I’ve been sitting on this news for over a week, which makes me all the happier to share today.

Friends Indeed, the most recent Star Kingdom/Stephanie Harrington novel (written by me and David Weber) is a finalist for the Dragon Award in the Young Adult/Middle Grade category.  You can see the entire ballot here.  Voting is free.  You can learn more at this link.

If you haven’t read Friends Indeed, let me reassure you that it can be read without reading the rest of the series, although, of course, there would be spoilers for the earlier books.    Here’s a variation on the cover copy:

THE TROUBLE WITH TREECATS

Stephanie Harrington didn’t discover treecats—they were indigenous to the planet Sphinx, a colony of the tiny Star Kingdom of Manticore. But at age eleven she was the first human to bond with one. Now, almost seventeen, she is the species’ greatest champion.

To the rest of the human galaxy, if they are known at all, they are recognized as fierce hunters, tool users, socially organized, fuzzy little creatures, with no known method of communication. But are they sapient? Because if they are, that would have all sorts of repercussions for the families who have settled on Sphinx—the Harringtons not the least.

There will be winners, and there will be losers. And Stephanie is there to make sure the treecats don’t lose out.

But Stephanie, the treecats, and Sphinx itself may be caught up in an even greater conspiracy than the one to help the fighting ‘cats survive, one generations in the making . . .

David Weber and I did a podcast about Friends Indeed, in which we discuss the trials and tribulations we faced during the writing of this novel, both personally and when writing an ongoing prequel series. 

But going back to my happy dance…

What exactly are the Dragon Awards?   According to their website, they are: “A way to recognize excellence in all things Science Fiction and Fantasy. These awards are by the fans, for the fans, and are your chance to reward those who have made real contributions to SF, books, games, comics, and shows. There is no qualification for voting – no convention fees or other memberships are needed. The only requirement is that you register, confirm your email address for voting purposes, and agree to the rules. This ensures that all votes count equally.”

If you’re interested in taking part in the voting, this is the link.  There are numerous categories, including for several types of novels (SF, Fantasy, Alternate History, Middle Grade/ YA), movies and shows, graphic novels, and games.

Now, off to do what writers do.  Write!