Natalie Louise Tombasco, winner of the 2023 Michael Waters Poetry Prize from the Southern Indiana Review (SIR), has been named a finalist for the 2025 Midwest Book Awards in the Poetry and Graphic Novels – Debut category.
Tombasco’s debut collection, Milk for Gall, earned her a $6,000 prize and publication through SIR Press, affiliated with the University of Southern Indiana. Now, the collection is receiving regional acclaim from the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPA), which oversees the annual book awards.
The Midwest Book Awards honor outstanding works published in the previous year by independent presses in the region. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the event, with winners set to be announced during a gala on June 28.
“To have Milk for Gall honored as a Midwest Book Awards finalist is a significant achievement that reflects the impact of the work we do at Southern Indiana Review Press to bring important new voices, like Natalie Tombasco’s, to readers here and nationally,” said Rosalie Moffett, assistant professor of English at USI and an editor with SIR Press.
Denise McKenzie, an English major at USI, highlighted her hands-on experience with the book as part of the university’s literary editing and publishing minor.
“As part of USI’s literary editing and publishing program, I had the exclusive opportunity to work alongside SIR editors on Natalie Louise Tombasco’s Milk for Gall,” McKenzie said.
MiPA, a nonprofit organization, supports independent publishing across the Midwest, offering professional development and recognition through its award programs.
