ECPA Announces Book Award Changes
by Lori Smith, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 3/8/2006
 CEO Mark Kuyper |
The name is just one of many changes ECPA has made to the awards program. Instead of the 20 categories of last year's awards, this year's will feature only six: Bibles, Fiction, Children & Youth, Inspiration & Gift, Bible Reference & Study, and Christian Life. "It was a challenge to narrow down the categories," Kuyper said, "but when you look at other awards—like the National Book Award—they have very few categories, and they're drawing from a much larger pool of books. The reason it works so well is that it allows more attention to be paid to those titles that win."
Judging also will be different this year. Previously, judges could be expected to read as many as 60 books in two months. Now none of the almost 80 judges will have more than 20 books to read in three months. And while judging was previously limited to Christian retailers, it's been expanded to include authors and industry experts.
There are new marketing efforts this year as well. ECPA has hired McClure Muntsinger Public Relations to work on getting media attention in both the general and Christian markets when winners are announced. Kuyper said ECPA is in discussions with retailers—including both Christian stores and chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble—about how they can support the program. He also expects to continue a partnership with Christianity Today Inc., which provided free half-page ads for last year's winners in their magazines, including Christianity Today and Today's Christian Woman.
According to Kuyper, publishers are largely pleased with the changes. The awards have been given out annually since 1978 and will be presented this year during the International Christian Retail Show in Denver, Colo., July 9-13.
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