Talk about news that makes your heart happy - my dear client, Rachael Allen, was named Georgia Young Adult Author of the Year for her 2018 novel, A TAXONOMY OF LOVE! Any award and all publicity for books is a good thing. It's especially so when the writer is as marvelous as the books she writes - and that's 100% true of Rachael.

Here's what the judge had to say about it:

A Taxonomy of Love, like the title implies, is indeed a love story, but not just between the two main characters.

It is a love story to family, and life, and the growth that happens along the way. Over a six-year time span and through a collection of charts, emails, letters, and narrative, Allen carries us along and pulls us deep into the heart of her main characters, Spencer, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, and Hope, who has lost her best friend/older sister. The unique structure and longer time frame allow the reader to grow with Spencer and Hope in a way that is never forced but works for the novel and allows us to journey with them in a deeper way.

What I particularly liked about this was the opportunity to see the reality of relationships. The push and pull. The tearing apart. The finding a way together. The pain that comes when we lose loved ones, are hurt by those supposed to be our friends, and the forgiveness we can find when we risk vulnerability.

A Taxonomy of Love is hopeful, truthful, and smart, which to me, embodies the essence of young adult literature.

I couldn't agree more, and I couldn't be prouder to say that Rachael is a client. CONGRATULATIONS, RACHAEL!!!

For more info about the book, click here. To learn more about the awards, visit the Georgia Author of the Year site here.