PenCraft Book Awards 2025 Honors Three Women Authors in Historic Milestone

The 9th Annual PenCraft Book Awards announced its top three winning books of 2025, marking a historic milestone as all top positions were filled by women authors. The winners include Heather G. Harris for "Glimmer of the Other: An Urban Fantasy Novel," Barbara Pronin for "Winter's End," and Katherine Fabrizio for "The Good Daughter Syndrome." Each year, the awards review over 1,000 entries to select what it considers the top three books, with winners receiving monetary awards, certificates, and commemorative gold seals.

This recognition matters because it highlights literary excellence while addressing systemic barriers in publishing. The PenCraft Book Awards was created to combat exclusion based on publisher connections or expensive entry fees, allowing all authors to compete equally. As Editor-In-Chief David Hearne stated, "We believe that our PenCraft Book Awards help authors get their books noticed and sold. Our winning authors represent the absolute best in the industry." The awards serve as a benchmark for recognizing skill and creativity across genres, with this year's results particularly significant for showcasing women's contributions to contemporary literature.

Heather G. Harris, a top-100 Amazon best-selling fantasy author and Best Book of the Year recipient, represents authors who have turned writing into a thriving career. Her journey from Liverpool university student to full-time author demonstrates how literary recognition can validate professional aspirations. Harris's imaginative worlds featuring vampires, dragons, and strong heroines appeal to fantasy enthusiasts while her personal story of balancing writing with motherhood resonates with working creatives.

Katherine Fabrizio, winner of Best Nonfictional Book of the Year, brings psychological expertise to her writing as a licensed psychotherapist with over three decades of clinical experience. Her work helps daughters of narcissistic, borderline, and emotionally immature mothers break free from destructive cycles of guilt and self-doubt. This recognition matters because it validates the importance of mental health literature and demonstrates how professional expertise can translate into impactful writing that addresses real-world emotional challenges.

Barbara Pronin, awarded Best Fictional Book of the Year for "Winter's End," has earned praise from best-selling authors like Mary Higgins Clark and Tony Hillerman. Her diverse background as an actress, probation officer, journalist, and substitute teacher enriches her storytelling across eight mysteries and numerous articles. Pronin's recognition highlights how varied life experiences can contribute to literary success, offering inspiration to authors from non-traditional backgrounds.

The awards' impact extends beyond individual recognition to influence the publishing industry's accessibility. By reviewing hundreds of nominated books annually through a rigorous judging process, the PenCraft Book Awards identifies exceptional work regardless of publishing pedigree. This approach matters because it challenges industry gatekeeping and creates opportunities for underrepresented voices. Readers benefit from discovering high-quality literature they might otherwise miss, while authors gain visibility that can advance careers.

For the literary community, these awards reinforce the value of diverse storytelling approaches. From Harris's fantasy realms to Fabrizio's psychological insights and Pronin's mystery craftsmanship, the winners demonstrate literature's range in addressing human experience. The awards' commitment to finding new methods to assist authors worldwide suggests ongoing evolution in how literary excellence is recognized and supported. More information about the awards is available at https://pencraftaward.com.