TARA C. ALLRED

From the Judge of the 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards I received the highest marks in these writing categories:

• STRUCTURE, ORGANIZATION AND PACING

• PLOT AND STORY APPEAL

• CHARACTER APPEAL AND DEVELOPMENT

• VOICE AND WRITING STYLE

The Judge also shared these comments:

• a strong opening, we are right in the action

• strong plot thread . . . the insertion of the students' journals is a unique and creative way to handle the plot

• (Savannah Childs) is taking on difficult questions and not giving us easy or pat answers, which makes us like her and feel that she is working through these issues with us."

• The voice is clear and quick paced but still has appropriate emotional undertones. It's a good balance of action with emotion and reflection. Tackling the different student voices was a big undertaking but you made them authentic and different.