IOWA PARK, Texas - s4story -- Raconteur Press is pleased to announce that J. Kenton Pierce's science-fiction novel A Kiss For Damocles has been nominated by Libertarian Futurist Society members as a candidate for the 2026 Prometheus Award for Best Novel. Typically, only around a dozen books are nominated for the award.

"Being nominated for a Prometheus is an honor that's both tremendous and baffling," commented Pierce. "It's not something I imagined happening, particularly with my first novel. It's also a pretty solid notice that I can't afford to slack off with future work."

A Kiss for Damocles is the first book in Pierce's "Tales of the Long Night" universe. Set in a universe where brutal interstellar war has ravaged worlds, this series of interconnected books and short stories covers the life of Shaifennen Roehe. A young homesteader who is doing her best to survive, Shai is the right girl in the right place to serve as a catalyst in her world's—and eventually, her civilization's—restoration.

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Pierce and Raconteur have published multiple stories set in his Long Night universe. The most recent release is Warlord of Greenline Town, which tells the story of militia captain Ravati Aziz. Shai's sometimes foil, Ravati finds herself in a position where she must stand against a rising darkness as both new and ancient threats array themselves against the people of Greenline Town.

Pierce isn't standing alone in the ranks of Prometheus nominees. He is joining fellow Raconteur Press author Dave Freer, who was nominated earlier this year for his boy's adventure book, Storm-Dragon.

"The simple fact that our little press, in its first year of publishing novels and boys adventure books, winds up with not one, but two Prometheus Award nominated authors is humbling," said Raconteur founder Ian McMurtrie. "As a press, we are tremendously excited to have multiple authors nominated for the award this year."