Royal Palm Literary Award
Florida Writers Association
I’m honored to share that From the Drop of Heaven was named a winner of the Royal Palm Literary Award, presented by the Florida Writers Association (FWA). This recognition was a bright moment during a difficult year, as the award was presented in 2021, when the world had gone quiet, and all celebrations were virtual—or, in many cases, quietly postponed.
While the usual Florida Writers Association banquet and in-person festivities were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award arrived in the mail—an unexpected envelope containing this lovely crystal plaque, a certificate, and a quiet affirmation that the work mattered.
About the Royal Palm Literary Awards
The Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA) is one of the most prestigious writing competitions in the southeastern United States. It is judged by panels of librarians, editors, teachers, and industry professionals and open to writers both within and beyond the Florida Writers Association. The competition receives hundreds of entries each year in categories ranging from fiction and nonfiction to poetry and screenplays.
Books are evaluated on several criteria: originality, voice, structure, grammar, character development, and emotional impact. To receive this recognition meant that From the Drop of Heaven stood out in a field of talented, passionate storytellers.
A Quiet Honor in a Silent Year
The year I received the Royal Palm Literary Award was a strange one for all of us—no banquets, no book festivals, no handshakes or hotel lobbies filled with readers and writers. Like many things in 2021, the recognition arrived quietly, tucked inside a padded envelope on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. There was no applause, no camera flash, just the soft sound of paper and the weight of the crystal plaque in my hands.
And yet, it meant just as much—maybe more. In a time when stories felt more vital than ever, and isolation made art feel both fragile and essential, this award was a reminder that words still carried across distance. That even when we couldn’t gather, we could still be moved, still be changed, still be seen.
Why It Matters
From the Drop of Heaven is a novel rooted in historical truth and human struggle. Set in late 16th- and early 17th-century France, it follows the lives of individuals who resist religious oppression in the remote mountain principality of Salm. Their courage, doubts, and private convictions mirror questions we still ask today. To have this book recognized by the Florida Writers Association, an organization that fosters literary excellence and uplifts emerging and established voices alike, was a tremendous honor.
About the Florida Writers Association
Founded in 2001, the Florida Writers Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting writers at every stage of their craft. With over 1,500 members across the country, the FWA provides education, community, and recognition for published and unpublished authors alike. The Royal Palm Literary Award is its highest honor.
You can learn more about the Royal Palm Literary Awards and view past winners here.
Award Plaque & Recognition
My crystal plaque now sits among the most meaningful milestones in my writing journey—not just because of what it represents, but because of when and how it arrived.
My crystal now sits among the most meaningful milestones in my writing journey—not just because of what it represents, but because of when and how it arrived.
Thank you for celebrating this recognition with me—and for supporting books that work to keep history alive, one story at a time.
Read the Book
📘 Buy From the Drop of Heaven
📚 Request it at Your Local Library