Winners of the 14th Annual Awards Announced Today
MONTCLAIR, N.J., May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today the winners of the 14th annual "IndieReader Discovery Awards" (IRDAs) were announced virtually to consumers and international media.
IndieReader created the IRDAs to give indie authors access to people who can make a difference in their book's success. Says Amy Edelman, founder of IndieReader, "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."
"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."
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 an indie 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 Dystel, Goderich & Bourret for representation consideration.
Judging is based on the quality of writing, editing and the originality of the story. This year's sponsors included Reedsy, Smith Publicity and NY-based literary agents Dystel, Goderich & Bourret,
There was a first, second and third place winner for fiction and non-fiction categories, 52 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
Cynthia Reeves/ The Last Whaler
Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Contact: [email protected]
Second Place
Kim Hays/ A Fondness for Truth
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Contact: [email protected]
Third Place
David Cary Lane/ The Puppy Prophet
Genre: Inspirational/Spiritual
Contact: [email protected]
Non-Fiction
First Place
Ana Hebra Flaster/ Property of the Revolution
Genre: Memoir
Contact: [email protected]
Second Place
Geir Jordahl (Photographer), Rolf Jacobsen (Poetry)/ The Endless Sphere of Time
Genres: Photography, Poetry
Contact: [email protected]
Third Place
Astrid Tuttle Winegar/ Celebrating Comfy, Cozy Foods from North America
Genre: Cooking/Baking
Contact: [email protected]
CATEGORY WINNERS
Best First Book (Fiction) - Morgan Hatch/ Gone To Ground
Genres: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Coming of Age
Best First Book (Non-Fiction) - Kristine Meldrum/ Parkinson's: How to Reduce Symptoms Through Exercise
Genre: Health/Medicine/Nutrition
Best Book Cover (Fiction) – Melissa Connelly/ What Was Lost
Best Book Cover (Non-Fiction) - Martina Gruppo/ Hello Flower
Action/Adventure - Susan Rogers and John Roosen/ Tree Pose
Aging, Death & Dying – Christina Larson/ Rosemary, Now and Then
Biography - Paul Redvers Brown / Marginal Man: Life of Emilio Goggio
Business - Neal Schaffer/ Digital Threads
Chick Lit - Danissa Wilson/ Kissing Toads
Children's (Board books and Pre-reading) - Ashley Wall/ The Day I Had a Dinosaur
Children's (Early to intermediate readers) - Ron Ricci/ Forever Young
Coming of Age (Fiction) - JP Spalding/ Black-Throated Blue Warbler
Coming of Age (Non Fiction) - Jenna Tico/ Cancer Moon
Dark Fantasy - Colleen Mitchell/ Shadow Legacy
Dystopian - J. Wint/ A Storm of Immortality
Education - Dr. Annise Mabry/ Educational Disobedience
Environment - Brian D McLean/ Our Global Crisis
Fantasy - H.M. Richardson/ Tower of the Deep
Finance/Investment/Economics - Teena Hostovich/ Welcome to the Jungle
Health/Medicine/Nutrition - Khashayar Farzam/ The Doctor's Perspective
Historical Fiction - Carlos García Saúl/ Caravan of Specters
History - Victoria Ann Granacki/ An Artist Goes to War
Horror - J.J. Alo / The Street Between the Pines
How To - Rob Fazio/ BullyProof
Humor (Fiction) – Patrick Finegan/ Toys in Babylon
Humor (Non Fiction) - Alia Luria/ Geri o Shimasu
Inspirational/Spiritual (Non Fiction)- Lisa Peachey, Carol Elizabeth Long/ Miley Speaks: A True Story of Love, Loss, Grief, and Reconnection
Inspirational/Spiritual (Fiction) - John Blossom/ Mahina Rises
Kids (Non Fiction) - Michael Hoffen/ Be A Scribe
LGBTQ+ (Fiction) - Mo Fanning/ Husbands
LGBTQ+ (Non Fiction) - Nathan Kitchen/ The Boughs of Love
Literary Fiction - Rodney Nelsestuen/ Too Many Stones
Memoir - Ernestine Whitman/ Countermelodies: A Memoir in Sonata Form
Middle Grade - Craig Speakes/ Final Video Game
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller - Alretha Thomas/ The Daughter Between Them
New Adult - Melissa K. Magner/ Of the Sun and Sea
Paranormal - C.V. Vobh/ Somnus' Palace
Parenting (Child Care/Family) - Jessie Huisken, Craig A. Brockman/ Surviving to Thriving
Poetry (Non-Fiction) - Angela Chaidez Vincent/ Arena Glow
Poetry (Fiction) - T. Kudla/ Waking Up at the Gates: Poems of Recovery, Healing, & Transformation
Politics/Current Events - Ricardo Rosselló Nevares/ The Reformer's Dilemma
Pop Culture - Douglas A Burton/ The Heroine's Labyrinth
Popular Fiction - Zac Cannon/ Slantwise
Psychology/Mental Health - Karl Sebastian/ A Misfortunate Misfit
Religion (Non-Fiction)- Christopher McKeon/ The Big Healing
Religion (Fiction) - Katherine Koch/ The Sower of Black Field
Romance - Eva Frances/ The Next Round
Romantasy - Melody Grace Hicks/ Hidden
Science Fiction - Keith McWalter/ Lifers
Self-Help - Emily King Grandinetta/ At Ease
Sexuality/Relationships - Heather Joy/ MMMM
Short Stories (Fiction) - Barbara Black/ Little Fortified Stories
Socially Conscious - JL Lycette/ The Committee Will Kill You Now
Spiritual (Fiction) - Amanjot Kaur/ The Ninth Incarnation
Sports/Fitness/Recreation - Brad Fawley/ The Frontrunner
Travel - Manon Rinsma/ A Far Cry from Yesterday
True Crime - Carla Conti/ Chained Birds
Women's Fiction - Katy Motiey/ Imperfect
Women's Issues (Fiction)- Danila Botha/ Things that Cause Inappropriate Happiness
Women's Issues (Non Fiction) - Linda Rönn/ Behind Bulletproof Glass
Young Adult (Fiction)– Melanie Hooyenga/ The Quiet Unraveling of Eve Ellaway
Young Adult Horror - David Griffiths/ How To Hear Ghosts
Writing/Publishing - Karin Adams/ The One Week Writing Workshop
2025 PANEL OF JUDGES
Agent
The top 6 winning titles will be submitted to Dystel, Goderich & Bourret for representation consideration
IRDA Winning Author
Vivian M. Lumbard, 2021 IRDA Winner for Outside Looking In
Marketing/Editorial
Hallie Hoffman, REEDSY Discovery
Photographers (judged cover design category)
Phil Leo, PM IMAGES
Mike Denora, PM IMAGES
Publicists
Jessie Glenn, Director, MINDBUCK MEDIA BOOK PUBLICITY
Sandra Smith, President, SMITH PUBLICITY
Thanks to our 2025 SPONSORS
Dystel, Goderich & Bourret
Smith Publicity
Reedsy
Media Contact
Amy Edelman, IndieReader, 1 9738655368, [email protected], www.indiereader.com
SOURCE IndieReader
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