So here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, or at least the one I’d been waiting for since first discovering I had won such a respected award. Saturday evening marked the close of my time in Miami, and what better way to fini
sh the holiday than with an epic award ceremony?
I can tell you, the atmosphere was charged. Everyone gathered together around six, and there were some incredible outfits. Everyone looked fabulous, as you would expect for such a prestigious event. After getting dressed, I could already feel the flurry of butterflies dancing in my stomach. I was worried about everything, especially given my somewhat uncoordinated nature. I honestly had images of me taking a tumble up or over the stage, which thankfully didn’t happen. As you would expect the venue was packed. So many people had turned up to watch family, friends, and loved ones receive this great honour. It was so fantastic to be in a room filled with my peers, and no one was too busy to say hello, or congratulate one another.
It truly was a sight to behold, and better yet, every single person I had the privilege of meeting was friendly, supportive, and genuinely pleased for everyone’s achievements. From my experience over the past five years it became clear to me that there are some authors who revel in seeing others fail, or try to elevate at the expense of another. I can honestly say I found no one like that here. Everyone was eager to help, talk, and support each other. It was a breath of fresh air to see people coming together in this unified manner.
I know some wonderful people online, and now I have the honour of expanding my list to people I have met through the Readers’ Favorite awards. I really feel like I have forged some lasting friendships here.
We were all called up to stage one at a time and presented our award by Mark Wayne Adams, a multiple award-winning author and illustrator, renowned in his field and expertise. After a photo by the professional photographer, we moved on to have our pictures taken at the Readers’ Favorite backdrop. I was not having a very photogenic night, so I both eagerly await and dread seeing the official photos. Afterwards there was a party and buffet, where we got to mingle, eat, and be merry. So without further ado, I present to you my photos of #ReadersFavoriteMiami2019 award ceremony. (Yes I wish I had taken more, but I was so busy soaking it all in that my camera was far from my mind.)
I also want to give a special shout out to the following authors;
There were so many amazing people there, and it was a honour to spend time with all of you.
Awards are open for next year, so if you’re thinking about submitting your own book or manuscript click on the image below.
Thanks for joining me on my vacation x
K.J's Athenaeum 