C.O. Moed’s It Was Her New York Wins Multiple Awards, Redefining Memoir

United States, 5th Mar 2025, -
 

C.O. Moed’s debut memoir, It Was Her New York: True Stories and Snapshots (Rootstock Publishing), has added several new literary awards to its growing list of accolades, including the Voyagers of Verses Book Award, the Spotlyts Story Award, and the BREW Seal of Excellence. The book, which also earned a coveted BookLife Editor’s Pick, continues to draw critical acclaim for its innovative storytelling and raw portrayal of love, loss, and a disappearing city.

The memoir blends photo-illustrated vignettes with vivid prose, chronicling Moed’s complex relationship with her mother, Florence—a Juilliard-trained pianist and unapologetic force of nature—whose struggle with dementia reveals long-buried family secrets, including a hidden 60-year lesbian love affair. Against the backdrop of New York City’s rapid gentrification, Moed weaves together humorous and heartbreaking snapshots of emergency rooms, battered parks, subway rides, and fading neighbourhoods, exploring the enduring bonds of family and the meaning of home.

“At its heart, It Was Her New York is a love story - one that honors the complicated, messy, hilarious, and heartbreaking relationships we have with both people and places.” — The Chrysalis BREW Project

“…This book is a memoir, but not in the way you expect… it is for those who… believe memory is an act of resistance, and that a city is more than its buildings.” — The Bookish Magazine

“…unlike most memoirs, this is not a quiet reflection. It is loud, brash, and unapologetic—much like the New York it honors.” — Spotlyts Story Award

“…This memoir is not sentimental, but it is deeply human.  Some books invite you to read them; this one dares you to feel it.” — Voyages of Verses Book Award

“While deeply personal, It Was Her New York is universally relatable … a kaleidoscope of childhood, family, music, and the passage of time. Moed honors Florence’s legacy as a passionate pianist, frugal teacher, fearless lesbian, lover, and mother, fixed in time.”—BookLife Editor’s Pick

Moed’s memoir has steadily gained recognition, earning awards across multiple literary platforms and being featured at prominent literary events. The book’s growing list of honours highlights its impact on readers and critics alike, positioning it as a standout work in contemporary memoir literature.

Other accolades received by the book include the following:

• Firebird Book Awards, Judges’ Pick
• Firebird Quirky Book Awards, Books That Feel Like a Work of Art
• Literary Titan Gold Book Award in Nonfiction
• Distinguished Favorite, LGBTQ Nonfiction, Independent Press Award
• Finalist, LGBTQ+ Nonfiction, International Book Awards
• Finalist, LGBTQ and WOMEN, International Author Awards
• 1st Place, Outstanding Creator Award for Grief and Coping / Trauma
• Honorable Mention, Biography / Autobiography, London Book Festival
• Bronze Medal, LGBTQ, Global Book Awards
• Bronze Medal, Creative Nonfiction, Independent Publishers of New England

Moed, a recipient of the Elizabeth George Grant for Fiction, has had her work published in Silver Tongued Devil Anthology, AWAKE: Reader for the Sleepless, and Sensitive Skin. She has performed at venues including the KGB Bar, great weather for MEDIA, and the NYC Poetry Festival.

It Was Her New York is available through major book retailers, including Amazon and Bookshop.org.

For media inquiries, interview requests, or more information, visit COMOED.NET.