Saturday 15 May 2021

SPFBO 7 - the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2021 - PHASE 1

This page is for phase 1 of SPFBO 7  -  read more about the contest here.




This year the gender info is self-reported, with 12 authors choosing not to answer.

A list of most of the entries is on Goodreads thanks to Hiu Gregg.
From the list I discovered that:
40 entries ~13% have 100+ ratings on Goodreads.
 97 of the entries have 25+ ratings.
 0 of the books were published 10 or more years ago - the oldest is 9 years old.
 0 of the books have more than 1,000 pages. The longest is 986 pages.
 5 of the books have over a 1,000 ratings, the most ratings is 3,769.


Here's the traditional wordle made from the titles of this year's entries:

Booknest chooses Mortal Blade as their finalist - we're done with Phase One!
Before We Go Blog picks the penultimate finalist!
Booknest reviews Heir to the Darkmage.
Booknest reviews Cursed.
Before We Go Blog reviews Sword of the Scarred and Something Stirs.
The Fantasy Inn reveal their finalist!
Stranger Back Home is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
The Lynn's Books/Critiquing Chemist team choose their finalist!
A semi-finalist from The Fantasy Inn.
The Fantasy Hive reveal their finalist!
The Critiquing Chemist reviews Hall of Bones.
Journal of Resurrection is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
To The North is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Critiquing Chemist reviews Throne of Ice and Ash.
Another semi-finalist cut on The Fantasy Hive.
Fantasy-Faction pick their finalist!
Fantasy-Faction pick their 2nd 2nd place semi-finalists.
Fantasy-Faction pick their 1st 2nd place semi-finalists.
Blood of Ravens is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Curse Painter.
The Fantasy Hive cut another semi-finalist.
Out of the Dust is reviewed by the Critiquing Chemist.
Hall of Bones is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
The Fantasy Hive reviews Windward.
Fantasy-Faction cut three of their semi-finalists.
Subversive is reviewed by the Lynn's Books/Critiquing Chemist team.
Another semi-finalist announced on The Fantasy Inn.
The Fantasy Inn announce a semi-finalist.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Finnian's Fiddle.
Booknest reviews The Bright Lord.
A Cat's Guide To Bonding With Dragons is reviewed on Booknest.
Greed is reviewed on Booknest.
Eulogy of the Dawn is reviewed on Booknest.
The Lynn's Books team reviews Ten Thousand Stitches.
Lynn's Books & The Critiquing Chemist reveal their semi-finalists.
Four fall on Fantasy-Faction.
Hooded is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Lynn's Books reviews The Throne of Ice and Ash.
The Darkness That Slept is reviewed by Lynn's Books /Critiquing Chemist team.
Children is reviewed by Lynn's Books /Critiquing Chemist team.
The Fantasy Inn pick another semi-finalist.
Before We Go Blog reviews Death by Miracle.
A semi-finalist from The Fantasy Inn.
More cuts from the Lynn's Books & Critiquing Chemist team.
Before We Go Blog makes some cuts.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Reign & Ruin.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Old Bolts.
A Song of Steel is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Sword of the Moon King is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Good Blood.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Ascendant.
The Look Of A King is reviewed on Booknest.
Five more fall at Fantasy-Faction ... or were they pushed?
Jewels of Smoky Quartz is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn.
Lynn's Books reviews Out of the Dust.
The Fantasy Inn reviews The Rave.
Last Sword In The West is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn,
By The Skies is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn.
Haven is reviewed on Booknest.
Another semi-finalist for Booknest.
Lynn's Books reviews Little White Hands.
Rise of the Tobian Princess is reviewed on Booknest.
Along The Razor's Edge is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
FanFiAddict choose their last semi-finalists.
Becky M announces her finalist!
Another five bite the dust on Fantasy-Faction.
Becky M reveals and talks about her semi-finalists.
The Fantasy Hive choose another semi-finalist.
A finalist is chosen on The Weatherwax Report!
The Fantasy Hive choose another semi-finalist.
Before We Go Blog reviews semi-finalist Something Stirs.
Becky M reviews Legacy of the Brightwash.
The Fantasy Hive pick their penultimate semifinalist.
The Shadows of Dust reviewed by Becky M.
Three books cut by The Fantasy Hive.
Four books cut by Becky M.
Before We Go Blog reviews The Girl Who Talks To Ashes.
Beneath a Brass Sky is reviewed by Becky M.
Cuts from Lynn's Books.
FanFiAddict cut ten more titles.
Cogitation from The Hive on their semi-semi-finalists.
Three more books fatally stung by the Hive.
Lynn's Books reviews By The Pact.
A big round of cuts from The Fantasy Inn.
Rising Shadows is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
Eternal Defenders is reviewed by Becky M.
Skyview is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
The Fantasy Hive pick another semi-finalist.
Becky M reviews College of Shadows.
Dreams of the Dying is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn.
Three more cut by The Fantasy Hive.
Fantasy-Faction cut 5 more books.
The Fantasy Inn reviews Bloodlines.
Wolfeater is reviewed by Becky M.
Iarraindorn is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
The Critiquing Chemist reviews Squire George & The Dragon.
The Fantasy Hive review more books.
Cuts, cuts, cuts from Becky M.
More cuts from The Fantasy Hive.
Becky M reviews Dark Sea's End.
Lynn's Books reviews Carrion.
Blades Falling Softly is reviewed by the Critiquing Chemist.
More cuts from the Lynn's Books team.
Before We Go Blog review The Dividing.
Before We Go Blog review A Drowned Kingdom.
A second semi-finalist from The Fantasy Hive.
A second round of cuts from The Fantasy Hive.
Booknest reviews Empire's Daughter.
The Fantasy Hive chooses a semi-finalist.
Hunters is reviewed by the Critiquing Chemist.
A Handful of Souls & Restoration Day are viewed by the Booknest Team.
The Crown Of Death is reviewed by the Critiquing Chemist.
The Fantasy Hive cut three titles.
Fantasy Book Critic choose this year's first finalist!
Ghost Line is reviewed by the Critiquing Chemist.
The Fantasy Inn reviews A Change of Blood.
Stranger Back Home is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
3 more cuts from the Lynn's Books team.
Lynn's Books reviews Dragonbirth.
Before We Go Blog reviews Old Cold Cannibal.
Norylska Groans & Gunmetal Gods reviewed on Fantasy Book Critic.
The Demons We See is reviewed by Before We Go Blog.
She's The One That Thinks Too Much is reviewed on Booknest.
The Deathless One is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
The Hand Of Fire is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Fantasy Book Critic picks its final semi-finalist!
Lynn's Books review Book of Secrets.
Before We Go Blog reviews The Trials of the Core.
Ten titles cut on FanFiAddict.
Becky M reviews Path of Darkness.
Becky M reviews Defiant.
Stone Magus is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
Final round 1 cuts from Team Weatherwax.
Team Weatherwax give us a semi-finalist review.
3 more books cut by Becky M.
The Fantasy Inn review Red Harvest Moon.
Team Weatherwax give us a semi-finalist review.
More cuts from The Weatherwax Report.
A third semi-finalist is chosen on The Weatherwax Report.
Breakaway is reviewed on The Fantasy Inn
Berserker is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
Fantasy Book Critic choose a third semi-finalist.
Fantasy-Faction cut five in one blow.
The Gatekeeper's Staff is reviewed by The Weatherwax team.
More cuts on The Weatherwax Report.
The Weatherwax team review Thunder Heist.
Bitter Sky is reviewed on Booknest.
A 2nd semi-finalist for The Weatherwax Report.
More Weather, more Wax, more cuts.
Fool's Proof is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
Cuts from the Lynn's Books/Critiquing Chemist team.
Team Weatherwax review The Truth And Other Lies.
Becky M reviews Daughter Of No Worlds.
The Weatherwax Report delivers more cuts (wax off).
Fantasy Book Critic name a 2nd semi-finalist.
Saint Dorian And The Witch is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
Before We Go Blog chooses a semi-finalist.
The Weatherwax team review Ye Olde Robin Hood.
The Weatherwax Report chooses a semi-finalist.
First cuts on The Weatherwax Report.
The Weatherwax Report reviews Cold From The North.
Three books cut on Lynn's Books.
The Tryphon Odyssey is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Becky M reviews Casting in Stone.
Lynn's Books review One of Us.
Three books cut by Becky M.
A Time of Ashes is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Fantasy Book Critic culls some titles and picks a semifinalist!
Becky M reviews James: Witch-Hunter.
Lynn's Books reviews Deathborn.
Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts is reviewed on Before We Go Blog.
Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
Before We Go Blog reviews I Kill Monsters.
The Lady of the Kingdoms is reviewed on Booknest.
Flesh Eater is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
Booknest reviews Birthright.
The Weatherwax Report reviews Kings & Daemons.
The Stars Within & Shimmerdark are reviewed on Booknest.
Booknest review The Mortal Blade.
Stranded is reviewed on Lynn's Books.
Booknest review Emergency Shift.
Ryswyck is reviewed and cut on Before We Go Blog.
We Men of Ash and Shadow is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
Before We Go Blog reviews Unstoppable Shadow.
Becky M reviews Oh Wretched Moon.
The Lords of the Summer Season is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
The Child of Chaos is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
Booknest review Blood Spells.
Bound Fairy is reviewed on Booknest.
The Weatherwax Report reviews The God Game.
A Dragon's Chains is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
The Wayward Wizard is reviewed on The Weatherwax Report.
The Weatherwax Report reviews The Other Magic.
Booknest review Flames of rebellion.
The Weatherwax Report reviews This Quest Is Bullshit.



10 of 300 contestants are still in the running!

red = cut
+ indicates semi-finalist


The finalists can be found on the phase 2 page.



Kerstin Espinosa Rosero +
 
Christopher Warman, Elan Marche +
 
ML Spencer +

Jack Massa +



Better Hero Army
 
A.J. Cerna & Derek Alan Siddoway
 
A.F.E. Smith
 
Talulah J. Sullivan
 
A.R. Henle
 
S. Lynn Helton
 
Carol A. Park
 
Samuel Colbran
 
Raymond St. Elmo
 
Andrew Marc Rowe
 
Rohan M. Vider
 
Melissa Wright
 
T. Thorn Coyle
 
Ryan Cahill
 
Matthew Travagline
 
Christopher Scott
 
Anthony Lowe
 
Chris A. Jackson
 
Rune S. Nielsen
 
Alan Scott
 
Moud Adel
 
Sean P. Valiente
 
Alex Raizman
 
Andrew Hindle
 


Michael R Fletcher & Clayton W. Snyder 

Zamil Akhtar +


Alex S. Bradshaw +

M. L. Farb
 
A.M. Obst
 
Kevin Wright
 
Ryan D. Meier
 
Alli Temple
 
Joy Demers
 
A.J Rettger
 
Rachel Ford
 
Edward Hargreaves
 
Thomas J Devens
 
Damien Shillingford
 
Joshua Kern
 
Cat Hellisen
 
Kenneth Buff
 
J.J. Egosi
 
Luke R. J. Maynard
 
E A McLaren
 
Brian D. Anderson & Steven Savile
 
Olga Werby
 
Monica Enderle Pierce
 
Anthea Sharp
 
K.R.R. Lockhaven
 
Rob Donovan
 
Morgan Stang
 
A.K.M. Beach
 
Sascha Kersken

 

 
Tim Hardie +

Colleen Cowley +
 
Joe Coates +

J.D.L. Rosell +

Olivia Atwater +

C. E. Page
 
David Nelson
 
M. Warren Askins
 
Phillip Blackwater
 
Alyson Tait
 
Adam Digger Stolz
 
Rosalind Tate
 
Christopher P. Walsh
 
Philip Dickens
 
M.A. Poole
 
Joanna Maciejewska
 
Damon L. Wakes
 
Stephanie C. Marks
 
Sarah Lin
 
Mark Cushen
 
Raina Nightingale
 
Tristen Kozinski and Keegan Kozinski
 
Jon Ford
 
Ashley Capes
 
Bjørn Larssen
 
Dimitrios Gkirgkiris
 
Kova Killian
 
Claudia Blood
 
M. L. Roberts
 
David Schratz
 


 
Christopher Mitchell

Levi Jacobs +
 
Stephen Rice +
 
Jeramy Goble +

Virginia McClain
 
Viljami L.
 
S. R. Cronin
 
Kim Fedyk
 
Marian L Thorpe
 
Alex Knowles
 
Ceril N Domace
 
D.L. Gardner
 
Lena Alison Knight
 
Tim Stretton
 
Alicia Ellis
 
Brent Miller
 
Jacquelyn Benson
 
Lisa Cassidy
 
Suzannah Rowntree
 
Marti Talbott
The Kings of the Seven Bells
 
Aaron S. Jones
 
Alex Robins
 
Tom Dumbrell
 
Daniel Potter

Sarah Mensinga
 
Colin Adams
Eyes Last Seen Dying
 
L. D. Colter
While Gods Sleep
 
Lorain O'Neil

Chris Behrsin
 
Deborah Makarios
 


 
HL Tinsley
 
D.K. Holmberg +
 
Ryan Howse +
 
Travis M. Riddle +
   
Antoine Bandele +
 
Marcus Lee +
  
Glen Dahlgren

G.S Michaelson

R.P. Lauer
 
Jimi Rodriguez
 
Kate Danley
 
Sara Jolene
 
Keith Deininger
 
JP Valentine
 
Ernesto San Giacomo
 
Jed Herne
 
Lyra Wolf
 
Robert Vane
 
Michael Raship
 
Derrick Smythe
 
Eva Sandor

Alesha Escobar

D.W. Ross

Paul Freeman
 
Paul J Bennett
 
A.L. Knorr
 
Craig Askham
 
Larema Dixon
 
Peter Blaisdell
 
Reeshi Ray
 


T L Greylock / Bryce O'Connor +

Daniel T. Jackson +
 
Anela Deen +

 
Liza Street +

S. Kaeth +
 
Jason A. Holt
 
C. A. Lyness
 
U. G. Gutman
 
Rebecca Mickley
 
Olga Gibbs
 
Cait Reynolds
 
KE Wills
 
V.L. Kinnaman
 
D. Wolfsbane
 
 
Emmanuel Akeyo
 
Val Neil
 
Toby Bennett
 
Drew Montgomery
 
Scott Kaelen
 
Amy Maltman
 
Rebecca Bapaye
 
Tim Marquitz
 
Israel Barbuzano
 
Douglas Lumsden
 
T.R. Preston
 
A.E. Bennett
 
Michael E. Thom
 
Willow Woods



J. D. Evans +
 
Michael S. Jackson +

Edward Nile +
 
Meredith Hart +
 
Phil Williams +
 
Jen McIntosh
 
Ryan Kirk
 
Matthew Davis
 
Farida Mestek
 
G. P. Gabriel
 
Alex H. Singh
 
J.E.Mueller
 
D. A. Holley
 
Dezarea Dunn
 
Shannon Pemrick
 
K R Gangi
 
Billy Ketch Allen
 
Eve Koguce
 
Thiago d'Evecque

Jordan Rivet
 
Anat Eliraz
 
Ellie Raine
 
Anton Le Roy
 
Miles Hurt
 
J.R. Traas
 
Michael R. Miller
 
Nicolas Lietzau
 
Niamh Schmid and Rebecca Schmid
 
Chandler Groover
 
Jason J. Nugent




L. L. MacRae +

Allegra Pescatore & E. Sands +
 
Todd Herzman +
 
Karim Soliman +
 
Jace Kang +
    
Natalie J. Holden
 
M J McBride 
 
Matthew Samuels
 
R. E. Fury
 
Heide Goody and Iain Grant
 
Hûw Steer
 
Nicholas Jean-Pierre
 
W. V. Fitz-Simon
 
C.D. Gallant-King
 
J. R. Snyder
 
James Pyne
 
Kim Alexander
 
Mikkel Høst
 
Jeffrey L. Kohanek
 
G.A. Everett
 
Phillip Murrell
 
T.M. Baumgartner

Christopher Matson

Shane Scott
 
Rick Dietrich
 
Randall P. Girdner

A. F. Stewart
 
Neil Beynon
 
Leonard & Ann Marie Wilson



 
Krystle Matar 
 
Carissa Broadbent +
 
C.M. Lackner +
 
Anthony Mitchell +
   
Richard Nell
 
Dave Dobson

Krista Jain
 
Jane Glatt
 
K.S. Marsden
 
David Stephenson
 
Casey White
 
Matt Larkin
 
Tim Beeden
 
A B Endacott
 
Morgan Smith

Tomas K. Grizzly
 
Alec Hutson
 
Mark Wells
 
Bruce Pedersen
 
Bharat Krishnan
 
Kate Ramsey
 
V.A. Lewis
 
Vista McDowall
 
Gleneley Liesl Stander
 
Aaron Hodges
 
Avril Sabine
 
Eli Steele
 
Melissa Stone

Rita A. Rubin
 
Lee H. Haywood



 
Ben Galley +

Clayton Snyder +

A.J. Austin +

Jeffrey Hall +

E.L. Haines +

P.L. Stuart 
 
Rob J. Hayes
 
John Ross Elliott
Mage Family
 
Dennis Liggio
 
S.D. Howarth
 
Devin Downing
 
Todd Maternowski
 
S A Haycock
 
Brad Carsten
 
E.S. Barrison
 
M. Sheehan
 
W.J. Donovan
 
Fowler Brown
 
Gareth Lush
 
A. A. Woods
 
J. C. Duncan
 
Krista D. Ball
 
Evan L. Grove
 
Rachel Rener
 
Niranjan
 
Michael E. Thies
 
Alex Mead
 
L.D. Inman
 
Ru Pringle
 
Roland J O'Leary

14 comments:

  1. Just curious - has the gender ratio changed over the years SPFBO has been running?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can check them via the homepage - in the earlier ones they were guesses based on names - but I think it's been fairly stable in a 2/3rds 1/3 ratio.

      Delete
  2. Excellent! First time submitter here, very excited. Thanks again for all this hard work Mark - and to all the bloggers! Sincerely, Hatboy, aka. Edpool on Twitter, aka. Andrew "Bad Cow" Hindle ... too many nicknames.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts by Gareth Lush seems to appear twice in 4 and 10

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there, Mark!
    I’m a first time submitter and I think I’ve erred with my mobi and ePub files upon upload. Can I update with a more readable, coherent file before the June 1st competition start? I’d really like to put my best foot forward in terms of presentation.
    Kind regards and thank you for the solid work in assembling these bloggers for this fantastic opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. First time submitter and delighted/terrified to be involved. A massive thank you to you Mark for creating this opportunity and to the bloggers for taking the time to consider our work.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Curious, how are the blogs selected?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi there, Mark! Looks like I missed the boat on this round. How can I find out when the next competition begins, and entries are being submitted?
    Thanks!
    K.C.Julius
    https://www.kcjulius.com/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Soulbound by Bethany Adams was in 2017's SPFBO.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Virginia McClain's entry also has AJ Rettger in the author column. Group six has a blank. Is it supposed to be AJ Rettger's book?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it's just a copy/paste error as A.J. Rettger has their book in group 2 and the blank in group 6 has been filled with a different author.

      Delete
  10. Was I ever in the running, or 1 of the first lucky 15 out?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A bizarre question, particularly since you don't identify yourself...

      Delete
  11. Apologies - I have spotted my contribution: 15 down - Before we go Blog. I had a minor panic attack, I want to die with honor with the 300 (299); just to be in the game is fab, thanks.

    ReplyDelete