The Soon To Be Famous Blog

The Indie Author Project is thrilled to announce that Pascuala Herrera, author of Not Always a Valley of Tears, is the 2022 winner of the fourth annual Indie Author of the Year award. She previously was named winner of the state-wide de la Página a la Fama award from the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project recognizing excellence in self or indie-published Spanish language literature.

Herrera, a self-published author from Franklin Park, IL  was chosen from a stellar group of 18 authors who have each won regional Indie Author Contests held in 16 states as well as two Canadian provinces. The Indie Author of the Year is chosen by a team of industry experts on the basis of marketability, overall impact, personal brand, and potential for the author to break out. This year’s distinguished group of judges included:

• Carl Pritzkat, COO of Publishers Weekly
• Guy Gonzalez, Chief Content Officer for LibraryPass
• Leslye Penelope, award-winning author with St. Martin’s Press
• Kiera Parrot, Director of Darien Public Library, Norwalk, CT

Herrera’s inspirational memoir tells the story of a strong Latina woman overcoming  many obstacles to realize her dream. At the age of six, Pascuala who had many medical challenges including a disability that required her to use a wheelchair, immigrated from Mexico with her large family. Despite these difficulties, she completed her education including a Bachelors and Masters at DePaul University in Chicago. After graduating, she joined the faculty at Harper College where she worked with students with all types of disabilities. She continues to be very active in the movement for the rights of people with disabilities. 

After losing her mother in 2018, Pascuala’s daughter encouraged her to turn her childhood stories into a memoir to celebrate the life of her mother. The result is a memoir filled with honest painful stories, simple yet joyous triumphs, and humor that will lead all readers to embrace their own struggles and realize that life is Not Always a Valley of Tears. Pascuala published the book in English as well as Spanish to reach the Latino community.

She commented, "Being the winner of the Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project opened so many doors for me as a new indie author! I am thrilled and so grateful to have been selected as the Indie Author of the Year! There is nothing more rewarding than to know that my memoir is being recognized for this distinction and that my written words are available in libraries so that readers around the country can access my story. Once again, I am reminded that life is Not Always a Valley of Tears."

Announcing the winner of our 2023 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project contest:

Burn and Balm by Kate Guerrero

(Schaumburg Township District Library)

Kate Guerrero of Schaumburg took “a giant leap of faith” writing the manuscript for Burn and Balm, a razor-sharp tale of “gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss” culture set against a backdrop of diapers and breast pumps. It’s about the complexities of female friendship and the unique power women hold to both uplift and destroy one another.

“Writing this book (my first!) [has] been a huge learning experience involving lots of emotions. Winning the manuscript contest has been such a boost to my determination to become a published author, and such a vote of confidence that my novel is worth reading,” she commented.

Guerrero is the latest recipient of the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project Contest, now in its fifth year. Run entirely by library volunteers, the contest recognizes excellent quality unpublished adult fiction by Illinois authors. As winner, she will receive free line editing and cover design services as well as guidance from the Soon to Be Famous Team and former award winners.

Kate is a writer and artist currently seeking representation for her winning debut novel, Burn and Balm. Turning out excellent client copy by day and furiously scribbling fiction by night. Kate loves writing about topics related to motherhood, friendship, and growing into your dreams. She believes that trying something new is worth making a mess.

Kate's prizes include:

• Professional line editor
• Professionally designed cover
• Self-publishing guidance.
• Finished book entered as semi-finalist status in the next Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project contest.

About the Project

Since 2014, the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project has been demonstrating the power of libraries to create a market for authors and find more great reads for patrons. We recognize excellence in self-published and indie-published fiction in our book contest, and have been seeking out high quality unpublished adult fiction for our manuscript contest for five years.

Since its inception, STBF has been replicated in 14 states and two Canadian provinces. With help from sponsor BiblioLabs, a division of Lyrisis, winning books from all regions now compete for Indie Author of the Year. Learn more at indieauthorproject.com.

The Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author project is being coordinated in collaboration with the Illinois Library Association (ILA) and Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) and is supported by the American Library Association Digital Content Working Group, the Public Library Association (PLA), and the Illinois Heartland Library System.

Our judges have completed their second review of the 2023 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project contest submissions. We're excited to announce these three finalists moving on to our final round (in alphabetical order by author’s last name). Watch this website for our winner announcement coming in the late Summer 2023.

• Burn and Balm by Kate Guerrero (Schaumburg Township District Library)
• Infinity Mirror by Brian Newcomb (Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District)
• The Camera Liked Her by Floyd Sullivan (Chicago Public Library, Jefferson Park Branch)

Congratulations to these Illinois authors. For details about our Manuscript Project click here.

Our judges have completed their initial review of the 2023 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project contest submissions. We're thrilled to announce these semi-finalists who are moving on to our second round (in alphabetical order by author’s last name):

• Love in a Time of Monsters by Kathleen Alberts (Alsip-Merrionette Park Library District)
• The Librarians by Eric Diekhans (Evanston Public Library)
• Burn and Balm by Kate Guerrero (Schaumburg Township District Library)
• The Family You Choose by Christina Ho (Vernon Area Public Library District)
• The Descent by Donna Kathryn Kelly (Cary Area Public Library District)
• Infinity Mirror by Brian Newcomb (Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District)
• The Untimely Death of Erica Javitz by Barbara E. Schmidt (Lillie M. Evans Library District)
• The Lake House by Patti Sherry-Crews (Evanston Public Library)
• The Camera Liked Her by Floyd Sullivan (Chicago Public Library, Jefferson Park Branch)

Congratulations to these Illinois authors. For details about our Manuscript Project click here.

On Monday, April 24 at 4 pm, the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project (STBF) will recognize and honor the winner and two runners-up of its annual self/indie-published novel competition in a live media event hosted by the Niles-Maine Library District. Illinois State Senator Ram Villavalam of the 8th district will attend and present a special proclamation honoring the winner.

Alina Rubin, patron of the Niles-Maine Library District, who was recently named winner of the 2022 competition will accept the award (which includes a $2,000 prize) for her novel, A Girl with a Knife. Set in 19th century England, the novel tells the story of a young woman who manages to escape the very limited life choices available to her, and become a surgeon. Rubin is an IT professional and a mom, who, during the pandemic, used the time and energy saved on the commute to write this award-winning book. She has a B.S. and M.S. in Business and Information Technology from DePaul University, and lives near Chicago with her husband and daughter.

Finalist Rebecca Taniguchi’s career took her from English teacher to writer/editor for major corporations, but she always wanted to try her hand at a novel. Her family’s history inspired her to write Hiro’s War, a work of historical fiction that follows one man’s journey from his childhood spent in a Japanese internment camp in the U.S. during World War II through his life-long search for justice and peace. Taniguchi lives in St. Charles

Skokie Library patron Len Joy claims the titles of CPA, MBA, triathlete, and author of several books including American Past Time, the other finalist in the STBF competition. American Past Time follows the story of an American family as they navigate the challenges of the 1950s through the 1970s as issues of race simmer in the background.

Rubin, Joy, and Taniguchi are the newest members of a group of 27 self or indie-published fiction writers who have been recognized by the STBF Project. Now entering its tenth year, the Project is the brainchild of a group of library marketing professionals who challenged themselves to demonstrate the power of libraries to create a market for authors and find more great reads for their patrons. Entirely run by library professionals from across the state, STBF invites all Illinois authors of self- or indie-published adult fiction to submit their books to be evaluated by a panel of librarian judges.  In 2015, the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project won the prestigious John Cotton Dana Award for excellence in library public relations by the American Library Association.

Find information about the live event by clicking this link.

Announcing the 2023 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project contest. We're accepting submissions for this exciting, library-driven initiative that helps connect local indie authors with library readers from April 1, 2023 through June 1, 2023.

Thanks to our ongoing partnership with BiblioBoard, the 2023 winner of this contest will receive:

Congratulations to Alina Rubin with her book A Girl with a Knife for winning our 2022 Soon to be Famous Illinois Author contest! 

As the winner, Alina will get the following:

• Statewide recognition by Illinois libraries as the top indie-published fiction novel.
• $2000 cash prize
• Opportunities to promote her book(s) at Illinois public libraries
• Opportunity to compete with other IAP contest winners for the Indie Author of the Year award
• And more

We will be hosting an official awards ceremony on April 24, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. at Niles-Maine library. Click here for details.

Announcing our fifth annual Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project contest.

Now open for submissions!

Starting January 2, 2023 and continuing through March 1, 2023, we are accepting complete manuscripts of adult fiction in book length (50,000 to 100,000 words) from Illinois authors only.

Visit the Manuscript Project page for details about this year's contest. And to start the submission process, visit the For Authors section of our website.

Meet our 2022 winner here.

The Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project judges have reviewed this year's contest submissions of indie-published books by Illinois authors. They've narrowed down their choices to these top three entries listed below (in alphabetical order by author’s last name).

Congratulations to these finalists who go on to compete in the next round where one will emerge as 2022's winner. Watch this blog for the winner announcement in early 2023.

Len Joy of Skokie has been chosen as one of three finalists in the statewide Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project competition for his novel American Past Time. This darkly nostalgic story is a study of an American family through good times and bad, engagingly set against major events from the 1950s to the ’70s, as issues of race simmer in the background. History buffs and baseball fans will especially appreciate details such as sting-ray bikes, Green Stamps, and the names of famous baseball players, including Spahn, Larsen, Mantle and Musial that set the scene for the story.

Len commented, “While I am still in the not quite famous category, I have continued to make progress, and I appreciate the recognition.” He learned about the contest from the Skokie Public Library. Len’s biography (which includes being a nationally rated triathlete!) and more information about his books can be found at lenjoybooks.com.

Alina Rubin of Niles has been chosen as one of three finalists in the statewide Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project competition for her novel A Girl With a Knife.

Alina commented, "I've asked the wonderful staff of the Niles library what I would need to do to get A Girl with a Knife on the library shelves, and they've told me about the Illinois Soon to Be Famous Manuscript and Author projects. I applied right away, and I'm glad I did. The nomination reflects not only my work, but the effort of my editor Kirsten Rees and her team, the cover designers at GetCovers and my amazing beta readers. I can't thank them enough!"

Like many writers, Alina took advantage of the time she saved by not commuting to her job during the pandemic to write a book. A Girl With a Knife is the story of a nineteenth century woman surgeon, and is the first title in a planned series.

Rebecca Taniguchi of St. Charles has been chosen as one of three finalists in the statewide Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project competition for her novel Hiro’s War.

“I am delighted to be honored by the Soon to Be Famous Project for writing Hiro’s War, which tells the little-known story of Japanese Americans who fought valiantly for their country while their friends and families sat in U.S. concentration camps, rounded up and thrown into the armed prisons because of their race,” she commented. 

Hiro’s War tells the story of how Chicago became a beacon of hope for  many of these citizens and their parents, offering acceptance, jobs, and services to help restart their lives during and after the war. Indeed, Chicago was the largest resettlement site in the country as it aided tens of thousands of Japanese Americans and their parents. 

 As Rebecca said, “Written at this time when other groups and individuals are shunned as outsiders, Hiro's story teaches that the American ideals of justice and equality for all demand constant work and vigilance, compassion and resilience.” 

Great news Illinois Authors!

Do you have a self-published fiction novel or memoir? De la Página a la Fama contest is looking for the next great book to promote for Spanish language readers. The deadline for this contest is extended to September 30! Submit your work today for a chance to win $2000 in prize money plus more. A prize of $500 will be awarded to the 2nd place winner. Click here for details.

¡Buenas noticias, autores de Illinois!

¿Ha autopublicado una novela o autobiografía? Participe en el concurso De la Página a la Fama. ¡Buscamos hacer llegar una gran lectura a los lectores hispanohablantes! Se ha extendido el plazo de entrega hasta el 30 de septiembre. Se ofrece un premio monetario de $2000 y más para el ganador; el segundo lugar recibirá un premio de $500. Para más información.