Realm Award Finalists 2025

2025 Award Finalists

AUDIO CATEGORIES

Audio Drama

• 1232, Narrated by Callie Sioux, published by RumbleStump Entertainment
• Jake Muller Adventures: Blood, Darby Kern, published by Armor of God Productions
• When Worlds Collide, HeartMatters Inc.

Short to Mid-Length Audio

• Letting Off Steam, narrated by Rena Gail, published by H.L.Burke
• The Prophecy’s Chosen Heir, narrated and published by Trista Shaye
• Sing to Me of Rain, narrated by Lila-May Murdoch, published by E.B. Dawson

Novel-Length Audio

• Innocents of Marbella, narrated by R.C. Mogo, published by Romans One Sixteen Publishing
• Mortal Queens, Narrated by Ellen Quay, published by Oasis Audio
• Tied with:
• Saints and Monsters, Narrated by Jane Maree, published by Ellen McGinty
• Zodak – The Last Shielder, narrated by Dallin Bradford, published by Foxhall Press

SHORT FICTION CATEGORIES

Flash Fiction

• The Cupid Killer, Lincoln Reed, published by Havok Publishing
• Sparks , Hannah Hershberger, published by Havok Publishing
• Tree Of Memories, Deborah Bainbridge, published by Havok Publishing

Short Story

• Krakensong, Olivia Gratehouse, Independently Published
• Limbo of Sun and Shadow, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, published by Tyche Books Ltd.
• Questing Hall, Helena George, published by The Order of the Pen Press
• Play Date, Jenelle Schmidt, published by H.L. Burke in The DOSA files Anthology
• Rethink, H.L. Burke, Published in The DOSA Files Anthology

Novelette/Novella

• The Graveyard of Lost Dreams, Kyla Carter, published by The Author Conservatory
• Klandor Encounter, B. Ward Powers and Marti Ward, published by SupRes Inc
• A Noble Companion, Rachel Kovaciny, published by Bellator de Lux Publishing
• Through a Glass, Darkly, Jason Karpf, published by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.
• The Ways of a Wolf, Lindsi McIntyre, published by Ye Olde Dragon Books

SPECIALTY CATEGORIES

Debut Novel

• CORE Deception, Jeremiah Friedli, published by Storm & Stealth LLC
• Exhumed – The Exe Books 1, C.B. Arche, published by Ishkabibble Books
• Protector, Megan Schaulis, published by WhiteCrown (imprint of WhiteFire Publishing Group)
• The Reaping, Matt Aynes, published by Dancing Robot Press
• What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball, Elisabeth Aimee Brown, published by Metaphorical Cello Press

Cover Design

• Interstice Undone: Kirk DouPonce, DogEared Design
• Nameless: The Destiny Trilogy Part One, Kristen Hildebrand and Emilie Haney
• Red Rex, Brian Mellema

NOVELS BY AUDIENCE

Young Adult

• Dreamteller, Kelsey Shade, Independently Published
• Ignite, Kara Swanson, published by Enclave Escape
• Immortal Abyss, Katherine Briggs, published by Enclave Publishing
• Lion Warrior, James Hannibal, published by Enclave Escape
• The Springborn, Carrie Anne Noble, published by Oliver Heber Books
• Tied with
• Where Darkness Cannot Follow, A. M. Daylin, published by Mooncrest Publishing

Early Reader to Middle Grade

• Between Flowers and Bones, Carolyn Leiloglou, published by WaterBrook
• Hannah Hattington Goes on an Adventure, Gracie York, Independently Published
• Iggy and Oz: The Great Ice Cream Truck Heist, J.J. Johnson, published by Lost Ink Press
• Lewis: The Scarred, Lauren H Brandenburg, published by Kingdom Publishing Press
• Wingless, Catherine Witzaney, published by Chicken Scratch Books
• Tied with
• Mossycoat, Dawn Ford, published by ScrivKids

NOVELS BY GENRE

Science Fiction

• The Chaos Grid, Lyndsey Lewellen, published by Enclave Escape
• Guardian, Cathy McCrumb, published by Enclave Publishing
• Lady of Basilikas, Ronie Kendig, published by Enclave Publishing
• Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg), Faralee Pozo, published by Splinter Press
• Water’s Break , Sophia Hansen, published by Enclave Escape

Horror/Supernatural/ Paranormal

• The Castle Rose, Tabitha Caplinger , published by Blue Ink Press
• Haunted: Into the Abyss, Stephanie Dooley, Independently Published
• Innocents of Marbella, R.C. Mogo, published by Romans One Sixteen Publishing
• Rift, Steven James, published by Sky Turtle Press
• Torch, Sofia Simpson, published by Starlight Books
• Tied with
• The Magic of Redemption, Jessica Sly, published by Mountain Brook Fire

Fantasy

• Empire of Ruin, Merrie Destefano, published by Ruby Slippers Press
• Mortal Queens, Victoria McCombs, published by Enclave Escape
• Regency & Regicide, J. J. Fischer, Independently Published
• To Weave the Wind, Sharon Rose, published by Eternarose Publishing
• What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball, Elisabeth Aimee Brown, published by Metaphorical Cello Press