Hey, everyone. I’m delighted to announce I’ve been nominated for Author of the Year at Spillwords Press for my poem “The Bonfire.”  This Spillwords Press 2026 Awards nomination is more than just an honor for me, it’s a validation of my voice as a deaf, introverted writer who wants desperately to connect with people. I’m grateful to Dagmara K. and her staff for publishing my poem and for this wonderful opportunity.

You can read my poem here:

https://spillwords.com/the-bonfire/

If you’d care to vote for me, all you need to do is register at Spillwords Press (it’s free and takes only a couple of minutes). Voting runs from January 26 through January 30. You may cast your vote by following this link: 

https://spillwords.com/vote/

People who know me understand that self-promotion is not my strong point so this sort of thing is always awkward for me. I don’t have any social media presence whatsoever so it’s difficult to get the word out. I believe these awards should be merit-based on the quality of the writing, not on social media popularity. With that said, it’s my sincere hope you’ll take a few minutes to read my poem and cast your vote, and if you enjoy my poem, please spread the word. I’d be beyond grateful to have your support. I’ve always believed my poetry should do the talking, not me, so if you find my poem worthy of your vote for Author of the Year, I’d appreciate it so much.

As an exciting side note, a couple of my good blogging friends are up for awards as well. Maggie Watson has been nominated for both Author of the Year and Publication of the Year, and Lauren Scott is in the running for Publication of the Year. I’m so proud of both of these friends for the recognition of their excellence and I wish both of them the best of luck in the voting.

Congratulations and all the best to all the other nominees.