Thursday, March 08, 2007
SUCCESS FOR FORMER TAMPA GROUP LEADER
Former 2005 Tampa Group Leader and group leader for the Young Writers of East Pasco, Tracy Akers has an amazing success story to relate. If anyone out there has good news about themselves please sent it to Regional Director Eugene Orlando at tpg@EugeneOrlando.com. I'll post it here and we can all celebrate.
"The Fire and the Light, Book One of the Souls of Aredyrah fantasy series by FWA member Tracy A. Akers, has won the Bronze Medal for Young Adult Literature in the 1st Annual Florida Book Awards. The awards program was established in 2006 to honor the best of Florida literature, and is coordinated by The Florida State University Program in American and Florida Studies, and co-sponsored by the Florida Center for the Book, State Library and Archives of Florida, Florida Historical Society, Florida Humanities Council, Florida Literary Arts Coalition, Florida Library Association, "Just Read, Florida!," Governor's Family Literacy Initiative, Florida Association for Media in Education, Florida Center for the Literary Arts, And Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America.
In addition to being named a winner in the Florida Book Awards, The Fire and the Light has been named a Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction Category of ForeWord Magazine's 2006 Book of the Year Awards. Foreword Magazine is one of the largest trade journals showcasing independently published works. Their awards program is designed to discover and promote books based on editorial excellence, professional production, originality of the narrative, and the value the book adds to its genre. Winners will be announced June 1 at Book Expo America in New York City.
Ms. Akers is a former teacher of students with language learning disabilities, but now writes and publishes full time. She is an active member of Florida Writers Association, was the 2005 Tampa Group Leader, and established and currently leads Young Writers of East Pasco, a group for writers grades 6-12. Other memberships include Florida Publishers Association, The Independent Book Publishers Association, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a scheduled presenter at this year's FWA Conference.
The Fire and the Light, Book One of the Souls of Aredyrah Series, begins the saga of two boys from very different cultures who learn they are bound not only by blood, but by a prophecy that will define their lives and change their world forever. Five books are planned for the series which explores what can happen to individuals and societies when mythologies evolve into opposing religions. Also a finalist in the USABookNews Best Books 2006 Awards, The Fire and the Light is receiving excellent reviews and recognition for its message of tolerance and the consequences of prejudice. For more information about the author and her series, visit www.soulsofaredyrah.com."
Eugene Orlando
FWA Regional Director/Hillsborough County
"The Fire and the Light, Book One of the Souls of Aredyrah fantasy series by FWA member Tracy A. Akers, has won the Bronze Medal for Young Adult Literature in the 1st Annual Florida Book Awards. The awards program was established in 2006 to honor the best of Florida literature, and is coordinated by The Florida State University Program in American and Florida Studies, and co-sponsored by the Florida Center for the Book, State Library and Archives of Florida, Florida Historical Society, Florida Humanities Council, Florida Literary Arts Coalition, Florida Library Association, "Just Read, Florida!," Governor's Family Literacy Initiative, Florida Association for Media in Education, Florida Center for the Literary Arts, And Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America.
In addition to being named a winner in the Florida Book Awards, The Fire and the Light has been named a Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction Category of ForeWord Magazine's 2006 Book of the Year Awards. Foreword Magazine is one of the largest trade journals showcasing independently published works. Their awards program is designed to discover and promote books based on editorial excellence, professional production, originality of the narrative, and the value the book adds to its genre. Winners will be announced June 1 at Book Expo America in New York City.
Ms. Akers is a former teacher of students with language learning disabilities, but now writes and publishes full time. She is an active member of Florida Writers Association, was the 2005 Tampa Group Leader, and established and currently leads Young Writers of East Pasco, a group for writers grades 6-12. Other memberships include Florida Publishers Association, The Independent Book Publishers Association, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a scheduled presenter at this year's FWA Conference.
The Fire and the Light, Book One of the Souls of Aredyrah Series, begins the saga of two boys from very different cultures who learn they are bound not only by blood, but by a prophecy that will define their lives and change their world forever. Five books are planned for the series which explores what can happen to individuals and societies when mythologies evolve into opposing religions. Also a finalist in the USABookNews Best Books 2006 Awards, The Fire and the Light is receiving excellent reviews and recognition for its message of tolerance and the consequences of prejudice. For more information about the author and her series, visit www.soulsofaredyrah.com."
Eugene Orlando
FWA Regional Director/Hillsborough County
