Winning the 2024 Literary Global Award for African American Nonfiction and DEI has been a transformative milestone in my writing journey. It has fueled my commitment to share stories that challenge systemic silence and elevate underrepresented voices. Since receiving this honor, I’ve spoken at conferences, delivered keynote addresses, and begun work on my next book, which is already generating meaningful buzz.

About the Book
Title: Welcome to the Sick Mind of a Sane Person: Deconstructing Racism and White Supremacy

This powerful anthology of poems, essays, and short stories examines the enduring legacy of racism in America. It asks urgent questions: What does it mean to be a conscious Black person in today’s America? How do we move from pain to healing?

Critically acclaimed and widely awarded—including the International Impact Book Award and the Regal Summit Book Award—this collection offers a timely, personal, and unflinching look at white supremacy, systemic oppression, and the fight for justice.

Awards

Winner, Literary Global Independent Author Award (African American Nonfiction & DEI)

Winner, Regal Summit Book Award: Nonfiction

Winner, International Impact Book Award: Personal Growth & Development; Discrimination & Racism

Finalist, American Legacy Book Award: Poetry (Narrative)

Connect with the Author
🔗 Website:strategiesjustice.com/sickmind
🔗 Social:inqapp.com/terryLWatson9?r=link

Tyrel Nelson, Author
📘 Amazon Author Page
📺 YouTube Channel

LiteraryGlobal.com has been nothing short of transformative for my writing career. Their award programs—the Literary Global Book Awards and the Independent Author Awards—have recognized my work in ways I never thought possible. Each of my titles, from The Sons of Chester and Kings of the County League to Naked Iron, Naked Ultra, and Grandma, Tell Me Your Story, has received honors that have significantly elevated my platform.

I’m especially grateful for the thoughtful reviews Literary Global provided for The Baseball Cortex, Naked Iron, and Grandma, Tell Me Your Story. These reviews didn’t just validate my work—they amplified it. Since partnering with Literary Global, I’ve received calls from literary agents, been contacted by movie producers, experienced noticeable sales increases, and watched as the attention around my books grew exponentially through things like Amazon reviews, sales, social media posts, and just overall industry interaction.

My credibility as an author has reached unimaginable heights. But beyond the awards and accolades, Literary Global has helped me grow—not just as a writer, but as a person. Their professional insight, encouragement, and visibility have shaped me into a more confident and capable storyteller.

If you’re an author wondering whether the recognition is worth it—believe me, it is. LiteraryGlobal.com is the real deal.

My debut novel Running As Fast As I Can has earned 33 awards, but it was winning the Literary Global Award in the Social/Political category that truly opened unexpected doors. It gave me the confidence to pursue—and win—additional contests, and it sparked new conversations about using my novel to address timely political issues.

My debut novel Running As Fast As I Can has earned 33 awards, but it was winning the Literary Global Award in the Social/Political category that truly opened unexpected doors. It gave me the confidence to pursue—and win—additional contests, and it sparked new conversations about using my novel to address timely political issues.

Initially, I was interviewed on a few podcasts after publication. But as national discourse grew more tense and polarized, people gravitated toward the novel’s core message of second chances. That message resonated deeply, leading to over 75 podcast interviews, and now, the launch of my own show, The Voice of Reason, which aims to bring hope and healing to today’s political climate. And it all began with that single Literary Global award win.

Running As Fast As I Can follows Daniel Robinson, who escapes the abuse of his childhood in Pittsburgh’s mill slums and spends the 1960s searching for love, belonging, and redemption. His is a powerful story of survival, forgiveness, and the transformative power of second chances.

🔗 Author Website
🔗 Amazon Link

Writing is both a mental and emotional challenge. You wrestle with crafting the story, then face the bigger question—Is my book any good? Recognition from organizations like Literary Global is both reaffirming and inspiring.

Both of my first two books—The Chambers Files and The Brazos Valley Files—have been recognized by Literary Global. That encouragement has motivated me to begin work on my third, currently untitled, book.

Books Available Worldwide:
📘 The Chambers Files – Amazon Link
📘 The Brazos Valley Files – Amazon Link
📚 Author Page

The Chambers Files follows Detective Bobby Chambers as he tackles rising crime in suburban Virginia and uncovers criminal connections spanning from DC to Wyoming.

The Brazos Valley Files explores the unique challenges of law enforcement in College Station, Texas—where college life, football weekends, and rapid growth create a world of evolving issues.

Literary Global has played a meaningful role in my writing journey. It has allowed me to reflect on the quality of independent writing, sharpen my own craft, and receive valuable feedback. I especially appreciate how the awards process offers microgenre-specific categories, allowing works to be recognized for their unique strengths.

Earning award recognition from Literary Global has boosted my confidence and motivated me to take my writing more seriously. It’s also helped attract attention from new readers—there’s something powerful about seeing an award seal on your book.

My latest release, Another Night’s Dreams: Fractured Novellas, Episode IX, is the final book in Sergio’s dream trilogy. It features six imaginative stories—including a murder mystery, a grassroots detective agency, a descent into human trafficking, a life-changing sleep invention, a homeless entrepreneur who saves millions, and a dark tale of family greed.

📚 Learn more or purchase here

Receiving a Literary Global Book Award for my debut novel, I Loved You Yesterday, was a defining moment in my writing journey. The recognition not only boosted my credibility as an author but also elevated my brand in ways I never imagined. It gave me the confidence to keep pushing forward and the visibility to connect with readers who crave emotionally charged, character-driven stories.

In I Loved You Yesterday, secrets always find a way to surface. Mavis Benson made the same devastating mistake twice—falling for her high school sweetheart’s twin brother. An unplanned pregnancy at seventeen forced her to leave town, taking a secret with her and leaving the truth with the wrong brother. Years later, the past comes rushing back, and Mavis must choose between the brother who broke her heart and the one who helped heal it.

Thanks to Literary Global, this story found its audience—and I truly found my voice.

📚 I Loved You Yesterday is available wherever books are sold: https://books2read.com/u/mZpoRp

I am deeply honored and sincerely grateful to have received the 2025 Literary Global Children’s Book Award for my book Christmas Cardinal. This recognition holds special meaning for me, as Christmas Cardinal was created with love, hope, and the intention to bring comfort and inspiration to young readers.

Thank you for the time, care, and dedication you invest in uplifting children’s literature and the voices behind it. Your acknowledgment empowers authors and illustrators like myself to continue crafting stories that resonate with young hearts and minds across the world.

This award has filled me with joy and a renewed sense of purpose. I will always treasure the encouragement it brings. Thank you again for this incredible honor.

I was astonished—and thrilled—when I learned that my novel had won its category in the Literary Global Awards. That moment of recognition gave me a tremendous sense of accomplishment. One of my first calls was to my publisher, requesting a new cover proudly displaying the Literary Global Award Winner seal.

Winning the award has boosted my confidence as a writer, and I’m so glad I took the time to submit my work.

The Lord’s Prayer: A Series in Horror is a novel composed of fourteen interconnected short stories. Each story corresponds to a line from the Lord’s Prayer, exploring how everyday characters confront themes like doubt, sin, loss, and temptation—and whether they rise above or fall victim to those challenges.

To date, I’ve published over 700 short stories and two novels, and I also write under the pen name Garrison McKnight.

You can find The Lord’s Prayer: A Series in Horror on Amazon:
🔗 https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07STL8DLX/allbooks

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📘 All The Clever Names Were Taken

Literary Global has had a significant impact on my writing journey. My memoirs, Travels and Tribulations (Multicultural Nonfiction) and Those Darn Stripes (Grief), each won their respective categories in the Independent Author Awards. My debut publication, Stories from Ecuador (Short Stories/Travel), has been recognized twice as a finalist. These honors not only boosted my confidence but also provided invaluable validation and exposure for my work.

Book Descriptions

Travels and Tribulations
An emotional collection of vignettes spanning from 2008 to 2020. Tyrel Nelson guides readers through a personal journey of loss and reflection, weaving together memories and regrets in a heartfelt effort to make sense of it all.

Those Darn Stripes
A powerful and intimate account of the period before and after the death of Nelson’s father. Through vivid storytelling, he introduces memorable characters, foreign adventures, and familiar haunts—capturing moments that continue to echo through his life.

Stories from Ecuador
Take a glimpse into Nelson’s life as an English teacher in Ecuador. Join him on hikes, horseback rides, and local buses as he explores both well-known destinations and hidden hamlets in and around his town, bringing each setting to life with warmth and authenticity.

Tyrel Nelson, Author
📘 Amazon Author Page
📺 YouTube Channel

My name is Greg Thomas, author of No Doubting Thomas: “Hawg Whisperer” – My Arkansas Memoirs. Becoming a Finalist with Literary Global has given me invaluable exposure to a broad and diverse audience, helping introduce my book to readers both nationally and internationally.

Thanks to this recognition, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in interviews, join book clubs, appear on podcasts, and receive inquiries about adapting my book for screen, along with several other exciting project opportunities.

About the Book
No Doubting Thomas: “Hawg Whisperer” – My Arkansas Memoirs is a nonfiction account chronicling my four years as quarterback at the University of Arkansas. It details my journey to becoming the first Black starting quarterback in the program’s history—and the winningest.

Learn More
🌐 Website: gregthomasconnect.com