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    Army journalist’s story collection wins international award

    Army journalist’s story collection wins international award

    Photo By Michel Sauret | Michel Sauret, a sergeant first class with the 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment,...... read more read more

    PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES

    05.21.2013

    Courtesy Story

    354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A short story collection that explores ideas of violence, chaos and human connections won first place in the 2013 International Book Awards, Short Story Category, May 20.

    "Amidst Traffic," authored by award-winning Army journalist Michel Sauret, was one of more than 1,000 entries from authors and publishers around the world in this year’s competition.

    “This is a tremendous honor,” said Sauret. “This award really validates my work and effort as an independent author. It really is a tremendous joy.”

    The International Book Awards is a competition dedicated to honoring outstanding books on a global scale. This is the fourth year the IBA has been running and sponsored by USA Book News, located in Los Angeles. USA Book News covers books from all sections of the publishing industry—mainstream, independent and self-published.

    “It was such a thrill to have the president of USA Book News to contact me personally to tell me how much he loved the book,” said Sauret.

    Sauret’s collection also placed as a Finalist in the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, which is the largest not-for-profit book awards program for independent authors and publishers. The Next Generation Indie Book Awards recognizes the most exceptional independently published books in 60 different categories.

    Sauret is a sergeant first class with the 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, an Army Reserve public affairs unit located outside of Pittsburgh that specializes in journalism, photography and broadcasting. Sauret and his wife, Heather, own a house on the Pittsburgh’s North Side and will be moving to Chicago later this year.

    In 2008, Sauret received the Army Journalist of the Year award for his work in Iraq while attached to the 10th Mountain Division public affairs office. Sauret has been an Army journalist since 2004. His articles have won numerous Brumfield and Keith L. Ware awards.
    “If it weren’t for the Army and the experience it has given me, I wouldn’t be the writer I am today,” said Sauret.

    As an independent author, Sauret not only wrote the stories in the collection but also designed the front cover and formatted the book for digital and paperback publication.

    “Being an independent author is a tremendous amount of work. Sometimes it makes you feel alone, but when you win an award like this, it legitimizes the fact that your work stands among your peers,” he said.

    “Amidst Traffic,” also made the Independent Publisher Editor's Choice selection and received the Indie Reader Approved stamp by IndieReader.com. The collection was featured in the Pittsburgh City Paper, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Pitt News and on 101.5 WORD FM.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.21.2013
    Date Posted: 05.21.2013 08:44
    Story ID: 107299
    Location: PITTSBURGH, PA, US
    Hometown: PITTSBURGH, PA, US

    Web Views: 152
    Downloads: 0

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