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The 2017 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards recognized Waiting for Butterflies by Karen Sargent as the Book of the Year after being selected as a finalist in two categories: First Novel and Christian / Religious fiction. IAN also recognized Butterflies for “Outstanding Christian / Religious Fiction.”

The IAN Book of the Year Awards is an annual contest open to all authors who are self-published, or published by independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise). Winners and finalists for the fiction categories are chosen based on ‘vibrant colors, attention grabbing openings, memorable characters, crisp dialogue, captivating and original plots, and climactic, memorable endings’.

Waiting for Butterflies is a tender portrait of a mother whose love reaches beyond possible. When tragedy strikes, Maggie discovers a mother’s love never ends—not even when her life does. Longing for her family after her sudden death, she returns home as a lingering spirit where she helplessly witnesses her family’s downward spiral in the aftermath of her passing. Her husband is haunted by past mistakes and struggles to redeem himself. Her teenage daughter silently drowns in her own guilt, secretly believing she caused her mother’s death. Only her five-year-old, full of innocence, can sense her presence. Although limited by her family’s grief and lack of faith, Maggie is determined to keep a sacred promise and save her family before her second chance runs out.

Karen Sargent has presented at state and regional English education and writing conferences. She has received regional and state teaching awards, including the Robert J. Greef Award from the Missouri Association of Teachers of English, Southeast MO English Teacher of the Year, and the Heartland’s Best Teacher Award from KFVS-TV. In addition, Karen served four years as editor of the K-12 student publication, Missouri Youth Writes, and she completed the Missouri Writing Project, an affiliation of the National Writing Project. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, the Missouri Writers’ Guild,  and the SEMO Writers’ Guild. Karen lives in the beautiful Arcadia Valley with her husband and two daughters. She is active on her website at http://www.karensargentbooks.com/.

For more information about this award, please go to http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/.