Silver Medal Award from the Military Writers Society of America

The Military Writers Society of America has awarded North Carolina author Katey Schultz a Silver Medal in Literary Fiction for her recent novel Still Come Home. This is the third win for Still Come Home, which was also recognized by the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards, and it is Schultz’s second win through the MWSA—her collection Flashes of War was awarded a Gold Medal in 2013.

“An acutely perceptive novel about survival and conscience in war. [Schultz’s] three main protagonists—a young Afghan woman, an unwilling Taliban peon, and a US soldier—are all struggling in their own ways to find a path through chaos and tragedy while retaining their humanity. The result is a deeply engaging novel about the moral quest of all human hearts: how to do right in a world full of wrong.” —Helen Benedict, Columbia University Journalism School professor, author of Wolf Season

The MWSA is a nationwide association of authors, poets, and artists. Most of their members are active duty military, retirees, or military veterans, but some, like Schultz, are lifelong civilians who have chosen to honor the military through their writing or their art. The MWSA book awards focus on military-themed titles, while recognizing outstanding books in a wide range of categories. Award winners have ranged from first-time authors to New York Times bestselling writers.

 “Still Come Home personalizes the perpetual and distant war in Afghanistan in ways that are as rare as they are remarkable. Through stunning prose and gripping pace, Schultz weaves together the stories of the everyday people of this war, humanizing their perspectives and the stark choices they face … an important work for those who wish to better understand our nation’s longest war.” —Caleb Cage, veteran, author of Desert Mementos

Part of a book club or reading group?  I’d be delighted to set up a virtual video chat!  Check out the Reading Group Invitation here, click on the Book Club button, and then email me with any questions.

“What a treat to have Katey Schultz meet with our book club by Zoom. Not only did book club members experience the questions and highlights of Still Come Home in conversation with the author, but we had the opportunity to ask questions about her writing process and her research, aspects we wouldn’t have discussed otherwise. It was one of our most memorable gatherings to date!” (Julia Poole, writer, book club hostess)