A Shiny Reminder of the Journey: My National Indie Excellence Award Medal Arrived
National Indie Excellence Awards gold medal
This morning, Misty opened our mailbox and found a small package that stopped me in my tracks.
Inside, nestled in a velvet box, was something I never thought I’d hold in my hands:
My National Indie Excellence Awards Winner’s Medal for Reborn In Shadows.
It’s heavy in a way that’s more than just its physical weight.
It’s the weight of late nights and early mornings.
Of scenes written through tears, and paragraphs rewritten until my hands cramped.
It’s the weight of doubt, persistence, and the quiet decision to keep going when giving up would’ve been so much easier.
What This Medal Means
On paper, it’s recognition from a respected national awards program for independent authors.
But to me, it’s a symbol that my story mattered.
I didn’t write Reborn In Shadows to win awards. I wrote it because it was a story clawing to get out — one that refused to stay silent any longer. It’s a story about resilience, identity, love, and survival… themes that have defined so much of my own life.
To have that story not only published, but honored with Best LGBTQIA Fiction in the 2025 NIEA, is surreal. I think about the version of me who never dreamed that I’d ever even write a novel, let alone see it on a shelf, in a library, or in readers’ hands. This medal is proof that she kept going.
The Journey to This Moment
When I think back, the road here wasn’t just writing and editing. It was learning the business of publishing from scratch. It was marketing on a shoestring budget. It was facing skepticism and outright gatekeeping from some quarters, and finding unwavering support in others.
I didn’t have a big publishing house behind me. I didn’t have a massive PR machine.
What I did have was community — readers, friends, and fellow authors who believed in me and shared in my excitement. And now, I have this medal as a physical reminder that we did something extraordinary together.
Why This Matters for Indie Authors
Independent authors often fight twice as hard for half the recognition. We wear all the hats: writer, editor, marketer, distributor. Awards like the NIEA don’t just validate the work — they help elevate indie books so more readers can find them.
This medal isn’t just mine. It belongs to everyone who bought the book, left a review, told a friend, or simply said, “I believe in you.”
Reborn In Shadows: From The Ashes hardcover with it’s physical rewards
What’s Next
Holding this medal, I feel an even deeper fire for what’s ahead:
August 29th — An Evening with Maya Fisher at Kingsport Mall
September 27th — Pikeville Pride
October 11th — Release of Reborn in Shadows: Through the Fire and TripPride in Johnson City
October 18th — Signing at The Maple Tree
June 27, 2026 — Romance Atlanta in Columbus, GA (still sorting the logistics, but it’s happening!)
Every step from here is built on the foundation Reborn In Shadows laid. And every time I look at this medal, I’ll remember exactly what it took to get here — and why I’ll never stop.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’ve been here from the start or just found me yesterday, you’ve helped make this moment possible. This medal may have my name on it, but in my heart, it’s ours.
