NYC Big Book Award® recognition adds to a growing list of honors for the audiobook, now serving as a proof of concept for Collins’ limited-series adaptation
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — NEW YORK, NY — Sheldon Collins’ The Legend of Valentine has earned its fourth national recognition of 2026, receiving a Distinguished Favorite honor in Audiobook – Fiction from the NYC Big Book Award®.
The latest recognition adds to an exceptional year for the novel’s 22-performer dramatic audiobook, which has received national honors from the Gracie Awards, Independent Press Award, and Society of Voice Arts Awards, where the production earned seven nominations and two wins across multiple categories.
For Collins, that recognition is also helping demonstrate something larger: that the characters, world and dramatic scope of The Legend of Valentine can successfully move beyond the printed page. Collins is now adapting the novel as a limited television series, with the award-winning audiobook serving as a dramatic proof of concept for the longer-form adaptation.
“The audiobook gave us an opportunity to hear this world come alive—with 22 performers, music, sound design and dramatic direction—and the response has been extraordinary,” said Collins. “For me, it became a proof of concept for what this story can be in a longer format. In the tradition of novels that have found new audiences through series adaptations such as Shōgun and Outlander, The Legend of Valentine has a world and characters that are built to expand.”
Collins is currently developing The Legend of Valentine as a limited series and preparing the adaptation for presentation to the entertainment industry. Producers, representatives, and other interested industry parties are encouraged to contact Collins’ representation for additional information and materials.
THE STORY
Set in Rome in 268 AD, The Legend of Valentine reimagines the legends surrounding Saint Valentine and the origins of Valentine’s Day as an epic story of love, war, faith and rebellion. A former Roman warrior risks everything to secretly unite lovers in defiance of a ruthless emperor, beginning a struggle whose legacy will endure for centuries.
The novel has also earned praise from major publishing critics:
“Collins’s piercing exploration of faith, sacrifice, and redemption gives this epic love story an intricate depth often missing in similar titles.”
— Publishers Weekly
“A complex and ambitious adventure for lovers of ancient historical romance.”
— Kirkus Reviews
ABOUT SHELDON COLLINS
Sheldon Collins is an award-winning author, screenwriter and filmmaker. Collins works across publishing, film and audio, developing stories from the written page through performance and cinematic adaptation.
READ, LISTEN & LEARN MORE
The Legend of Valentine is available in hardcover, paperback and eBook through Amazon, with the audiobook available worldwide on major listening platforms including Audible, Spotify, Apple Books and Google Play.
Book, audiobook, cast and project information:
TheLegendofValentine.com
Industry, publishing and media inquiries:
James Pacitti, Esq.
james@pacittilawfirm.com
The NYC Big Book Award® recognizes books from independent and established authors and publishers worldwide, with Distinguished Favorites selected by publishing-industry professionals based on overall excellence.
James Pacitti, Esq.
James Pacitti, Esq.
+1 323-230-6200
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