KANSAS CITY, Mo. - July 25, 2025 - PRLog -- The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is honored to announce its 2025 Awards Season Finalists, celebrating the literary achievements of authors whose work reflects the writing prowess of our veteran and military-related member authors.
From children's literature to historical nonfiction, the 2025 finalists span a wide array of genres and offer insight, inspiration, and powerful storytelling. All entries were evaluated by fellow authors for content, style, visual aspects (cover and layout), along with grammatical correctness.
2025 MWSA Awards Season Finalists
Chapter Book
Chloe the "Military Brat" – A.L. Zeine
Historical Fiction
An Absence of Faith: A Tale of Afghanistan – Craig Trebilcock
Brothers Bound – Bruce K. Berger
Degrees of Intelligence – Miranda Armstadt
Finding His Own Way, A Marine Novel – Gerald Gillis
In Harm's Way – Thomas M. Wing
One of Four – Travis Davis
Rescue Run: Capt. Jake Rogers' Daring Return to Occupied Europe – John Winn Miller
Smoke on the Water – Jack Bartley
Until Our Time Comes: A Novel of WWII Poland – Nicole M. Miller
What the Silent Say – Emerson Ford
When Heroes Flew: Where the Dawn Comes Up Like Thunder – H. W. "Buzz" Bernard
History
A Nation Born – A Homeland Lost – George J. Bryjak
Berkshire Heroes in WWII-With Courage and Honor – Dennis G. Pregent
Crucible 1972: The War for Peace in Vietnam – J. Keith Saliba
Elements of War – Gray Rinehart
Never a Dull Moment – Arthur "Ben" Powers
Task Force Hogan – William R. Hogan
The Fight of Their Lives – Andy Kutler
Why Vietnam: Reflections on the Effect of War – Margaret Colbert Brown
Women Warriors - The Hidden Spies of WWII – Donna Pedace
How-To/Business/Self-Help
Healing Veteran Moral Injury – Pat Pernicano and Kerry Haynes
Literary Fiction
Playing Army – Nancy Stroer
Skylark – Megan Michelle
Memoir/Biography
Around the World in 80 Years – Jasmine Tritten and Jim Tritten
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet – Ryan McDermott
Inshallah (God Willing) – Dana Catoe
Nothing Here Worth Dying For: Task Force Lion in Iraq – Col Seth W.B. Folsom, USMC (Ret)
Pennies from Vietnam – Tracy Smith and Larry Smith (deceased)
Running Towards Gunfire – Jason Angell
Swift Boat Skipper – Robert H. Bradley III
The Master Chief's Sea Stories: Volume I USS Manitowoc (LST 1180) – Johnny J Moye
When Tough Cookies Crumble – Eva Nevarez St. John
Mystery/Thriller/Crime
Chasing Money: A Marty and Bo Thriller – Michael Balter
Heroic Measures – Joel Shulkin, MD
Home is Where the Murder Is – Rosalie Spielman
Lightning Six – Galen D. Peterson
Monroe Doctrine: A Post-War Novel – James Rosone
Murder Comes Home – Rosalie Spielman
Red Lines – James Bultema
Redcon One – Galen D. Peterson
The Black Raven's Song – Macklin Grey
The China Factor – Timothy Trainer
The Spear and the Sentinel – J. L. Hancock
The Very Last War – WH Hawthorne
Pictorial/Coffee Table
F4U Corsair – Ernest M. Snowden
Picture Book
Finally Home – Cortney Cino
Sometimes Apart Always in My Heart – Tish Rabe
Poetry Book
Incidental Moments: New and Selected Poems – Mark Fleisher
Reference
Revive the American Dream – Edward Corcoran
Unknowable Minds: Philosophical Insights on AI and Autonomous Weapons – Mark Bailey
Religious/Spiritual
A Church More Like Christ – Gray Rinehart
Government in the Gospels: Daily Reflections for Government Officials – Rev. Jonathan M. Craig
Redeeming Warriors: Veteran Suicide, Grieving, and the Fight for Faith – Joshua D. Holler
Young Adult (Fiction or Non-Fiction)
The Tear of Tybaleth, A Fellowship of the Flame Novel (Book 1) – A. R. Silverberry
The Treasure of Trenalon: A Fellowship of the Flame Novel (Book 2) – A. R. Silverberry
Watch the Finalists Announcement Premiere If you missed the live premiere, you can watch our special video announcement of the 2025 Finalists on YouTube. In addition to the list of finalists, the video provides details about our review and awards process and our upcoming general membership conference and awards banquet (September 25-27, in Kansas City, MO).
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