John Wemlinger Won Gold Medal at CIPA EVVY Awards
Retired U.S. Army colonel John Wemlinger secured a top honor for his novel Finding Innocence at the 32nd annual ceremony.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Awards
Author and retired U.S. Army colonel John Wemlinger received a Gold Medal in the Fiction-Suspense/Thriller category at the 32nd annual CIPA EVVY Awards. The honor was bestowed during the organization's banquet ceremony held at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre near Denver.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights the achievement of independent authors competing on a national stage. CIPA, a national organization for independent publishers and authors, maintains a rigorous judging process for its worldwide competition entries.
The award marks the 32nd edition of the CIPA EVVY Awards ceremony. The winning novel, Finding Innocence, was selected after a rigorous judging process that evaluated entries from independent authors around the world.
The players
John Wemlinger
He is a retired U.S. Army colonel and the author of the award-winning novel Finding Innocence.
CIPA
This is a national organization dedicated to supporting independent publishers and authors through resources and competitions.
The details
Wemlinger, who served as a U.S. Army colonel, garnered the Gold Medal specifically for his work in the Fiction-Suspense/Thriller category. The award ceremony took place in the Denver area, bringing together independent creators to celebrate literary excellence.
Timeline
John Wemlinger received the award at the 2026 banquet ceremony.
Culture Shift
The award success of an independent author highlights the ongoing growth of the independent publishing sector as monitored by CIPA. This win follows the established pattern of independent authors gaining national recognition through specialized industry programs.
Denver-area readers can access the award-winning title Finding Innocence through local independent bookstores or regional library collections. The result also serves as a guide for local writers looking to enter their own works into established national competitions.
The takeaway
Independent authors can gain significant professional validation by participating in industry-specific awards programs. Readers looking for new thrillers may find high-quality options by following the annual winners recognized by organizations like CIPA.
Further reading
Learn more about local and national honors in the Awards section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Manistee News Advocate.
