Over the course of my 76-plus years on this planet, I’ve written thousands of compositions, ranging from elementary-school book reports to full-length novels. Some of these writings were not very good, and even those that were never received any recognition beyond a grade of A. That changed last Sunday when Reader Views notified me that my YA novel, The Secrets We Carry: Journal of a Girl in Trouble, received two awards, specifically a Silver Award and a Bronze Award in two Young Adult sub-categories. Before discussing the significance of these awards in more detail, let me focus on the group that sponsors them.

Founded in 2005, Reader Views supports independent (aka self-published) authors and small presses through professional editorial reviews, interviews, giveaways, and a respected literary awards program. They summarize their creed as follow:

We believe great stories shouldn’t be limited by traditional publishing gatekeepers. Independent authors bring fresh perspectives, bold creativity, and diverse storytelling to the literary world, yet often struggle to find the recognition and resources they deserve.

Accordingly, the group seeks to provide “the visibility and credibility” to help independent authors succeed. They resolutely affirm that “every book we feature, every interview we share, and every award we present is part of a larger mission: to strengthen literary diversity, empower creative small businesses, and keep a vibrant reading culture alive for generations to come.”

The organization’s award program is both well-structured and comprehensive. The fiction category alone is divided into some 24 sub-categories, including science fiction, historical fiction, romance, thriller/suspense, humor, horror, and LGBTQIA+. As noted earlier, the Young Adult genre is divided into two subcategories — Teens, 12-15 and Young Adult, 16+. My Silver Award was in the former, the Bronze in the latter.

Reader Views assures authors that “each entry receives a full professional review written to engage readers and offer meaningful, constructive insight for authors.” Each work of fiction submitted in the competition is scored using a 20-point evaluation format. This format, Reader Views asserts, “is designed specifically for fiction, offering clear insight into strengths and overall execution.”

So what advantages come with winning a Reader Views award? For the grand prize winners, there are cash awards of $1,000 for the Gold Award winner, $350 for the Silver winner, and $150 for the Bronze. The 2025 Gold Award winner was Marci Lin Melvin for Wednesday Night Whites (Her Island Press); the Silver Award went to Michael Scott Curnes for Simpleman (Down Wind Press); and the Bronze went to Michelle J. Choi for Gone to Where (Lumiere Picturebook, LLC).

For winners in the different genre sub-categories there is no money but each winning book receives a one-week feature in Reader Views’ Author Showcase as well as inclusion in the group’s recent reviews section. So that’s what I have to look forward to in the near future. I’ll also receive emblems, like those attached, to affix to copies of my book. That should translate into more face-to-face sales at book fairs and festivals. Equally important, the awards should give me a powerful advantage when seeking table space at some of the larger book fairs and festivals in Ohio.

I’ve already started work on a new novel — more about that in a future blog — but I have a feeling The Secrets We Carry: Journal of a Girl in Trouble will stand as my masterpiece, my magnum opus. And so, someday, when the end of my life is near, I can honestly say I left the world a better place than I found it.