The Kraken Rum presents The Kitschies, the annual awards for those books which best elevate the tone of genre literature.
The Kitschies reward the year's most progressive, intelligent and entertaining works that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic. Winners receive a cash prize in addition to one of our lovingly hand-crafted Tentacle trophies and a bottle of The Kraken's fine black rum.
Congratulations to all the 2011 Tentacle winners: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd (Red Tentacle), God's War by Kameron Hurley (Golden Tentacle), The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan and designed by Peter Mendelsund (Inky Tentacle) and graphic novel publisher SelfMadeHero (Black Tentacle).
The Kitschies also host events throughout the year to help promote the active discussion of genre literature. The next event will be The Worlds of Tomorrow: The Rise of SF in Children's and YA presented by the Society of Authors on 22 May. For more information, please see our events page and keep up with our latest news on Facebook.
In 2011, The Kitschies received 152 books for consideration - from 38 publishers and imprints. After the judging was completed, the books were donated to literacy and education charities. The UK copies went to Better World Books, where they will be sold off to aid leading literacy charities like the National Literary Trust, Books for Africa and READ International. Better World Books have already donated over five million books and raised nearly seven million pounds for literacy causes.
In South Africa, the review copies were donated to CAFDA (Cape Flats Development Association). CAFDA is committed to the social and economic development of disadvantaged communities on the Cape Flats. Their ultimate goal of establishing stable family and community life through participatory empowerment projects for all inhabitants regardless of age, gender, race, culture, religion and ability.
