Candlelight Awards || OPEN

It's Been Four Days & There's Already Drama

Sigh.

Alright, before we get into the news that p/ssed me tf off, let's start with the positives.

I haven't had an issue with a single form. Not a single one. No one submitted the same book twice, no one did anything wrong, no one really confused me, etc. Mistakes are absolutely fine and no big deal, but in my past contests I had like a gazillion people trying to submit the same book 3-5 times, so it's honestly therapeutic to see that I had no issues with the forms.

I am going to give all of you the most platonic bear hug you've ever had in your lives.

Thank you so much for making this easier on me. I really don't mind mistakes or anything of that sort, but to have not a single form get rejected for being filled out incorrectly is actually astonishing to me. This has never happened to me before. Seriously, I cannot express how thankful I am for this. I genuinely almost cried of relief when I saw I got through all the forms with no problems, that's how much it meant to me.

Yes, I'm a Cancer, I'm sensitive. Shush!!!

As for updates, this contest is filling up pretty fast. Much faster than I expected. The only two categories not really going are the thriller and reimagining categories, so if you know anyone who would be interested, I'd appreciate it if you let them know so I can start judging faster!

I am going to try and get halfway through my Padauk Awards before I start judging. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind I just started judging it 12 hours ago and finished 2 categories already. There are 15, so I already did 2/15 and started 2 others, so I'm rocking and rolling.

I will keep you updated about judging, so please be patient.

Unfortunately, the positives are not the reason I made this chapter. 

It has come to my attention that someone has blatantly copied these awards despite them only being out for a few days—someone who is very much aware of this contest.

The rules are nearly identical, the restrictions are nearly identical, the payments are identical, some of the categories are the same, the prizes are nearly-identical with one of my new prizes listed as one of their prizes, etc.

These are not accusations I make lightly. That's why I am not publicly saying who or what awards because I do not want to drag anyone on the tiniest 0.1% chance this is wrong. But keep in mind I have been copied many, many times before as I have been running contests since 2020 online, yet, somehow, never once have I seen a case this egregious.

It is to the point where I sent side-by-side screenshots of the copier's contest versus mine to several participants in this contest, and even they couldn't tell which one was mine and which one was the copier's.

Participants literally in this fricking contest.

That is how blatant it is. The rules in particular are nearly identical down to how many books you can submit. Individually, having similar rules is expected and not something I would raise alarm bells about, but the fact that every rule is nearly identical down to the wording is insane. 

Do you have any idea how much work I put into these contests? Go look at the read time of the Fairy Night Awards. Each category takes me at least 70 full hours to judge. 70. Fricking. Hours. The Candlelight Awards are no different. It is going to take me a while because my reviews are anywhere from 25k-45k words long. I am a tryhard perfectionist. The same applies to my rules and prizes. It takes me a long time to make them, so to have someone come in and swipe it without any credit or asking for permission is terrible.