AWARDS
A WORD ABOUT AWARDS: It is a fact about our human nature; we like affirmation. Affirmation can be expressed in a multitude of ways. For example, among a soldier’s most prized possessions are the ribbons worn above the left breast pocket of their uniform. To the average person, they are mystical. But to the soldier they represent unflinching courage, meritorious service, length of time served, time spent overseas, campaigns participated in, etc. As a writer, winning a book award is, perhaps, the ultimate affirmation for all of the hundreds of hours that went into the production of each of their books.
HOW BOOK AWARDS ARE DETERMINED: Winning a book award must mean something, so, I only enter my books in competitions that are professionally judged, there is a history of carefully chosen awards and there is significant competition. In the case of The Colorado Independent Publishers’ Association’s (CIPA) Annual EVVY Awards(named after CIPA’s founder, Evelyn Kaye), there is a 25+ year history and thousands of books are entered each year from around the world. CIPA’s judges know books. They are selected through CIPA’s judging qualification process and include teachers, business leaders, authors, critics, editors, readers and others. Foreword Review’s INDIES Book of the Year competition is similar to CIPA’s with a well-established history of stiff competition and winners determined by an intense judging process that looks for excellence in editing, professional production, originality of narrative and the value the book might add to the genre it represents.
THE CUT
Michigan Notable Book
We are thrilled to announce that John’s latest novel, The Cut, has been selected as a 2022 Michigan Notable Book! Thanks to the Library of Michigan for recognizing John and his work on this important piece of historic fiction celebrating Michigan.
Tim Gleisner, head of collections at the Library of Michigan, said, “…the selection committee —about a dozen folks from the academic, publishing and library worlds — pores over
upwards of 400 titles to figure out the best of the best books that honor the state.” According to Gleisner, “This year was especially strong for fiction and young adult and middle school books.”
Find the list and more about Michigan Notable Books at www.Michigan.gov/NotableBooks.
The Cut is available on Amazon, at your nearest independent bookstore or ask for it at your public library. Thank you!
THE WIDOW AND THE WARRIOR
EVVY Award
We are pleased to announce that The Widow and the Warrior, John Wemlinger’s fourth novel, set in Frankfort, Michigan, has won a First Place Gold Award in the 28th annual EVVY Awards Book of the Year writing competition. The EVVY's are one of the most prestigious awards given to independent authors and publishers. This is the second EVVY John’s books have received. Before the Snow Flies was a Third Place Winner in the 25th Annual EVVY's in 2019.
Book Life Review 9/10: The Widow and the Warrior
We are pleased to announce that The Widow and the Warrior has received a competitive rating of 9/10 from Book Life, a subsidiary of Publishers' Weekly!
Please take a moment to read their assessment and scorecard below.
Assessment:
Plot: The Widow and the Warrior is a fast paced, gracefully plotted mystery. Wemlinger deftly weaves together family secrets, murders for hire, and national conspiracy plots for an engaging and thrilling story.
Prose: Wemlinger’s prose is clear and direct, and deftly places the reader amidst the action. Each character has a distinct, authentic voice.
Originality: Readers will enjoy this original, multi-layered mystery. The novel is elevated by a winning protagonist and an excellent blend of past and present mysteries.
Character/Execution: The characters in The Widow and the Warrior are diverse and well conceived. Readers will root for protagonist Anna Shane, who proves that an excellent journalist can unravel any conspiracy. Believable secondary characters all contribute to advancing the plot.
Score:
Plot/Idea: 9
Originality: 9
Prose: 9
Character/Execution: 9
Overall: 9.00
Report Submitted: October 8, 2020
Book Life a Subsidiary of Publishers’ Weekly
OPERATION LIGHT SWITCH
First published in 2003 as A Path to Innocence, A Road to War, I rewrote it in 2017 at the suggestion of my publisher, Mission Point Press. Operation Light Switch was selected from over 2,000 entries in 2018 as a finalist in the War and Military and Mystery categories of Foreword Reviews’, INDIES Book of the Year award competition.
BEFORE THE SNOW FLIES
Before the Snow Flies won two book awards in 2019; third place in the Colorado Independent Publisher’s Association’s Annual EVVY Awards and a second place in Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year award competition. In both competitions there were over 2,000 entries in each.
MARQUIS WHO’S WHO 2020-2021
This is the announcement that appeared in the 3/11/2020 Edition of the Wall Street Journal.
