The Selfies Book Awards shortlists are here – and this year’s entries are the finest yet. They are also the largest in number – with entries double that of 2025. Proof – as if proof were needed – that self-publishing is booming.
Powered by BookBrunch, the Selfies are sponsored by IngramSpark, and supported by NielsenIQ BookData, ALLi, LitPR, The Combined Book Exhibit and New Generation Publishing.
The Selfies Book awards were established by BookBrunch in 2018 to recognise the very best in self-publishing in the UK, but in this eighth year, we flung open the doors to international authors, writing in English. We had entries from around the world – and the shortlists include writers from Australia, America and Europe.
The judges will assess the quality of the writing, the planning and execution of marketing campaigns, sales, as well as the production value and cover designs when selecting their winners.
The prize package for this year’s awards is worth over £2800. For full details see www.theselfies.co.uk
The Judges
Adult fiction – Liza DeBlock, literary agent, Greenstone Literary; Tilly Fitzgerald, bookstagrammer and content creator, @tillylovesbooks; Natasha Poliszczuk, Editor-in-Chief, BookBrunch
Memoir – Peter Cox, literary agent, Redhammer Management; Benjamin Hughes, Senior Manager – Business and Development, IngramSpark; Neill Denny, Editor, BookBrunch
Children’s – Zoe French, Topping & Company Booksellers of Ely; Rose Lihou, children’s author and illustrator of the Tiny Dogs series; Lucy Nathan, Editor, BookBrunch
In the adult fiction category, there were thrillers, fantasy, historical fiction, myths rewritten, and sci fi adventures. Narrowing it down to a shortlist was a task that sorely taxed us. Two of the shortlisted authors are international entrants: Bill Bennett is based in America; Jean Gill in France. Jo Penn has won a Selfie in the past for her non-fiction, and Jason Mann has achieved the accolade of being on the shortlist two years in a row.
Swimming With Manatees – Bill Bennett
When a young woman’s body surfaces in the serene springs of Crystal Cove, Detective Ava Martinez uncovers a deadly conspiracy linking a powerful biotech firm, a violent biker gang, and her own corrupt police chief.
Flint in the Bones – Eva St John
Twenty years ago, a magical accident in Oxford didn’t just ruin a drawer of maps—it rewrote Norwich. Detective Eliza ‘Bish’ Barnaby escaped as a child. Now, as a London detective with a secret talent for ‘map running’, she’s forced back to hunt down a murderer.
Hunting the Sun – Jean Gill
1151: The Whale Road. Doomed to exile in Sicily, warrior poet Skarfr and wise woman Hlif try to make a home, but someone in the dangerous court of King Roger II wants to kill them and Skarfr must prove his worth – or die trying. They navigate the dangerous courses set by the gods, knowing that Loki always laughs last.
The Silver Tide – Jason Mann
Cornwall, 1863. Maggie Pascoe watches as her family is lost to the sea. She finds comfort in her friendship with widow Norah Bray. But the tragedy was no accident, and as Maggie battles to uncover the truth, she uncovers a devastating secret. Inspired by a true story, this is a powerful tale of love, betrayal and one woman’s fight for justice.
Death Valley – Jo Penn
Eight guests. Eight deadly secrets. The Desert Sanctuary promises an exclusive escape for the ultra-wealthy—a five-star oasis. But when a devastating sandstorm cuts the resort off from civilisation, paradise becomes a prison. Then a killing ground.
The Butterfly Witch – E.L.Williams
Immortal, hunted, and bound to magic she can’t use, Gwen has survived witch hunts and world wars – always running, never belonging. Now, as a relentless hunter closes in, she must choose between the duty that keeps her alive and the love that could set her free.
Last year’s winner: The Echoing Shore – Jason Mann
For memoir we were swept from the battlefields of the Second World War, across Australia – where a young woman ran for her life, through a spiritual awakening, on a pilgrimage across Israel. The shortlist is varied, exciting and powerful.
Happy as Larry: A Psychiatrist’s Quest for Mental Health and Wellbeing – Larry Culliford
From a troubled childhood, through a challenging career, heartbreak, and globaladventures, Larry Culliford’s recounts his search for mental health, wellbeing and wholeness. Not only to cure his own ills, but to unravel the mysteries of emotional healing to help others.
Greatfruit: How Cancer Led Me to Living a More Fruitful Life – Steve Garraty
Diagnosed with cancer as a teenager, Steve Garraty confronted fear, uncertainty, and mortality, shaping a lifelong lens on gratitude, resilience, and what truly matters. Greatfruit speaks to anyone navigating disruption, loss, or reinvention.
Being Camilla: Life as a Royal Lookalike – Jane Mosse
What happens when you look so much like Queen Camilla that strangers bow, curtsey, or stare at you in the supermarket? Jane Mosse recounts her life as ‘the world’s best Camilla lookalike’ – from flirting with a faux King Charles in a Bollywood movie to landing up in prison alongside a Tom Jones doppelgänger.
Hot Banana – Abi Roberts
A compilation of memoirs in essays relaying highlights of a life well-lived – from being baptised in Russia, to being imprisoned for swearing outside the UK Covid Inquiry, and navigating the world of stand-up comedy.
The Art in My Palm – Luke Icarus Simon
A bold, Queer coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of war, abuse and displacement, this genre-defying debut blends memoir, autobiographical fiction and 1970s historical events.
Bridging Time 1944 – 2024: Letters to My Father – Patricia Townsend
When Patricia Townsend read the letters her father wrote to her grandparents during the final months of World War 2, she wrote her own letters in response. These letters, in the form of sonnets, blend her father’s words with her reflections on his experiences.
Last year’s winner: Can I Speak to Josephine, Please? – Sheila Brill
The children’s category is always a feast of creativity, ideas, issues and delight. This year’s shortlist features fantastical adventures, young detectives, a YA novel tackling consent, and our youngest-ever Selfies entrant ever, 10-year-old Hunter McNeil-Ali, who was inspired to write about a penguin after drawing one at the Natural History Museum
Kringle’s Emporium by Jemma Hatt
When Laney and Ben stumble through the door of Kringle’s Emporium, they step into a world of hidden wonders. But the emporium is more than a shop of curiosities. It is Kris Kringle’s travelling hiding place, and the magic of Christmas is in danger.
Searching for Amy by Becky Jones
Amy is a student, part-time waitress and keeper of a secret: when she was eighteen, an intimate video of her was filmed and shared without her consent. Back at school, Harry had seemed like the perfect person to lose her virginity to – good-looking, popular, and her best friend’s cousin. The sex was consensual. The video, however, was not.Now she’s at uni, but she can’t escape the feeling that someone might recognise her.
Pirate Penguin – Hunter McNeil-Ali
Flipper doesn’t want to be a penguin. When adventure comes floating inside a message in a bottle, Flipper jumps at the chance to be someone else. Will Flipper’s new pirate identity be enough to face the mean leopard seals? Or will they figure out that being brave is more about accepting who they are?
Seven: Distracted Detective – Rachel Pattinson
Bored during Mr Starling’s maths class, 13-year-old Seven looks out of the window and sees Mr O, the school caretaker, stumbling through the school grounds, dropping the school keys. Seven picks his keys up after class, and when Mr O is reported as missing, Seven decides to hunt for him – using the keys to access the school.
Tales of The Witch’s Cat: Escape From Petopia – Kirstie Watson
When the Witch’s Cat and his excitable best friend Puppy are whisked away toEnchanter – the most magical place in the world – Cat has one plan: secretly finishbrewing an invisibility potion. But things take a turn when they meet a mysterious wizard with a hypnotic ‘follow-me drum’ and Cat realises pets are going missing.
Time Tub Travellers: Circus Mystery by Claire Linney
The previous instalment in Linney’s mystery was highly commended last year, in this next chapter, Zula and Milo are back on another thrilling, time travelling adventure as their magical bathtub catapults them to the year 1845. Here they meet trailblazer Pablo Fanque, the first Black circus owner.
Last year’s winner: Beyond the Secret Lake – Karen Inglis