A La Carte Food & Fiction wins Gourmand Award

I missed the original email from Gourmandbooks.com, but Marily Orosa and Felice Sta. Maria informed me that the anthology which Marily and I co-edited, A La Carte: Food & Fiction, won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2007,in the category Best Food Literature Book. Apparently the book is a winner in the Philippines, and will be competing with other countries' winners.

Here's the official letter from Gourmand:
Congratulations!
Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2007
You are the winner in your country PhilippinesYou qualify for the next "Gourmand Best in the World Competition"

With:

A La Carte: Food & Fiction
Edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard and Marily Y. Orosa
25 Authors
Illustrations by Ice de Leon
ISBN: 978 9712718770
Anvil Publisher

In the category: Best Food Literature Book

The winners will appear in the website http://www.cookbookfair.com on January 8, 2008.

The following is more information about the award:

GOURMAND AWARDS
www.cookbookfair.com

WINNING
1.- THE PROCESS
In 2007, over 6000 books were received from 107 countries. All books compete within their own country, sometimes separated by languages, to correspond to the book trade established markets.

The deadline for receiving books was November 15. Entry is free, there are no fees. Anyone may send books to compete, the author(s), the publisher, the readers.
The winners receive personnally their notification at the end of 2007. The lists of winners are posted on internet in January 2008.

2.- THE IMPACT OF WINNING
Given the number of books in the competition, it is an honour to win. Winning books get more visibility in the market place and may get higher sales, often with new print runs.

The selection process tries to focus on books that have international potential. Winners books get international attention: translations and international rights deals may be negotiated.

Winners use self adhesive tickets to announce visibly their award to the public. They issue press releases in their local and international markets. There is much promotion of the awards on internet sites, publishers catalogues, in the next books, and in authors biographies.

3.- THE GOURMAND YEARBOOK
The Gourmand Yearbook 2006 and 2007 give much cookbook and wine book trade information which cannot be found elsewhere = market information, trends, lists of Gourmand winning books with comments on the books.

The Yearbook is distributed at the international book fairs that Gourmand attends, and it is the catalogue of the exhibitions, which follow the Yearbook classification of the winners. The Yearbook is also sold by major cookbook stores around the world, and directly by Gourmand.

4.- THE GOURMAND EXHIBITIONS
Last year winning books had the following exhibitions, free for the winners:

- April : Beijing Gourmand Awards, Dragon Springs Exhibition
Visitors: trade professionals from 36 countries plus many Chinese.

- October: Frankfurt Book Fair.
Gourmand Cookbook Stand of 130 m2.

- 2007-2008: Beijing International Book City
Permanent One Year Exhibition.
The Gourmand stand is one of the 10 biggest among the 48 foreigners present.

In the coming year 2008 there is the same exhibition plan, with a major presence at the major book fairs, such as the London International Book Fair, April 14-16: our Gourmand Cookbook Corner will be even bigger than in Frankfurt, with the exhibition, chefs demonstrations, and a Champagne Bar.

5.- THE FUTURE
Winners qualify for the “Best in the World” competition.
The results of that competition will be announced at the Gourmand yearly awards show in May 2008. The location will be communicated directly to you, and all information will be on internet in January 2008.

For more information, including the Gourmand history and the future schedule see: www.cookbookfair.com