BATH — A Bath artist’s
first novel recently got the nod from the world’s largest not-for-profit awards program for independent and self-published authors.
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards selected Irene M. Drago’s maritime novel, “Daughters of Long Reach” as 2018’s best first novel.
“While Drago was signing copies of her mairitime novel at Maine Lobster Festival on Aug. 3, Nikki Giglia, a publicist for Maine Authors Publishing, presented her with a gold medal and snaped a photo to capture the victory for an indie author and indie publisher,” according to a news release.
“Daughters of Long Reach” is a story about a Maine family, its shipbuilding and seafaring traditions, as well as its love and loss, according to the book’s description.
The awards committee is made up of leaders in the indie book publishing industry.
In the wake of the award, Drago’s novel is expected to be reviewed by a New York literary agent, potentially leading to representation, according to the release.
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