The David Gemmell Legend Awards are something akin to the People’s Choice Awards of Fantasy. It’s an award selected by YOU–in a pure, straight up vote. Like democracy itself, there are reasons not to like that, and reasons to like it a lot. I think it fills a previously empty niche in the awards pantheon, and gives fans a chance to have their voices heard directly. I have twice been eligible for the DGLA (all the Night Angel books came out in one year), have twice made the short list, and have twice been given the mini-Snaga of Not Quite. Don’t get me wrong: I love my mini-Snagas. LOVE. How much do I love my mini-Snagas?

But, MAN, I would love to win the Big Boy Hisself:

Every time this award comes around, I regret anew that David Gemmell passed away before I could make his acquaintance. His novels are the slender tomes of his era, but they’re full of fast action and deep, conflicted, wounded characters–who are also badasses. I like to think that in The Blinding Knife I’ve written a novel worthy of David Gemmell’s legacy.

The voting goes in two rounds: the longlist, and then the finalists move on to the shortlist.

The Longlist Voting is open now and will close July 31st. Go check it out, vote for your favorite (me, me, me!), and add some great books to your To Be Read pile.