Isaac Thorne’s novel Tab’s Terrible Third Eye this week received honors from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA) and the Eric Hoffer Award. The novel received a silver medal finalist distinction in the NGIBA Horror category. Tab joins Thorne’s previous novel Hell Spring, which received the same distinction in 2023. In addition, the Eric Hoffer Award honored Tab with four separate distinctions. The book was a finalist for the da Vinci Eye Award, which celebrates superior achievement in cover art. It also became a finalist for The Montaigne Medal, an award for “the most thought-provoking books.”
“One Hoffer nomination alone is an honor,” Thorne says. “To have received more than that from the Eric Hoffer Project is elating.”
Besides the da Vinci Eye and Montaigne Medal Finalist distinctions, Tab found itself short listed for the Grand Prize. Similar to the other two distinctions, being a finalist on the short list is an honor all its own. Finally, the Eric Hoffer Award separately awards Ebook – Fiction and Ebook – Nonfiction distinctions for superior achievement in the ebook format. Tab’s Terrible Third Eye received an Honorable Mention distinction in the Ebook – Fiction category.
“I submitted Hell Spring for the Eric Hoffer Award back in 2023, but received no distinctions,” Thorne says. “To have Tab‘s Terrible Third Eye achieve so much is such an honor. I’m proud of this book. It’s my most personal tale to date, and it’s something I would love for many more people to pick up and read. In a way, it’s a niche tale because of the mental health aspect, but I think everyone can find something relatable in it.”
In addition to the award distinctions, the Eric Hoffer Award released judge’s commentary on every title that received honors. The judges had the following to say about Tab’s Terrible Third Eye:
The author expertly establishes parallels between the psychiatric symptoms of a boy experiencing the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tab’s helplessness against spiritual forces beyond his family’s comprehension. We are left to draw our own conclusions about the nature of the events surrounding the Beard family. —The Eric Hoffer Award
Thorne adds that he is not done with Tab yet. “As an indie, you have to strive for as much attention as you can get. I’ve submitted Tab’s Terrible Third Eye to a number of other award organizations as well. I hope to see it gain further accolades as the year rolls on.”
Tab’s Terrible Third Eye is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats from IsaacThorne.com and other retailers.
