^{Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3.} 

Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volume 3 is now available to purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. When I set out to write about animation's representation at award shows, some questioned if there would be enough material for one book. That book turned into a trilogy, with this third volume picking up in 2010, when Pixar's Up brought animation back into the Best Picture Oscar race. From there, Volume 3 chronicles a changing of the tide at the Annie Awards amid a highly publicized boycott. Volume 3 also provides a deep dive into a new Golden Age of TV animation at the Emmys, exploring shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and BoJack Horseman. It all builds to how Flow pulled off an Oscar win for Best Animated Feature, signifying that animation is indeed ready for the next step. 

Likewise, it feels like I've reached the final step in my journey with the publication of this third book. At the same time, it feels like a step toward the beginning of another journey. After all, we're in the midst of another awards season with Arco, Elio, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2 all contending for Best Animated Feature. This is already giving me ideas for Volume 4, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. For now, I'll continue to cover animation at award shows here on Cartoon Contender. 

The Bright & Shiny trilogy wouldn't have been possible without the help of numerous individuals. I'd like to thank Ben Ohmart of BearManor Media for taking a chance on what's admittedly a niche concept, but one I feel passionate about. These books wouldn't have been nearly as interesting without the nearly two-hundred animation and awards experts whom I interviewed. Volume 3 includes insight from the likes of Tony Angellotti, Ron Dyens, Mike Gabriel, Frank Gladstone, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Mike Hollingsworth, Mindy Johnson, Matīss Kaža, Glen Keane, Peter Lord, Mark Osborne, Bill Plympton, Kristina Reed, Jonas Rivera, Linda Simensky, Benoit Berthe Siward, Rebecca Sugar, Chris Williams, Paul Young, and Marilyn Zornado, just to name a few. 

It's been a privilege writing these books and, as Richard Williams said when he accepted an Oscar for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, "The best has yet to come." So stayed tune!  

^{Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volume 3.} 

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!