Reborn in Shadows Honored as a NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite
I have incredible news to share: Reborn in Shadows: From the Ashes has been named a 2025 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in LGBTQ Fiction.
While it isn’t the winner’s medal, being recognized as a Distinguished Favorite is still a major national honor. The NYC Big Book Award draws submissions from around the world — from large publishers, small presses, and indie authors like myself. To stand out among thousands of entries judged by editors, librarians, booksellers, designers, and writers is something I never imagined when I started this journey.
What It Means to Me
When I began writing Reborn in Shadows in November 2024, I wasn’t thinking about awards or recognition. I was thinking about survival. I was thinking about love. I was thinking about how to tell the truth of someone like me — a transgender woman from Appalachia who has lived through silence, violence, and resilience — in a way that honored both the pain and the beauty of being alive.
For decades I was only a storyteller, not a writer. Then I finally put the words to the page, and everything changed.
Now my debut novel has not only been preserved in the Library of Congress but also recognized on the national stage by the NYC Big Book Awards. For someone who has built her path without a publisher, without the safety net of gatekeepers, and without a big budget, this recognition feels surreal.
Why It Matters
Awards like this aren’t just about one book or one author. They’re about visibility.
They signal to readers, librarians, and bookstores that Reborn in Shadows is a book worth noticing.
They affirm that queer, trans, and disabled voices belong in the literary world.
They remind us that even indie authors from small Appalachian towns can reach the national stage.
As a transgender, disabled woman from rural Virginia, I’ve faced both personal and systemic barriers. But this honor is proof that our stories matter, our voices carry, and our work is worth preserving.
A Thank You
I could not have come this far without my readers, friends, and supporters. Every person who preordered, shared a post, left a review, or simply believed in me helped lift From the Ashes into the light. This Distinguished Favorite recognition belongs to you as much as it does to me.
Looking Ahead
The Ryder Chronicles are just beginning.
Reborn in Shadows: From the Ashes is available now — an award-winning LGBTQ thriller blending suspense, romance, and resilience.
Reborn in Shadows: Through the Fire releases on October 11, 2025 — National Coming Out Day. Preorders are open now.
To have Book One preserved in the Library of Congress and now honored by the NYC Big Book Awards makes me even more determined to keep going. Book Two will carry its own Library of Congress Control Number, ensuring that Miriam Ryder’s journey will live on as part of our shared literary history.
We are not just telling stories.
We are not just surviving.
We are making history.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. 💜
