Congrats George!!! - WINNER!!!

Huge congratulations to George Omi, one of our published authors, who won 1st Place for self-published e-books in 2016 by Writers Digest, category, Memoir, Life Story. To see more about this book check out Amazon.

Entry Title: American Yellow

Author: George Omi

Pen Name (if provided): George Omi

Entry Category: Life Stories

Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5

Production Quality and Cover Design: 5

Plot and Story Appeal: 5

Character Appeal and Development: 5

Voice and Writing Style: 5

Judge’s Commentary*: We get excellent immersion into the author’s family, with great voices in the dialogue, and smartly-shared details such as movement, gestures, expressions and personality that brings the story to life. Well done. Author uses the accent patterns of his parents to great effect, clear and easy for the reader to adjust to. The father’s voice is especially differentiated and influential. We both fear and love him as well. Stellar characterization here. Settings are well-rounded and sensory. We are fully present at the cleaners, in their home, and in the camp. Author did very well to infuse his sense of youth in the story, such as when bouncing the Jello at the camp. We get an authentic point of view from his young self in the camp, which must have been far more upsetting to an adult soaking the realities of their family’s position there. We experience his evolution thanks to his father’s lessons before, during and after their camp stay, such as in the driving lesson – a point of normality in his growing years. Pace is terrific. Author has a great instinct for knowing how long to keep us in a scene. Nothing ever feels rushed or bogged down, an impressive feat. I was moved by his question at the end that if the war had never happened, would his family turn out the same? Excellent insights throughout, and an enjoyable writing voice by the author. Very well done. A standout.