Award-Winning Success: Local Author wins National Recognition at the 2026 IBPA Book Awards
Muskegon, Michigan. We are proud to announce that the book, On The Day You Graduate by Carla M. Flanders has been awarded the Silver Medal in the Gift Book category at the 2026 Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Book Awards.
Established in 1985, the IBPA Book Awards recognizes excellence in independent publishing and honors outstanding books published by independent presses across the United States. The awards are widely regarded as one of the highest distinctions in the independent publishing industry. In 2026 there were close to 2,000 entries with most categories having between 30 and 100+ entries.
“Receiving the Silver Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association for my first self-published book, On The Day You Graduate, is truly an honor. This book was created to help families capture and celebrate one of life’s most meaningful milestones, and I am incredibly grateful to see it recognized on a national level. My hope has always been that it becomes a treasured keepsake for graduates and their loved ones for generations to come.”
About On The Day You Graduate
On The Day You Graduate is an interactive graduation keepsake book that celebrates a student’s journey from birth to graduation. Through fill-in-the-blank pages and guided writing prompts, the book provides graduates with a meaningful space to capture memories from their school years, reflect on their accomplishments, and record their hopes and dreams for the future.
The book also invites family members, teachers, mentors, and friends to contribute messages and reflections, creating a lasting record of the people and experiences that helped shape the graduate’s journey. The result is a keepsake that preserves both personal memories and the voices of those who have supported the graduate along the way.
Additionally, the book is a great gift for new parents, young readers and students just entering school. For young students, the book can be used as an end-of-year message book, where teachers, mentors and friends can write in memories of the student from that year. Then, once the student graduates it will be a memorable keepsake from all their years of education.
On the Day You Graduate is currently sold online and at West Michigan retail shops. To purchase the book or learn more, visit https://onthedayyougraduate.com. Also available on Amazon and Esty. Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnTheDayYouGraduate/ or Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/onthedayyougraduatebook/
About Carla M. Flanders
Carla M. Flanders is a West Michigan entrepreneur, wife, and mother with a passion for bringing people together. As the CEO of CMF Marketing & Events, Carla has over 25 years in marketing management, strategic planning and public relations. She specializes in event coordination producing, intimate gatherings to large-scale multi-day festivals. Beyond her professional life, Carla is deeply connected to her community, finding inspiration in her family’s journey to write her debut book, On the Day You Graduate.
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