WASHINGTON, N.H. - s4story -- Contemporary novel "Beautiful and Terrible Things" by S.M. Stevens (Black Rose Writing, 2024) was named Best Literary Book of the Year by Indies Today on February 12, and the Gold Winner in the LGBTQIA+ category of the 2024 Reader Views Reviewer's Choice Awards on March 3. (The novel features six diverse friends, including two who identify as LGBTQ+.)

The Indies Today annual awards contest recognizes outstanding books from independent and small presses and self-published authors. Judges rated books based on literary qualities such as overall plot, character development, narrative coherence and reader engagement. Winners were determined based on the combined average ratings of the judges.

The Reviewer's Choice Awards honor books from small presses, university presses and self-published authors. Industry experts judge entries on content, originality, presentation, design, production quality and social relevance. Finalists are determined using a points system, and winners are selected by a panel of judges.

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"I've been fortunate to receive a number of awards in the past year, but these are my first top prizes, so I'm very excited. Indies Today is a coveted award amongst indie authors and publishers. And the Reader Views award is particularly meaningful to me because social relevance is considered as part of the judging process; 'Beautiful and Terrible Things' addresses a number of social justice issues including mental health, racism and immigration," Stevens said.

"Beautiful and Terrible Things" (ISBN 978-1-68513-447-1, 389 pages, $24.95) was published by Black Rose Writing on July 18, 2024. In addition to the Indies Today and Reader Views awards, the novel has earned these accolades:

- Finalist in the Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition (1 of 5)
- Finalist in the General Fiction category of the American Fiction Awards (1 of 7)
- Finalist in the American Writing Awards, LGBTQ category
- Honorable Mention in the Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest, Fiction–Social Issues category.

It has received numerous five-star reviews from industry websites, and was named an Editor's Pick by Booklife, a Publishers Weekly publication.

The novel is available in trade paperback, ebook and audiobook formats. More at https://www.AuthorSMStevens.com.