Gina LoBiondo has been telling stories for most of her life—long before she ever thought about publishing or book awards. She started writing at 13, mostly because she had a big imagination and loved fairy tales. Like many kids, she and her brother made up games based on their favorite books and movies, and those stories slowly grew more serious. Writing just stuck with her, and it’s something she’s never really stopped doing.

For the 4th Quarter of 2025, Escala’s Wish earned Second Place in the Firebird Fantasy/Dark Fantasy category, a distinction that highlights the book’s quality and places it among the top-rated indie titles recognized by the Firebird judging panel. The Firebird Book Awards are issued quarterly and recognize excellence in independent and small-press publishing across a wide range of genres, with an emphasis on strong storytelling, originality, and professional presentation.

I’m incredibly proud to share that Escala’s Wish has been awarded the Kirkus “GET IT” Award. If you’re not familiar with what that means, here’s why this matters. Kirkus Reviews is widely regarded as the most respected and toughest review outlet in publishing. Their reviews are known for being blunt, critical, and unsparing. Most books reviewed by Kirkus do…

Bookview Review has issued a "RECOMMENDED" Gold badge award for my novel Escala's Wish. I was very excited to receive the award. This is the third positive review and the second award the book has received. I am blown away by the reception the book has received. You can read Bookview Review at this link.

Kirkus is known for being one of the toughest. They don’t hand out praise lightly and are willing to publish blunt criticism when a book doesn’t work. That’s why a strong Kirkus review is considered a meaningful mark of quality by librarians, publishers, and booksellers. Since I had already received a strong review from BookLife (see my last blog post…

Escala's Wish was reviewed my Booklife on January 2, 2026. I am absolutely thrilled with this review—it exceeded my expectations and truly means a great deal to me. BookLife is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious literary review outlets in the industry, second only to Kirkus, alongside BlueInk and Foreword Reviews, making this recognition especially meaningful. Even more exciting, my Kirkus review is due any day now.

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I’m part of a number of Facebook writing groups, but my favorite by far is Fellowship of Human Authors. It’s a genuinely supportive community, and through it

I’m part of a number of Facebook writing groups, but my favorite by far is Fellowship of Human Authors. It’s a genuinely supportive community, and through it I’ve met some wonderfully interesting authors—many of whom you’ve already read about on this blog. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Maureen Cummins, the author of Paper World. I haven’t read…

I’ve always loved fairy tales—the original kind. The ones that don’t talk down to you. The ones that understand fear, endurance, loss, and hope, and use magic

I’ve always loved fairy tales—the original kind. The ones that don’t talk down to you. The ones that understand fear, endurance, loss, and hope, and use magic as a way to tell the truth when plain words aren’t enough. So when I read that Heather Russell-Kay had reimagined classic fairy tales through a lens of chronic illness, resilience, and emotional truth, I immediately ordered a copy of…

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Some people collect souvenirs when they travel. Joni M. Kerr collected stories—classroom by classroom, country by country, child by child. Over the course of a 38-year teaching career, Joni didn’t just educate students; she immersed herself in the rhythms of life across the globe. From Florida and Texas to classrooms in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, China, Luxembourg, Tunisia, and Malaysia, she spent nearly three decades teaching internationally, learning firsthand how culture, curiosity, and human connection transcend borders.

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Today I am thrilled to share a truly special feature on the blog—an interview with author Madeline (Maddie) Arnold, daughter of Pastor Dane Burk, about her

Today I am thrilled to share a truly special feature on the blog—an interview with author Madeline (Maddie) Arnold, daughter of Pastor Dane Burk, about her powerful new memoir, Box of Darkness. For readers who were moved by Educated by Tara Westover or I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, Box of Darkness offers another deeply honest, unflinching coming-of-age narrative.

MaryEllen Whitton didn’t set out to become an author. In fact, she calls herself an “accidental” one — a woman who began writing not for an audience, but for

MaryEllen Whitton didn’t set out to become an author. In fact, she calls herself an “accidental” one — a woman who began writing not for an audience, but for her daughter, during a moment of struggle that needed light. What started as simple handwritten “I AM” statements, created to uplift someone she loved, soon became a lifeline for MaryEllen herself.

Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience's Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that's where your introduction comes into play. Hook your readers with a captivating opening that sparks curiosity or emotion. Address their pain points or questions to establish a connection. Outline the purpose of your post and give a sneak peek into what they can expect.

Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience's Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that's where your introduction comes into play. Hook your readers with a captivating opening that sparks curiosity or emotion. Address their pain points or questions to establish a connection. Outline the purpose of your post and give a sneak peek into what they can expect.

Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience's Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that's where your introduction comes into play. Hook your readers with a captivating opening that sparks curiosity or emotion. Address their pain points or questions to establish a connection. Outline the purpose of your post and give a sneak peek into what they can expect.

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Trash Panda Publishing Issues Firm Denial of Involvement in “Drunk Raccoon Liquor Store Incident." Northborough, MA — In light of recent highly publicized allegations involving a rogue raccoon, several broken bottles of premium whiskey, and one extremely unflattering photo of said raccoon passed out beside a toilet, Trash Panda Publishing wishes to clarify the following:

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The Author Who Speaks to the Soul: A Conversation with Q.M. Gatlin I am thrilled to be interviewing Q.M. Gatlin, who has been incredibly busy in