“A Place in the World” Wins an Award

Toot, toot!

A couple of weeks ago I found out “A Place in the World” was a finalist in the San Francisco Writers Conference (SFWC) contest.  My husband and I were flying back home from a vacation in the wee hours of Saturday morning and I debated whether to get up and go hear the announcement of the winners (there were seven finalists, so what were the odds?).   Two things held me back – lack of sleep and the steep cost of attending, but then SFWC organizer Barbara Santos graciously offered me a guest pass for the event.  That sealed the deal: bleary eyed I joined the slow traffic crossing the Bay Bridge and through the city and spent another 20 minutes looking for a place to park ($35 for a three hours), then trudged up a VERY steep four blocks to the Mark Hopkins Hotel.

It was all worth while when they announced my name in second place. I was excited – now I have an “award winning” novel with a Kirkus review.  I introduced myself to David Sabine, the Grand Prize winner, and when told him I was the “runner-up” and he said “I’m glad I ran faster!”   By the way, his novel, A Chair with a View is another Indie!  This would have been almost unbelievable just a few years ago, but is still remarkable.  Yay – go Indies!

Latest review excerpts:   This well-written, riveting plot captures strong elements of friendship, love, freedom, perseverance and endurance amid all the physical and emotional challenges, heartache and pain. This pages of this novel are filled with beauty  and grandeur.The characters are well-developed, their personalities adding depth and dimension to a story that’s heartwarming and emotionally riveting. It’s a fascinating and moving story .        Wendy Goodreads (See the full review: A-PLACE-IN-THE-WORLD-Review)

“A Place in the World” is a serene, affecting, and poignant novel by a gifted storyteller. This gentle, meditative novel ramped up the tension toward the end and morphed into a genuine thriller. The author created a world that was wholly realistic and honest. In fact, everything about this novel pulsated with authenticity—the place, the characters, the animals, the community, the rebels, the indigenous tribesmen, and most of all, the everyday drama…the sign of a genuine five-star story. I recommend it highly.                         B. Case, Emeriti University Librarian. (See the full review: A-PLACE-IN-THE-WORLD-Review)