J.A. Hoskins earns four honors at Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Australian-Canadian author J.A. Hoskins will be recognized June 26 at the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards in Chicago for her debut novel Writer-in-Residence, which won third place in fiction and three additional honors. The wins highlight Hoskins’ move from engineering and consulting writing into published fiction, as she prepares to launch a third novel in September 2026. Why it matters: - Writer-in-Residence is getting national and international visibility through one of the largest awards programs for independent publishers and self-published authors. - The recognition strengthens J.A. Hoskins’ break into fiction after years of professional writing in engineering and consulting. - Hoskins is also using the momentum to build interest in her next books, including a public writing project set to begin July 6. What happened: - J.A. Hoskins will receive four honors at the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards on June 26. - Writer-in-Residence won Third Place Grand Prize in Fiction. - Writer-in-Residence also won General Fiction/Novel over 100,000 words. - The novel tied for Winner in Regional Fiction. - Writer-in-Residence was named a Finalist in First Novel over 90,000 words. - Winners and finalists will be recognized at the NGIBA Awards Gala on June 26 at The Newberry Library in Chicago. - The gala is being held alongside the American Library Association Annual Conference. The details: - The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is in its 20th year. - The awards program bills itself as the world’s largest international book awards program for independent publishers and self-published authors. - Publishing industry professionals, including editors, literary agents and executives with major publishing-house experience, judge the awards. - Writer-in-Residence began with a fleeting moment in a Las Vegas hotel lobby and a journal entry Hoskins wrote the next morning. - The novel follows Rebecca Morley, whose 25-year marriage unravels during an anniversary trip to Las Vegas. - Rebecca stays in Las Vegas instead of flying home and begins rebuilding her life. - Writer-in-Residence is available worldwide in paperback and Kindle editions. - A complete list of winners and finalists is available here . Between the lines: - The award mix suggests broad appeal across fiction, regional fiction and debut-novel categories. - Hoskins’ quote frames the recognition as part of a fast-moving career transition from drafts and unfinished manuscripts to published work. - The novel’s origin story and its focus on personal reinvention fit a larger theme across Hoskins’ writing: ordinary people facing abrupt turning points. What’s next: - Hoskins’ second novel, John, recently reached No. 1 New Release in Australian Fiction and became a multiple category best-seller on Amazon. - John is set in the Adelaide Hills and centers on a character whose perspective affects everyone around him. - Hoskins’ third novel, Ailsa Craig, is due in September 2026. - Starting July 6, Hoskins will write Ailsa Craig in public over six weeks as readers watch the manuscript take shape in real time. - Ailsa Craig is inspired by a true family story and follows a woman who leaves everything behind for rural Queensland while carrying a secret she cannot share. - Hoskins will attend the NGIBA Awards Gala in Chicago in June. The bottom line: - The NGIBA recognition gives J.A. Hoskins a strong launchpad as she turns a debut fiction success into a broader publishing run.