IBPA Award judge gives Simon's Mansion highest marks in each category.

IBPA Awards judge gives Simon's Mansion the highest score (10) in each category. "I gave this book a 10 in writing because of the great use of language with complex descriptions such as the one on page 40 of “fast freeze productions.” There are so many engaging minor characters such as Clarice and Twiggy. Each character in this novel is so well drawn and the dialogue is sharp, authentic, and believable. Even the dog Cicero and the goat Ferdinand are endearing characters. I loved the relationship that develops between crotchety Vivian and kindly Thad. The respectful but conflicted relationship between Simon and sister Connie who is intelligent, caring, but very religious and well-meaning is fascinating as well. The author does a great job of moving the story forward through dialogue instead of using excessive description and exposition. The setting and time and place are all vividly portrayed. There are message machines, telexes, modems, cassette players, VHS tapes, and caller ID. Thanks to all of the technology and the description, the reader is transported back to the 1990’s. The story is full of masterful descriptions. The author describes the pull of addiction on page 165. Addiction is an angry god, “a ravenous spirit demanding appeasement through immediate sacrifice." The book is free of typos, grammatical and spelling errors. The copy is flawlessly and judiciously edited with each chapter being perfect in length. The text flows beautifully and keeps the interest of the audience. The cover design relates well to the title. The photo of Simon’s mansion on the cover is evocative and detailed. The reader's eyes are immediately drawn to the books in the window of the mansion. These books represent Simon. The author’s writing style and satirical observations remind me of Flannery O’Connor and Carson McCullers. I especially loved the character of Cicero, the dog."

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