Taking My Shot

With books one and two published, my marketing manager suggested book festival competitions. Did I ever hem and haw while staring at my books on my desk. I finally gathered enough courage to fill out the form, pay the fee, and put the books in the mail.

Books one and two went to the Hollywood Book Festival 2023 competition. The categories that year were fairly broad. The only one that my book fit in was “General Fiction,” which was a long shot with VERY stiff competition. I expected nothing and accepted that entering was the complete task. I stuffed the experience into the back of my mind and carried on.

Many months passed, and then, there I was at one of my favorite non-author related gigs. I call cues for a massive event in Santa Fe called Zozobra. It’s three sweaty, heavy lifting, long days in a huge park, that are pure magic. My light designer and I were just un-hunkering from a tent as the pouring New Mexico rain does what it does. You see, the weather in New Mexico is a constant source of bafflement. One moment, you’re roasting, then a movie worthy storm blows in, pelts you with rain and hail, only to dissolve minutes later.

So, as the tent dropped, revealing a suddenly sunny day, my email pinged. I opened the message and my heart hammered. The results of the 2023 Hollywood Book Festival Awards list were a click away. I clicked and winced. Forever the supporter of both my success, and my doom, the lighting designer leaned in to read the list with me. We scanned. . . and there it was. Hollywood High Chronicles Book One: Intuition. Honorable mention category of General Fiction. My mouth thumped open, and I sat frozen. Then, my friend rattled me hard, bellowing, “YOU DID IT!” I was so flummoxed that I closed the list and just stared at him. He celebrated on my behalf while my mind wrestled through shock.

I did it? It got an award?

Work commenced for the festival, distracting me.

The next morning, exhausted and sore from the big Zozobra festival, I messaged my editor and marketing manager. Apparently, my editor had a clearer head than I did, because he messaged the group chat with, “You do realize that it says, ‘Hollywood High Chronicles Book Two: Dark Water’ ABOVE book one on the honorable mention awards, RIGHT?!”

I blinked rapidly while reading the list. There it was. Both books made the list. Screams of glee erupted in my home as my family looked over the list.

That was my introduction to the world of book festivals. It lit a fire under me, and I was newly determined. When book three released, I chose the Los Angeles Book Festival. We were going for big air this time. The Los Angeles Book Festival had more categories, but certainly more submission competition. I had to take my shot. I sent in my submission, and the six-month waiting game began.

My email pinged while I was driving. I glanced down at my phone, and it said, “Los Angeles Book Festival Award Results.” Off the freeway I went, landing in a parking lot. With my car safely in park, I took a deep breath and opened the list. I had to rapidly blink as my breath caught.

Hollywood High Chronicles’ Book Three: The Surge was first runner-up in the young adult category. I cried, but I’ll never admit it.

Now, we’re going for bigger air! I’m going to win first with one of these future books. Book four is heading to the Hollywood Book Festival. Send vibes, Misfits. We can do this!