Bedside Reading
Est. 2017
Sweet Amenity · Now Open
6th International
Book Cover Awards
$89
Entry fee
$7,200+
In prizes
60+
Countries reached
Key Dates
Submissions Close
December 30, 2026
Public Voting
Dec 31 — Jan 14
2026 — 2027
Winners Announced
January 16, 2027
For Every Entrant
What You'll Receive
Included with submission
Four custom promotional images
Newsletter features — 7,000+ readers, multiple sends
Social media spotlights
Inclusion in our international voting campaign
For Winners
Above & Beyond
Top honors include
Hotel program placement
Digital library placement — with Author Spotlight feature
Extended newsletter and social promotion
The gold winner's seal
Gold Seal
How BCA Compares
More Than a Listing.
Most book awards charge $89 or more and give you a listing if you don't win.
BCA promotes every entry — win or lose.
BCA promotes every entry — win or lose.
Award
Entry Fee
If You Don't Win
Bedside Reading BCA
Best Value
$89
Newsletter features, social posts, 4 custom promo images, and inclusion in our international voting campaign.
IPPY Awards
$95+
Listing only.
Foreword INDIES
$89
Listing only.
IBPA Benjamin Franklin
$185
Listing only.
Why BCA
You're not buying a contest.
You're buying two months of promotion.
A different kind of book award.
Most book award entry fees buy you a logo if you win, and nothing if you don't.
BCA is built differently. The moment you submit, your cover enters our promotional engine — newsletter features, social media posts, custom graphics you can share, and inclusion in an international voting campaign.
3,000+
Voters last year
60+
Countries reached
$7,200+
In prize value
Win or lose, your book gets seen.
Win, and you also receive placement in our luxury hotel program, our digital library, and our Author Spotlight series — a package valued at over $7,200.
At $89, that's less than most book award entries — and you're getting promotion no other contest offers.
A Global Audience
From 60 Countries, One Conversation.
Where last year's voters came from.
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Finland
France
Germany
Guatemala
Honduras
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Lithuania
Mali
Mexico
Mongolia
Mozambique
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Turkey
UAE
United Kingdom
Uruguay
USA
Vietnam
Questions?
[email protected]
Win or Lose
What You Get If You Don't Win
Every cover earns promotion. Every author leaves with reach.
Included With Every Entry
The BCA Promotional Package
Featured whether you win or not.
01
Newsletter feature to 7,000+ subscribers
04
Custom promo images, ready to share
04+
Social media posts across our channels
60+
Countries reached through the voting campaign
Categories
Seven Categories.
Most Genres Welcome.
Seven competition categories
Fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and more
Open to traditionally published, indie, and small-press titles
Eligibility
2023 — 2027
Publishing Window.
Books published between 2023 and 2027
Titles scheduled for publication in 2027 are eligible
One cover per entry; multiple entries welcome
A Note on Content
We don't accept books that are political, religious, or sexually explicit in nature (think Fifty Shades of Grey-level content). Everything else is welcome.
The Prize Package
Winners Take Home $7,200+
In promotional value across three tiers.
Total Value
$7,250+
01
$3,900
Value
Hotel Program Placement
Your physical book is placed in one of our luxury hotel partners' guest programs.
Winner provides 50+ copies.
02
$2,500
Value
Digital Library & Author Spotlight
Your ebook or audiobook offered as a complimentary guest amenity through our hotel partners, plus a dedicated author spotlight feature.
03
$850
Value
Newsletter & Social Promotion
Featured placement across our newsletters and social channels — reaching thousands of engaged readers, hotel partners, and industry contacts.
Prizes are promotional service packages and are not redeemable for cash.
What past winners say:
Jane and her team featured my book in their newsletter and brought me to their event at The Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria — free. I'm so appreciative of their dedication to books and authors."
— Suzanne Simonetti, USA Today bestselling author, The Sound of Wings
"
"The placement in their newsletters and media — Luxury Magazines, Publishers Weekly, Facebook, Instagram — exposed my series to a whole new upper-echelon market. This exposure included luxury hotels, which added additional awareness and sales. If you want your title to stand heads above the others, I highly recommend adding Bedside Reading to your marketing plan."
— Robert Scott Thayer, award-winning author, Kobee Manatee series
"I've found new readers through the programs they offer winners. I love it so much I've entered a new book cover for the third year in a row."
— Kelly Elliott, Fearless Enough
"Just the added visibility from other voters was worth the price. Having our book win, with the cover in social media and magazine ads, was pure bonus. It's always nice to be able to say 'award-winning.'"
— Terrel Dean, Award-winning author, Dance-It-Out series
The Process
How It Works
Four simple steps from entry to announcement.
01
Submit Your Cover
By December 30, 2026
Fill out the entry form, upload your cover, and pay the $89 entry fee — or $158 for two entries.
02
Receive Your Promotional Package
Within 7 days
You'll receive four custom promotional images to post and share across your channels.
03
Voting Opens
December 31, 2026
We promote every entry through our international voting campaign — newsletters, social media, our website, and an international polling partner. Your readers, followers, family, and friends can vote. One vote per person.
04
Winners Announced
January 16, 2027
Winners are contacted directly by email and featured across our channels and prize partners.
Frequently Asked
Questions, Answered
Everything you'd want to know before entering.
How much does it cost to enter?
$89 per cover.
Can I enter more than one book?
Yes. Each cover is a separate entry.
Are publishers welcome to submit multiple titles?
Yes — and we offer bulk pricing for publishers entering five or more titles. Contact [email protected] to discuss.
Is my book eligible?
Books published between 2023 and 2027 across most genres.
We don't accept political, religious, or sexually explicit content.
Who votes?
Anyone — readers, authors, publishers, your followers, your family. Last year drew 3,000+ voters from 60+ countries.
How are winners chosen?
Primarily by vote count. In the event of a tie or any eligibility question, the final decision rests with Bedside Reading.
Will I get something even if I don't win?
Yes. Every entrant receives four custom promotional images, newsletter features, social media coverage, and inclusion in our international voting campaign.
What does the entry get me, concretely?
Four custom promotional graphics (typically $200+ from a designer)
Featured placement in our newsletter (7,000+ subscribers, multiple sends across two months)
Social media features across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
Inclusion in our international voting campaign
A chance at $7,200+ in prizes
Can my cover designer enter on my behalf?
Either you or your designer can submit, but the entry fee applies per cover.
Designers: we love working with you — get in touch about referral partnerships.
What's the deadline?
Submissions close December 30, 2026.
Voting runs December 31, 2026 – January 14, 2027.
Winners announced January 16, 2027.
All entries will be promoted in our newsletter (several times for two months).
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Past Winners
Discover the stunning designs that stole the spotlight!
Previous Winners Had A Blast!
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Previous Winners appeared in Bedside Reading Magazine
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Placement in our luxury hotel program and digital library program
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Placement in our Hamptons hotel program
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Social Media placement and newsletter placements
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