Eclipsed by Shadow: winner of 2009 Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult Fiction

eric-hoffer-award-bannerThe first book of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy, ECLIPSED BY SHADOW, won the 2009 Eric Hoffer Book Award for best Young Adult Fiction.

The Eric Hoffer Book Award was founded with permission from the Eric Hoffer Estate, “to honor freethinking writers and independent books of exceptional merit.” Personally, my excitement and respect for the award’s purpose increased even more as I learned more about Hoffer’s work.

Eric Hoffer (1898–1983) was a quintessential American, a working-class philosopher, whose clear voice was grounded in the practical experience of the common worker. His most famous book is The True Believer (1951) which helped advance the study of mass-movements and fanaticism. Hoffer continued to write on a wide range of subjects:

Vaguely at first then more distinctly I realized that man is an eternal stranger on this planet. He became a stranger when he cut himself off from the rest of Creation and became human. From this incurable strangeness stems our incurable insecurity, our unfulfillable craving for roots, our passion to cover the planet with man-made compounds, our need for the city—a citadel against the encroachment of nature.”“—Eric Hoffer, Between the Devil and the Dragon

I am especially thrilled to receive this award. It still offers inspiration because the controversies of Eric Hoffer’s day are ongoing … ‘true believers’ everywhere still remain a threat. We have, in fact, come to a place of being at war with that very phenomenon. Hoffer’s original ideas have been expanded and built upon, and to be recognized by those in the path of such motivating ideas is a great honor.

eric hoffer smoking

“It is the individual only who is timeless. Societies, cultures, and civilizations — past and present — are often incomprehensible to outsiders, but the individual’s hungers, anxieties, dreams, and preoccupations have remained unchanged through the millennia.”

Eric Hoffer’s writings are a reminder of America’s post-war promise … his stance is decidedly pro-civilization, and he was himself a champion of the city; this often makes his work rather startling to read against current culture.

Though it may seem his work is sometimes overlooked in current cultural narratives, America’s working-class philosopher has been a seminal influence on modern understanding. His ideas remain an inspirational source of American thought.

Hoffer’s writing is grounded in the tradition of an America proud of its working class, building and progressing to a better world for all: his strong views and observations in celebration of civilization and the common man are still bracing ideas in the world. Which is quite hopeful, really.

Ebook of “Eclipsed by Shadow” to benefit New England Equine Rescues (NEER)

A free ebook edition of “Eclipsed by Shadow” is being offered in return for donations to New England Equine Rescues (NEER).

UPDATE 4/21/14: The free ebook offer has closed … thank you for your interest!

A free ebook edition of Eclipsed by Shadow | The Legend of the Great Horse ~ Book I of III is being offered in return for donations to New England Equine Rescues (NEER).

Eclipsed by Shadow won the national Eric Hoffer Award for YA Fiction, and Gold in the Mom’s Choice for best YA Fantasy. The book begins a trilogy adventure about a teenaged rider, Meagan, who discovers a horse that takes her back in history.

“NEER actively rescues horses from a variety of situations, including owner surrenders, abuse and neglect situations, and horses at risk for slaughter. NEER provides sanctuary and rehabilitation in foster homes with the intention of adoption into new families as appropriate. “

2010 BookExpo of America

The Book Expo of America (BEA) begins today at the Javits Center in New York City. This three day convention is the largest publishing event in North America.

Author John Royce will be participating in the event as a winner of the Mom’s Choice Award for best Young Adult Fantasy. His debut title, “Eclipsed by Shadow | The Legend of the Great Horse ~ Book I of III” also won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.

“The Golden Spark,” the second book of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy is to be published in October 2010.

Advance review copies will be made available at the Book Expo.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” Wins Eric Hoffer Book Award

eric-hoffer-award-bannerEclipsed by Shadow has won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction!

This is a tremendous national honor given in the name of one of America’s great thinkers.

The Eric Hoffer Award for short prose and books was established at the start of the 21st century as a means of opening a door to writing of significant merit. It honors the memory of the great American philosopher Eric Hoffer by highlighting salient writing, as well as the independent spirit of small publishers.

The Hoffer Award exists as a platform to honor independent books of exceptional merit.

More information about Eric Hoffer and this honor will be posted over the next week…