The photo show me reading a snippet of the first place winning personal essay in the Society of Southwestern Authors 2017 Writing Competition yesterday at the award luncheon.
For those looking only for Stacey Burns posts from this blog, you are excused from this one if you wish. Please note that I really don’t want this to sound egotistical, although many will perceive it as such. (and it probably does.) 
It is a dilemma for which I’d welcome any opinions or suggestions.
For three years straight, three short personal essays of mine have placed first in large writing competitions, including the national and prestigious Writer’s Digest 2016 competition. At least seven other short pieces, both fiction and non-fiction, have placed high up in other competitions over the last few years, including twice being selected as finalists in the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards. All four of my novels have been finalists in a total of five national book awards contests.
My question? How does an author capitalize on these recognitions to get readers interested in his books?
Just wondering . . .
Duke
