News
Deficient Wins Gold in the 2026 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
October 2026
Deficient has won the Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction – Fantasy/Sci-Fi in the 2026 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards! The annual awards celebrate outstanding children’s and young adult literature, with Deficient taking the top honor in its category.
The recognition marks an exciting milestone for both author Michael Solis and Mintaka Press. The award comes just ahead of the October 15 release of Feral Rising, the second novel in the Deficient series.
585 Magazine Profiles Michael Solis
August 2026
585 Magazine profiles Michael Solis and his journey from international humanitarian work to writing, publishing, and his current role as Executive Director of Writers & Books in Rochester, New York.
Check out the article here.
Kirkus Reviews Praises Feral Rising
August 2026
Kirkus Reviews calls Feral Rising “a brisk, suspenseful novel” with “of-the-moment issues” and a “sublime young hero,” while praising the novel as “tautly written.” Read the full review here.
Deficient Receives Editor’s Pick from BookLife
April 2026
Deficient has been named an Editor’s Pick by BookLife, the indie review platform from Publishers Weekly. The review calls it a “striking YA dystopian of identity and self-acceptance,” highlighting its intricate world of magic, mayhem, and self-discovery and its exploration of what it means to belong.
