MONTCLAIR, N.J., June 4, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today--as authors, booksellers and the publishing industry look to come back stronger than ever after a challenging year--Amy Edelman, founder of IndieReader, announced the winners of the 11th annual "IndieReader Discovery Awards" (IRDAs).
With sponsors including NY-based literary agents Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, Reedsy, Smith Publicity and Jerry Jenkins' The Writer's Guild, IndieReader launched the IRDAs to give indie authors access to people who can make a difference in their book's success. Says Edelman, "With the rush by traditional publishers to sign them and their noteworthy bestselling status, there's no longer much doubt that indie authors can be both commercially and creatively successful. All that was left to do was create a credible vehicle by which to find them. That's where the IRDAs come in."
While writing a great book is the first step, getting it in front of the right people—be they readers or agents—is also a critical part of making any book a success. To that end, judges on the IRDA panel include PR and publishing professionals, editors, book designers, professional reviewers and more. Winners will have their titles submitted to New York City literary agents Dystel, Goderich & Bourret for representation consideration.
Judging is based on the quality of writing, editing and the originality of the story.
There was a first, second and third place winner for fiction and non-fiction categories, 40+ category winners and two winners each for BEST FIRST BOOK and BEST COVER DESIGN (for fiction and non-fiction).
The winners, judges, the genre and the authors contact information follows below.
FICTION
First Place
Lilianne Milgrom / L'Origine 
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Contact: [email protected]
Second Place
Dorian Box / The Hiding Girl: Emily Calby Book 1 
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller 
Contact: [email protected]
Third Place
Dana McSwain/ Roseneath 
Genre: Horror 
Contact: [email protected] 
NON-FICTION
First Place
Vivian M. Lumbard/ Outside Looking In 
Genres: Parenting (Child Care/Family) 
Contact: [email protected]
Second Place
Cas Oh/ CO Specs: Recipes & Histories of Classic Cocktails 
Genre: Cooking/Baking 
Contact: [email protected]
Third Place
Jamison Hill/ When Force Meets Fate: A Mission to Solve an Invisible Illness 
Genres: Memoir 
Contact: [email protected] 
CATEGORY WINNERS
Best First Book (Fiction) - Anthony Lee Head/ Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road 
Best First Book (Non-Fiction) - Chad Scott / The Poster Boy
Best Book Cover (Fiction) – Ryan Meyer / Tempest: Poems 
Best Book Cover (Non-Fiction) - Mishka Migacz / Childhood Canceled
Action/Adventure - Jorge Sanchez / Deadbreak 
Aging/Death & Dying - Bob Seay / Dad 
Biography - Julie Gray / The True Adventures of Gidon Lev 
Business - Samuel Sanders / Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving 
Chick Lit - Megan Montgomery / Well . . . That Was Awkward 
Children's (Early to intermediate readers) - Melissa Perley / The Violin Family 
Education - Nicole Kurtz, Kevin Kurtz / Light is Color! – NO SALES LINKS 
Entertaining - Daniel Scarpati/ Gofers: On the Front Lines of Film and Television 
Environment - Roger Duncan and Michael E. Webber / The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power 
Fantasy - K.N. Salustro / Cause of Death: ??? 
Finance/Investment/Economics - John Gonzalez and Young Lee/ South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success 
Gift/Holiday/Specialty - Marta Mahoney/ The Christmas Trolley 
Graphic Novel - Raea Gragg/ Mup 
LGBTQ+ (Fiction) - Pepijn Westdijk / Songs of War: A Dance of Darkness 
LGBTQ+ (Non-Fiction) - Lewis Kempfer / Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Having a Bad Life 
Health/Medicine/Nutrition - Travis Hicks / No Match For Her 
Historical Fiction - Debra Doxer / Where Butterflies Go 
History - Julia Drake / Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality 
Horror - Arjay Lewis / The Vanishing 
Humor – Adam Bender / Utopia PR 
Inspirational/Spiritual - Shannon Hugman / Analogies, Energies & Celestial Bodies 
Kids - John O'Trakoun/ The City Takes A Breath Today 
Literary Fiction - J.A. Carter-Winward / Wade 
Memoir - F. Scott Service / Playing Soldier 
Middle Grade - Corinne G. Ruff/ Aviona the Flying Carousel Horse of Long Beach Island 
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller - Geoffrey M Cooper / Forever: A Medical Thriller 
New Adult - C.P. Mangel / A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest 
Paranormal - Kaylin McFarren / Soul Seeker 
Parenting (Child Care/Family) - Dylan Meikle, Kate Meikle / Learning in Lockdown 
Poetry - Madalsa, Zuivere / Get Lost Dirty Covid-19! 
Politics/Current Events - Cori J. Williams MSW LCSW/ Thriving While Black 
Popular Fiction - Sarah Mattern / Dust and Mud 
Psychology/Mental Health - Sarah Zabel / Fighting Chance 
Religion - Daniel Westlund/ Stolen Shroud 
Romance - HK Jacobs/ Wilde Type 
Science Fiction - Daniel Weisbeck/ Children of the Miracle 
Self-Help - Maria James-Shier/ Cultivate Compassion: Self-Kindness Counts 
Short Stories - Tolu' A. Akinyemi/ Inferno of Silence 
Sports/Fitness/Recreation - John Gubbins/ Authentic Wilderness 
Travel - Andrew Jalbert/ Back on Bonaire: Rediscovering Diver's Paradise as a Father 
True Crime - Robert Katzberg/ The Vanishing Trial 
Women's Fiction - Linda Lappin/ Loving Modigliani 
Women's Issues- Renaii West/ Death by Chaos 
Young Adult – C.K. Donnelly/ Trine Rising: The Kinderra Saga: Book 1
2021 PANEL OF JUDGES
The top 6 winning titles will be submitted to Dystel, Goderich & Bourret for representation consideration
Maria D'Marco, REEDSY 
Meaghan Hurn/, HURN PUBLICATIONS 
Penny Sansevieri, CEO, AUTHOR MARKETING EXPERTS 
Mercy Pilkington, Senior Editor, GOODeREADER 
Mike Denora, PM IMAGES 
Phil Leo, PM IMAGES 
Sandra Smith, President, SMITH PUBLICITY
Thanks to our 2021 SPONSORS
Jane Dystel 
Jerry Jenkins 
Reedsy 
Smith Publicity 
Featherlite
Media Contact
Amy Edelman, IndieReader, +1 9738655368, [email protected]
SOURCE IndieReader

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