by Zach Miller
Quick Summary
Steve South and his novel “The Queen of Steel and Fire” have been awarded the Minnesota Author Project prize in Young Adult Fiction for 2019.
Steve South and his novel “The Queen of Steel and Fire” have been awarded the Minnesota Author Project prize in Young Adult Fiction for 2019.
South collected his $1,000 prize, provided by the Minnesota Library Association Foundation and Bibliolabs, at an awards ceremony at Mystic Lake Casino at the Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference on September 19. South will now have the chance to share his book at libraries across Minnesota. He and the winner of the Adult Fiction prize, Sarah Hanley, for "Matka," will also be honored at a reception in Nashville, TN and featured in a full-page spread in “Library Journal.”
South notes that “this contest helps libraries increase their already incredible value to communities by introducing more voices and perspectives.” Mitchell Davis, founder and CEO of Bibliolabs, agrees, describing the relationship between indie authors, readers and public libraries as “a celebration of literary connections.”
In addition to South, the finalists for the Young Adult Fiction prize were Diane Dettman for "Courageous Footsteps" and Jenna Zark for "The Beat on Ruby's Street." Minnesota residents can read these titles online by visiting the Indie Minnesota collection on MN Writes MN Reads.
The winners and some of the finalists will be at the MN Writes MN Reads table at the Twin Cities Book Festival at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on October 12.
