InD’Tale, the RONE, and Me

Winning matters.

Validation motivates me to write more, take risks with my prose, and reach for higher goals as an author. So, thank God for InD’Tale and the RONE awards!

Eight years ago, a chance meeting in an airport with the warm, charming, and energetic T.J. McKay, made me a fan of her work and her organization, InD’Tale. She and her wonderful crew created a gorgeous monthly magazine focused on Indie Publishing. What’s more she gathered top-notch reviewers of novels we authors could easily access in the early years when the organization was at start-up mode. For a new Indie like me, when I got good reviews from InD’Tale, I was spurred on to write more. Soon they kicked the best books upstairs to a set of judges who nominated winners for RONE awards (‘rone’-is an ancient word for ‘above’).

Then InD’Tale sponsored a yearly conference, InD’Scribe, small, personal, and brimming with ideas for writers like me. A gala on the last night of the conference climaxed with RONE awards doled out to 30 categories of authors and cover artists. the first year I attended, my 2012 novel, FADEOUT earned honorable mention. In 2016, FEAR LAND garnered a second runner-up. BAD LIES was a finalist in 2018. Now, in 2020, WHEN MOUNTAINS FALL has a chance to make it to the big show. More about that in a minute.

To finish my history of InD’Tale: Since the first year I attended InD’Tale, I have presented a series of workshops, teaming with other authors. As the conferences grew in attendance and quality, I also took on the task of improving the Book Sale portion of the event. Two of us each year operated a Scavenger Hunt at the Book Sale, an impetus for shy readers to meet and engage with authors they’d never met before. We improved interactions and sales along with offering a $100 gift card to the reader who won the Scavenger Hunt.

So you can see, I am invested: I submit my books to InD’Tale for review; my books become finalists and some are winners in the RONE; I buy ads in the magazine, I joyfully attend conferences, presenting a workshop yearly; I gladly contribute my time and ideas to improve conference events, like the Scavenger Hunt.

If the virus allows the next conference in Peoria, Illinois, I’ll attend. October 8-11 are the dates; here is the site: https://www.indscribe.com

Now back to WHEN MOUNTAINS FALL, my latest novel.

It has a chance at a RONE award because of its high-ranking review.

Starting May 11-17, I’m asking you to help me push my book in front of the judges. If I get enough votes for WHEN MOUNTAINS FALL, my story will be read by a panel of judges to determine its quality/ranking.

Here is how to vote (one time) for my book:

1. Go to https://indtale.com

2. Log in (you do have to put in an e-mail and password, then get an e-mail to validate, but you can easily unsubscribe later if you don’t want their e-mails)

3. On the banner, way on the right, click ‘INDSCRIBE/RONES’

4. On the pull-down click ‘2020 Rone Awards;’ on the other pull-down, click ‘RONE AWARDS Week Five May 11-17’

5. Select ‘Mystery’

6. You will Vote once and only once, but five of the books on the list with the most votes will be finalists and be read by the panel of judges. I hope you’ll help me get WHEN MOUNTAINS FALL in front of the judges!

7. Thanks for your vote!