Back in June, when I was just getting started with Instagram, I was fortunate enough to have connected with J.V. Hilliard on a random “follow every author” day. As I was going through his posts, I saw that he was connected with Twin Tales Publishing, and that they had started their 2022 Book Awards. They were looking for independent authors who either had not yet published or had only published recently, and Her Violet Empire met the criteria. I discussed it with a couple people and decided I’d take a chance on it. Even an Honorable Mention would still come with a little bit of clout and a professional review, and it seemed worth the very reasonable submission fee.
From there, I pretty much forgot about it for the rest of the summer, because that’s what I do. DayJob(tm) was heading for the end of a quarter and my workload became very high, and time disappears in stressful situations. A couple days ago, I saw a post from TTP that the winners would be announced on September 1, and I thought, “Wow, wouldn’t it be cool if I won my category?”
Wednesday night, the 31st, I was just settling in to pick up To Sleep in a Sea of Stars when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, so I declined it. Moments later, I got an email from J.V. asking if I had a few minutes for a Zoom call. “Of course,” I said. I set up my laptop and we got to chatting. They asked a few questions of where did I get my inspiration and was Her Violet Empire meant to be part of a series and so forth. Then, a funny thing happened.
“We wanted to congratulate you, you’re our overall winner.”
I may have dissociated at this point. “Author of the Year.” WHAT??? I remember talking about things like audio books and marketing budgets as part of the prize package, but I’m pretty sure I was in shock. The last time I won anything (individually) was the 8th grade spelling bee in 1988, so winning isn’t a familiar sensation. Of course, I’m thrilled, excited, and immensely proud of my book, but I kept waiting for Ashton Kutcher to appear and tell me I’d been Punk’d.
I can’t wait for what comes next. The team at TTP is fantastic, very enthusiastic to be working with me, and I with them. When I started this site last December, I thought maybe I was just doing this as a vanity project. Just entering the contest was a big step for me, but this is really giving me the confidence to keep going with Purpleverse #2. Be on the lookout in the coming months for Her Violet Empire on Audible!
Also, quick advertisement time: If you’re an author just getting started, definitely pop over to Twin Tales to see if their services fit your needs. I’ll continue to post about my experiences working with them here on the blog, but every indication I’ve gotten so far tells me it’s going to be great!
Lastly, thank you to everyone who reads this blog for your support and kindness as I’ve bodged my way through this publishing journey. I believe we just turned it up to 11.