I love IndieReader for the taste and intelligence of its reviewers — not to mention their interest in books that depart from the cookie-cutter industry norms — so this is truly an honor.
On Wednesday June 1st, IndieReader, one of the original review services for self, hybrid and independently published authors, announced the winners of the eleventh annual IR Discovery Awards (IRDAs) for 2022. Pushing Pawns by Dima Novak won First Place in the Fiction Category.
IndieReader launched the IRDAs in 2011 to help notable indie authors receive the attention of top publishing professionals, with the goal of reaching more readers. Noted Amy Edelman, author and founder of IR, “The books that won the IRDAs this year are not simply great indie books; they are great books, period. We hope that our efforts via the IRDAs ensure that they receive attention from the people who matter most. Potential readers.”
Past and present sponsors for the IRDAs include Amazon, Reedsy, Smith Publicity and NY-based literary agents Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Judges have included publishers (from Penguin Group USA and Simon & Schuster), agents (from ICM, Dystel), publicists (from Smith Publicity), and bloggers (from GoodeReader).
Pushing Pawns received the following verdict by IndieReader’s reviewers:
A stunningly fresh take on the Queen’s Gambit ‘savant-in-training’ premise, Dima Novak’s PUSHING PAWNS pairs an unforgettable protagonist with an animated cast of zoomers and a smart, contemporary plot for a YA masterpiece that belongs on every teen’s smartphone—an instant classic.