Beverly Hills, CA (May 22, 2013) - Shards, by Keith B. Darrell, has been named a Finalist in the category of Short Stories in this year's NIE Awards.
"I know the competition was particularly fierce this year, so I am especially pleased Shards has been awarded this honor," author Keith B. Darrell said. "This is the first time since Randoms in 2009 that we've brought home an NIE Award, and this year we received not one, but two awards, in both fiction and nonfiction categories." The 7th edition of Issues in Internet Law was the winner in the 2013 NIE Awards category for books about the Internet, also announced today.
“We congratulate each and every author recognized this year," NIE Awards sponsor Ellen Reid said. "Our competition is unique in that it takes into account all aspects of publishing that go into making a stand-out presentation including cover design, interior layout and promotional text." This national award, based in Los Angeles, CA, is open to all English-language books published between 2010 and 2013. The competition was judged by independent industry experts, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers, and professional copywriters. They selected award winners and finalists based on overall excellence of presentation, Reid said.
Shards is a 542-page collection of short stories by author Keith B. Darrell which span all genres, including speculative fiction, flash fiction, fusion fiction, fantasy, science fiction, horror, slice of life, humor, gothic, and political/sociological fiction. "Although much of my focus has been on my novels, particularly my four-book Halos & Horns fantasy saga, I have always been a devotee, as both reader and author, of the short story format," Darrell said. "My first foray into short stories was a small collection entitled Randoms, which was a 2009 NIE Awards finalist, but Shards is a much more ambitious attempt, clocking in at 542 pages with 62 stories. I hope this recognition will attract more readers to the book and provide it with the exposure it deserves."
Shards is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.