My debut novel, Escala’s Wish, was recently recognized as a Runner-Up at the 2026 Los Angeles Book Festival. The festival celebrates the best of independent and mainstream publishing, and having this story recognized in such a competitive field is an incredible honor. Between the Mom’s Choice Gold Recipient honors and the Kirkus “Get It” award earlier this year, the momentum for this book has been nothing short of humbling.
A huge thank you goes out to the judges in LA and, most importantly, to all of you who have supported Trash Panda Publishing from the beginning. Whether you picked up a copy at PAX East or have been following the journey online, your enthusiasm is what keeps the momentum going.
It is time to head back to the Moleskine notebooks to keep chipping away at the sequel, Mad as a Hornet. There is much more of this world to explore, and the next chapter can’t come soon enough.
