The Great Self-published Fantasy Blog-off!

This stage is now complete. For the finalists and reviews in phase 2 check out the final page.

Or check out the SPFBO 2016!

I'm hoping the bloggers will use #SelfPubFantasyBlogOff or #SPFBO tags to make it easier for everyone to find articles/reviews via Google.

The bloggers each have one of these now:

First let me say thank you to all the authors who sent their work in. You were so numerous I wasn't able to respond individually but at the end of this post is a list of all the entries I received, which blogger they went to, and whether they were in the 25 for that blogger that will definitely be considered (1-25), or in the excess that may be considered if the blogger is feeling extra energetic.

Almost everyone who sent in thanked me for taking the time to do this - of course I've spent only a modest amount of time on the project and it is the bloggers who are going to put in the real hours.

Almost everyone who sent in thanked me for the opportunity. And it is a great opportunity - but let's take a moment to keep expectations real here. We have over 250 entries. Each blogger is going to select the book they feel is best from the 25+ entries sent to them. That means that 96%+ of you will fail at the first hurdle. That's just the unforgiving mathematics of the thing.

You may have written a great book, but there may be one in that 25+ that the blogger likes better.

Here are my views on 'failure'.

And here is a post about this effort on Fantasy-Faction full of interesting statistics about famous authors and rejection.

I sent Prince of Thorns to 4 agents. The first didn't reply. The second didn't reply. The third sent a cut&paste rejection.  You're only getting one chance here.

The deadline for bloggers selecting their champion who they will 'publish' into the final round is September 1st. I will link their decisions and reviews here as and when they are made. If all 10 bloggers turn in their decisions early we will move into round 2 early.

Good luck everyone!

I must put in an extra word of thanks here for Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues who helped me refine the format.

By my count 80 of the 260 entries (31%) passed to the bloggers are from female authors - a slight underestimate no doubt as I assumed the owners of names like Alex and Andy to be male.

Blog posts:

Bob Milne of Beauty in Ruins on blurbs, covers, and titles.
Lynn Williams of Lynn's Books reviews His Own Good Sword by Amanda McCrina.
Ria of Bibliotropic on titles, covers, and blurbs.
Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues divides to conquer!
Elitist Book Reviews outline their slush-strategy.
An update from Lynn's Books.
Here an 11th man has a sift through the slush.
On The Fictional Hangout Milo reviews Fire and Ice by Patty Jansen.
Ria of Bibliotropic reviews Son of a Dark Wizard.
Ria of Bibliotropic starts an update list.
Elitist Book Reviews like The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble's Braids.
On Fantasy Book Critic: Mihir makes a start-up post.
Bob Milne of Beauty in Ruins sets up a page to keep track of progress.
Lynn Williams keeps track of progress here.
Sand and Blood is reviewed on Elitist Book Reviews.
The guys at Fantasy Book Review reduce their pile to five to be read cover to cover.
I try to soften the blow for authors whose books haven't made the cut.
Tyson at the Speculative Book Review reviews his first 5 books and picks his favourite so far.
On Fantasy Book Review, a blog about the most common reasons for books failing the cut.
Bibliotropic, choosing is HARD.
Tough love for self-published covers on Elitist Book Reviews!
Milo updates us on progress at the Fictional Hangout.
We reach the 25% marker and I sum up progress across the board.
First decisions from Fantasy Book Critic.
Tyson at Speculative Book Review covers books 6-11 & picks a 2nd favourite.
Bob Milne at Beauty in Ruins reviews his first 5 titles.
Ria of Bibliotropic reduces to a final 8 and offers last thoughts to the 18 who were cut.
Tyson reads and cuts five more titles.
A strong contender for round 2 is reviewed on Bibliotropic!
Ria of Bibliotropic guest blogs about self-publishing lessons learned from her 'agenting' so far.
Lynn puts some books aside and pursues others on Lynn's Books.
On Bookworm Blues Sarah goes through her second batch.
On a Fictional Hangout Milo reviews Sins of a Sovereignty.
Why you're failing: The beginning of your novel is a promise. From Elitist Book Reviews. (they're right!)
An interview with contestant Barbara J Webb on Bibliotropic.
On Beauty in Ruins Bob finds five in a row that don't grab him.
Mihir zeros in on a final 6 at Fantasy Book Critic.
On Bibliotropic Ria reviews Altdorf by JK Swift.
Elitist Book Reviews advises on internet presence.
Five more titles considered on Beauty in Ruins.
On Bibliotropic a review of Scrapplings by Amelia Smith
On the Elitist Book Review issues arising around PoV in SPFBO entries.
Tyson at the Speculative Book Review reviews his last 10 titles and picks his 4 contenders!
Fantasy-Faction select 6 for more consideration and drop 6, scroll to #3 in the list below to see.
The folk at Elitist Book Reviews wield the scythe on their crop.
The first champion is chosen! By Tyson at the Speculative Book Review.
Milo short-lists 2 and cuts 7 at the Fictional Hangout.
Fantasy-Faction zero in on their final 9 (scroll down to their list) each of which is being read and scored by 2 people. Highest score wins.
State of the nation report at 75% through phase 1.
Ria of Bibliotropic selects her champion for phase 2.
The guys at the Fantasy Book Review choose their champion!
Fantasy-Faction review Exile by James Cormier.
Bob Milne executes another batch of 5 on Beauty in Ruins!
Fantasy Faction narrow down to three (scroll down to list #3) One of the three was reviewed on the site just before the SPFBO started.
Round 3 of reviews at Bookworm Blues!
Marc Aplin of Fantasy-Faction on why self-publishing isn't the way to go.
Venn in doubt - I blog on the self-pub vs trad-pub debate.
Round 4 of reviews at Bookworm Blues!
Round 5 of reviews (the last batch) at Bookworm Blues!
Bob Milne reviews his last batch of titles on Beauty in Ruins.
On Beauty in Ruins, Bob Milne selects his champion for phase 2! (link will re-establish today)
On Fantasy Book Critic, Mihir Wanchoo selects his champion for phase 2!
Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues selects her champion for phase2!
On Fantasy Book Critic Mihir reviews his choice for phase 2.
On Lynn's Books a champion for phase 2 is selected!
The Weight of a Crown is reviewed on Lynn's Books
Elitist Book Reviews choose a finalist!
Fantasy-Faction choose a finalist!
The Fictional Hangout announce their finalist!
D. Moonfire crunches the SPFBO numbers and lists the entrants, noting honourable mentions as well as finalists.



I also have state-of-the-nation posts for:

We're 25% of the way through!
We're 50% of the way through!
We're 75% of the way through!

Look here for the list of finalists.
See the phase two matrix - the final round!




257 of 267 books officially cut in the first round. We're finished with phase 1!

On to the final!



Here's a wordle made on the all the titles!

It appears that the ideal ... or at least mode ... title would be "Dark Black City of Blood"




Entrants: (red = not selected, faint green = a contender, black=not read yet)
(I'm only going by blog posts here so more is happening behind the scenes)

1. Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues

1.    Tony Barrett – Stranger’s Descent

2.    Ben Galley – Blood Rush

3.    Jesse Jack Jones – The Darkness Undivided

4.    Sean Rodden – Whispers of War

5.    Scott Marlowe – The Five Elements

6.    Matt Waldram – Monsters of Elsewhere

7.    Eve Peters – Children of the Fallen

8.    Kip Manley – City of Roses: Autumn into Winter

9.    Jeff Haas – Searching for Nada 

10. Paul Kleynhans – Dark Legion

11. Ioana Visan – The Impaler Legacy Omnibus

12. Jay Flynn – The Fivefold Prophecy

13. Pauline M Ross – The Plains of Kallanash

14. Greg Mahan – A Touch of Magic

15. Matt Karlov – The Unbound Man

16. Ted Cross – The Shard

17.  S.M. White – The Lonely Man : The Witch’s Price

18. Diana Peach – The Bone Wall

19. Felix Hartmann – Dark Age

20. Bryan Henderson – Tales of Ordegron

21. G. R. Matthews – The Stone Road

22. Jonathan Ashman – Black Cross

23. Claire Frank – To Whatever End (withdrawn owing to book deal!)

24. M.S Verish – Dawning

25. Emily McNeely – Leaving Bisht

26. Luke Matthews – Construct

27. Patricia Burroughs – The Crumbling Pageant
Holly Blackstone - A World Away

2. Steve Diamond &co at the twice Hugo nominated Elitist Book Reviews

1.    Stephanie Caine – Storm Shadow

2.    D. Moonfire – Sand and Blood

3.    Joe Donahue – The Final Requiem

4.    Christopher Kellen – The Elements of Sorcery

5.    Heidi Collotzi – The Secret of Avonoa

6.    Terry Green – Shaman, Healer, Heretic

7.    Tony Healey – The Bloody North

8.    Tom Wright – Apex Rising

9.    Callista Hunter – Goddess

10. Tristan Gregory – The Swordsman of Carn Nebeth

11. JP Lantern – Up the Tower

12. Jeff Morin – Fire Hurler

13. Sean Froyd – Inanis the Hooded

14. Melisa McPhail – Cephrael’s Hand

15. Michael Watson – Valkwitch

16. Robert Dahlen – Of Introductions and Abductions 

17. Matt Forbeck – Hard Times in Dragon City

18. Michael Karner – Red Axe, Black Sun

19. Timothy Bond – The Watcher’s Keep

20. Martin Owton – The Exile of Darien

21. Christopher Hayhurst – Metal, Salt, and Sand

22. Michael McClung – The thief who pulled on trouble’s braids

23. Christian Freed – Hammers in the Wind

24. Jacob Cooper – Circle of Reign

25. Jack Newhouse – Journey

26. Brian Kramer – Godhede

27. Salvador Mercer – The Black Dragon

3. Mark Aplin &co of the award winning Fantasy-Faction

1.    Tristan J Tarwater – The Self-Made Scoundrel

2.    J. Daniel Batt - Keaghan in the tales of Dreamside

3.    Christopher MacDonald – The Dreaded

4.    Dan Hupalo – The String Quartet

5.    Matthew Colville – Priest

6.    Sever Bronny – Arcane

7.    D.P Brown – A Fairie’s Tear

8.    Gregory Close – In Siege of Daylight

9.    Landon Portor – A girl and her monster

10. Tom Wright – Blood for Blood

11. Elizabeth McCoy – Queen of Roses

12. Casey Peter – After the Burning

13. Jonathan Moeller – Frostborn

14. John Dodds – The Mechanikals

15. Jenn Gott – The Lady of Souls

16. Sena Bryer – Dreambound

17. M. Edward McNally – The Sable City

18. James Cormier – Exile

19. Mark Gardner – Champion Standing

20. Thaddeus White – Journey to Altmortis

21. Shauna Granger – World of Ash

22. James Islington – The shadow of what was lost

23. Magnus von Black – The Song and the Pendant

24. Luke Spry – This Grave Kingdom

25. Davis Ashura – The Castes and the Outcastes

26. Daniel Eavenson – Dave Woke Up

27.  Joe Bailey – Shadow’s Rise

4. Mihir Wanchoo of Fantasy Book Critic

1.    Corey Bryers - Scrapper

2.    Alex Ziebart – Blood and Masks

3.    Beth Lyons – The Soul Thief

4.    Scott Warren – Sorcerous Crimes Division: Devil Bone

5.    Domino Finn – Shade City

6.    David Tatum – The Kitsune Stratagem

7.    Charlotte Cyprus – Kiss of the Fae

8.    Scott McGowan – Bjorn and Bread

9.    Greg James – Under a colder sun

10. Andy Crawford – The Pen is Mightier

11. Brian Lynch – King Callie

12. Christopher Ruz – Century of Sand

13. Anthony Lowe – City of Blades

14. Eric Knight – Wreckers Gate

15. Melissa Porter – Purple

16. Rachel Bowden – Artisan

17. Annika Howells – How to disappear completely

18. Wilf Jones – The Best of Men

19. Robert Mullin – Bid the gods arise

20. Sean Moran – A Time of Kings

21. Rob Donovan – Ritual of the Stones

22. Randall Fitzgerald – No One’s Chosen

23. Nat Russo – Necromancer Awakening

24. A. Murtagh – Soldiers 

25. Jenny Watson – Spirit’s Mage

26. Ken Lim – The Starfall Knight

27.  Victor Salinas – The Sword and its Servant

5. Lynn Williams of Lynn's Books

1.    Noel Coughlan – A Bright Power Rising

2.    R.P Rigoli – Red 

3.    Jennifer Bell – A warrior’s legacy: Jamie

4.    Andrew Rowe – Forging Divinity

5.    Melody Taylor – In the Dark

6.    Tavish Kaeden – The Weight of a Crown

7.    David Pedersen – Angst

8.    Adam Lee – Dark Heart

9.    Kal S Davian – Naming the Bane

10. Patrick J Loller – Forged by Battle

11. T.C Pearce – Into the Aether 

12. Will Kay – Requiem of Innocence

13. Benny Hinrichs – The Oneironauts

14. Neil McGarry & Daniel Ravipinto – The Duchess of the Shallows

15. Nick Marsden – The Light of Theolan

16. Janice McKonly – Welcome to Mystery Interior

17. Steve Thomas – Klondaeg the Monster Hunter

18. Wayne Miller – The Dung Ball Chronicle

19. Amanda McCrina - His Own Good Sword

20. Jack Kerr – Tommy Black and the Staff of Light

21. Scott Decker – Gemstone Wyverns

22. Terry Simpson – Game of Souls

23. Cindy Young-Turner – Thief of Hope

24. Ruairi Cinead Ducantlin – Verum – Exercitum ex Nihilo

25. Jake Scholl – Blade of the Broken

26. JR Karlsson – Escana 

27.  Maya Michaels - Iduna

6. Milo of The Fictional Hangout

1.    Karen de Lange – Beneath Starlight

2.    LJ Cohen – Time and Tithe

3.    SM Barrett – The Halloween Host

4.    Patty Jansen – Fire and Ice

5.    KJ Tantardini – God Striker

6.    William Dickstein – A Tale of Gems

7.    Jeff Goelz – The Rightful Queen

8.    Daniel Aspden – Hero the Killer

9.    Robert Courtland – Jack of Troubles

10. Daniel Quigley – Thunder Struck

11. Violet Patterson – Emerald Seer

12. Mary C Moore – Angelus

13. Milo Woods – Rupture

14. Seth Lindberg – Spawn of Dyscrasia

15. Robert Luis Rabello – Ceremonies and Celebrations

16. T.O Munro – Lady of the Helm

17. Brad Carsten – Riftwalkers

18. Jack Thane – Forsaken

19. Jonathan Walles – The little girl and the shadow

20. Plague Jack – Sins of Sovereignty

21. Trip Ellington – Game Alive

22. Daniel Ionson – After Life

23. David Moton – Chama

24. Peter Fugazzotto – Black River

25. Ellis L Knox – The Garden of Hugo Vuerloz

26. JM McDermott – Straggletaggle

27. Astra Crompton – Firstborn

7. Bob Milne of Beauty in Ruins

1.    Stoo Goff – Knights of Elevar

2.    Blair MacGregor – Sand of Bone 

3.    Rick Chiantaretto – Death of the Body

4.    Steve Muse – Heir of Nostalgia

5.    Lila Lestrange – Black Silk

6.    VJ Lakshman – Mythborn

7.    EJ Stevens – Burning Bright 

8.    Anthony Stevens – Shifter Shadows

9.    Rob Vitaro – By the light of the moons

10. Claude Blakhen – Osterode

11.  Andy Grinsfelder – Soulraker

12.  JL Doty – Child of the Sword 

13.  JD Brink – Tarnish 

14.  William G Saraband – Shattered Sands

15.  Craig Saunders – The Outlaw King

16.  Kevin Butterfield – Stormwalkers

17.  James Latimer – The Winter Warrior

18.  Brad Williams – Chadwick Yates and the Cannibal Shrine

19. CV Dreesman – The Marksmith

20.  Jay Swanson – Into the Nanten

21. Annie Bellet – Avarice

22. Kelly Russo – Dreamweavers

23. JD Hallowell – Dragon Fate

24.  James Gawley – Legionnaire

25.  Siana Wineland – Emergence

26.  Greg Dragon – Re-wired

8. Ria of Bibliotropic

1.    A.E Marling – Chisel and Frost

2.    . J. Edward Richie – Fall from Grace

3.     Peyton Reynolds – The Auguries of Dawn

4.     William D Richards – The Aggadeh Chronicles

5.     Shiriluna Nott – A Call to Arms

6.     Barbara Webb – City of Burning Shadows

7.     Amelia Smith – Scrapplings

8.     Erin Snyder – A Court of Five

9.     Irina Rempt – Terms of Service

10.  M. Todd Gallowglas – Dead Weight

11. TL Morganfield – The Bone Flower Queen

12.  Karen Gellender – The Problem With Black Magic

13.  Vanna Smythe – Protector

14.  Annette Gisby – The Chosen

15.  Sean Hannifin – Son of a Dark Wizard

16.  Robyn Wideman – Son of Thoron

17.  Lori Alden Holuta – The flight to Brassbright

18.  Chris Northern – The Last King’s Amulet

19.  Marc Johnson – Catalyst

20.  JK  Swift – Altdorf 

21.  Randall Boleyn – Wave Links to the Gods

22.  Nathan Boyce – Chronicle of Unfortunate Heroes

23.  Olga Godim – Squirrel of Magic

24.  GB Wren – The Silvering of Loran

25.  Alan Zendell – The Portal

26.  Mark Tyson – Defenders of the Sacred Land

9. Tyson Mauermann of The Speculative Book Review

1.     AJ Colby – Hunted 

2.    Tyler Danann – The Way Captain 

3.    Lisa Hayward – Blood Work

4.    Nicholas R Andrews – Secrets of the Stonechaser

5.    Susan D Kalior – Warriors in the Mist

6.    Lianne Miller – Nights of Shadow

7.    Crista McHugh – A Soul for Trouble

8.    Sara C Roethle – Tree of Ages

9.    Jonathan Crocker – A Dream of Hope and Sorrow

10. Kirby Moore – Starfall City

11.  CG Garcia – Old Souls 

12.  Michele Amitrani - Omnilogos

13.  NM Sotzek – Revealing the Revolution 

14.  Eliza Marie Jones – Rynlee’s Song

15.  Philip R Hall – Memories of the Dead

16.  SA Hunter – Unicorn Bait 

17.  L Blankenship – Disciple 

18.  Mark Maxwell – The London Project

19.  Frances Pauli – Blame the Bearer 

20.  William Dooling – Synchronicity

21.  Clare C Marshall – The Violet Fox

22.  Stephen Roy – Black Redneck vs The Space Zombies

23.  Robert Michael – Stone and Blood

24.  Masha du Toit – Crooks and Straights

25.  Nicholas Mena – Cayuye

26.  Steve S Grant  - Conqueror’s Law

10. The guys at Fantasy Book Review

1.    Nate Jones – Undying Heights

2.    Rinelle Grey – Twin Curse

3.    TR Goodman – My Name is Michael Bishop

4.    Henry Lion Oldie – ShMagic

5.    Christina Ochs – Prophet of Ruin

6.    Marilyn Peake – Shade

7.    Charlie Ward – Frotwoot's Faerie Tales

8.    Victoria Jeffrey – Schisms

9.    Graham Austin-King – Fae - The Wild Hunt

10.  Kade Derricks – Paladin’s Redemption

11.  Anastasia Marie – Binding Power

12.  Melanie Nilles – Spirit Blade

13.  Ashley Nixon – Cutlass 

14.  Jack Connor – The Atomic Sea

15.  Kenton Crowther – A Prince in Gangland

16.  David Benem – What Remains of Heroes

17.  Nick Moseley – Location, Location, Damnation

18.  Tom Fallwell – Dragon Rising

19.  SB Jones – Skymages and the Gateway of Time

20.  Jaleta Clegg – Dark Dancer

21.  Michael Ploof – The Whill of Agora

22.  J Niomi Ay – The boy who lit up the sky

23.  T Lynne Tolle – Hades’ Revenge

24.  Shawn Wickersheim –The Penitent Assassin

25.  John Patrick Kennedy – The Descended

26.  CM Cox – Sortilege
27. Scarlett Dawn – Valan Playboys