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P.D. Workman Wins 2016 Best Fiction Award from the In the Margins Committee

CALGARY, ALBERTA Mar 15, 2016

Last year, PD. Workman placed on the 2015 In the Margins Top Ten Best Books for Teens award for Ruby, Between the Cracks, the story of a tough-as-nails teen, Ruby Simpson, who is running from her past.

This year, Workman was thrilled to be notified that she had not only placed on the Top Ten list this year, but that she was being awarded first place for best fiction of 2016 for Tattooed Teardrops. Isabella Modra says that Tattooed Teardrops is “A realistic and beautiful story filled with suspense, heart-breaking friendship and loyalty that will keep you reading until the very end.”

In the Margins Book Award and Selection Committee, (ITM) a committee under the umbrella of Library Services for Youth in Custody (LYSC) agrees! For the second year in a row, Calgarian P.D. Workman’s work has been selected as validating, illuminating, and humanizing teens who have been marginalized by society.

ITM’s  goal is to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody – or a cycle of all three.  They identify quality, age-appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in urban, lockdown, homeless shelters and other non-traditional venues for teens living in the margins.

“This is our third year of highlighting self and small press published books that validate, illuminate and humanize those living in the margins. We bring true diversity to bookshelves and libraries by reading, reviewing, debating, soliciting teen feedback and awarding honors for these titles,” says the Committee. “The majority of our list may be unknown to you or have gotten little attention in traditional reviews, but are hits with our teens. This is a statement for the need for more of us to look for and highlight diverse books.” 

P.D. Workman has become ‘a household name’ at some of the facilities represented by the ITM as she continues to produce hard-hitting but sensitive books that speak to teens and adults alike.  “It’s really exciting to have my work recognized like this,” Workman said. “I really appreciate the ITM for all of the work that they do in promoting literacy and curating books for youth in custody. I want these kids to know that they’re not forgotten or worthless. My heart goes out to them.”

P.D. Workman can be reached at pdworkman.author@gmail.com or 403-808-2550. Full media kit at http://pdworkman.com/media

Tattooed Teardrops is available in hardcover ISBN 9781926500409 or softcover 9780993768750 or 9781926500294 and is available on Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, and Nook.

“I don’t plan on getting in any trouble.”

Tamara had thought that when she got out of juvie, things would be easier. But before long, it seems like her life is spiraling into chaos.

If she can’t prove to her probation officer that she is innocent of the allegations against her, she’s going back to prison, and Tamara just can’t let that happen.

Download full press release here.

Calgary Author Wins “In the Margins” Book Award

CALGARY, ALBERTA October 7, 2014

P. D. Workman has been writing novels for three decades, but you may not have read any of her work. Up until a year ago, she had not sought to have any of them published. That all changed in October 2013, when she published Looking Over Your Shoulder, a mystery novel about a jewel heist with a main character with paranoid schizophrenia. Since then, Workman has published six more books, with another to come out later this month, and a ninth in December.

But that’s not all. When Workman sat down to catalogue her novels last year, she had written forty-two. She has written several more since that time.

“My plan is to write at least three books per year, and to publish six per year.” At that rate, it will take Workman fourteen years to get her entire backlist published. “The older stuff takes a lot more work to edit and get ready for publication than my recent work,” Workman confides. “I’ve grown a lot as a writer and learned a lot more about the craft in the last few years. Some of my older works need extensive rewriting before they are ready for publication.”

Writing three new novels per year may sound daunting, but Workman shrugs it off. “I generally write a 100,000-word novel (about 350 pages) in about 21 days. Of course that’s just the first draft; it still needs to go through several drafts after that, then proofing, formatting, etc. So three or four a year is pretty comfortable when I’m rewriting and editing at least three other books a year. Publishing and marketing also take time.”

Most of Workman’s published work is young adult contemporary, though there are a few more adult books to come. In describing her work, she says: “Generally, I write young adult and suspense fiction about mental illness, addiction, and abuse.” Workman’s subject range extends to other disabilities, homelessness, foster care, crime, poverty, and other social issues.

“I want to shine a light on the lives led by kids and adults outside the mainstream. And I want to do it in an engaging and entertaining way. It’s one thing to read a headline or infographic or even listen to a lecture about kids in foster care being abused. It’s another to immerse yourself in Ruby’s story and to see the world through her eyes. Or through the eyes of Henry, Justine, Steven, Tamara, or Bobby. They expand your experience and become a part of you.” Workman goes on to say: “By becoming aware, we start to make small changes within our spheres of influence. Those little changes add up, and can change the lives of real kids and adults who have previously been marginalized.”

It’s a tall order, but Workman appears to be up to the challenge.

Download full press release here.

Photo: Kayce Abalos  Style: Fiona McAllister