Fantasia Reviews announced the winner of the 2017 Book of the Year … or maybe I should say winners, because they handed out a few awards.

I was simply thrilled to have Gates of Fire & Earth nominated. It was a wonderful surprise and a great way to enter the holiday season.

Gates didn’t win Book of the Year, but it was selected for Best World Building! Wahoo! And what is super nice about that category is the folks at Fantasia Reviews wrap up strong characters with that designation. So I’m really tickled. 😀

And what is really great is an author I’ve known for YEARS won the Book of the Year! P.H. Solomon and I have talked, emailed, and shared each other’s books. I watched him edit and publish the first book in his Bow of Destiny series and it is fantastic to know he just won Book of the Year. It is well deserved!

Timing can have such a strange impact for things. Fantasia Reviews review of Spark of Defiance made me sit up and take notice that hey, my writing is pretty good. Well, I though it was pretty good but it kind of slapped me across the face to be more aware of that.

I’ve been publishing for 6 years now and it is time to put all that experience, gained knowledge, and books to work at a higher level.

Having that light bulb turn into a world illuminating flood light just at the end of the year with the nomination for Best Book of the Year just when my thirteenth book was out on pre-order, the one that wraps up my second epic fantasy series set in the same world felt like a challenge as much as a kick-in-the-butt. Two epic fantasy series complete, one dystopian… what is next? What will 2018 bring?

Like I mentioned in my last post, I have plans in 2 different series now outlined and with words already written. And that is just what I know about in January. I’m taking all those years of writing and publishing experience and packing them into two new worlds with exciting storylines and unforgetable characters.

This year is going to be amazing!