In a literary landscape increasingly dominated by commercial interests, the Eric Hoffer Book Award stands as a beacon of hope for freethinking writers and independent authors. Established in the early 21st century with the blessing of the Eric Hoffer Estate, this prestigious award honors exceptional works that challenge the status quo and promote the circulation of ideas.
As one of the premier international independent book awards, the Hoffer Award recognizes the unique contributions of small, academic, and micro presses, as well as self-published authors, who often face significant barriers in getting their voices heard.
In an age where powerful writing can be stifled or lost amidst the noise of the Internet, the Eric Hoffer Book Award seeks to elevate those narratives that might otherwise be overlooked. Many of the top literary prizes tend to favor mainstream publications, leaving independent books in the shadows. The Eric Hoffer Book Award aims to change that by providing a platform for these vital voices, ensuring that the spirit of literary freedom remains alive and well.
Throughout history, many renowned authors, including Emily Dickinson, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf, chose the path of self-publishing to maintain their creative integrity. Today, independent presses continue to navigate a challenging environment, and the Hoffer Award champions their efforts by offering winners not only recognition and honors but also valuable media exposure through outlets like the US Review of Books.
This year, Marian Flores’ “Alisa in Washerland” sealed an Honorable Mention spot in the Eric Hoffer Book Award under E-book Fiction Category! The book does what the best stories do: it makes the readers see ordinary things in a way they never had before.
“Alisa in Washerland” follows a ten-year old girl as she is whisked away into an enchanted world nestled inside the family dishwasher. There she discovers mysterious creatures who teach her that by looking beyond what she sees, she can find exactly what she’s looking for, even if she didn’t know she was searching.
This book is a contemporary twist and plays on words with the classic book, Alice in Wonderland, inspired by the author’s dislike for washing dishes as a child, and her nieces distain for putting dishes into the dishwasher. When Marian’s sister had a dream that she was living in the dishwasher, she found a way to combine all these things into this whimsical fable.