2025

M.J. Evans Wins Chanticleer Prize

Evans' Coal Dust and Dreams won 1st place in the Chanticleer International Book Awards--the Gertrude Warner Award for middle grade fiction.

PPLD Announce Mountain of Authors Showcase

Nine authors will represent CAL at the 2025 Mountain of Authors on May 17: John Wesley Anderson, Jodi Bowersox, Kevin Bowersox, Jim Henderson, Dian Curtis Regan, Helen Starbuck, Tena Stetler, Mike Torreano, and Bethany Turner. Mountain of Authors takes place at the 21c library in CO Springs and is sponsored by the Pikes Peak Library District.

Samuelson-Brown's book a finalist for Spur Award

The Western Horse: A Popular History of the Wild and Working Animal, by Randi Samuelson-Brown, published by TwoDot, has been named a finalist in the Western Writers of America's SPUR Award for 2025.

Braden's "Lies and Illusion" named a finalist

L.R Braden's novel “Lies and Illusion,” book 7 in her Magicsmith series, was named a finalist in the 2025 Imadjinn Awards for Best Urban Fantasy.

Blossoms on a Poisoned Sea wins honorable mention

Mariko Tatsumoto’s historical fiction, Blossoms on a Poisoned Sea, received an honorable mention for young adult/high school literature from the Freeman Book Awards, which honors East and Southeast Asian titles for children and young adults. The awards, given in four categories, was set up by Columbia University in collaboration with East Asian Studies program at seven universities.

Carter's "Lawyers, Dogs, and Money" wins awards

Tracy Carter’s "Lawyers, Dogs, and Money" won First Place for Fiction-Detective-Women Sleuths and Second Place for Fiction-Women's-Mystery in The BookFest awards for 2024.

Jurka's Magic on the Mountainside collects accolades

Nancy Jurka’s Magic on the Mountainside received a 2024 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention, Holiday Books, was named a 2024 Book of the Year, Kids Holiday-Themed Story Books by Creative Child Magazine, and received a 2024 Reader’s Favorites 5-Star Recommended status.

CAL members win poetry award

CAL members Petra Perkins and Constance E. Boyle, along with co-authors Brooke Granville and Gail Waldstein, won First Runner-Up in the Faulkner-Wisdom 2024 Writing Competition for Poetry Collection. The four authors comprise a long-standing poetry club. The award ceremony will be held in New Orleans, LA.

Buyze a finalist for publisher's award

Kimberly M. Buyze’s book, The Mini Sabbatical: A Field Guide, was a finalist in the "Road to New York Times Best Seller" contest held by the book’s publisher, Pearson Book Publisher. Buyze’s book describes how to prepare for a mini (4 week) sabbatical and provides journaling and reflection pages relevant to sabbaticals. The winner will get the opportunity to have their book advertised on NYC buses.

Lane and Hubbard finalists in Chanticleer Awards

John Be Lane’s post-dystopian romantic thriller, The Future Lies, and Dee Hubbard’s, Network Apprentice were named as finalists in divisions the Chanticleer International Book Awards. The Future Lies is a finalist in the Cygnus Book Awards, and Network Apprentice is a finalist in the Somerset Book Awards. The Cygnus Book Awards recognize works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Somerset Book Awards are designated for works in Contemporary and Literary Fiction. 

Hamilton's book one of top on West Slope

Penny Hamilton's "Images of America: Grand County" was chosen as a 2024 Top Book on the West Slope of Colorado by Skyhinews.com.

Winograd's book shortlisted for Eric Hoffer award

Kathryn Winograd's The Visible Speaking, an anthology of prose, poetry, and photography, has been short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Award. The Hoffer has become one of the largest international book awards for small, academic, and independent presses. Each year, less than 5% of the Hoffer nominees become grand prize award finalists.

X. Ho Yen's "Puzzling Innerverse" Nabs Literary Titan Nod

The Literary Titan Book Award has recognized X. Ho Yen for "Space Autistic Author’s Puzzling Innerverse" in its children's books category. Literary Titan describes it as "a wildly original blend of illustrated puzzles, space-faring adventure, internal monologue, and heartfelt autobiography."

X. Ho Yen's second novel a finalist

X. Ho Yen's second novel, "Custodians of the Future" has been named a finalist in two 2024 literary contests: American Writing Awards (Science Fiction-Other category) and Global Book Awards (Science Fiction-Crime & Mystery category). The book is a SciFi mystery-romp-chase that takes place on New Year's Eve 2099 in Stockholm; it also includes many pop culture nods, which the author says needn't be recognized to enjoy the story.