2021 Writer's Digest e-Book Award for Contemporary Fiction

2021 WRITER'S DIGEST e-BOOK AWARD

Contemporary Fiction

I am honored that Driftless has been chosen to receive the 2021 Writer's Digest Award for Self-Published e-Books in the category of Contemporary Fiction. The official announcement will be published in the May/June edition of the Writer's Digest. 

I couldn't be more pleased with the positive feedback that I've received from so many people on my first novel. Driftless is a historical novel. I have attempted to portray the type of family farming that was practiced in the Bluff Country of southeastern Minnesota in the 1940's and 50's. I also allowed myself some small measure of pride in writing about the determination and loving character of my Norwegian-American ancestors who settled that area.

From the readers' feedback received, I should say that the considerably more weighty historical story in Driftless is about the kind of mental health treatment that was available during the 1940's and 50's for folks hospitalized in  Minnesota state hospitals. It was, of course, no better and no worse than what was available across our nation and world at that time. Too many families never saw their loved ones return home to them from the hospitals. And many of those hospitalized were not, in fact, mentally ill.  Those who behaved "differently" because of other physical and/or cognitive limitations for which there was inadequate care in the community led to many hospitalizations. That was a story that I especially felt needed to be told.

Looking forward to Author readings at bookstores

Thank you to all who have read the book and a round of applause to everyone who has encouraged others to read it, too. It seems to me that there can be no greater compliment for a book (and its author) than to have a reader ask a friend, "Have you read this book yet? Oh, you should read it. I think you'd like it."

Thank you too, to everyone that has posted a review on Amazon. Even a sentence or two makes a valuable review.  (I'm hoping for 100 in 2022). We all know that there are so many great books to read. "So many books, so little time," is what I often think; it can be hard to decide which book I'll read next. I do look to see what other readers say about a book before I pick it up to read. I greatly appreciate all of your reviews.  And I welcome the recommendations of others about books you think I might like.  

I am working on a second historical novel whose setting is also within the southeastern corner of Minnesota. I can't help but write about the kind of life that children had in those years before I grew up and away. Yet, even now when I close my eyes and remember children playing and learning to work alongside parents, I can't help but see that place and time where the summer-time creeks ran clear and cold between hardwood bluffs. Autumn displayed her colors like a glorious quilt there. The winter's snow lay thick and sparkling in the moonlight, and the smell of freshly-cut alfalfa in the spring was...ahhh. It's still hard for me to imagine anyplace better to be a kid.

Ardys Brevig Richards