David Hearne, Editor In Chief of the PenCraft Book Awards has announced that King Cotton was chosen the Winner of the 2026 PenCraft Seasonal Book Award – Summer Competition in the historical fiction category. 

As reported on https://www.pencraftaward.com/, the PenCraft Book Awards “honor outstanding works across a variety of genres, recognizing authors who demonstrate exceptional talent and creativity. Winners will gain valuable exposure, credibility, and accolades within the literary community. Submissions are open to both self-published and traditionally published authors…” 

King Cotton, the first entry in the King Cotton trilogy, was also a finalist for the 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Award in the War and Military Category and a finalist in the 19th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) in 2025. As for the other two books in the series; 

·         King Cotton II: Kentucky Gold was a finalist for best Historical Fiction Post-1850 in the 2026 Colorado Authors League Awards. 

·         King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper won the gold medal for best historical fiction in the 2025 CIPA EVVY Awards and best western fiction in the 2026 National Indie Excellence Awards. 

You can read more about all three books, including reviews, at www.kingcottonbooks.com.