On April 4, I attended the Chanticleer Author Conference awards banquet with Sabrina, Emmett, and fellow author Maggie Beeler who was also competing for an award (and was a blast to hang out with).
I was a finalist in four different categories: Ozma (fantasy), Dante Rossetti (YA), Short Stories, and Series.
In the ceremony, they read the winners of each category of which there were a few. I was hoping to win at least one first place prize out of the four—but my heart skipped a beat when they announced my book/story/series.
I won a first place ribbon in every category. Those are the ribbons you see me holding above. I was stunned every time I walked up and collected my ribbons, as were the others around me as they watched me go up there so many times.
- The Dice of Chaos won first place for SEA Shorts (its first award, and pretty awesome considering it’s the first short story I’ve written)
- The Chronicles of Chaos won first place for Series (and it was up against some crazy good collection of books)
- The Realm of Gods won first place in both of its categories: Ozma (my first Ozma award) and Dante Rossetti.
What I didn’t know at the moment Sabrina took the above picture is that I wasn’t done for the evening.
After the first place winners were announced, they took a break for pictures and then returned to announce the Grand Prize winners from each category.
I had my fingers crossed, but each time they announced a name, it wasn’t mine—that is until they reached the Dante Rossetti award. My heart exploded when they announced that the Realm of Gods won the grand prize, my first ever!
The grand prize winners get to give a speech, but I was not prepared. I was so moved, I managed to get a few words out about my family… but I don’t remember much.
The night could not have gone better. I feel so honored that the judges enjoyed my work enough to lift them up this way.
I didn’t want to bury the lede, but I also did something right before the banquet: I delivered a talk on Author Signing Events to a packed room. I was running on adrenaline and little sleep, but people told me it went really well. Honestly, that was mostly a blur too.
What a trip. I’m so glad I attended! Now, back to work on the Wrath of Order so I can submit it for next year!
The Mysterium 
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