Write a commentThe IPPY Awards are in and iHeart's own, Bekkah Frisch, medaled with her novel, The Great Quiet.
With over 4,000 entries, The Great Quiet was selected with under 400 other winners from around the world. In her category, Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim, Frisch took 2nd place—being the only author placing in the category who did not reside in the area of her setting.
When asked about how she became knowledgeable enough to feel comfortable publishing a novel set in a place she had never visited, she chuckled. “I had a lot of false starts. It took five years to write it. Most good sources I found were anthropology books about the area. Other sources were only interested in the tourists looking for wedding venues, vacation sites, and such. Then I followed the Village on social media. I could interact, but Tahitian French is different from the European French which I minored in at college. I learned a lot of the language and customs this way. It just took a while.”
The Great Quiet is set in the Polynesian Islands. It tells the story of two Polynesian families that struggle with terminal illness and devastating secrets. Over the course of the novel, they come to understand the importance of taking care of each other and their community. This work of historic fiction brings to light France’s real world nuclear testing program in the area, making it a true wake up call to the repercussions of our past, present, and future actions.
IPPY Awards have been given out every year to independently published books since the 1990s. Frisch states, “I am not interested in getting a traditional publisher. I like the flexibility of independently publishing.”
Books are judged by content, originality, design, and production with emphasis on innovation and social relevance. Design of the cover of The Great Quiet was created by her sister, Abigail McKalsen, while she was a high school student.
By winning an IPPY award, Frisch states, “It shows libraries and purchasers that I am serious about my craft.” Past winners include Margaret Atwood in 2003 and the current US Poet Laureate Juan Filipe Herrera in 2005.
The Great Quiet is available at the Village Shops in Fulton, River’s End in Oswego, as well as both Oswego and Fulton public libraries. You can also order The Great Quiet by visiting BekkahFrisch.com and hear about her upcoming work, also.
You can meet Bekkah at the CNY Art’s Author Market on August 17 in Fulton, at Beaver Lake’s Golden Harvest Festival on September 8, and at the Pulaski Farmers Market every Friday of September.
To participate in IPPY Awards, go to https://ippyawards.com/index.php for details. To view winners of the 2024 Awards, including Frisch's category, go to https://ippyawards.com/180/2024-medalists-89-ebook.
Bekkah Frisch’s next book, Shape of Ourselves, tackles the challenges of traumatic brain injury survivors in Australia. Look for it in 2025.
