NY Times Bestseller Author Jamie Ford Receives Historic Hotels of America 2016 Historian of the Year Award

Jamie Ford has been named the recipient of the Historic Hotels of America 2016 Historian of the Year Award. Ford will be honored with this distinguished award on November 3, 2016 at the Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala Dinner at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort (1927) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Historic Hotels of America Historian of the Year Award is presented to an individual for making a unique contribution in the research and presentation of history and whose work has encouraged a wide discussion of greater understanding and enthusiasm for American History.

Jamie Ford's debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to win the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. His work has been translated into 34 languages and has over one million copies in print. He's still holding out for Klingon ("that's when you know you've made it"). His most recent novel, Songs of Willow Frost was published in 2013.

"I write historical fiction for a living-so I'm obsessed with history, and I'm naturally drawn to historic buildings, especially historic hotels, places that have a living legacy, that are cultural touchstones. These places always have stories to tell! It's an honor to be recognized by a group dedicated to preserving and promoting these important places, like Seattle's historic Panama Hotel, which was very much a silent character in my debut novel," said Jamie Ford.

"We are pleased to name award winning and bestselling author Jamie Ford as the recipient of the Historic Hotels of America 2016 Historian of the Year Award," said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. "Fiction is a great avenue to explore history. Through his writing, Jamie Ford demonstrates how historic hotels provide an abundance of stories including some with a less positive or glamorous aspect of our nation's history. Importantly, Jamie Ford demonstrates that the historic hotel helps to preserve these stories for future generations. People continue to visit historic hotels to learn about and to become a part of that history."

According to Ford, "these stories, these bits of history, can't be manufactured-they are earned over time and should be celebrated. The Panama Hotel contributes to the cultural legacy of Seattle. This historic hotel has now been visited by more than 400 book clubs (some from as far away as Norway and Italy)." The Panama Hotel was designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark in 2006, and in April 2015 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Panama Hotel a National Treasure.

Nominations for the 2016 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence can be submitted until August 1. Nominee submissions can be made at HistoricHotels.org/Awards. Categories include: Best Historic Hotel (ranging in size), Best Historic Resort, Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year, Best Historic Restaurant in Conjunction with a Historic Hotel, New Member of the Year, and many others. Eligible nominees include members of Historic Hotels of America, including past award recipients. Nominations from travel writers, historians, travel editors, educators, travelers, historic preservationists, and other historic hotels and hoteliers are encouraged.

Tickets for the Historic Hotels of America 2016 Awards ceremony and gala dinner are still available. The gala dinner will take place at the historic Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort (1927) on November 3, 2016 at 7 PM. Tickets for the awards ceremony and dinner are $225 for one seat and $1,800 per table (for 8 seats). Contact the Historic Hotels of America +202 772 8000 or scalhoun@historichotels.org to reserve tickets.

About Historic Hotels of America

Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America was founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with 32 charter members. Today, Historic Hotels of America has more than 285 historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including 46 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated properties. More than 30 of the world's finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.

Click here to see the Historic Hotels of America video. To receive special offers, including the monthly enewsletter, Discover & Explore, which includes hotel specials, offers and historic fun facts, click here. To view the Historic Hotels of America 2016 Annual Directory eBook or download the free app on iTunes, Amazon, Google play, and the Windows Store.

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