Launch Day: Beautiful & Terrible Things

It’s official! Today is “Launch Day” for my novel Beautiful and Terrible Things and I have big news to announce.

Thank you for being by my side during these last few months of pre-publication promotion. I’ve been posting more than usual and it’s been an exciting ride. I am also very grateful to my publisher, Black Rose Writing, which took me on after my first publisher failed to deliver.

To celebrate Launch Day, following is a review of some of the accolades the contemporary novel has received recently. But first, my two bits of big news:

Reader Views 5-Star Review

Beautiful and Terrible Things has earned a 5-star review from Reader Views, which is even more special than the other 5-stars reviews received to date because Reader Views is one of the few book review programs that takes into consideration “social relevance” when rating books.

And, I was blown away by the reviewer’s sentiments: “Much like finding love when you’re least expecting it, sometimes a book comes along and literally takes your breath away. Beautiful and Terrible Things by S. M. Stevens stole my heart from the first page. The author has successfully woven a tale of friendship, love, and identity amidst the chaos of today’s dangerous climate, where there is so much hatred and intolerance. For readers who love stories about transformation, revolution, and advocacy, don’t miss out on this emotional and highly inspirational reading experience.”

American Fiction Award Finalist

In my other bit of news, Beautiful and Terrible Things was named one of seven finalists in the General Fiction category of the 2024 American Fiction Awards, sponsored by American Book Fest. Past winners include Amy Tan, George Sanders, Julie Andrews, Clive Barker, Vanessa Williams and other well-known writers. That’s some serious company.

Other Early Awards

In addition to the just-announced American Fiction Award, you may recall that Beautiful and Terrible Things also won a Literary Titan Silver Book Award. Literary Titan is an organization of professional editors, writers, and professors. Their review of the book said, “Stevens’s prose is lyrical and rich, capable of drawing readers deeply into the emotional landscape of the story—from introspective quietude to the fervor of protests and activism. The authenticity and emotional resonance of each scene are palpable.This novel remains with you, a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the complexities of life it navigates.”

Other Early Reviews

Midwest Book Review (which does not rate books in its reviews) wrote: “Beautiful & Terrible Things is a novel about social exile, awakening, and new discoveries in modern-day America. Its main character, 29-year-old Charley Byrne, is just coming out of self-imposed isolation in an unnamed city in 2018. The move from hermit to hero is immense. Libraries and readers interested in tales of connection, trauma, recovery, and social discovery will find the many currents of transformation in Beautiful & Terrible Things give much food for thought. It’s highly recommended for diverse audiences interested in how social and political consciousness evolves and how self-analysis influences that process.”

In addition to Reader Views, the novel has earned five-star reviews from:

Indies Today: “With a bustling contemporary backdrop, a sobering dose of stark realities, and a kaleidoscopic cast that is both flawed and fascinating, Beautiful and Terrible Things reads like a rousing anthem for social evolution. A potent juxtaposition of things painful to bear and inspiring to behold, Beautiful and Terrible Things is an eloquent novel that fully lives up to its name.”

Readers’ Favorite: “Through vivid descriptions and dialogue, the author creates emotionally rich, often tense, and heartwarming scenes. Beautiful and Terrible Things by S.M. Stevens is a compelling literary novel with resonant themes and characters that stay with readers after the last page is turned.”

Reedsy Discovery: “The six protagonists have the type of friendship that makes the Reader think, ‘I want to live in that city and be a part of that group.’ They are from various ethnicities, diverse backgrounds, three genders, and have different outlooks on life yet strive to retain loyal connections with each other. They are almost like the Friends gang, only more diverse and set in the 2020s.”

Availability

Beautiful and Terrible Things (ISBN 978-1-68513-447-1, 389 pages, $24.95) is published by Black Rose Writing and distributed by Lightning Source, Ingram Book Company, Amazon and Espresso Book Machine.

It is available on retail sites including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Target and Walmart. (Click here for links to all.)

It is also available to stores and consumers directly from the publisher at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/literary/beautifulandterriblethings.

It is also available to libraries and their patrons through Indie New Hampshire/Biblioboard and LibraryThing.