Vicki Riley

Best-selling Author

Cayo Hueso Book Cover

Achievements

Top Shelf Awards - Short Story Collection/Novella Honorable Mention

2021 Royal Palm Literary Awards - Runner up Published Book of the Year (Published book of the year is highest category honor in competition.)

Living Now Awards - Gift/Specialty/Novelty Book

Top Shelf Awards - Short Story Collection/Novella Honorable Mention

Eric Hoffer Book Awards - Short Story Collection Honorable Mention (3rd Place)

2022 IPPY Next Generation Indie Book Awards - Finalist – Novella; Short Story Collection

Regional Medal —Southeast Fiction — tied for First Place

Cayo Hueso Book Trailer

See what people say!

What Readers are saying

Vicki Riley and Linda Cabrera are both that rarity in our transient community that we call a Conch. Vicki's literary interests gravitate to the human heart, its struggle, and her love affair with Key West. Linda Cabrera’s work is a detailed combination of realism and folk art that brings to life the laid back and colorful Key West island lifestyle that she was raised in. Cayo Hueso combines Cabrera's paintings with Riley's prose and poetry and packages both beautifully!”

Key West

What a treat to the senses Cayo Hueso is! Working with the delightful elements that Key West’s unique life and history inspire, Vicki Riley serves up a panoply of twelve short stories about life at the end of the road, tales that will resonate with everyone. Complementing her rich, clear prose are the charming, stylish paintings by Linda Cabrera. This volume will awaken appreciation for the sometimes strange, but always desirable, Key West as few other books about ‘the rock’ can. This is a book to be cherished.”

Joanna Brady, author of The Woman at the Light

If you have been fortunate enough to live (I have!) or spend some time in Key West this book will jump start some memories. The beautiful illustrations made me very nostalgic (Conch Day!) and were fun to examine in detail. The prose was rich and satisfying and I think I recognized a bit of myself in each of the female characters. Thanks, Vicki and Linda!”

Roberta Wasmer

Cayo Hueso is an amazing book and I loved reading each and every page. Myself, being a Conch (born and raised on this beautiful island) appreciate the stories and artwork which brings back so many memories. The artwork by Linda Cabrera complements the stories and depicts the island life as it was in past years. Vicki’s style of writing is captivating. Her words have a natural flow, which makes it an easy read. I loved reading this book and highly recommend it to everyone. Kudos to Vicki and Linda!”

Faye J.

Cayo Hueso

This book’s design with gingerbread drop caps and Roseate spoonbill transitions is itself a work of art. Under the book jacket is a 9 x 9 Key West coffee table book in a handsome, linen-bound hard cover with foil stamped font and chambered Nautilus shell. Interior has a silk ribbon placeholder and pages are printed on 100 pound ultra gloss paper with thirty full-color paintings by a local artist paired with twelve short stories inspired by the continental US’s southernmost point.

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