We’re Heading to Chicago — and We Won!
We have some extraordinary news to share with our incredible community.
The Power of Magical Women by Connie Boyd has been named the winner of the Women’s Literature Non-Fiction category at the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards — the world’s largest book awards program for independent publishers and self-published authors. And now, we’re heading to Chicago to celebrate.
A Win That Belongs to All of Us
Can you name a woman magician? Most people can’t. And that’s exactly why this book exists — and why this award means so much.
For centuries, the stories of women in magic were overlooked, minimized, and sometimes deliberately hidden. Connie Boyd set out to change that with The Power of Magical Women shining a long-overdue spotlight on more than 70 extraordinary women who are transforming the art of magic today. Through powerful interviews and behind-the-scenes biographies, these women — their artistry, their struggles, and their breathtaking triumphs — finally get the recognition they deserve.
This award is a validation not just of the book, but of every single one of them.
As author Connie Boyd put it:
“More than anything, the recognition will help to shine a deserved spotlight on our profession and all the amazing women performing magic around the world. This award is as much a validation of their work as it is mine.”
Chicago, Here We Come
The celebration takes place on June 26, 2026, at the stunning Newberry Library in Chicago — one of the great literary landmarks in America. The gala coincides with the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, one of the most prestigious gatherings in the entire literary world.
Being recognized in this space, at this moment, alongside the people who champion books and reading across the country — it’s more than we could have dreamed when this project began.
Can’t make it to Chicago in person? You can still be part of the moment. The gala will be livestreamed at 5:00 p.m. CT on the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Facebook page. Mark your calendars and join us from wherever you are.
From a Pandemic Project to an Award-Winning Book
This journey started in 2020, when the global shutdown brought the magic industry — and so many of our lives — to a standstill. Rather than go quiet, Connie Boyd launched Magical Women, a YouTube channel and monthly column for VANISH International Magic Magazine, dedicated to documenting and celebrating female magicians.
What began as a way to stay connected and to provide a resource available to everyone during an impossible time grew into something far bigger: more than 300 uploads, a thriving community, and eventually a book that has reached well beyond the magic world. Readers who have never picked up a deck of cards have found themselves moved by the themes at the heart of these stories — resilience, reinvention, and breaking through barriers that were never supposed to hold you back.
This book was born from a belief that representation matters. That when women see themselves reflected in an art form, they are more likely to step forward, pick up the craft, and transform it. This award is proof that the world is ready to hear these stories.
Also at ALA — Come Find Us!
If you’re attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, we would love to meet you. Visit Connie Boyd at Zoom into Books, Booths 4044–4045, on June 27–28. Come say hello, pick up a copy, and be part of this movement in person.
Read the Full Story
The news has been covered by Joseph Wilson at the CB Herald (NY) and on EIN Presswire. Exposure and representation matter — and we are so grateful to every journalist, reader, and supporter who has helped amplify these voices.
Thank You
None of this would exist without this community — the readers, the fans, the fellow magicians, and everyone who believed from the beginning that these women’s stories needed to be told.
Chicago is just the next chapter. The magic is far from over.
✨ Stay tuned for more updates — and we’ll see you at the gala on June 26th!
The Power of Magical Women is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.
To arrange an interview with author Connie Boyd, reach out at: thepowerofmagicalwomen@gmail.com