Alzheimer's 'Blue Hydrangeas' Nominated for IndieReCon's Best Indie Novel and Best Adult Cover Awards

"Blue Hydrangeas," an Alzheimer's love story by independent author Marianne Sciucco, was recently nominated for IndieReCon's Best Indie Novel and Best Adult Cover Awards. The contest, part of IndieReCon's second free online writer's conference for independent authors and publishers, runs Monday, February 24 at 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m.Thursday, February 27th.

"I'm excited to be nominated for these awards," says Sciucco, who published her debut novel in April 2013. "Blue Hydrangeas" is a Kindle bestseller that has hit number one in Amazon's medical fiction three times. It's the story of a retired pair of Cape Cod innkeepers struggling with the wife's progressing Alzheimer's and her husband's failing heart. It's a beautifully written, poignant story that Amazon readers have given 28 5-star reviews with an average rating of 4.7 stars.

"IndieReCon is an exciting conference that will reach independent authors and publishers around the world through blog and vlog posts, webinars, and live chats on Facebook, Twitter, and their website. It's an innovative way to run a conference and a great example of how the internet and social media drive indie publishing."

The contest is open to any book that was self-published or small-press published prior to 2014 in the categories Adult, Children, and Non-Fiction. All books are nominated by fans of the IndieReCon web site and fans and visitors vote on the entries. The books with the most votes win. Prizes will be awarded February 28.

IndieReCon presenters include keynote speakers Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath, who will host a 2-hour chat on "The Evolving Indie Industry and Standing out in the Pile." Representatives from Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, and Goodreads will offer programs on how to write fast, trying your hand at serials, working with other authors to maximize your marketing efforts, and much more. There are also giveaways, including two KOBO eReaders and e-books donated by conference presenters and attendees, including Sciucco.

Founded by indie authors S.R. Johannes and Ali Cross, the conference attracted more than 12,000 visitors last year, and this year's promises to attract many more. It runs Tuesday, February 25 through Thursday, February 27, from 10 am - 10pm EST times. Sponsors include The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), Kobo, Author Marketing Club, BiblioCrunch, IndieReader, Shelf Unbound, Author Ad Network, and The Indelibles.

About the Author:

Marianne Sciucco is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse, using her skills and experience to create stories that bear witness to the humanity in all of us. A lover of words and books, she studied the craft of writing as an English major at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and worked for a time as a newspaper reporter in New England. She later became a nurse. With more than 20 years experience as a staff nurse and case manager, she has worked with countless families dealing with issues related to aging, elder care, Alzheimer's, and nursing home placement. In 2002, she put the two together and began writing about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. She published her debut novel, "Blue Hydrangeas," an Alzheimer's love story, in 2013 to glowing reviews. When not writing she works as a campus nurse at a community college in New York's Hudson Valley.

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