Behind The Mask is in the running for a 2016 USA Best Book Award. The winners and finalists will be announced in mid November. Entering writing contests can be a huge pain in the backside for authors. The requirements are different for every contest and if you get one tiny detail wrong, your submission will be kicked back. Despite the irritation, there is no greater thrill than reading an e-mail that begins with the word congratulations.  So fingers crossed for a win!

I am thrilled to report that not only did Behind The Mask receive a great review by Kirkus, it was also awarded a Kirkus star.  For those of you who are not familiar with Kirkus, the company was founded in 1933, and has been an authoritative voice in book discovery for 80 years. Kirkus Reviews magazine gives industry professionals a sneak peek at the most notable books being published weeks before they’re released. Kirkus also provides book reviews to consumers in a weekly email newsletter and on Kirkus.com, giving readers unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust. Because of this long standing dedication to providing readers and industry professionals with unbiased, critical recommendations, the Kirkus Star is one of the most prestigious designations in the book industry. Thank you Kirkus for bestowing Behind The Mask with this distinguished designation.

I would like to thank everyone who attended the Behind The Mask book launch party. The party was held in the picturesque private event room at Wahoo's Fish House overlooking the salt marsh in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. It was a wonderful evening celebrating with old friends and meeting new friends. I was touched by the huge turnout from not just our friends who came from all over the country, but from people in the community who came out to support a local author.