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THE DESERT RIDE TO DESTINY: PHOENIX, A PAN AMERICA, AND A SACRED WIN AT THE 2026 INTERNATIONAL IMPACT BOOK AWARDS
Welcome back, Freedom Riders. Let’s kick this issue off right.
I didn’t arrive in phoenix by plane, rideshare, or convenience.
I ARRIVED ON A 2025 HARLEY-DAVIDSON PAN AMERICA, carrying a week’s worth of desert wind, a mind full of prayers, and a heart set on one weekend that felt bigger than an event: the 2026 international impact book awards.
I rode from Hawthorne, Nevada to Phoenix, Arizona, tracing a path through Hoover Dam and the grand canyon—two landmarks that don’t just impress you, they recalibrate you. Hoover dam is grit made visible. The grand canyon is perspective on a scale that makes you stop talking and start listening. By the time I rolled into phoenix, the ride had already done its work. I was ready.
The 2026 International Impact Book Awards weekend unfolded in two parts:
Day one: Saturday Impact Fest
Day two: IIBA Conference & Gala
That structure matters, because it gives authors space to connect before the spotlight hits. It turns an award weekend into something more lasting: community first, recognition second.
SATURDAY IMPACT FEST: FIRST-TIMERS, REAL CONNECTION, AND SHARED “WHY”
Impact fest set the tone—human, welcoming, and full of the kind of energy that comes from writers finally meeting face-to-face after doing so much of the work alone.
One of my standout moments was meeting and connecting with other authors and winners. Like me, many were first-time participants. You could hear it in the conversations: excitement, humility, and a quiet sense of, “you understand what it took to get here.”
That’s the part people don’t always see about authorship: the long stretch of private effort behind a public moment. Impact fest made that invisible work feel witnessed.
DAY TWO: CONFERENCE & GALA — THE STAGE, THE MOMENT, THE WIN
Then came day two: the IIBA Conference & Gala, where the weekend shifted into a different gear.
Walking the stage to receive my award recognition for sacred whisperings is a moment I will always carry. It wasn’t simply an honor—it felt like a marker placed in time that acknowledged the unseen parts of the journey: the writing, the revising, the waiting, and the decision to keep going anyway.
That night, Sacred Whisperings received winner — Outstanding Literary Achievement In The Category Poetry — Christian Devotionals.
Awards can’t measure everything, but they can confirm something important: the message landed. The work reached beyond the page.
GRATITUDE: THE CENTER OF THE WEEKEND
If I had to name the deepest highlight of the entire trip, it would be gratitude.
I felt profound gratitude to god for guiding my path and bringing me to that moment. And I felt the heartfelt ability to thank the influential people in my life—those who encouraged me, corrected me, prayed for me, and helped shape the person who could write a book like this in the first place.
Some wins feel personal. This one felt shared.
THE RIDE THAT BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER
There’s a reason I keep coming back to the motorcycle ride. On a bike, you feel every mile. You earn every horizon. You don’t just pass through landscapes—you move with them.
And in a way, that’s what this weekend was: movement. Forward. Upward. Deeper.
Phoenix gave me community, confirmation, and a memory I can return to when the next chapter of work gets demanding. The desert reminded me to stay humble. The stage reminded me to stand tall.
I rode to the 2026 international Impact Book Awards with faith and a book. I rode home with a title that still feels unreal—and a calling that feels clearer than ever.
ABOUT THE BOOK (SIDEBAR COPY)
Sacred Whisperings by Dr. Barry S. Ricoma
Enter a quiet place with god through the gentle, faith-filled poetry of sacred whisperings by dr. Barry s. Ricoma—an award-recognized collection honored by the international impact book awards with the distinction of outstanding literary achievement. These christian devotional poems are written for the moments when your heart needs reassurance, your faith needs strengthening, or your spirit simply longs for stillness.
Rooted in scripture and rich with spiritual reflection, each poem feels like a sacred exchange—inviting you to listen for god’s voice in the silence, to find comfort in seasons of trial, and to rediscover hope in times of uncertainty. Whether you are walking through a valley or celebrating a victory, sacred whisperings offers words that steady the soul and point you back to god’s enduring presence. You’ll be reminded that in weakness, his strength is near; in confusion, his truth remains; and even when life is quiet, his whisper still carries power.
Perfect for personal devotion, prayer time, journaling, or gifting, this book is a poetic companion for anyone seeking encouragement and a deeper connection with their faith. Open these pages and step into that sacred space where heaven touches earth—where you are deeply loved, eternally seen, and never alone.
Get your copy of both the book and journal TODAY!
To follow the journey (and see what’s next), visit your website and connect with Dr. Barry S. Ricoma on social:
Website: [https://www.greenvelope.com/card/n8g2Avz/0]
• instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/two_wheeled_freedom/]
• facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/TheWritersBlock.TWF]
• youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/@twowheeledfreedom_official].
Click the link below to view highlights from this Epic 2-Day Event:
2026 IIBA Impact-Fest & Gala:
And if Phoenix was a milestone, the momentum is already moving forward—because as these words go to print, I’m on the road to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts for my first book signing and the Literary Authors Expo. Next issue: scenes from the Vineyard, what I learned meeting readers face-to-face for the first time, and how this author journey is starting to expand beyond the page—Remember: life’s an open road, keep Riding Towards Adventure.
