BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — The NYC Big Book Award recognized “Charlie’s Ladder” by Carl Reinelt in the category of Literary Fiction as a Distinguished Favorite.
The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians, and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.
“Charlie’s Ladder”
From the moment Charlie Houden stepped into Dina Epstein’s office, on a chilled November afternoon, his brilliant plan for suicide was doomed. To his chagrin, this Jewish shrink had her agenda…and myriad ways to compel Charlie to face his demons.
Unfortunately, exorcising demons comes at a price. For Charlie, that price will compel him down a path of unlocking doors, resurrecting nightmares and voices that haunt him.
Through their quirky – often humorous – relationship, Charlie reveals a shocking past filled with betrayal, profound loss, and trauma.
Facing his past requires of Charlie a journey for which he’s neither prepared nor can any longer avoid: “Every time I swallow it down, it comes up harder. It’s as if my insides are on fire…like poison.”
Interweaving past and present, Charlie’s Ladder takes the reader on an emotional journey. It reveals what a man – who has survived childhood and adult tragedies – will risk to reclaim his sanity and his soul, as only a survivor could do. One small problem: not all of Charlie’s demons reside within his head.
Critic’s Review
Through vivid prose and dynamic storytelling, Reinelt captures Charlie’s inner turmoil with raw authenticity. The evolving relationship between Charlie and Dina is central to the narrative—a dynamic marked by empathy, humor, and flashes of stark revelation. Her steadfast commitment to helping Charlie confront his past underscores the novel’s message of resilience and human connection.
A gripping tale of survival, Charlie’s Ladder delves into the darkest recesses of the human mind, while touching readers with glimmers of hope and restoration. As Charlie navigates the labyrinth of his psyche, readers will also be compelled to confront universal themes of pain, forgiveness, and the quest for inner peace. Readers will be eager for more of Charlie in Reinelt’s sequel, The Last Altar Boy.
-Book Critic, BookLife by Publishers Weekly, BookLife Prize – 2024
NYC Big Book Award received book submissions worldwide. Journalists, well-established authors, small and large press, and first-time indie authors participated in record numbers. Entries this year were received from the United States as well as countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Cities represented included Asheville, Beijing, Colorado Springs, Dublin, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Vancouver were among the entries.
Publishers included Atmosphere Press, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Beaufort Books, Beyond Words Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, Familius Publishing, Flatiron Books, Hachette Go, HarperCollins Leadership, Oceanview Publishing, Old Stone Press, Rowman & Littlefield, Simon & Schuster, Ulysses Press, Watkins Publishing, Westminster John Knox Press to name a few.
“We were delighted to see so many quality publishers and authors from around the world participate this year. I can’t wait to share these books with a global readership,” said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.
About the author
Carl was born and raised in the rural Thumb Area of Michigan. His primary school years were spent learning in an old two-room schoolhouse, working summers on his uncle’s farm, and listening to his grandmother’s stories from her tiny trailer home, sifting through drawers of ancient photographs while savoring her freshly baked bread. Those experiences shaped his love of simplicity and storytelling.
After receiving a Creative Writing MA from Central Michigan University, he embarked on a career in business that took him – and his young family – around the world, while continuing to write and submit poetry, occasionally published in small presses. After a 30-year career in finance, telling stories with numbers, he has returned to the roots given to him by his grandmother.
Carl lives with his family in McKinney, TX.
You can learn more at https://carlreinelt.com/
To view the list of NYC Big Book winners and distinguished favorites, please visit: https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/
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