Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to work as a beta reader with a writer by the name of Alex Tremari. Her manuscript, Dragoncast has lingered in my mind since, through the strength of its characters and the trials they are forced to endure in a dark, uncaring world. While certain elements of it were a little rough, by the time it’s ready for publication, Dragoncast will be a thrilling story that, despite opening in a familiar way, subverts the reader’s expectations at every turn.

Over the last few months, we’ve kept in contact, and when Alex asked me to share the news that her novel was picked up for publication, why, I jumped on the opportunity to do so! The lucky publisher is Spectrum Audiobooks!

Here’s a piece of art Alex commissioned for the book, to get you hyped:

And here’s the press release:

Montesano Fantasy Writer Wins Publishing Contract

Alex Tremari from Montesano, in the United States, has been shortlisted for the Page Turner Awards Writing Award, for her Fantasy manuscript Dragoncast.

Along with being shortlisted, Alex has won a publishing contract from Spectrum Audiobooks and the Ultimate Fantasy Writers Course.

Alex entered the Page Turner Awards, where published and unpublished fiction and non-fiction writers of all genres can enter their writing to get discovered by high-profile judges from the literary world.

When Alex started writing Dragoncast, it was a simple love letter to fantasy and all of its tropes. What it wound up being was a parable about the dangers of believing you are always the protagonist.

Alex has always believed that you can tell more truth with fiction than reality. The underlying motivator in her stories stems from years of working with people in desperate situations who refused to be desperate. She just threw in some magic so people would believe it.

Alex said, “The Page Turner awards gave me the opportunity to share my story with the world. Entering a writing contest as prestigious as this one is a great practice run to sharing it with people in general – a huge hurdle for me as a new writer. Having Dragoncast published is a dream come true!’

The Page Turner Awards, sponsored by ProWritingAid, gives writers and authors the chance to enter unpublished or published fiction and non-fiction books, where a group of literary agents and publishers will read the work.

Kelly Rinne from Spectrum Audiobooks judged the eBook Award and was immediately captured by the narrative in Dragoncast and offered Alex a publishing and audiobook production.

Judges are carefully selected literary agents and publishers who are looking for writers to represent and publish, plus influencers in the publishing industry.

Founder of Page Turner Awards and award-winning novelist, Paula Wynne said: “There are writers from all walks of life, from manual labourers to academics. All with stories to tell, most of them heart-warming and moving. We’re proud that our Awards celebrates excellent writing and helps writers and authors to get their stories discovered.”

Success stories from this year’s awards include three writers winning literary representation, six writers winning a writing mentorship, five writers winning a publishing contract and thirteen independent authors winning an audiobook production.

 Sounds pretty cool for any authors looking more traditional methods of getting their works out there!

Find out more about The Page Turner Awards: https://pageturnerawards.com.