HUNTINGTON — One local author is continuing to earn national awards for her debut novel.

Claudia Pemberton, a life-long Huntington resident and employee at the Cabell County Board of Education, has recently earned another award for her debut novel “Love Leaves No One Behind.” The most recent award was for being one of three finalists in the romance category of the National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA).

It was Pemberton’s fifth placement or win in the competitive literary arena. She has been awarded two first place honors, one third place and two finalist showings for her work.

“I am on cloud nine with the success of my book,” said Pemberton. “Writing is not a gift for me, it is work, but I love every minute of it. I’ve had no formal training or education outside of high school and one semester of Introduction to Creative Writing at Marshall University.

“I just decided one day that I was going to write a novel. And I did. I just sat down, closed my eyes, pictured the story in my head and described what I saw. It was the most difficult and most rewarding thing I’ve every done in my life.”

It took Pemberton 10 months to write the book. Then there was another year of editing before finally having the final version, cover and all, in her hands.

“Love Leaves No One Behind,” is a military thriller combined with a poignant love story that tells the account of a U.S. Army Ranger and his healing love for a grieving woman. Threatened by a sadistic killer, the couple’s courage and strength intimately reveals the human spirit’s ability to triumph over insurmountable odds.

The entire experience combined with the success has touched Pemberton in ways she didn’t expect.

“I never in a million years thought that my first novel would be so well received, especially by the military community,” she said. “To have my work appreciated by people who do not me personally, especially by the very elite group of individuals that I pattered my main character after, is a mind-blowing experience for me. I still can’t believe my good fortune.

“Not only has my book surprised me with success, it also clobbered me with a dose of patriotism that I won’t soon forget (nor do I want to),” she added.

In between her job, book signings and visits to various military bases, Pemberton does have a few other projects in the works. She is planning a sequel to “Love Leaves No One Behind,” and is pitching a recently completed children’s book called “Gizmo’s Christmas Gift.”

In addition, Pemberton is considering a satirical autobiography, a love story about a struggling female country music singer and a toying with the idea of writing a thriller in the style of Stephen King.

Courtesy of Claudia Pemberton

Huntington resident Claudia Pemberton has earned several national awards for her debut novel "Love Leaves No One Behind."

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