It has been five months since I entered The Serpent’s Fall into the 2026 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.
With only one month to go, my excitement is through the roof as September 1 creeps closer—the day the results will be revealed.
2026 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest Results: Why Count the Days?
Call it validation.
Sure, I have received reader reviews and professional editorial reviews. However, because this is an international competition that includes traditionally published books, the results will show me how The Serpent’s Fall measures up in a broader publishing arena.
I am not always sure whether the handful of readers who reviewed the book were simply being kind. Then again, I have not received a negative response yet. Perhaps I just have not had enough readers.
Be that as it may, this feels like the moment of truth.
As an South African indie author, self-doubt comes with the territory., self-doubt comes with the territory. You wonder whether your work can compete with the best—whether it deserves to be read and can stand proudly alongside thrillers by authors such as Lee Child and Gregg Hurwitz.
Most importantly, you wonder whether it delivers on the promise you made to your readers: to respect their time and give them a clean, action-packed thriller that grabs them by the throat and refuses to let go.
It is not that I need validation to keep writing. Writing is in my blood.
What I need is honest feedback—the kind that helps me listen, improve, and give my readers the best experience possible.
What Experience Do I Want Readers to Get From My Books?
I want them to experience what I feel when watching a great movie: that moment when you sit back and say, Wow. That was time well spent.
A story should move me. It should tug at every emotion—excitement, fear, joy, love, sympathy, and even anger. If it is meant to break my heart, it should move me to tears without slipping into melodrama. If it is meant to make me angry, I should feel my fists clench and beads of sweat form on my forehead.
What a story should never do is promise one thing and deliver something else. That produces anger for all the wrong reasons. :-)
The genre does not matter.
I remember when my wife and I went to watch The Thin Red Line. It may be a great movie for some people, but both of us were on the edge of our seats for the wrong reasons.
We eventually walked out and entered the cinema next door without even knowing what was playing. We arrived just as Ever After: A Cinderella Story began.
Frowns on our faces melted into smiles. We thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and that satisfying feeling of time well spent slowly settled in.
Have you ever watched a movie that made you want to jump up and join the action?
After watching Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, I immediately fired up a combat flight simulator with Kenny Loggins’s “Danger Zone” blaring in the background.
You are not merely watching the moment. You are consumed by it—and the feeling lingers for a day or two.
That is what I want my readers to experience.
I never want to release a book simply because I think it might sell. It still has to earn the reader’s time.
What Do I Hope to Gain From the Book Award Contest?
Do I hope for fame, money, or perhaps a publishing deal?
No.
I want the results—good or bad—to motivate me.
Perhaps they will say, Pull up your socks. You can do better.
Or perhaps they will say, This is good. Keep going.
The competition also offers prize packages in the form of professional book services, which could help me create more books.
As an independent author, I have to foot the bill for everything. Editing, cover design, formatting, and other professional services add up quickly—and that is before marketing even begins.
The prize could help fund the next stage of that dream.
Would it not be better to get a traditional publishing deal?
Not for me.
In some strange way, traditional publishing feels like a career, while self-publishing feels like freedom. I decide on the cover, the distributors, the sales channels, the discounts, and everything else connected to the book.
What Is the Dream, Then?
If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be freedom.
Do I mean financial freedom?
Not exactly.
I mean the freedom to write wherever and whenever I choose, without anything standing in the way. I want to do what I love every day instead of waiting and hoping for a quiet moment when I can finally sit down and write.
The term “financial freedom” is often associated with having enough money that you no longer need to work full-time. It reminds me of retirement.
That is not what I want.
I genuinely want to work full-time—just not on anything other than the creative side of life.
Writing is only one part of creating books. There is cover design, photography, artwork, video trailers, and even programming.
Programming?
Yes. I enjoy building small tools that make life easier, such as a mockup generator for my book covers or a database-driven filing system. I do it not only to save money, but also for the sheer joy of creating something.
What Outcome Do I Expect?
If the reviews are anything to go by, I am hopeful about the result.
Even if the outcome is not what I hope for, I will still gain valuable insight.
My ultimate dream for The Serpent’s Fall is to see it adapted into a movie one day. I cannot imagine anything more exciting than sitting in a cinema and watching my own story unfold on the screen.
That would be one dream truly worth chasing. Until that dream becomes reality, the most important thing is getting the story into readers’ hands.
If you are still reading, thank you for your interest and support.
As a small token of appreciation, please accept this 50% discount voucher for the Kindle edition of The Serpent’s Fall in my Payhip store.
Click Buy Direct below and use the coupon code NFDTI9FH60 at checkout.
That is all from me.
Until next time.
Competition Results Update
The first of September came and went. I opened the contest results page with anticipation and an expectation to see my book taking the gold in one of the categories I entered. Excitement turned to disappointment rapidly.
Despite getting rave reviews from multiple authors, like the one below, my novel did not even make the cut to be eligible for a reward, a prize, a medal, or anything.
Did I get the confirmation that I hoped for? I guess not. This may be the point where doubt sets in, and many would question if they should carry on writing. You're looking at the facts and say, "Well, I'm not making any sales. I'm not really featuring in any competition to say that, or validate that I'm a good author. Is there any point in carrying on?" Because the expenses and the time invested to publish a book do not seem worth it.
But I digress. In the end, it is not about the money. It's about the joy of writing. I will keep on writing because there is no other fun activity that I would rather be doing. Publishing is part of that excitement and of sharing my writing with the world. When the time is right, I will perhaps spend more time marketing to increase visibility and sharing my stories with you.
Well, that is it for the update. I wish you a wonderful and blessed day. No matter what people say, no matter what the verdict is out there, I recommend that when you choose something to do, choose that which brings you joy.
Get The Serpent’s Fall
A gritty South African crime thriller about survival, sacrifice, and one man standing between a violent gang and the people they want to destroy.
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