All winners now listed
Hello Authors: The winner list is now complete. We will be adding images and more details in the next two days. In addition, every entrant – winner or not – will receive book marketing information and gifts. The winners will be receiving additional prizes and will be emailed with details on how to redeem their awards.
There were many great stories to read and each of you should be proud of your efforts. It takes a lot of work to write a book and usually there is little fanfare after your first few copies get sold. Don’t ever give up. Keep writing and pursuing your dreams. Thank you so much for honoring us with your work. A team of 20 judges from all types of backgrounds – journalist, book editors, authors and readers – gave of their time freely to rate all books entered into the contest. We thank them too for their time and skills.
OK here we go: Awards were based on a 100 score sheet. Judges considered plots, quality of writing, copy flow and overall look of the book to include cover and back cover descriptions. When entries did not meet the criteria to place in First or Second Place no prize was given. Honorable Mentions were selected if the judges felt the overall product and presentation – while not scoring high enough to place in the top 2 – merit recognition.
Grand Prize Winners
Beautifully written. A story of how the Vietnam War affected the residents and families of the land that were neutral to the politics of the time. As much a historical account as an epic heart-felt journey of the human spirit. A release novel by a first-time published author – Brilliant! – judges comments
Grand Prize Winner – Fiction
Once upon a Mulberry Field
Military/General Fiction/Literary
C. L. Hoang
$6.99 on Kindle
An emotionally charged book beautifully written is how one reviewer described this story and we agree.
The story is a narrative of the survivors of WWII’s Warsaw Ghetto and their rescuers – it will remind you how cruel humanity can be but too how resilient and courageous the spirit fighting for survival. A personal story worth reading. – judges comments
Grand Prize Winner – Nonfiction
Digging: Lifting the Memorable from Within the Unthinkable
Memoir/NonFiction/Historic
Susan Rostan
$9.99 on Amazon
First Place Winners
Business/Career
How to Find Your Career Path without Losing Your Mind
Michal Fisher
On Kindle $4.51
Winged
April Kelly
$9.99 on Kindle
Christian Historical
The Restless Kansas Wind
Elaine Littau
On Kindle $2.99
Fantasy
Max Cutter and The First Black Book
Jacob Tate
On Kindle $2.99
Memoir – Tie
First Place – A Broad Abroad in Thailand – An Expat’s Misadventures in the Land of Smiles
Dodie Cross
On Kindle $4.99
Memoir – Tie
Radical Survivor
Dr. Nancy Saltzman
On Kindle $6.99
Mystery/Suspense
Murder in One Take
April Kelly and Marsha Lyons
On Kindle $9.99
Self Help
The Breakthrough
Fredric Hartman
On Kindle $6
Short Stories
Tales of the Sonoran Desert
Joyce Story
On Kindle $3.99
YA
Scattered Links
Michelle Weidenbenner
On Kindle $3.99
Second Place Winners
Fantasy
The Long Journey: tales of a world yet to come
Cara J. Swanson
On Kindle $9.99
Inspirational
Emotional Options – A Handbook for Happiness
Mandy Evans
On Kindle $7
Mystery/Suspense
The Price of Guilt
Patrick M. Garry
On Paperback $17.50
Paranormal
The Seer’s Lover
Kat de Falla
On Kindle $5.99
Psychological Thriller
The King of the Sun
Samantha Stemler
On Kindle $9.99
YA
Trust
Tim Mettey
On Kindle Free
Honorable Mention
Contemporary Romance
To Whom it May Concern
Jacquie Pitre
On Kindle $2.99
General Fiction
The Price of Guilt
Patrick M. Garry
On Paperback $17.50
Historical
Take the High Road, An Irish Odyssey
By Lincoln Beals
On Kindle $8.54
Memoir
With Angel’s Wings
Stephanie A. Collins
On Kindle $2.99
Memoir
A Country Girl From Croaker
Phyllis Garrett Taylor
$9.99
DevilsMusicCoverFrontOnly 
Nonfiction
The Devil’s Music: From Lydian Modes to Heavy Metal
S.L. Klein
On Amazon: Paperback
Personal Growth
The Third Vision
Francis Vala
On Kindle $3.99
Spiritual/Romance
Free as a Bird in a Healing Garden
Patricia Matthew
On Kindle $6
YA Paranormal Romance
Faelorehn – Book One of the Otherworld Trilogy
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
FREE on Kindle
Noteworthy:
The following titles were selected as noteworthy reads of value and unique interest for readers. Therefore, while the work did not get the necessary judges’ scores to place, the contest team felt the work was valuable and should be advertised so those interested in the topics could enjoy the work like we did.
Legal Fiction
The Immigration Lawyer: Asylum (Volume 1)
Shah Peerally
On Kindle $2.99
Immigration is a hot-topic button right now. While the attention is currently on Mexico and Latin America, there are numerous issues with immigration policies in the United States. This novel addresses the legal issues of immigrants seeking legal status in the U.S. It’s focus is on the different standards used by the U.S. toward immigrants from the Middle East and South Asia. The author of this book is an Immigration Attorney and his narrative is written based on his personal experience with the system.
Judges: Because this is such an important issue we felt the information in this book was worthy for anyone interested in the topic to read. The data is provided by someone who has worked the system and we believe he has skillfully written about the topic in this legal novel. While the book didn’t score enough to win an award, we feel it is a noteworthy work that needed to be recognized.
Non Fiction/Medical
Don’t Choose a Cosmetic Surgeon Without Me
Barry Lycka M.D.
On Paperback $20.69
Like sitting in the room with an expert without the cost: This book is written by one of North America’s most renowned cosmetic practitioners. Dr. Barry Lycka offers his expertise using facts and examples from his numerous years in the business and includes interviews from other respected surgeons and their patients.
Judges: This is a gold-mine guide for anyone considering cosmetic work. The author offers pros and cons and gives his straight forward opinions on the topic. While the book did not rank high enough to place in the contest, we feel the information, the vast experience by the author on the subject and the value to thousands of people who have plastic surgery everyday makes this book a noteworthy work that needed to be recognized.
Nonfiction/Science
Reality Begins With Consciousness: A Paradigm Shift That Works (5th Edition)
By Dr Vernon Neppe and Dr Edward Close
Digital Purchase $29.99
The authors of this book have added revisions in this 5th edition to convey complex issues in simplistic definitions so the average reader – who isn’t a scientist or physics major – can understand the concepts.
If you are into science, math or physics this book is filled with numerous theories, scientific calculations and Physic models.
Judges: One reason we love writing is that it has power – to change, to educate and to entertain among other things. So any work that encourages growth in any manner, in our opinion, is worth reading. More importantly, we believe that humans are always seeking to understand their existence, spiritual world and how consciousness works. Some seek answers through faith while others through science. This is an interesting work – probably not an easy read for the average reader, nonetheless a fascinating study. While this work did not score high enough to place in our contest, we felt it an important narrative of information and wanted to recognize it.
Nonfiction/Pets
Crazy Bitch – Living with canine compulsive disorder
Peggy Tibbetts
On Kindle $5.99
Her dog was diagnosed with canine compulsive disorder. What did that mean? The author had to learn everything she could about her dog’s mental disease if she was going to help it have a happier life. But finding a good dog trainer was in itself a challenge. The story outlines how the “Crazy Bitch” got the help she needed – mostly from another dog that loved her.
Judges: Any dog owner who has dealt with a wounded pet soul understands how hard it can be to help the animal you so love. There are a lot of books produced by trainers with how-to tips but few speak directly from the heart or everyday struggles of the dogs that don’t necessarily respond to the traditional methods. This book didn’t score high enough to place but we felt the writer provided a well-crafted and moving story and it deserves to be recognized.
Cover Design Winners
FIRST PLACE:
Adventures with Ragweed
Illustrator Andy Atkins
On Kindle $2.99
SECOND PLACE:
Take the High Road, An Irish Odyssey
Lincoln Beals
ON KINDLE: $8.54
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
A Thinker’s Daily Challenge
Ken Havelock
$22.95
Winged
April Kelly
On Kindle $9.99
* If your cover is not mentioned, it did not meet the judges’ score requirement. Judges used a 100 point scale and considered the following: Was the cover appealing, did it convey the genre or theme of the book, how did the elements and colors flow and did it look professional compared to commercial titles.