2012 Book of the Year Finalists Announced

ForeWord Reviews is pleased to announce the 2012 Book of the Year Awards finalists. Representing more than 700 publishers, finalists were selected from 1300 entries in 62 categories. These books are examples of independent publishing at its finest.

John J Kelley’s novel The Fallen Snow is a finalist for the 2012 Book of the Year Awards in both General Fiction and Gay & Lesbian Fiction categories.

The Fallen Snow reveals the struggle of a traumatized soldier returning to a rural Virginia community reeling from war, influenza and economic collapse. But what begins as the story of one youth soon grows into a tale about the innumerable ways people touch, teach, and love – even in the face of tragedy.

Explains Kelley, “The primary arc of the story traces a young man’s coming of age, including his sexual awakening. Yet the themes and emotions of the tale are universal. For that reason I’m grateful judges advanced the novel in both categories. Their assessment affirms the insights early readers have shared.”

The author has long been drawn to tales about healing, growth and community. Born and raised in the Florida panhandle, Kelley graduated from Virginia Tech and served as a military officer. He now lives in Washington, DC, where he is a member of The Writer’s Center. The Fallen Snow is his debut novel.

ForeWord’s Book of the Year Awards program was created to highlight the year’s most distinguished books from independent publishers. Award winners are chosen by librarians and booksellers who are on the front lines, working everyday with patrons and customers.

ForeWord Reviews, a quarterly print journal established in 1998, is dedicated to exclusively reviewing independently published books to provide booksellers, librarians, agents, and publishing professionals with reviews of the best titles from small, alternative, and academic presses. ForeWord also provides a myriad of services to publishers, including international trade representation, Book of the Year Awards, Clarion fee-for-review service, and an interactive website for the reading community at www.forewordreviews.com.