Another Award
2 novels listed as "Finalist" with 20th Annual Indie Excellence Award cycle
I’ve got 9000-ish of you on this list. I promised myself I would never abuse this list and use it only for promoting my writing by publishing a short story for you each month. I write these stories (1) for you (2) to promote the sale of my novels.
FINALIST
I got an email this morning stating that “my book” is a finalist in the 20th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (as you can see from the image below. The form letter assumes I only had one book as a finalist.
My surprise was that when I got to the target page, 2 of my novels were listed for “Regional Fiction - Northeast”
https://www.indieexcellence.com/20th-annual-finalists
This means that I get to put this sticker on the cover of my novels, and from today on, I get to say that I am an award winning novelist.
I did win a gold metal in May for my short story Kahlil’s Wall. So as of last month, I could boldly state: “award winning story teller”
Wanna buy an award winning book? https://bookshop.org/shop/iamaiken
Wanna listen to me read them: Libro.fm
Next Short Story
Guys, I wrote the July short story last week. It sits with one of my 2 amazing editors. Sort of a recognition of a rural life and my hero mother. I recount a story from 5th grade when she put out a fire on the wall in our kitchen with baking soda. My editor, and publisher, may hijack the story for submission to other publications.
Stupid rules: I write you a short story, but I can not give it to you if we decide to submit it for an award. The rule is stories can not be previously published and Substack counts as “published.”
I’ll write another story for you for early July.
Not bad for a relatively broken and slightly crippled former critical care paramedic, firefighter, and warrior. Instead of limping my fat ass towards fun and danger, I take advil and write about it.
I.M. Aiken author & narrator
“Captain Henry: 2 ½ Insurrections, 2 Wars, 1 ¼ Centuries, and a story of Love” (2026)
“Stolen Mountain” (2025) - FINALIST NIEA (Northeastern Regional Fiction
“The Little Ambulance War of Winchester County” (2024) - FINALIST NIEA (Northeastern Regional Fiction
“Trowbridge Dispatch” - fictional short stories/podcast
Follow along at: