Last week, I received another award for A Becharmed Callie Christmas. This time, the award is for the top ten favorite books chosen for December 2025. Here is a copy of the letter I received with it.
Hi Julie,
I’m happy to share that the award results are officially out
I want to sincerely congratulate you on the incredible work you put into your book. It was a pleasure to see how strongly it resonated with readers, your book has been selected as one of our Top 10 books readers loved during the December period, which is a wonderful achievement and something you should be very proud of.
Your dedication and storytelling truly stood out, and this recognition reflects the hard work you’ve invested in your writing journey…
Congratulations once again on this well-deserved recognition. I’m excited about what’s ahead for you and look forward to supporting you as we move forward.
Warm regards,
Marla Porter
Founder & Organizer: Austin Classics Book Club
Thank you so much, Marla, and the Austin Classics Book Club, for this honor!
As always, please like, share and follow me! I truly appreciate your ongoing support. Thank you so much!
I’d like to wish you a very happy New Year! I’d also like to share a few things with you that I have coming up in 2026.
This spring, all four books in the Renegade Series (pictured above) will be available on audio! Right now the two side stories that go along with the series are available on audio, A Becharmed Callie Christmas and Fool’s Gold Folly. I’ve been working hard to get the books ready, so I’m very excited that I’m getting close to the finish line! Once that’s done, I will set to work on book number five of the series, which has yet to be titled.
Both A Becharmed Callie Christmas and Fool’s Gold Folly are on sale right now for only 99 cents on Kindle e-books. Now is the perfect time to grab this deal!
I’d also like to share more exciting news in that I have numerous book trailers in the works, which should be done over the next few months. You can see some of the book trailers now on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC12gW5kbv5FLDH6Qxd9duzw. I will be posting new trailers for A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, A Rebel Among Us, Double-Edged Sword, and Horses in Gray as they become available.
My interview with Author Essence is now online! Here is the link, so please check it out!
I also received a very special honor from Book and Brunch. Not only did they give A Becharmed Callie Christmas the 2025 Best Historical Christmas Fiction Award, but they gave me an award as well! Thank you so much for the award!
As always, please visit my website, like, share and follow me on my links, and most of all, have a very happy, safe, and prosperous New Year!
This Saturday, I will be participating in the annual Author’s Fair, which will take place in downtown Redding, California. I will be there signing my books, so if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by! All four books in the Renegade Series will be on sale for half price! Don’t miss your chance to get copies of these books. They make great holiday gifts!
In other news, Boulder Bookaholics Book Club featured my new book, Fool’s Gold Folly. Here’s what they had to say:
Event Summary The Boulder Bookaholics Book Club hosted a spotlight session featuring Fool’s Gold Folly. Members discussed major themes, characters, and shared personal takeaways. This spotlight allowed the group to engage with the author’s work in depth.
Engagement Highlights Overall Rating: 25 star Favorite Themes Discussed: Westward Expansion & the American Dream
Member Quotes “We really enjoyed Fool’s Gold Folly! The story felt real and heartfelt, and we loved how J.D.R. Hawkins brought the Irish immigrant experience to life.” “At Boulder Bookaholics, a member said Fool’s Gold Folly highlights immigrant hope and struggle, with friendship providing strength in hard times.”
Thank You On behalf of the Boulder Bookaholics Book Club, we thank you for creating such a wonderful book. It was an honor to spotlight your work and share it among our community of readers.
I also received this flattering email from a fan:
Hi JDR,
I came across Fool’s Gold Folly and felt I needed to tell you how deeply it moved me. As someone who spends much of my life surrounded by books, I know how rare it is to find a story that speaks not only to the mind but also to the heart. Yours did both in such a powerful way.
Patrick Mulligan’s journey is more than just a search for gold. It is the story of resilience, of carrying hope in times of uncertainty, and of what it means to build a life in the face of both promise and peril. Through him, you give voice to the courage of so many who dared to dream of a better future, and that left me both humbled and inspired.
What touched me most was the way you brought Silas Garvey to life. He was more than a character. He was a reminder that even in illness and hardship, there is still meaning, friendship, and humanity. His presence gave the story a tenderness that lingers long after the final page.
Thank you for creating a book that is not only rich with history but also rich with heart. It is the kind of work that inspires readers to keep going, to believe in their own strength, and to see the beauty in the bonds we form along the way.
With admiration and respect, Mary
Thank you, Mary, for your email! And I want to thank you again for your ongoing support. If you haven’t done so yet, please check out my website. There, you will find links to follow me on all my social media pages. https://jdrhawkins.com
Here is some information about the host, Peter Okonkwo, and the show.
About the Host Peter Okonkwo is a Nigerian writer, poet, fatalist, literary critic, chorister, spiritual philosopher, violinist, editor, publisher, songwriter, soon–to be–novelist of Etean’s Destiny, certified orator, and show presenter at PEL. He is the author of six poetry collections: Ecstasy of the Dead; Fate, In the Dungeon of Doom; Whose Fault, Kismet or Impediment? and Escape from the Unseen Dungeons book series. Peter is gifted with the aptitude to explore and demystify certain difficult life issues through his thought-provoking, raw–arresting transcendent poetry. His works have been reviewed to critical acclaim (locally and internationally) and featured in notable literary magazines, newspapers, and TV stations including the Australian Plumwood Mountain Journal, The Lagos Review, Writers Space Africa, Afreecan Reads, Sevhage, Ngiga Review, Con-Scio, The Nigeria Review, Daily Trust Newspaper, Journal of African Youth Literature among others. He was an exhibit author at Africa’s second-largest international book fair, NIBF, 2024 Edition. Peter was in November of 2024 endorsed by the Art Council of England as an “Exceptional Promise” in the field of literature. He is the founder of P. English Literature (PEL), a literary organization dedicated to the promotion of literature in all genres. Since its inception in 2020, PEL has featured over 700 authors in interviews, and over 1000 in total of literature works. It was recognized as the first-ever international BookTube show in Africa that features authors from around the world. Peter is also the community founder of the Akure Book Club, a fast-growing society of book enthusiasts to promote literature in the city of Akure, Nigeria, and internationally through diverse literary events.
About P English Literature (PEL)
Founded in 2020 (RC: 7923553) and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, P English Literature is a Literary and Art organization dedicated to the promotion of English Literature regardless of genre. Our publication of book reviews, author interviews, book festivals, opinion commentaries, literary criticism, writer’s conferences, book club meetings, open mics, and other literary activities are explicitly done to publicize and incite authors and writers of different backgrounds, heritages, and cultures. Originally focused on promoting self-published authors and their works, we have expanded to traditional books and authors as well. We are the first-ever international BookTube show in Africa that features authors from around the world.
Thank you so much, P English Literature, for having me on your show!
I’ve been informed that new my book, Fool’s Gold Folly, has made it to round two in the voting process for best book cover of the month by AllAuthor. Thank you so much for voting! If you did vote, please vote again! If not, please vote! Here is the link: https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/19730/
Also, I was featured in a write up by USA Wire. I have a few more of these which I will be sharing from time to time.
The best historical fiction skillfully blends fact and fiction, taking readers to different time periods while giving them a new perspective on what happened in the past. In order to create stories that feel genuine, authors in this genre thoroughly investigate historical locations, people, and civilizations. Among the greats of historical fiction, J.D.R. Hawkins stands head and shoulders above the crowd for the way she has conveyed the American Civil War through her writing.
Finding the right mix of reality and imagination is essential for historical fiction. While being historically accurate, authors must conjure up evocative scenes that transport readers to bygone eras. The genre’s strong protagonists and antagonists bring the past to life, letting readers feel connected to the stories they read. A great work of historical fiction does more than just describe events; it makes history interesting, relatable, and captivating on an emotional level.
Using her skill, J.D.R. Hawkins portrays the hardships and victories of individuals at a turbulent time in American history. Her character-driven storytelling and commitment to historical authenticity have garnered her immense praise, solidifying her position as one of the most esteemed authors in the genre.
J.D.R. Hawkins, whose birth name is Julia Dawn Ryan Hawkins and who was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on June 9, 1959, had a strong desire to write from an early age. She owes her careful research and storytelling style to her journalism degree from Iowa State University, which she pursued under her parents’ encouragement. She worked tirelessly to perfect her craft and is now a well-known historical fiction novelist, best known for the critically acclaimed Renegade Series.
Hawkins provides a complex and empathetic view of the Civil War as one of the rare female writers who wrote from a Confederate viewpoint. Instead of glorifying war, her works examine the mental and emotional toll it takes on troops and their families. The B.R.A.G. Medallion and the John Esten Cooke Fiction Award are only two of the many accolades she has received for her sensitive and accurate portrayal of this time period.
Hawkins is widely recognized as an exceptional storyteller due to her talent for combining historical details with captivating anecdotes. With vivid descriptions and emotionally gripping plots, her novels put readers in the shoes of her Civil War-era protagonists.
Beyond fiction, Hawkins has made significant literary contributions. Horses in Gray: Famous Confederate Warhorses is her nonfiction book about the Civil War that delves into the significance of horses and their participation in warfare. Her short novella A Becharmed Callie Christmas also gives readers a touching look into the lives of the characters from the Renegade Series.
Her involvement in groups like Pikes Peak Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and The International Women’s Writing Guild demonstrates her dedication to historical writing. Her ongoing contributions to the literary and historical communities through these associations guarantee that history will always be an interesting and approachable subject for readers of all ages.
Not only is J.D.R. Hawkins a prolific historical fiction writer, but she has also contributed significantly to literature by highlighting underrepresented viewpoints. The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon have all listed her books as bestsellers, adding to her already substantial literary prominence.
Hawkins has revolutionized historical fiction with her painstaking research, captivating storytelling, and commitment to historical accuracy. She has shown that the past is more than just a string of events; it is a fabric of human experiences that have a lasting impact on our present. A genuine light in historical fiction, her work is a tribute to the power of narrative in preserving history.
Historical fiction writers like J.D.R. Hawkins are uncommon breeds; they possess an unusual trifecta of research prowess, creative flair, and empathy. Her captivating storytelling, impeccable character development, and talent for immersing readers in the Civil War era distinguish her as a prominent personality in the genre. If you’re looking for a gripping historical fiction that will educate as well as entertain, go no further than Hawkins’s writings. They take readers on a memorable voyage through time.
Four of my books, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, A Rebel Among Us, and Double-Edged Sword, are being featured in an article appearing on INSCMagazine. These are the first four books in the Renegade Series, which tell the story of a family from north Alabama and how the Civil War impacts them. Here is the link to that article:
Stay tuned for more news coming up! I’ll be working on a couple of podcasts next week, as well as more articles and features. Thank you all so very much for your ongoing support!
J.D.R. Hawkins 