One Category. One Judge. 10 Winners. Only for Indie Kid's Book Authors

HOUSTON - Nov. 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Have you written a children's book? Search Amazon.com for "children's books" and you'll find nearly 4 million others who have written them, too. Many of those books are self-published. Each year, indie authors publish thousands more.

"Every self-published children's book author thinks their book is great," says Aviva Gittle, owner of Aviva Gittle Publishing and host of The Gittle List Book Competition. "Meanwhile, many  readers think that only traditionally-published books are worth buying and self-published books are all bad."

Aviva knows that this is not true. In 2013, she started writing and publishing her own books. "In networking with other indie authors, I discovered these incredible self-published children's picture books that I knew were as good — and in some cases better — than the classic books like The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss or Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak."

An indie author doesn't have the marketing budget of an author backed by the power of a traditional publishing house. Nor do they have the expertise to promote their books on their own. Aviva believed cross-promotion could help.

Aviva explains, "If indie authors promote each other's books, they can increase their marketing reach exponentially." For example, if an author tweets about just their own books, only their followers will hear about them. But, if 10 authors tweet about each other's books, they can potentially reach thousands of more people.

Aviva's solution? "In 2013 I started The Gittle List book competition to find and promote great children's picture books." Each year, she selects 10 books to promote for the holiday season. Aviva now has a list of 30 books that she is proud to recommend to readers. Why only children's picture books? "That is the genre I publish. It's also the genre I love best and buy for my grandchildren."

The Gittle List is now in its fourth year. "The diversity of books I receive is amazing. Winning books deal with topics from Monarch butterflies to the death of a loved one." The contest submission period is nearly a year long. For those indie authors who enter early, the book they enter has the chance to be promoted on several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Winners get an award seal to place on the winning book, paid promotion on Facebook, an interview posted on the Aviva Gittle Publishing website and promoted on social media, and 5-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. To ensure that the reviews are verified (and not rejected by Amazon), Aviva purchases at least one copy of each winning book.

The contest is hard work, but Aviva loves doing it. "When I sit down to read all the books that are submitted, I feel like a kid at Christmas," she says. Traditionally-published books have not cornered the market on quality books. If you believe in your self-published children's picture book, enter The Gittle List 2016 book competition today. But, hurry, time is running out.

The 2016 Gittle List Book Competition closes for submissions midnight CST, November 15, 2016. Digital or print versions are accepted. (Print books must be postmarked by 11/15/16 and received by 11/20/16. Emailed PDF proofs are acceptable.) The contest is open to indie authors around the world. Read the full contest rules here: http://gotogittle.com/the-gittle-list-2016-contest-rules/. Artists can submit books on behalf of the self-published they illustrated. Up to two books per author may be submitted.

Aviva Gittle Publishing writes and publishes stories for children in English and Spanish. Aviva's website, www.GoToGittle.com, shares the stories of authors, illustrators and others who create books and creative media for children.