It almost feels like the Holy Grail--almost. Being recognized for your work by critical readers who are judging your work along with hundreds, even thousands of other novels is a huge step towards validation of your work. No, I didn't win the Winner Award, but One Fool's Gold did win Finalist Awards for Historic and Literary Fiction, as well as Cover Design. Hat's off to my cover designer, Niki Johnson, for her imaginative work! Entering awards is a personal choice, but highly recommended. You put your book out there for the scrutiny of dedicated readers. Yes, there is a fee, but not overly expensive in all cases. Pick and choose what is affordable. Often you can also purchase a review. These are tools to learn from, as well as a form of marketing. This is my third novel, so to have received this recognition tells me a lot about where I am as a writer. There is still much work to be done, but the path is clearer now. Still, the biggest hurdle is SALES!