UTOPiAcon 2016 - Sponsors, Awards Nominations, and Alessandra Torre Questions

Happy Monday for a second time, good people of the blogosphere! This go round, we're talking UTOPiAcon 2016. I'm not going to ramble here, I'm just going to dive into the good stuff.

All remaining tickets and exhibitor space are 10% off for the month of April! This is one heck of a deal, so get on it right now!

Tickets are here!

Let's start off with some awesome. Keynote speaker Alessandra Torre has agreed to take questions from attendees! It's a simple process, all you have to do is fill out the form below.



Who is Alessandra Torre?

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels and one collection of short stories. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

Learn more about Alessandra on her website, on Twitter @ReadAlessandra or her Facebook fanpage.

Before I get to another couple of awesome sponsors for this year, did you know you can keep track of all the goings-on at the conference with one, easy to use app? Check out Sched right now! Get your days all planned out so you aren't lost in June! The bloggers will be explaining how to use that awesome tool next month. Don't miss out!

Now, I'm gonna tell you a little about two more of our awesome sponsors!

Vellum helps you create beautiful eBooks. 

Vellum’s built-in Book Styles incorporate classic touches like custom drop caps and ornamental flourishes, and are automatically applied to your book.

Your eBooks are tailored for each store and adapt to screens large and small. So no matter how they buy or read it, your readers are sure to see a beautiful eBook.

Find them on the web here!

Be sure and check out their blog, too!

Wise Ink - Authors Need More than a Publisher

Wise Ink is a creative publishing agency for game-changers. We love publishing books. We've helped more than four hundred authors bring their ideas from manuscript to print and we learned a few things.

We learned that authors need more. Authors need a strong platform, strategic marketing, top-notch editing, award-winning book design, and a creative team dedicated to helping you succeed beyond the book.
Wise Ink was created to help you: the author with a big picture and the passion to prove it.

Find them on the web here!

And, their blog!

FIFTH Annual UTOPiAcon Awards!

Nominations by the academy are happening now! If you have a book (or books) that's eligible for an award, list them on your blog and share your link below.

ELIGIBLE BOOKS:

Eligible books are those published between April 1, 2015 and April 1, 2016 that fall into the categories set forth by Utopia.

ALL books are eligible. You don't have to be an attendee of the con to be nominated OR to win! Indie, trad pub, all are welcome for nominations!

Don't forget to visit the other awesome bloggers this month!
Week 1: Jo Michaels and Maria Pease
Week 2: Shana Benedict and Delphina Miyares
Week 3: Ren Reidy
Week 4: Ashley Bodette and Kathryn Grimes

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Nominated for Two Awards - Vote?

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I have some amazing news for you all. It's late because I've been on the fence with how to approach it. Bear with me while I explain, please. *grin* Do you have coffee? If not, grab some, sit back, and relax while you read.

I was recently nominated for two amazing awards by the utopYA Academy, and I'd like to tell you about them. I'm gonna ask you for a favor here in a minute, so stick with me.

First up, I got nominated for Blogger of the Year. This was huge for me, because there are some amazing bloggers on that list with me: Maria Pease, Tammie Ross Zimmerman, Shana Benedict, Vilma Gonzales, and Mandy Anderson. I mean, wow. I'm over the moon to be on that list.

More than that, it helped me realize what I do here in my corner of the blogosphere is appreciated, and it tells me someone, somewhere, found something I published helpful in some way. That made me smile. It's not about winning the award; it's about being on that list. I'm there. I helped someone in some way. I've already won. *cheers*

Secondly, I was nominated for a super amazing award that honors people who've displayed the tenants of utopYA over the last year (education, collaboration, and inspiration). It's called Utopian of the Year. Appropriate name, huh? On that list with me are some women I greatly admire, and there are a few I'm lucky enough to call friends: Carlyle Labuschagne, Tammie Ross Zimmerman, Heather Hildenbrand, S. M. Boyce, Carol Kunz, and Casey L. Bond.

This nomination means a lot. I'm humbled beyond words to be included with those women.

Why did I struggle with how to approach this? Well, it's because I'm me. While I have few issues with talking about my books and how much you may love them, I tend to freeze when I talk about myself. I'm just a woman at a keyboard. I do appreciate the things I do for others, but I always feel like I could be doing more.

I believe in the message of utopYA: Lift as You Climb. It's a powerful movement I'd love to see everyone embrace. That link will take you to a piece I wrote on the subject. Because of that, I stand behind the conference 100%.

Recently, I was asked to join the team of awesome that helps bring the conference to fruition every year. No, I won't be working to get sponsors or help organize the con. My end comes down to promotion and getting the word out. I'm the Book Blogger/Tuber Coordinator.

I have no words for how excited I was when Janet Wallace asked me to be a part of something so monumental in my mind. Something I believe so strongly in the message of. I jumped at the chance to help spread that mindset.

Speaking of which, if you don't have tickets yet, get them here now. They're almost all gone, and utopYA isn't an experience you want to miss.

But, I digress! Funny how you can do that when you're talking about your passion, huh?

Here's what I'd love it if you guys would do: Go vote for your favorites! It doesn't matter if it's me or one of the other women/men/books on those lists. Add your voice to the sounding board. Support the people you adore!

Want the link? Your wish is my command!

VOTE HERE

Thanks for reading my little post.

Did you vote? See anyone on that list you love?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo