Ellora’s Cave
- Lord Compton's Folly By Patricia Harrison—Amber Quill Press
- The Contrary Contessa By Susanne Marie Knight—Awe-Struck Books
- Wild Honey By Carolyn Lampman—Whiskey Creek Press
  HORROR TIE!
- **WINNER** Illusion of Memory By LB Milano—Mundania Press LLC
- **WINNER** Reach of the Claw By Lawrence Crossett—LTD Books
- Hell Cop By David C Burton—Silver Lake Publishing
 INSPIRATIONAL
- **WINNER** Heaven's Blue By Penelope Marzec—Awe-Struck Books
- Faith, Hope and Charity By Ginny McBlain—Awe-Struck Books
MYSTERY
 **WINNER** Murder in La Paz By Murdoch Hughes—Hard Shell Word Factory
- The Vicarious Liver By Beth Amos—Booklocker.com
- Evil to the Max By JB Scully—Liquid Silver Books
- Rara Ibis By Terry Sheils—LTD Books
- Gun Shy By Louise Titchener—Hard Shell Word Factory
NON-FICTION
 **WINNER** Teach Me, I'm Yours By Joan Bramsch —JB Information Station
- Different Blood: The Vampire as Alien By Margaret L. Carter—Amber Quill Press
- The Fantasy Writer's Companion By Tee Morris (ed.) and Valerie Griswold-Ford (ed.)—Dragon Moon Press
- How to Start and Run a Profitable Home-Based Transcription Business By Sandra K. Shirah—Hercareer PR
- Become a Secondhand Store Owner By Lori Soard—FabJob.com
 POETRY
- **WINNER** Chapter and Verse By Barri Bryan—Hard Shell Word Factory
- Collected Writings of Brenna Lyons: Poetry Book One By Brenna Lyons—Self Published
- Siren Sorcery: Magic in the Night By Larry Rochelle—Booksurge.com
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
 **WINNER** Harley Street By Lynne Connolly—Novel Books Inc.
- Pandora's Justice By Elaine Charton—Triskelion
- Sons of Solaris: Aries By Jodi Lynn Copeland—Ellora’s Cave
- Keeping Faith By Robin Matheson—Wings ePress
- Dreams By Catherine Snodgrass—Amber Quill Press
- Deceptions By Gini Wilson—Wings ePress
SCIENCE FICTION
 **WINNER** Regs By Nina M Osier—eBooksOnThe.Net
- Balance of Trade By Sharon Lee and Steve Miller—Embiid Publishing
- Rough Rider By Nina M Osier—Double Dragon Publishing
- Matushka By Nina M Osier—eBooksOnThe.Net
- Horizons By Peter W. Prellwitz—Double Dragon Publishing
- The Science of Magic By Peter W. Prellwitz—Double Dragon Publishing
SINGLE TITLE/MAINSTREAM
 **WINNER** Progressions By Judy Lawn—Zumaya Publications
- A Long Shadow By Barri Bryan—New Concepts Publishing
- Who Moved My Rice? By Michael LaRocca—Books Unbound e-Publishing Co.
- Waiting For An Eclipse By Karen Wiesner —Hard Shell Word Factory
 THRILLER
- **WINNER** Blind-Sided By Monette Michaels and Janet Ferran—Atlantic Bridge Publishing
- A Dangerous Dance By Pauline Baird Jones—Hard Shell Word Factory
- Dreams of April Ten By Stephen LaFevers —Whiskey Creek Press
YOUNG ADULT
 **WINNER** Heritage of Horror Book 2: The Change By Lynne Hansen—Hard Shell Word Factory
- AltDeath.com By Lynne Hansen and Sally Bosco—Hard Shell Word Factory
- Mama Tried to Raise a Lady By RD Larson—Peach Blossums Publications and ebooksonthe.net
- Seven Words for Sand By Allan Serafino—LTD Books
Additional EPIC Awards
PATRICIA LUCAS WHITE SERVICE AWARD TIE!
Presented to honor an individual, nominated and voted on by the membership, for exemplary service to the organization.
- **WINNER** Betty Kasischke
- **WINNER** Daniel J. Reitz, Sr.
- Valerie Hardin
- Brenna Lyons
FRIEND OF E-PUBLISHING AWARD
Presented to an individual outside of the organization for his or her dedication to electronic publishing.
- Steve and Scott Pendergrast, Fictionwise, Inc.
QUASAR AWARD (Cover Art)
Recognizing Excellence in Book Covers--determined by a membership vote.
Here are the eight Ariana Best in Category Winners. Each of these covers received the top number of votes in its category. The Ariana Best in Category Awards and the QUASAR Award will be presented on March 12, 2005 at the EPICon 2005 banquet in Long Beach, CA.
 **WINNER** Best in Category Historical and Western
Death Rides A Pale Horse—cover artist Holly Smith—publisher Treble Heart Books
- Best in Category Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, and Paranormal Romance
Once In A Blue Moon—cover artist Nathalie Moore—publisher Novelbooks, Inc.
- Best in Category Horror
Skull Moon—cover artist Trace Edward Zaber—publisher Amber Quill Press, LLC
- Best in Category Mainstream, Single Title, Nonfiction, and Poetry
Dreams—cover artist Trace Edward Zaber—publisher Amber Quill Press, LLC
- Best in Category Mystery, Suspense, Action-Adventure, and Thriller
Pithed: An Andy Farmer Mystery—cover artist Stacey L. King—publisher Mundania Press LLC
- Best in Category Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Historical Romance
Wild Women—cover artist Mary Z. Wolf—publisher Hard Shell Word Factory
- Best in Category Science Fiction and Science Fiction Romance
Beyond the Mundane: Flights of Mind—cover artists Regina Brytowski and Stacey L. King—publisher Mundania Press LLC
- Best in Category Children's and Young Adult
The Thing in the Tub and Other Poems—cover artist Jim Johnson—publisher Mystic Toad Press
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