Link:
http://www.internationalbookawards.com/
The value of entering a competition comes in the form of (a) market/critical credibility (e.g. getting shortlisted in the Costa Awards or for the Branford Boase) and/or (b) the cash prize.
I've never heard of this competition in the industry and I've certainly never heard of any of the previous winners.
In return for you £69, winners of this competition only get:
WINNERS & FINALISTS IN EACH CATEGORY RECEIVE:
- Unprecedented National and International Media & Industry Exposure: We are planning an extensive public relations campaign to announce the results of the 2012 competition.
- United States Newspaper Database: All winners & finalists will receive an updated newspaper database (a $500.00 value!) Filled with over a thousand current contacts from around the country, this database includes contact names, e-mail addresses & website links. A perfect tool to plan out your next book tour!
- Promote Your Title as an Award-Winning Book: As an honored winner or finalist you will have the right to highlight your award on your book cover, website, and marketing material. Award stickers will be available for purchase for all winners & finalists in each category!
How is that "$500 value" on the database calculated? Seems like an arbitrary amount. Either way, unless that database is specially focused to your kind of book, it's not going to be worth a lot practically. In fact, the whole prize seems pretty limp and pathetic really.
There's no information on who the judges are (and named judges go a long way to establishing credibility).
There are over 100 categories - so many that they're meaningless in terms of real worth and I'd suggest that the reason why there's so many is to bring in as many entrants as possible.
Checking out the list of testimonials from previous winners doesn't inspire a lot of confidence either.
All in all, it seems to me that the only winner here is Jeffrey.
Personally, I wouldn't waste my cash.
MM