Award Recognition

Distinguished Author

International Impact Book Awards · 2027

Andover author J.M. Erickson has been named a Distinguished Author by the International Impact Book Awards for his science fiction novel Bold Dark Worlds, a dystopian series set on a colonized Mars.

Ten-Pillar Standard of Excellence

The recognition was announced in early October 2026 following a complete review of the work against the organization's ten-pillar Standard of Excellence, which evaluates writing quality, substance, reader impact, and the overall caliber of the finished book.

The Distinguished Author designation is conferred on a limited number of authors whose work is judged to demonstrate genuine and measurable impact on readers and communities.

About the Book

Bold Dark Worlds is a four-book science fiction series that reimagines Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in a near-future Martian colony, exploring themes of imperialism, class division, and survival under authoritarian power.

The series has drawn editorial attention from Pacific Book Review, The Book Review Directory, and US Review of Books, and received the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards Bronze Medal.

About the Author

Erickson publishes through his independent imprint Emergency Comms Press and has built a catalog of more than twenty titles across three series — Bold Dark Worlds, Future Prometheus, and Birds of Flight.

His work has earned a Kirkus starred review, Foreword INDIEFAB Gold, Readers' Favorite Gold, and coverage from multiple trade review outlets over the course of his career.

2027 Honors & Gala Weekend

The International Impact Book Awards will hold its 2027 Honors & Gala Weekend on January 30–31, 2027, at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, where Distinguished Authors are invited to receive their awards in person.