Excited to get two new awards for my short story collection, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful

I’ve told this story a few times, but one of the reasons I chose to become an indie author was my disappointment, in speaking to agents and publishers, when I was consistently hearing there was “no interest in short story collections” and that “short stories don’t sell”.

I had been attending writers’ conferences and developing a stronger interest in indie publishing each year, but I think these brusque dismissals of short stories inspired me to truly take the plunge as an indie.

And so, publishing my first short story collection, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful, following my first three novels, really meant a lot to me.

I would have been happy if only a few people read it, that’s how much I wanted to get it out.

Instead, I’ve been pleased it is selling fairly well, and has garnered good editorial and reader reviews.

And the icing on the cake is winning awards for this collection that meant so much for me to publish.

In the last month, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful has been named Third Place – Short Stories for the BookFest Awards 2023 and was a Finalist for the American Fiction Awards 2023.

I’m very grateful for this recognition.

I’m also so grateful to a rapidly changing publishing industry that allows authors to have these opportunities today and I am so, so pleased I saw my goal through and published these short stories. Although winning awards is always great, it means even more for this collection.

Viva short stories…