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A New Book Release and First Book is an Award Finalist

June 12, 2025 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Denise M. Colby, finalist, new release

I wanted to share my exciting book news – a book release AND an award final announcement! My first book become an award finalist and my second book released, all while on our three-week trip abroad (I will write another post about all the great research I did).

2025 ACFW Award Finalist

My debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist in the debut category. It is such an honor to be recognized in this way.

When Plans Go Awry is a 2025 ACFW Carol Award Finalist in the Debut category

I was so surprised. In fact we were at Disneyland, Paris when I started receiving texts early in the AM (think nine hours ahead). I might’ve made a few incoherant sounds as I reached for my laptop to find the website page and confirm before I said something to my family. Sure enough, my book was listed. I think I walked around the parks in a daze that day. As I said, such an honor. Winners will be announced at the ACFW conference gala on September 6.

A New Book Release

My second book, A Slight Change of Plans, released May 27^th. About midway through our trip. In fact, I was going through the final proof on the plane to London.

Which meant I didn’t have a book in hand with me on my trip. Instead I printed out the cover and glued it to cardstock and carried it around with me taking pictures against major landmarks.

It was my little way to celebrate the release of my book and be able to create this graphic for launch day, announcing it was released to the world.

Denise M. Colby's A Slight Change of Plans released May 27th, 2025

I took way more than what could fit on one graphic, so I thought I’d share them here. See if you can guess some of the places I visited. Once the book released, I stopped (and kindof wished I hadn’t).

big ben in the background with a slight change of plans book release

castle in background with book cover in front for book release announcement

Celebrating both a Book Release and becoming an Award Finalist

I was staying present for our trip, except to respond to all the well wishes on both announcements.

On release day it rained as we walked to find a coffee shop and breakfast. This is the one picture of me and the book cover that day. I was a little wet and tired (we had walked and walked and walked every day). But still celebrating. A Slight Change of Plans made it to the 7th spot in one of the new release categories on Amazon, and has received many lovely reviews.

Denise M. Colby holding a book cover on release day A Slight Change of Plans — Release Day!

A Slight Change of Plans released and landed in 7th spot in new releases — Release Day!

This week A Slight Change of Plans is on a blog tour. Click on the link to check out all the interviews, excerpts, and reviews being highlighted this week.

A Slight Change of Plans Blog Tour week graphic

It’s been an exciting month having a book release and become an award finalist. Thank you everyone for your support. I’m so happy to see readers enjoying the story and feeling encouraged. I love to write stories full of faith, hope, and love. If you are interested in learning what inspired and influenced my stories, I wrote this blog post a few months back about it.

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Self-Pub Corner: Back Cover Copy “FInalist” in I Heart Indie Contest by Jina Bacarr

August 11, 2014 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as audio, Christmas, Confessions of a Podcast Goddess, contest, excerpt, finalist, Italian, las vegas rwa, romance novel, self-publishing, soldier, video, Vimeo

The sales pitch.

You either love it or hate it.

For your novel, it’s called the back cover copy. It can be even more difficult to write than the dreaded synopsis when you’re self-pubbing a novel. But you gotta do it.

The tease. The logline. The character descriptions.

Sometimes it seems it takes longer the write the back cover copy than the novel itself (just kidding…).

So you can imagine how excited I was when I found out my back cover copy and beautiful cover from Covers by Ramona for A Soldier’s Italian Christmas is a finalist in the Novella category in the I Heart Indie contest!

Here’s the back copy cover:

He is a U.S Army captain, a battle-weary soldier who has lost his faith.
She is a nun, her life dedicated to God.
Together they are going to commit an act the civilized world will not tolerate.
They are about to fall in love.

December 1943
Italy

The ravages of combat have taken a toll on Captain Mack Oâ€™Casey, who has lost his faith after seeing the horrors of war as the Nazis fight hard to keep the Allies from reaching Rome. His beliefs are challenged even more when he loses his way and ends up in a mystical place called Monte D’Oro Rose during the cold winter of 1943â€¦and falls in love with the beautiful Sister Angelina.

The young nun has a secret of her own, one she will die trying to protect: the lost Cross of Saint Cecelia. She must find the religious relic first before the brutal Nazi major who will stop at nothing to get it. Even murder. Sister Angelina risks her life to save the cross for the Church, but will she also risk her heart? Falling in love with the handsome American soldier is against the rules, but she canâ€™t deny the stolen moments with him have made her question her vows.

It is Christmas Eve when these two lonely people come together on this holiest of holidays and how faith helps them overcome their greatest fears. A time when the whole world holds its breath as brave men and women fight for freedom.

And a soldier and a nun dare to fall in loveâ€¦

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And here is the cover! Check out this extended video excerpt from Chapter One from A Soldier’s Italian Christmas

A Soldier’s Italian Christmas: Excerpt from Chapter One from Jina Bacarr on Vimeo.