The 22nd Annual "Best Book" Awards Presented by American Book Fest™
Page Contents
Welcome Letter
Entry Fees & Deadline
Submission Checklist
Entry Form: Downloadable in Word or PDF
Payment Options
Official 2025 Categories
Welcome to The 2025 "Best Book" Awards! Sponsored by American Book Fest based in Los Angeles & Phoenix
Over our 22-year history, thousands of self-published and indie authors have leveraged the promotional power of their Best Book Award to increase online recognition, enhance their title’s credibility, and garner more attention in the crowded book buying marketplace.
When we started out in 2003, there were only a handful of book awards online. Now? There are thousands of contests, some of which pop up and fade out in a year's time. A history of solid results is extremely important when considering entering an award program, and for two decades, the Best Book Awards have delivered.
Who has won a prestigious Best Book Award over our 22-year history? Some of the biggest names in the industry! Pope Francis, George Saunders, Vanessa Williams, Kitty Kelley, Anne Geddes, Daymond John, Mark Nepo and many others. Click on our Award Laureate page for an expanded list.
The publishing industry is rapidly evolving. A printed book is no longer just a printed book.
Fiction and non-fiction books have the potential to be turned into interactive e-books, television and movie programs, documentaries, reality-based programming, video games, graphic novels, web series, live workshops, and so much more.
Located in the heart of Los Angeles, we have the unique advantage of gaining access to both the publishing and entertainment industries like no other book award program currently operating.
You’ve put tremendous time and energy into your work. By winning a Best Book Award, you permanently build your credibility as an established author!
Enter Your 2020–2025 Titles! Open to all books and e-books with an ISBN or ASIN and published in 2025 (galley copies welcome). 2020-2024 titles are also eligible.
Entry Fee:$74 per book/per category
E-mail Submission Now Available! Details below & on page 2 of your entry form.
A History of Excellence! Over the last 20 years, we have featured over twenty thousand books from mainstream, indie, and self-publishers. We will continue to promote books to the national and international book-buying public! View the Best Book Archives (2004–2024)
WINNERS IN EACH CATEGORY RECEIVE:
AmericanBookFest.com Exposure: The winning title in each category will receive a ten-month book listing that includes the color book cover, a brief paragraph about the title, and a hyperlink to the title's page on Amazon.com.
Results Announced on American Book Fest's Social Media Pages (132,000+ Fans/Friends)
Promote Your Title as an Award-Winning Book: As a winner or finalist, you will have the right to highlight your award on your book cover, website, and marketing material. Award stickers & premium certificates will be available for purchase for all winners & finalists in each category.
High-Res Digital Logos: Unlike other award programs, our digital logos are free to use on your book cover, website, social media, and marketing material.
Marketing Tips & Ideas to Promote Your Award: The announcement e-mail includes links and ideas for you to maximize the impact of your award. It’s time to think outside the box and make your book relevant again!
It’s an exciting new frontier in publishing, and The "Best Book" Awards are at the forefront of the revolution!
We welcome your questions, comments, and ideas! Simply e-mail us.
"Book awards do count in marketing and in positioning as a recognized 'go-to' expert. The Best Book Awards are always on my recommended list for authors who create quality books to enter. I’ve found that the support from the Best Book Awards for winners, both on its websites and with press releases, is exceptional and far beyond what most other awards do."
—Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd, CEO of AuthorU.org
"The Best Book Awards has a ten year track record of honoring and promoting books to the national and international community. The contest covers books from all sections of the publishing industry—mainstream, independent, & self-published."
—The San Francisco Book Review
“I've been very remiss in not writing earlier to tell you how much STRONG RAIN FALLING winning the 2013 Best Book Award for Mystery/Suspense means to me, this was truly among the great highlights of my literary year and, in fact, of my entire career. I don't have to tell you that there are very few awards indeed that recognize popular and commercial fiction and I'm sure I'm joined by far more writers and readers alike in saluting you and your team for paying attention to all genres and themes across the spheres of both fiction and non-fiction.”
— Jon Land, Bestselling Author of over 25 Novels
“My deepest thanks go to the Best Book Awards for naming Impossible Odds their 2013 choice for Best Autobiography/Memoir, and that gratitude is shared by Jess and Erik. I only had to sweat through writing the book; they had to live the story.”
— Anthony Flacco, New York Times Bestselling Author
“I want to personally thank you for your wonderful 2013 Best Book awards! You do a great service for all of us independent publishers and authors who are constantly the ‘Davids’ in trying to win attention for our hard-fought books against the Goliaths of the publishing industry.”
— Carew Papritz, King Northern, Inc.
“As a most humbled and honored recipient of several 2011 International Book Awards and 2011 Best Book Awards, I wanted to take the opportunity to personally and professionally thank you for recognizing and celebrating some of the world’s topmost mainstream and independent authors and publishing companies. It is evident that both award enterprises embrace the hard work and achievements of worldwide authors and publishing companies and are fully committed to propelling them to aim high and succeed with excellence. Thank you wholeheartedly for helping the writing industry in general and myself in particular expand our professional horizons and foster exponential growth as highly recognized and most deserving achievers in the field of writing.” —Michele Wright, Ph.D., Author, DEAR SUCCESS SEEKER: Wisdom from Outstanding Women, Atria/Simon & Schuster
ENTRY FEES AND DEADLINE
$89 — $74 per title/per category (Expires May 31, 2025)
(Example: One book in two categories equals $148.00)
Winners and Finalists will be announced nationally in mid-November 2025.
Eligible titles must have a 2020–2025 publication date and ISBN or ASIN number
SUBMISSION CHECKLIST (This list is on page 2 of your entry form as well)
Submitting Via E-mail:
Process your entry fee online.
E-mail “bba@amerbookfest.com” a copy of your filled out entry form as well as a PDF copy of your book.
Include your e-mail address that was used to process your entry fee payment online (bottom of page one of the entry form).
If your PDF is too large to send via e-mail, we recommend using WeTransfer.com (a free service).
“AMERBOOKFES” or “AMERICANBOOKFEST” will appear on your credit card statement.
Submitting Via Snail Mail:
ONE copy of your book per category entered (Galley copies are welcome).
A completed Page One Entry Form for each title (You keep Page Two for your records.)
A check or money order (payable in U.S. Dollars; “USD” must be pre-printed on all international checks or money orders) for the entry fees, payable to “ABF” or “American Book Fest.”
If paying online, include a copy of your payment confirmation e-mail or the e-mail address you used to place the order.
“AMERBOOKFES” or “AMERICANBOOKFEST” will appear on your credit card statement.
“Thank you for this. I am so proud of my Best Book Award wins. And what a boon they are for marketing!” —Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author/Publisher, 2011 Winner, The Frugal Book Promoter
"This is so exciting! To compete alongside industry giants, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin’s Press, Random House, Penguin, Harper Collins (just to name a few), and still become an award winning finalist is not only wonderful but validating. It's been a great experience for both my illustrator/husband and myself and reinforces for us that our story touches the reader and appeals to experts in children's book publishing. Glitter and Dart came to life for me and I hope that they do the same for the children who will join in their adventures. Thank you to all the judges for this recognition.” —Sherry K. Brubaker, Author, 2011 Finalist, Cup of Glitter, Gilded Magic Publishing
"I wanted to thank you for your prestigious award. In the four months since winning The Best Book Awards - 2009 Best Book (History - Media / Entertainment), my paperback has been added to the prestigious libraries of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Writers Guild Foundation; is now being sold at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills; is now available at Barnes & Noble and Costco stores in Hollywood and will be promoted during the 2010 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival! I appreciate the press received from your tremendous organization!" —Manny Pacheco, Award-winning Author, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History
ENTRY FORM
Please fill out an entry form for each title entered, print out and include the completed form with your submission. Be sure to review the "Submission Checklist" on each entry form. Questions? E-mail Us
“The award stickers definitely help sales. I'm very excited about this and impressed with the full list of winner/finalists. It clearly shows your judges go by quality versus name. I will for sure enter again with next book.” —Tara L. Masih, 2010 Award Finalist
“Costco recently picked up Greg Park's fantasy adventure series and they are selling a lot of Veil of Darkness (Best Book Winner) and Cleansing Hunt (Best Book Finalist). They've found that when the award stickers are on the books, they sell even better.” —Chantilly Park, Publisher 2009 Winner and Finalist
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Please include a check or money order with your entry submission payable to "ABF" or "American Book Fest". "USD" must be pre-printed on the check or money order.
You can also securely process your entry fee at the link below.
“AMERBOOKFES” or “AMERICANBOOKFEST” will appear on your credit card statement.
2025 OFFICIAL CATEGORIES FOR THE BEST BOOK AWARDS *For books published 2020-2025 with an ISBN or ASIN
Animals/Pets – General Animals/Pets – Narrative Nonfiction
Anthologies – Nonfiction
Art
Autobiography/Memoirs
Best Cover Design – Fiction Best Cover Design – Nonfiction Best Interior Design Best New Fiction Best New Nonfiction
Biography – General
Business – General Business – Careers Business – Communications/Public Relations Business – Entrepreneurship & Small Business Business – Management & Leadership Business – Marketing & Advertising Business – Motivational Business – Personal Finance/Investing Business – Real Estate Business – Reference Business – Sales Business – Technology Business – Writing/Publishing
Children’s Educational Children's Fiction Children's Mind/Body/Spirit Children's Nonfiction Children's Novelty & Gift Book Children’s Picture Book – Hardcover Fiction Children’s Picture Book – Hardcover Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book – Softcover Fiction Children’s Picture Book – Softcover Nonfiction Children's Religious
College Guides
Cookbooks – General Cookbooks – International Cookbooks – Regional
Current Events
Education/Academic
Fiction – General Fiction – African-American Fiction – Anthologies Fiction – Cross-Genre Fiction – Fantasy Fiction – Historical Fiction – Horror Fiction – Inspirational Fiction – LGBTQ+ Fiction – Literary Fiction – Multicultural Fiction – Mystery/Suspense Fiction – New Age Fiction – Novelette (7,500 to 17,500 words) Fiction – Novella (17,500 to 40,000 words) Fiction – Religious Fiction – Romance Fiction – Science Fiction Fiction – Short Story Fiction – Thriller/Adventure Fiction – Visionary Fiction – Western Fiction – Women’s Fiction Fiction – Young Adult
Health – General Health – Addiction & Recovery Health – Aging/50+ Health – Alternative Medicine Health – Cancer Health – Death & Dying Health – Diet & Exercise Health – Psychology/Mental Health Health – Women’s Health
History – General History – Military History – United States
