With one foot in two worlds and that Big Ol’Pond in between, I regret I can never be two places at once, so I won’t be partying in Miami, strutting my stuff on the red carpet at the Readers Favorite Book Awards Ceremony on Saturday November 22. Still, I am honored to announce that Home Sweet Hardwood won honorable mention in the non-fiction: sport category.
Hoop-a-la aside anyone who aspires to write can tell you it is a long, lonely journey. Millions of people know they have a story worth sharing, but few are driven enough to put pen to paper and fewer still to throw it out to the world.
Writing contests are one way for writers to connect with like minded people and potential readers. Over the years, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards has earned the respect of the industry giants such as Random House, Penguin, and Harper Collins and previous winners include New York Times bestselling authors J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and Daniel Silva.
Though I won’t be there in person to celebrate, my book will be there as part of the display at the awards winners’ booth at the Miami Books Fair Nov. 16-23. The eight-day literary party takes to the streets on that weekend.
To kick off the awards ceremony, the Miami Book Fair and the 2014-2015 basketball season, I am offering a discount of HSH through December if ordered on this link with this code YEYGSSZD.
As long as we’re celebrating, I’d like to give a special shout out to a couple of my cyberwriting buddies, who were also winners.
Woo hoo to Sonia Marsh, who didn’t just write her own gold medal memoir, From Freeways to Flip-Flops, but she encouraged others to write theirs by creating her own publishing company Gutsy Living. I am proud to be featured in My Gutsy Story: An Anthology.
Carol Bodensteiner won the silver in historical fiction for her novel Go Away Home, a coming of age story set in rural Iowa. She blogs about writing inspired by the people, places, culture and history of the Midwest and she recently featured Home Sweet Hardwood. She has also written a memoir, Growing Up Country, which folks back home in farm rich Illinois would surely enjoy.
I raise my glass in gratitude to everyone who had taken the time to read Home Sweet Hardwood, write reviews, send emails and offer opportunities to share the voice of the pioneers in women’s sports in national arenas such as speaking at UWSP for the DIII NCAA Final Four last March and for the NSWBA at the Senior National Games.
Alors, merci mille fois! (Thank you a thousand times)
Read on, dear friends!
Congratulations, Pat! That is incredible news and more than well-deserved. I am so very proud of you.
Thanks, Cathy, I appreciate your support and look to your writing for encouragement facing my chronic illness.
Wow, Pat, this is fabulous news. I raise my glass to you and all my writing friends who have earned this well-deserved award. Congratulations!
Thanks, Kathy, but I raise my glass to you and all the fabulous people you have connected me to through you!
Congratulations, Pat. And thanks for the shout out. I’ll be in Miami for the award program and wish I could meet you in person. I’ll raise a toast to you.
Thanks, Carol. Sure wish I could be with you in Miami to raise that glass with you. Give a high five to Sonia if you see her.
Felicitations mille fois! Great news.
Merci, mille fois Carol.
Congratulations! We have three mutual friends — Sonia, Carol, and Kathy. Your book sounds great.
Thanks, Shirley. Considering the fact we have 3 mutual friends, I think I better start following you too.
Congrats, Pat, and you certainly deserve the accolades! I’m a bit far away from Miami — not that their sunshine wouldn’t feel soooo good right about now! — so I won’t be traveling to the awards, but how cool that your book will be there!
Thanks Debbie. Yes, I think we all could use a bit of the Miami sunshine about now.
Congrats on your accomplishment, Pat!
Thanks, Clara. I appreciate your support as always.
What wonderful news, Pat! Congratulations on winning this prestigious award.
Thanks, Helene, I appreciate your kind words.
A very hearty congratulations Pat! I didn’t know. What an accomplishment. So proud of you, my friend.
Thanks dear buddy.