Just a few months after she published her first novel, Addison resident Iris Underwood has picked up her first award for the fictional “The Mantle” from the Illumination Book Awards. She was given the silver medal in the competition’s inspirational/romance fiction category.

Aside from being an author, Underwood is a former Leader writer and columnist and currently writes an award-winning column for the Tri-City Times.

“They give out a gold, silver and bronze, and ‘The Mantle’ won the silver. I was very excited about that,” she said.

“The Mantle,” which Underwood spent the last 20 years writing, is a self-published novel following Prince Rahabem as he attempts to take back the Mahari throne, to which he is the rightful heir. While the prince goes on that journey, Underwood explores themes like family, friendship, community and self-discovery.

Of the awards she has applied for, Illumination is the first she’s heard back from. Since the competition is run by the Traverse City-based Jenkins Group, she’s excited her first award is a local one.

“(Winning an award) validated my book. It validated my story,” Underwood said. “And it being local seemed just perfect. I desire local praise and acceptance more than I do far away, because my community really means a lot to me.”

Illumination is not holding a ceremony this year because organizers couldn’t find a “suitable venue.” But, Underwood will be visiting Traverse City this week where she will accept her silver medal book seals, have lunch with the Jenkins Group’s director, visit some friends in the area and celebrate her 70th birthday.

“It will just be a very wonderful celebration – a good way to start,” she said.

After she’s able to stick those silver seals on the covers of her 500-page, leather-bound books, she’ll be focused on working on a cookbook and another novel as well as selling more copies of “The Mantle,” which she said in a previous interview with the Leader is something she hopes will encourage its readers.

Copies of “The Mantle” can be purchased online from the Seattle Book Company. To find out more about Underwood, readers can visit her website.. Underwood will also be in town on April 29th when she hosts a talk about “The Mantle” at the Oxford Public Library.