However Long the Night by David Pereda

I have a wonderful author to share on the blog today, one I think you will really like and want to check out.  He stopped by to spotlight his new book, However Long the Night, and talk about minor literary awards.

THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY ($20 Amazon GC) and the more you follow the tour and comment, the better your chances are!  The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-book-tour-however-long-night.html.  

About the Author:

David Pereda is an award-winning author who enjoys crafting political thrillers and mainstream novels. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards. He has traveled extensively around the world and speaks several languages. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching college-level courses, Pereda had a rich and successful international consulting career with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, and Qatar, among others.

A member of MENSA, Pereda is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association and the co-founder of AWE (Asheville Writing Enthusiasts). He loves sports and has won many prizes competing in track and show-jumping equestrian events.

Pereda lives with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Please visit him at…
www.davidpereda.com
www.twitter.com/DavidPeredaAVL
www.facebook.com

About the Novel:

ISBN:  However Long the Night
 978-1-61572-598-4  E-Book
 978-1-61572-599-1  Print Book

Successful Miami Architect born in Cuba learns from his dying father buried family secrets that compel him to return to the land he abandoned to search for the woman he left behind and the son he never knew. Cuban-born, award-winning Miami Architect and successful real estate developer Cid Milan suddenly faces a dilemma when his dying father reveals to him a shocking twenty-five year old family secret. Cid realizes there is only one thing he can do to unravel the mystery of his own past and right the wrongs committed. He must return to the land he abandoned. In his quest, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he searches frantically throughout Cuba for his teenage flame, Sandra, and the secret she kept from him all these years. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption which changes his life forever.

Book Excerpt:

Cid’s mother leaned on the rail next to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist and hugged him tenderly. “How are you doing, Son?”

Cid looked into her soft brown eyes. “Fine, Mama.”

“I know you. You’re not fine at all. You always try to be so tough, but you’re not. Manny is like your father. They see life one way, like bulls. You’re like me. We feel every little emotion, because we care. So I know you’re not fine. You’re hurt.”

His eyes filled with tears. “She doesn’t love me, Mama. She didn’t come.”

“Maybe she had a reason for not coming, Son.”

“No, Mama. I tried talking to her for days, and she disappeared on me. It was as if she was angry about something. It was her way of breaking up with me.”

“Give her a chance. Call her from Tampa and listen to her explanation. You can always send for her.  Maybe even come to get her.”

“I will, Mama. But deep down I know she doesn’t love me anymore.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I remembered something she said to me once. She told me, looking at me with those beautiful hazel eyes of hers, ‘Cid, the day you don’t love me anymore, don’t tell me. I don’t want to be hurt. Just go away and disappear. I’ll understand.’” A tear rolled down Cid’s cheek, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. “And that’s what Sandra did, Mama, you see? She disappeared.”

They watched the Cuban coast in silence, gold and green and blue. A cool breeze replaced the strong wharf odor with the briny smell of the open sea.

After a while, Cid noticed his mother was crying. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t mind me. Just an old lady’s tears.” Her gaze was fixed on the receding coastline. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

“Si.”

“I’ll miss her.”

“Me, too.”

Author Guest Blog:

Are These Minor Literary Awards Worth It?

By: David Pereda

With the advent of new technologies like print-on-demand and the proliferation of small publishers and subsidy or self-publishing presses that have made it much easier for writers to publish their work, there has also been a mushrooming in organizations handing out literary awards. We all know the impact a major award like the Nobel Prize, the National Book Award, or the Pulitzer Prize could have on an author's career -- or, on a more specialized basis, the Edgar, Shamus or Anthony awards.

But what about all these other awards littering the landscape. Are these minor literary awards worth it?

The answer is a resounding yes, and the reasons are plentiful. Here are five of them:

1- They give beginning writers confidence,
2- They provide established writers a yardstick to be measured against
3- They outline a step-by-step learning process -- first compete in the easier ones and then move on to the harder ones
4- They allow winners to add these wonderful words to their bios: "award-winning writer"
5- They provide winners with gold stickers to attach to their books, thereby making them more attractive to potential buyers

An award-winning writer I know always says, "To win a minor literary award, you don't have to beat the best writers in the world; you just have to be better than the rest of your competition."

Now, mind you, don't think for a moment that it's easy to win any award; it isn't. There are many good writers competing and trying to make a name for themselves by winning all these minor literary awards.

Consider the awards I have won -- the FWA Royal Palm Award, the FWA Lighthouse Book Award (twice with different books), the Indie Book Award, the Readers Book Award. I won't mention here all the other awards I entered and got to the finals but didn't win. Hey, you know how it is, you win a few and you lose a few.

The FWA Royal Palm Awards are handed out once a year and they are prestigious awards, available throughout the United States and internationally. FWA (Florida Writers Association) is the largest writers organization in Florida, consisting of more than one thousand members, and with chapters all over the state of Florida and other states, including North Carolina. Awards are handed out at the Florida Writers Association Annual Conference, usually held at Disney World every year, and attended by thousands.

The FWA Lighthouse Book Award is handed out annually at Ponte Vedra, Florida, and it's available to all FWA members as well as writers from all over the united States.

The Indie Book Awards are held annually and many small publishers compete.

The Readers Favorite Award is held annually, too, and many small publishers compete.

What's my next step regarding awards? I'm gearing up to compete in either the Edgar, the Shamus or the Anthony with my next book, a thriller I'm currently writing as the third installment of my Havana Series of thrillers titled, Twin Powers.

So, to summarize. Are minor literary awards worth it? Yes.

And if any of your readers is a writer wishing to make a name for herself or himself, I have a word of advice. Find a suitable literary award competition for your level of writing, polish up that short story or novel in your drawer you think so highly of but are afraid to show anybody, and get out of your cave and go find the cheese.

As Theodore Roosevelt said,

"The credit belong to the man who is actually in the arena;
who strives valiantly, who errs and come short again and again;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement;
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly;
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat."

Good luck!