Nominations for the PULP ARK Awards are now open and will close January 15th, 2012. The awards are given in conjunction with Pulp Ark, the convention/creators’ conference and the official New Pulp Convention to be held in Batesville, AR, April 20-22, 2012!  The Awards are given for excellence in the field of Pulp, including books, stories, comic books, magazines, and characters as well as creators.Â
To determine if a work or creator qualifies for these awards the definition for works that qualify is as follows-New Pulp is fast-paced, plot-oriented storytelling of a linear nature with clearly defined, larger than life protagonists and antagonists, creative descriptions, clever use of turns of phrase and other aspects of writing that add to the intensity and pacing of the story.
Tommy Hancock, Coordinator of Pulp Ark explains additions to the Awards this year.  “We have,” Hancock stated, “added two awards, both by popular requests and thanks to our donor who supports and provides the awards.  Best Book has now been broken into two separate awards-Best Novel and Best Collection/Anthology.  Also, there is now a category for Best New Character.  This can include any New Pulp character created in 2011.”
Hancock also states, “We will also give a Lifetime Achievement Award again this year as well.  A Ten Person committee selected from well-known Creators in New Pulp currently will decide the recipient of this award.  This award is given to someone who has contributed to Pulp, not simply New Pulp, but to the continuation of the interest and promotion of Pulp in all its forms.” Last year’s winners of the first Pulp Ark Lifetime Achievement Award were Tom and Ginger Johnson.
The only works eligible for the Pulp Ark 2012 Awards are those produced between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Anyone can make a nomination and anyone that makes a nomination will receive a ballot. The only people voting in these eleven awards will be those who made a minimum of one nomination. Also, each individual is allowed only ONE NOMINATION PER CATEGORY. A person may nominate someone in all nine categories, but may only nominate once in each category. All nominations are confidential and sources of nominations will not be revealed. All nominations should be mailed to Tommy Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net.The categories open for nomination are (in no particular order and this can be cut and pasted for your nominations ballot):
1. Best Novel (This includes E-books as well as print books)
2. Best Collection/Anthology (This includes single author story collections and multi author anthologies.  This includes E-publications as well as print books)
3. Best short story (this includes stories that appear in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and e magazines. If from an e-mag, the story must appear on a site identified as an e-magazine, not simply be posted on a site or blog. It includes e-publications as well as traditionally printed works.
4. Best Cover Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)
5. Best Interior Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)
6. Best Pulp Related Comic (This refers to a series, complete run, one shot, etc. This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well. )
7. Best Pulp Magazine (This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well, but the e-publication must be identified as an e-magazine on the site supporting it. )
8. Best Pulp Revival (The Revival nominated must be published within the calendar year of 2010. This includes epublications as well.)
9.  Best New Character (This must be a character that debuts in a New Pulp work published in 2011.  This included e-publications as well)
10. Best Author (This reward refers to the author and any published author is eligible, including novels, short stories, etc. This includes e-publications as well).
11. Best New Writer (To be nominated, a writer must have been published for the first time in the pulp field in the calendar year of 2011. This includes e-publications as well).
