Joseph Howse's debut novel, The Girl in the Water, has been commended as a Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 NYC Big Book Award for Literary Fiction. The story follows four teenagers and a feral cat as they navigate life in Gorbachev's USSR, against a broad backdrop of civilizations in decline. Earlier this year, it won the 2023 Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction and the 2023 IPPY Awards Bronze Medal for Best Regional Ebook (Fiction). You can find the book in libraries and stores, or read more about it on the author's website.