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Take the Wheel Is a 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist
Take the Wheel had been named a Finalist. Business category.
I read it twice.
I spent six months writing this book and another six getting it published. Not years of slow grinding — six months of focused, relentless work where I wrote the leadership guide I genuinely wished someone had handed me the first time I had people reporting to me.
Then six more months learning what it actually takes to publish, distribute, and get a book in front of readers as an independent author with no publisher, no agent, and no roadmap.
So when that email landed at 9:01 AM on a Tuesday, it hit differently.
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is one of the largest independent book award programs in the United States. What makes it meaningful isn’t just the size — it’s the process. Books are judged blind. No author name. No publisher prestige. No marketing budget influencing the outcome.
For an indie author competing against traditionally published books, that matters.
Take the Wheel was recognized in the Business category, which is exactly where it belongs. This book was written for professionals who lead without authority. People responsible for results but without a title that commands them. People who have to influence, motivate, and move teams forward through trust and ownership rather than hierarchy.
Getting that kind of external validation, from judges who didn’t know my name, confirms the message is landing.
If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, now’s a good time.