Judge Comments from the 32nd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards
"Gorgeous sensory details in the poems, like 'craters of the heart' and 'Path,' rich in experiential detail and brave change in format. Nice variation of sentence structure to give the poems a sense of movement. Again, 'I would know you in different lives' achieves a rare honor in my own judging: praising it twice. It's quite beautiful."
Structure & Organization
This book is exemplary in its structure, organization, and pacing. The structure of the chapters/parts aid in a compelling organization of the story or information. The pacing is even throughout and matches the tone/genre of the book.
The Universal Theme of Loss
Loss is a universal pain, although sometimes loss is a goal. The author walks the circles of this topic very mindfully. We find ourselves as if dropped into a photo the moment the shutter clicks, and all we can do is look around, feeling the emotions of it.
"'Me N Mine' was captivating: 'I would know you in different lives.' We all feel like a great love transports you to another time, and love outdoes the laws of science. Each poem gives us a new experience, and we feel the different bumps and sharp edges of loss. The author has traversed the experiences well."
Visual Design
I'm entranced by the cover image, the glowing green, sundown teal and the use of gold in the lettering. This looks like an upscale comic book with characters who belong there, but we get the essence of character in the author's writing.
This recognition from Writer's Digest honors the depth, vulnerability, and artistry present in the collection—a celebration of poetry that speaks to universal experiences through personal narrative.