Awards · My Books · My Thoughts

Four Book Awards in the Last Month: This Has Been a Banner Year!

I received four book award announcements in the last month for my newest book, Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry. In the whole year of 2026, I have received six awards for this book this year, and it’s only September!

Here are the four awards I won this last month:

  • Bronze Award in the Readers’ Choice contest, September 2026
  • 2nd Place Award in the Next Best Reads contest, August 2026
  • Gold Award in the Global Book Award, August 2026
  • Honorable Mention Award at BooksShelf.com, August 2026

The other two awards I’ve received this year for this book:

  • 2nd Place Award in the AllAuthor.com nonfiction book cover
  • 3rd Place Winner at BooksShelf.com, April 2026

Why Do I Enter Book Awards Contests?

And the winner is - book award

I was told early on in my writing career—enter book award contests because they elevate your book’s exposure. So I have!

Over the years, I’ve entered many contests and I’ve won many as I alluded to in my blog, An Award Winner: Coronavirus Reflections And More!.

At that point my book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? had won two prestigious awards from the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards. But my most decorated book was A Time to Grow Up: A Daughter’s Grief Memoir with five awards.

So, my newest book, Time Measured Out! takes the lead with six.

Finally,

The last month has been outrageous for me with all the awards. But it feels so gratifying to have this book recognized.

UPDATE ON MY BOOK I’M WORKING ON: Eyewitness to Healing is to the editor. We have extended the date of my receiving the edited manuscript to the first of October. We had an email exchange this week, and she asked, “do you want to receive it back before you go to Germany?”

I had been pondering that very idea because originally, I was to receive it tomorrow.

“No,” I responded strongly, “because I won’t be able to just let it sit on my computer. I would want to be working on it, and that could ruin my Germany trip.”

I could almost hear her laughing with my response. But the good news, it’s getting closer. Then my work begins again to look at her revisions and hope there aren’t too many of them.

You may wonder why I have a poetry chapbook, Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey, free all the time. It’s one of the promotional foundations for an author today—have something free to entice the reader to sample your writing and then buy your books.

Does it work for you?

If poetry isn’t your genre, here is a short story to sample my writing:


Larada Horner-Miller - Author Head Shots
Read an award winning book of mine!

Professional Reader

Alliance of Independent Authors

My Newest Books

Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book

ISBN – 9798989688654

$3.99 for limited time

is my truth universal? book cover

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688623

ALWAYS FREE

Was It a Dream? book cover

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688630

 $3.99


Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story 

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook


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Awards · My Books · My Thoughts · Politics · Self-publishing

Day 4 – Surprised! An Award-Winning Week!

Surprised woman pointing up

Surprised—yes, I was! Usually I record every contest I’ve entered in a database I’ve kept for years, but two slipped past me. I won two awards this week with my poetry book, Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry.

Global Book Award Gold - surprised
Last Year’s Award

Last year I entered both Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry and Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming and Humorous Christmas Memoir in the Global Book Awards. Both received awards: Was It a Dream? Received a Gold award and Hair on Fire received a Silver.

Global Book Award Bronze Award - surprised
This Year’s Award

This year, I labored over submitting a book. I didn’t release my new book, Time Measured Out!, book two in the Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry series in time for the Global Book Awards. And I forgot I had submitted Was It a Dream? I, so when I got the email on December 31, I was shocked. Now remember, this has been an insane year for me with the move to Panama and still being on gabapentin for the dog attack. I can portray a semblance of normalcy, but in reality, I’m not all together.

Then it happened again! On January 1, 2026, I received an email from BooksShelf stating, “We are beyond excited to congratulate you on achieving 1st Place in our BooksShelf Writing contest! Your book “Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry” rose to the very top among so many outstanding entries, and this recognition is a true reflection of your talent and dedication.”

Each Provided Promotional Material

  • Spot on our site – permanent
  • Full advertisement pack (6 months):

-Home page

– Author Interview

– Top Spots

– Newsletter 

Other Benefits:

BooksShelf 1st Place award meme - surprised
Author Meme from BoksShelf Award - surprised
  • Included in the Winners’ Newsletter
  • Social media posts  – (scheduled for the 1st week of January)
  • Mockup for 1st place + Author Mockup – See above
  • Book Review 
    • “Was It a Dream? is the kind of book that reminds you why poetry still matters. Larada Horner-Miller writes with a clear, lived-in voice that feels personal, pulling you into moments that are vivid, honest, and unexpectedly relatable. The language is easy to sink into, but the emotional impact lands with real force.
    • What really stands out is how strongly the collection uses images and sensory detail to anchor big feelings. Nature, memory, love, grief, and self-discovery all show up in a way that feels authentic rather than performed, and the poems invite reflection without lecturing you. There’s a steady sense of movement throughout, like you’re traveling alongside the author through different seasons of life, gathering meaning as you go.
    • For readers who enjoy poetry that feels human, direct, and full of heart, this is a rewarding collection. It’s the work of a writer who pays attention, tells the truth, and knows how to translate lived experience into lines that connect.”
  • Special Page for the Winners
  • 1st place Badge that you can add to your cover – See above!
  • Promo Video for your book + Included in the Winners Video 

Last year, they provided more material and support, but it came later, so I look forward to what’s coming.

Surprised, yes, but why do I enter book award contests? I guess for validation. Because I don’t sell a lot of books, the awards helps me feel like what I am doing is worthwhile. And the awards might help sell books!

Larada picture - surprised
Thanks for being a part of my world!

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Professional Reader

My Newest Books


Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story 

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook


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