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For many independent authors, book awards offer more than recognition—they provide credibility, visibility, and new opportunities to reach readers. As submission deadlines approach, authors who are prepared can position their books for meaningful exposure within the publishing community. 
 
One such opportunity is the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, a well-known program that celebrates independent publishing excellence across a wide range of genres. 

Why Book Awards Matter for Indie Authors 

Book awards can play an important role in an author’s marketing and credibility strategy. Recognition from an established awards program helps validate a book’s quality and can enhance its appeal to readers, reviewers, and media outlets. 
 
For self-published authors, awards also help distinguish a book in a competitive marketplace where trust and visibility are key. 

About the Next Generation Indie Book Awards 

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards program is dedicated to recognizing independently published books that demonstrate strong writing, professional presentation, and originality. With numerous categories available, the awards welcome submissions from authors across many genres and subject areas. 
 
Participation gives authors the opportunity to have their work evaluated alongside other high-quality indie titles. 

Submitting Through a Full-Service Publishing Partner 

Authors can submit their books to the Next Generation Indie Book Awards through a full-service self-publishing partner, streamlining the process and ensuring submission requirements are properly handled. 
 
This approach allows authors to focus on their writing and promotion while submission logistics are managed on their behalf. 

Timing and the Importance of Meeting the Deadline 

Award programs operate on firm submission deadlines, making preparation and timing essential. Authors who plan ahead can avoid last-minute stress and ensure their books are submitted correctly and on time. 
 
Meeting the submission deadline allows authors to take full advantage of the opportunity without unnecessary complications. 

Who Should Consider Submitting 

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards are well suited for authors who have professionally published books and are looking to expand their reach. Both first-time and experienced authors can benefit from the exposure and recognition these awards provide. 
 
Submitting to awards can be a valuable addition to a broader marketing and visibility strategy. 

A Strategic Step Toward Greater Visibility 

Pursuing book awards is one of many ways authors can strengthen their publishing journey. Recognition from a respected indie awards program can support long-term marketing efforts and reinforce an author’s professional standing. 
 
For authors seeking new ways to showcase their work and gain recognition within the independent publishing world, submitting to the Next Generation Indie Book Awards before the deadline is a strategic step worth considering. 

Outskirts Press 
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Meet the Author 

Douglas H. Ruben, PhD, is a nationally recognized forensic and clinical psychologist with more than 43 years of experience. He has completed over 6,000 forensic evaluations and conducted more than 3,000 workshops nationwide. Known to many as “Dr. Date,” he has appeared on radio, television, and digital platforms, offering insights on human behavior, relationship dynamics, and emotional wellness. His professional journey includes mentoring under iconic behavioral scientists, including individuals trained directly by B.F. Skinner and J.R. Kantor. Ruben’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to translating behavioral science into practical guidance for everyday people. 

About the Book 

Rate Your Date: A Primer for Selecting Healthy Partners is a refreshingly direct and behaviorally grounded guide to navigating the modern dating world. Instead of focusing only on romance or seduction techniques, the book centers on the science of human behavior—how people act, why they act that way, and what that means for those seeking meaningful relationships. The book helps readers quickly determine whether a potential partner is safe, healthy, or a walking red flag. Packed with real case examples from Ruben’s decades of clinical work, it offers tools to break toxic dating cycles, avoid emotional pitfalls, and confidently pursue relationships rooted in trust and compatibility. 

Inspiration Behind the Book 

Over 8,000 clients played a role in shaping this book. Throughout four decades of clinical and forensic work, Dr. Ruben repeatedly saw individuals fall into the same destructive dating patterns—choosing partners who were impulsive, selfish, abusive, or emotionally unavailable. Even after experiencing painful breakups or harmful partnerships, people often gravitated toward similar individuals. This phenomenon, which Ruben calls “serial partner attraction,” inspired him to write a guide that explains—through behavioral science—why these patterns occur and how readers can escape them. His goal: give people a roadmap to healthier love. 

Why Readers Love It 

• It simplifies complex behavioral science into practical, relatable guidance. 

• It reveals the hidden patterns behind attraction, chemistry, and partner selection. 

• It offers clear examples of toxic partners—B’s and C’s—and why they are so addictive. 

• It teaches readers how to find healthy, reliable “A-type” partners. 

• It empowers people who are tired of dating the same harmful personalities. 

• It provides a fast, effective method to evaluate dates before emotional investment. 

Who Should Read It 

 Rate Your Date is ideal for: 

• Anyone who repeatedly chooses the wrong partners. 

• Individuals recovering from breakups, betrayal, or emotional manipulation. 

• Singles navigating online dating or re-entering the dating world after divorce. 

• People who want a science-based approach to love. 

• Readers who crave practical tools—not vague advice—to understand relationships. 

• Those who want to build confidence, set boundaries, and choose healthier partners. 

Looking Ahead 

Dr. Ruben continues to expand his work on behavioral science and relationships. He remains active in clinical practice, public speaking, and authorship, striving to equip individuals with the tools needed to identify healthy emotional patterns. Future projects may explore deeper connections between dating psychology, reward systems, trauma responses, and long-term relationship success. His mission remains clear: to help readers break harmful cycles and embrace healthier love. 

Where to Find the Book 

 Rate Your Date: A Primer for Selecting Healthy Partners is available in paperback and hardback through Outskirts Press and can be purchased worldwide through major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other distribution partners. To learn more about the author and his additional works, visit Outskirts Press or your preferred bookseller. 

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Have you written a book that you’d like to publish?

Connect with a Publishing Consultant today to learn how Outskirts Press can help YOU publish YOUR masterpiece:

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This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road.”

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Connect with a Publishing Consultant today to learn how Outskirts Press can help YOU publish YOUR masterpiece:

• Call 1-888-672-6657
• Live Chat at OutskirtsPress.com
• Schedule a free consultation 

Outskirts Press stands behind our book printing and design service.