30th Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™

Congratulations to the 30th Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award™ Winners for Excellence in Book Publishing!

The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™, which include over fifty categories recognizing excellence in book editorial and design, are regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers. See below for a list of the 30th annual winners. Gold winners were announced April 6, 2018 during a gala dinner ceremony held in conjunction with IBPA Publishing University in Austin, Texas.

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Categories

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Animals & Pets

Dog As My Doctor, Cat As My Nurse: An Animal Lover's Guide to a Healthy, Happy, and Extraordinary Life

Author: Carlyn Montes De Oca
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-186-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

DOG AS MY DOCTOR, CAT AS MY NURSE reveals how our timeless relationships with our beloved animal friends  hold unique keys to our well-being.

 GOLD WINNER

Hogan's Hope: A Deaf Hero's Inspirational Quest for Love and Acceptance

Author: Connie Bombaci.
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-5320-1460-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

When deafness meant abuse, even death, a deaf dog’s prevailing and courageous journey against all odds inspires acceptance, unconditional love, and endless hope for everyone.

 SILVER WINNER

Pet Parent Pawffirmations: 30 Promises From you to Your Beloved Dog

Author: Donna Chicone
Publisher: Dancing Paws Press
ISBN: 978-0-9968108-3-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

PET PARENT PAWFFIRMATIONS contains 30 moving promises to recite to your four-legged companion, accompanied by “pawsitive facts” and full-color photos touching every area of your life as a pet parent.

 SILVER WINNER

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Art & Photography

Aaron G. Green: Organic Architecture Beyond Frank Lloyd Wright

Author: Randolph C. Henning
Publisher: ORO Editions
ISBN: 978-1-939621-37-5
Purchase: Amazon, Rizzoli, Publisher Website

This architect’s biography contains 700+ images from 39 projects and many unpublished drawings from the Aaron Green archives, encompassing a fraction of his life’s work.

 GOLD WINNER

Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka

Author: Karen Melvin & Melinda Nelson
Publisher: Big Picture Press
ISBN: 978-0-9892627-5-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

BOATHOUSES OF LAKE MINNETONKA is a beautiful 246-page coffee-table book by award-winning author and photographer Karen Melvin and writer Melinda Nelson. If you've ever sailed, boated, or paddled past a vintage boathouse on Lake Minnetonka and wished its rustic wooden walls could talk, you'll love this beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched volume about Minnesota's famed lake.

 SILVER WINNER

Primal Beauty: The Sculptural Artistry of Crystal Works

Author: Lawrence Stoller
Publisher: Cameron + Company
ISBN: 978-1-944903-05-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

PRIMAL BEAUTY features an extraordinary collection of artist Lawrence Stoller’s megacrystal sculptures, each paired with a poignant, inspiring quotation from a distinguished voice.

 SILVER WINNER

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Autobiography & Memoir

While They're Still Here: A Memoir

Author: Patricia Williams
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-240-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

An engaging caregiving tribute, poignantly unfolding the challenges and rewards of healing the past, forging a new dynamic of compassion with humor, grace and grumbling.

 GOLD WINNER

Even If It Kills Me: Martial Arts, Rock and Roll and Mortality

Author: Donivan Blair, with T.G. LaFredo
Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
ISBN: 978-1-59439-539-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

True story of a rock-and-roll musician, at age 40, past his prime, who pursues his dream of becoming a martial artist―even if it kills him.

 SILVER WINNER

Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing, and Pregnancy After Loss

Author: Alexis Marie Chute
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-174-4
Purchase: Amazon (US), Amazon (CA), B&N, IndieBound

EXPECTING SUNSHINE is an inspiring story about the unbreakable bond between mother and child, that even in the face of loss love never dies.

 SILVER WINNER

Mikey and Me: Life With My Exceptional Sister

Author: Teresa Sullivan
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-270-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Sullivan interweaves her own complicated journey with her developmentally disabled sister's--affirming the grace and brutality of Mikey's struggles, and their indelible effect on her family.

 SILVER WINNER

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Biography

Tyree: Artist of the South Pacific

Author: CJ Cook
Publisher: South Pacific Dreams Publishing
ISBN: 978-099842224-0-4
Purchase: Amazon, Itasca Books, Publisher Website

Ralph Burke Tyree was the premier artist of the Tiki era. He captured the exoticism of island people in oils on board and black velvet.

 GOLD WINNER

Henry: A Polish Swimmer's True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America

Author: Katrina Shawver
Publisher: Koehler Books
ISBN: 978-1-63393-520-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

The true story of a Polish swimmer who survived three years in Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a political prisoner, and then lived the American dream.

 SILVER WINNER

Piominko: Chickasaw Leader

Author: Thomas W. Cowger and Mitch Caver
Publisher: Chickasaw Press
ISBN: 978-1-935684-52-7 (HC); 978-1-935684-53-4 (PB)
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

A look at the life, legacy, and diplomacy of eighteenth-century Chickasaw leader Piominko and his lasting impact on the Chickasaw people and the United States.

 SILVER WINNER

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Body, Mind & Spirit

Zen Rising: 366 Sage Stories to Enkindle Your Days

Author: collected by Tamarack Song; Jan Zaremba (Illustrator)
Publisher: Snow Wolf Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9894737-2-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

A collection of the most beloved stories from the classical time when Sage and Seeker sat together and reflected on the truths these stories embody.

 GOLD WINNER

The Map to Abundance: The No-Exceptions Guide to Creating Money, Success, and Bliss

Author: Boni Lonnsburry
Publisher: Inner Art Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-941322-14-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

THE MAP TO ABUNDANCE will help you take your inborn creation abilities to the next level—the fully-conscious, totally-at-your-fingertips level, where money flows like water and joy is an everyday reality.

 SILVER WINNER

The Sacred Path of the Soulmate: Embracing True Romantic Love

Author: Gerald Sze
Publisher: LifeTree Media
ISBN: 978-1-928055-26-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

In THE SACRED PATH OF THE SOULMATE, spiritual philosopher Gerald Sze explains how romantic relationships are our primary vehicle for spiritual growth.

 SILVER WINNER

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Business & Career

Tax Guide for Short-Term Rentals: Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO and More

Author: Stephen Fishman, J.D.
Publisher: NOLO
ISBN: 978-1-4133-2456-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Powell's

Every Airbnb and other short-term rental host can benefit from this practical guide to the unique tax issues applicable to short-term and vacation property rentals.

 GOLD WINNER

Finding Hidden Profits: A Guide for Custom Builders, Remodelers, and Architects

Author: Dennis A. Dixon 
Publisher: BuilderBooks, A Service of the National Association of Home Builders
ISBN: 978-0-86718-754-0
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

A manual of proven methods for builders and remodelers that provides practical advice, simple formulas, and useful tips to position their business to increase revenue.

 SILVER WINNER

Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter

Author: Joel Schwartzberg
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-52309-411-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Many fail to convince because we don’t have a point that we can defend. Schwartzberg lays out a step-by-step guide for every communicator.

 SILVER WINNER

Leadership in Focus: Bringing Out Your Best On Camera

Author: Vern Oakley
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
ISBN: 978-1-62634-240-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

LEADERSHIP IN FOCUS is a comprehensive, entertaining guide for leaders who realize that it's not just what you say on camera that's important—it's how you say it.

 SILVER WINNER

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Children's Picture Book (0-3 years)

Why Not?

Author: Amanda Huneke; Claudia Tenoria Pearl (Illustrator)
Publisher: Warren Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-943258-48-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Peyton Pep is a little girl with a spirit to match her name. Always on the lookout for new adventures, her favorite expression is “Why Not?” Full of whimsy Why Not? invites young readers to use their imaginations and explore their creative side.

 GOLD WINNER

Nobody Likes a Booger

Author: Angela Halgrimson; Brian Barber (Illustrator)
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-824-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, Publisher Website

This super silly book shows kids how to make a booger happy by putting it where it belongs: in a tissue! Fun prose and hilarious illustrations will crack up kids of all ages, while teaching important manners.

 SILVER WINNER

Trains/Los Trenes

Author: Sarah Dawgert
Publisher: Woodland Way - All Around Me Series
ISBN: 978-0-9960278-3-0
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Explore the exciting world of trains in English and Spanish. With vivid images that create a kid-friendly view of trains, this book is sure to spark the imagination for all readers.

 SILVER WINNER

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Children's Picture Book (4-7 years)

Tall Tall Tree

Author: Anthony D. Fredericks; Chad Wallace (Illustrator)
Publisher: Dawn Publications
ISBN: 978-1-58469-602-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Meet the animals living in the tallest of tall trees—a redwood! Children will love the rhymes and count the critters from one to ten.

 GOLD WINNER

The ABCs of Yoga for Kids Around the World

Author: Terersa Anne Power; Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator)
Publisher: Stafford House Books, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-9822587-8-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Little Yogis will delight in learning yoga poses, the alphabet, and fun facts about our world in this beautifully illustrated book which transports them to over 30 countries.

 SILVER WINNER

How I Did It!

Author: Linda Ragsdale; Anoosha Syed (Illustrator)
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1211-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

An encouraging tale about a daring character that delivers a message about creativity, individuality, and following your dreams!

 SILVER WINNER

If You Look Up to the Sky

Author: Angela Dalton; Margarita Sikorskaia (Illustrator)
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-828-0
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Publisher Website

IF YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY is about the power of everlasting love and the ways the sky connects us through good times and bad.

 SILVER WINNER

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Young Reader: Fiction (8-12 years)

Mateo and the Gift of Presence

Author: Ruthy Ballard
Publisher: Spinning Wheel Press
ISBN: 978-0-9978532-0-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Lighthearted science fiction adventure across the galaxy with an undercurrent of discovery/redemption. 10-year old boy takes an unexpected journey, finds a way to escape his parent’s stifling shadow and emerge into a future of his own choosing.

 GOLD WINNER

The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball

Author: Dori Jones Yang
Publisher: SparkPress
ISBN: 978-1-94300632-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Sent to the U.S. to get an education in 1875, a Chinese boy struggles to adapt to American life–and discovers a distraction: baseball.

 SILVER WINNER

Tutti's Promise: A novel based on a family's true story of courage and hope during the Holocaust

Author: K. Heidi Fishman
Publisher: MB Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9908430-1-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A poignant story of hope and perseverance based on the author’s mother’s actual experiences in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam and two camps—Westerbork and Theresienstadt.

 SILVER WINNER

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Young Reader: Nonfiction (8-12 Years)

The Lemonade Stand Cookbook: Step-by-Step Recipes and Crafts for Kids to Make—and Sell

Author: Kathy Strahs
Publisher: Burnt Cheese Press
ISBN: 978-0-9969112-1-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

With easy-to-follow, kid-tested recipes and crafts, THE LEMONADE STAND COOKBOOK empowers kids to achieve their fundraising goals in a fun and creative way.

 GOLD WINNER

All About Madam C.J. Walker

Author: A'Lelie Bundles; Kirsten Halvorsen (Illustrator)
Publisher: Blue River Press
ISBN: 978-1-68157-093-8
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound

Madam C. J. Walker was beloved for her philanthropy, was the first self-made millionairess, and is among the most successful African American business people ever.

 SILVER WINNER

The Girl Who Ran: Bobbi Gibb, The First woman to Run the Boston Marathon

Author: Frances Poletti & Kristina Yee; Susanna Chapman (Illustrator)
Publisher: Compendium
ISBN: 978-1-943200-47-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

this picture book tells the true story of how Bobbi Gibb broke the rules in 1966 and how her grit and determination changed the world.

 SILVER WINNER

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Teen: Fiction (13-18 Years)

The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic

Author: F.T. Lukens
Publisher: Duet Books, the YA imprint of Interlude Press
ISBN: 978-1-945053-24-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

When Bridger Whitt learns his employer is an intermediary between the human world and its myths, he finds himself in the center of comical chaos.

 GOLD WINNER

Crisanta Knight: Inherent Fate

Author: Geanna Culbertson
Publisher: BQB Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-945448-06-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

In the world of Book, Cinderella’s daughter and friends fight to find the Author, rewrite their fates, and uncover the antagonist plot threatening their realm.

 SILVER WINNER

The History Makers

Author: Val Bodurtha
Publisher: Lanier Press, an imprint of BookLogix
ISBN: 978-1-61005-847-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

What would today be like if Aztec civilization had never fallen? Teenage Myla uncovers dark secrets and joins an underground effort to overthrow its leadership.

 SILVER WINNER

The Rise of the Dawnstar: The Avalonia Chronicles

Author: Farah Oomerbhoy
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-934-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

The seven kingdoms of Avalonia are crumbling and evil is spreading across the land like a plague. Queen Morgana is close to finding a way to open The Book of Abraxas and it's only a matter of time until she uses the power trapped inside its pages to enslave the entire world.

 SILVER WINNER

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Teen: Nonfiction (13-18 years)

Release Your Inner Drive: Everything You Need to Know About How to Get Good at Stuff

Author: Bradley Busch and Edward Watson
Publisher: Crown House Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 978-178583199-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A book of infographics, distilling the latest research into psychology and neuroscience designed to show teenagers how they can excel at school and in life.

 GOLD WINNER

Bonded by Battle: The Powerful Friendships of Military Dogs and Soldiers from the Civil War to Operation Iraqi Freedom

Author: Nancy Roe Pimm
Publisher: Quindaro Press
ISBN: 978-0-9764434-6-9
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

The 150-year story of how dogs and soldiers built a relationship on and off the battlefield and became our military’s most advanced weapon.

 SILVER WINNER

Bust Your Buts: Tips for Teens Who Procrastinate

Author: Joanne Foster, EdD
Publisher: Great Potential Press
ISBN: 978-1-935067-33-7
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

BUST YOUR BUTS is for teens who struggle with procrastination. Get rid of common “buts.” Be productive, use time better, and become more successful.

 SILVER WINNER

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Coffee Table Book

London Rock: The Unseen Archive

Author: Tony Norman (Preface); Alec Byrne (Photography)
Publisher: Insight Editions
ISBN: 978-1-6088-884-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Through rare live performance images, intimate portraits, and candid captures of the scene, LONDON ROCK: THE UNSEEN ARCHIVE brings the era into stunning focus, painting an evocative picture of an inimitable time and place.

 GOLD WINNER

Malama Honua: Hokule'a - A Voyage of Hope

Author: Jennifer Allne; John Bilderback (Photograhy)
Publisher: Patagonia
ISBN: 978-1-93834069-7
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Publisher Website

From the launch in Hawai'i in May 2014, around the world 60,000 miles, to 23 different countries, this beautiful hardcover book chronicles Hokule'a's epic mission to raise awareness of and nurture worldwide sustainability.

 SILVER WINNER

Sandwich Anarchy: The Cult Culinary Posters of Melt Bar & Grilled

Author: John G
Publisher: 1984 Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9978138-5-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

Ten years and 250 “sandwich special” posters deep, artist John G has transformed Melt Bar & Grilled from a tiny rock 'n' roll bar into the biggest culinary buzz to hit the Midwest in decades.

 SILVER WINNER

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Cookbooks

Perfectly Aged: 40 Years of Recipes and Stories from the Taste of Texas

Author: Nine J. Hendee and Edd C. Hendee
Publisher: Taste of Texas Restaurant
ISBN: 978-0-9991759-0-3
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

PERFECTLY AGED features more than 100 of the restaurant’s most requested recipes, gorgeous photography, and the rare Texas artifacts from our museum.

 GOLD WINNER

Cooking With More Confidence: Inspirations for Good Food at Home

Author: Eunice Naomi Wiebolt
Publisher: Romarin Publishing Co.
ISBN: 978-0-9718894-2-2
Purchase: [links to come]

A delicious selection of easy to follow recipes that will create memorable culinary experiences. COOKING WITH MORE CONFIDENCE is a trustworthy standard for every kitchen.

 SILVER WINNER

The Lemonade Stand Cookbook: Step-by-Step Recipes and Crafts for Kids to Make—and Sell

Author: Kathy Strahs
Publisher: Burnt Cheese Press
ISBN: 978-0-9969112-1-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

With easy-to-follow, kid-tested recipes and crafts, THE LEMONADE STAND COOKBOOK empowers kids to achieve their fundraising goals in a fun and creative way.

 SILVER WINNER

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Crafts/Hobby/How-To

The Dressmaker's Companion: A Practical Guide to Sewing Clothes

Author: Elizabeth M. Haywood
Publisher: Cooatalaa Press
ISBN: 978-0-646-96824-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A comprehensive sewing reference for dressmakers, fashion students or anyone who enjoys sewing. Contains over 3,000 illustrations, step-by-step instructions, clever ideas, troubleshooting and fitting advice.

 GOLD WINNER

Mashmaker: A Citizen Brewer's Guide to Making Great Beer at Home

Author: Michael Dawson
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-096-0
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Take your homebrewing to the next level! Once you know the basics of brewing, you need a trusted guide to help explain the more advanced details. In this book, Michael Dawson shows you his thought process behind 64 of his favorite all-grain homebrewing recipes. It’s time for you to become a Mashmaker.

 SILVER WINNER

Secrets of Spinning, Weaving and Knitting in the Peruvian Highlands

Author: Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez and the Weavers of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco
Publisher: Thrums Books
ISBN: 978-0-9984523-5-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

An inspirational new view into the world of Andean textiles and rare insight into what textile work means as a living heritage of the Quechua people.

 SILVER WINNER

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Education

Messy Maths: A Playful, Outdoor Approach for Early Years

Author: Juliet Robertson
Publisher: Independent Thinking Press, an imprint of Crown House Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 978-178135266-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Offers a rich resource of ideas that will inspire you to tap into the endless supply of patterns, textures, colours and quantities of the outdoors.

 GOLD WINNER

Happy Teachers Change the World: A Guide for Cultivating Mindfulness in Education

Author: Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
Publisher: Parallax Press
ISBN: 978-1-941529-63-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

HAPPY TEACHERS CHANGE THE WORLD is the first official, authoritative manual of the Thich Nhat Hanh/Plum Village approach to mindfulness in education. Spanning the whole range of schools and grade levels, from preschool through higher education, these techniques are grounded in the everyday world of schools, colleges, and universities.

 SILVER WINNER

Let Them Thrive: A Playbook for Helping Your Child Succeed in School and in Life

Author: Katie Novak, EdD
Publisher: CAST Professional Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-930583-16-0
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

In this insightful book, bestselling author, teacher, and mother Katie Novak shows the most effective strategies for supporting all kids in becoming successful, lifelong learners.

 SILVER WINNER

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Gift Book

Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier

Author: Nick Jans; Mark Kelley (Photography)
Publisher: Mark Kelley Photography
ISBN: 978-1-8808656-06
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

This book celebrates Mark Kelley's thirty-eight year quest to document the Mendenhall Glacier, America’s backyard glacier, found in Alaska’s capital, Juneau.

 GOLD WINNER

Harry Potter: The Wand Collection

Author: Monique Peterson
Publisher: Insight Editions
ISBN: 978-1-68383-188-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

HARRY POTTER: THE WAND COLLECTION is an in-depth visual guide to the many magical characters and wands of the Harry Potter films.

 SILVER WINNER

Shining Bright: Quotes and Images to Inspire Optimism, Gratitude & Belief in Your Limitless Potential

Author: Tao Porchon-Lynch, Janie Sykes Kennedy, and Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy
Publisher: Power Living Media
ISBN: 978-1-942510-01-7
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Be inspired by 70 insights and images from spiritual icon Tao Porchon-Lynch. Get the perfect dose of motivation to remind you of your own possibilities.

 SILVER WINNER

Spirit of the Earth: Indian Voices on Nature

Editor: Michael Oren Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald
Publisher: World Wisdom
ISBN: 978-1-936597-54-3
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

The interconnectedness of all things, and the respect all things are due, are among the most prominent―and most welcome―themes in this collection of Indian voices on nature.

 SILVER WINNER

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Popular Fiction

Author: Terry John Malik
Publisher: Blank Slate Press
ISBN: 978-1-943075-34-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

With a serial killer on the loose, Chicago PD turns to Detective Francis Vincenti to bring him to justice. The deeper Francis delves into the psyche of the killer, he must ask himself if it takes a monster to catch a monster.

 GOLD WINNER

The Bad Dream Notebook

Author: Linda Dahl
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-294-9
Purchase: [links to come]

When Erica’s teenage daughter’s casual drug use spirals out of control, both struggle to craft new resilience. Ultimately, they also find surprising sources of creativity.

 SILVER WINNER

A Hero Dreams

Author: Mark Ristau
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-803-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Mark Ristau’s novel follows a young boy’s journey to the edge of a threshold, where a mysterious voice entices him to take one more step.

 SILVER WINNER

Lila & Theron

Editor: Bill Schubart
Publisher: Charles Michael Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-6826-1356-6
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Phoenix Books

A love story set in 19th century rural Vermont in which the exigencies of survival define the character and lives of the principal characters.

 SILVER WINNER

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Fiction: Historical

Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripper: A New Orleans Gilded Age Mystery

Author: Ana Brazil
Publisher: Sand Hill Review Press
ISBN: 978-1-937818-63-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Could Jack the Ripper be in New Orleans? It's the 1880s and Fanny Newcomb, a teacher in the poorest section of town, is shocked when one of her students is murdered.

 GOLD WINNER

A Call to China

Author: Jeffrey Meyer
Publisher: IngramElliott, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-9966864-8-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A coming of age story, about two sisters continents apart—finding and discovering each other and themselves through spirituality and familial love.

 SILVER WINNER

Man at the Cross Road

Author: Jeanne Blanchet, Ph.D.
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978-1-4787-7854-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Marcus, Christ's executioner, after fainting from an illness, is rescued by a Christian couple. At the climax, he is faced with two choices: one saves his life, the other his soul.

 SILVER WINNER

When It's Over: A Novel

Author: Barbara Ridley
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-296-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Lena Kulkova, a young Czech Jewish woman is separated from her family, struggling to find love and a safe haven in WWII London.

 SILVER WINNER

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Fiction: Mystery & Suspense

Full Service Blonde: A Copper Black Mystery

Author: Megan Edwards
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
ISBN: 978-1-945501-00-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

An aspiring Las Vegas journalist investigates the death of an outspoken prostitute. Juggling work, boyfriends, and a family Christmas, she makes dangerous enemies while seeking the startling truth.

 GOLD WINNER

Death on West End Road: A Hamptons Murder Mystery, Book 1

Author: Carrie Doyle
Publisher: Dunemere Books
ISBN: 978-0-9972701-8-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Antonia Bingham investigates the killing of Susie Whitaker, whose brutal 1990 slaying on a tennis court in the poshest part of the Hamptons was never solved.

 SILVER WINNER

The Old Cape Hollywood Secret

Author: Barbara Eppich Struna
Publisher: Bestruna Books
ISBN: 978-0-9976-5663-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

In 1947, two girls leave Cape Cod for Hollywoodland. One returns home, the other disappears. Secrets uncovered 70 years later by Nancy Caldwell. Historical Suspense.

 SILVER WINNER

The Ploy

Editor: Marilyn Jax
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-752-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Private investigators Caswell and Lombard have cracked many high-profile cases, but when Caswell's friend Charlotte dies in a mysterious car crash things get personal.

 SILVER WINNER

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Fiction: Romance

Strings: A Love Story

Author: Megan Edwards
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
ISBN: 978-1-945501-3-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

When a legendary violin that has been missing for centuries reappears, can its four fabled strings draw star-crossed soul mates Ted and Olivia together at last?

 GOLD WINNER

Seeds of Intention: A Hesse Creek Novel

Author: Andrea Thome
Publisher: Hesse Creek Media
ISBN: 978-0-9978504-2-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

What’s hotter; a slow burn or a quick fire? From Tennessee to Colorado, Willow and Garrett experience both in this smoldering but tender destination romance.

 SILVER WINNER

Swearing Off Stars

Author: Danielle M. Wong
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-284-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

An American student falls for a British actress in the 1920’s, but political uprising threatens their secret relationship in this tale of desire and devotion.

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Fiction: Science Fiction & Fantasy

The 53rd Card: A Dark Tale About Finding Light

Author: Virginia Weiss
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-815-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Itasca Books

Inadvertently summoning the devil and relinquishing a cherished stone carving of Kaun Yin, agoraphobic Emma Addison discovers she possesses an unusual—and unwanted—power.

 GOLD WINNER

Holy Crap! The World is Ending

Author: Anna-Marie Abell
Publisher: Alien Abduction Press
ISBN: 978-1-947119-01-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Aliens have arrived and they brought wine. Thank god, because the Earth is going to be destroyed and it’s up to one girl to save all of humanity.

 SILVER WINNER

You, Human: An Anthology of Dark Science Fiction

Editor: Michael Bailey
Publisher: Dark Regions Press
ISBN: 978-1-62641-195-1
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

A genre-bending anthology of dark science fiction, illustrated throughout by L.A. Spooner and Orion Zangara, and with an introduction on humanism by F. Paul Wilson.

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Poetry

Testify

Author: Douglas Manuel
Publisher: Red Hen Press
ISBN: 978-159709-045-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A brave, brilliant debut about the African-American experience in the Midwest. A contemplation of race, masculinity, religion, and class that confronts critical issues in society.

 GOLD WINNER

Little Eternities

Author: Sharon Chmielarz
Publisher: Nodin Press
ISBN: 978-1-935666-99-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

The poet, obsessed by time, offers us a farrago of meditations on old films, night rain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Anglo-Saxon nouns, and a finicky alarm clock.

 SILVER WINNER

Permeable Divide

Author: Ellen Rachlin
Publisher: Antrim House Books
ISBN: 978-1-943826-27-8
Purchase: Amazon, Author Website, Publisher Website

In her splendid fourth collection, poet Ellen Rachlin explores what she calls the "Permeable Divide" -- the breach between the living and a loved one lost to death, the gap between confidence and hesitation, the gulf between banking and art, and perhaps most devastatingly, the chasm between freedom and habit.

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LGBT

Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight

Author: Loren A. Olson, MD
Publisher: Oak Lane Press
ISBN: 978-0-9979614-3-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Psychiatrist Loren Olson's book includes the inspiring story of his evolving sexuality interwoven with a powerful exploration of human sexuality, psychological concepts, and gay history.

 GOLD WINNER

Gay Zoo Day: Tales of Seeking and Discovering

Author: Mike McClelland
Publisher: Beautiful Dreamer Press
ISBN: 978-0-9981262-2-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Eight stories follow uncertain voyagers seeking a way out of the constraints of their time and place. All find more than they were looking for.

 SILVER WINNER

Swift For the Sun

Author: Karen Bowenmyer
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63477-763-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Shipwrecked gun-runner Benjamin Lector is rescued by Sun, an escaped slave on the run. Together they navigate pirates, revolutionaries, and the courts of 1820s Caribbean.

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Health & Fitness

Yoga For Pain Relief: A New Approach to an Ancient Practice

Author: Lee Albert, NMT
Publisher: Dudley Court Press
ISBN: 978-1-940013-32-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

YOGA FOR PAIN RELIEF shows you how to identify the specific muscle imbalances that cause YOUR pain and create a safe yoga practice to rebalance YOUR body.

 GOLD WINNER

The Diabetes 2-Month Turnaround: A Safe, Effective, and Scientifically Sound Approach to Getting Your Type 2 Diabetes Back on Track

Author: Laura Hhieronymus, DNP, MLDE, BC-ADM, CDE and Stacy Griffin, PharmD, LDE, CPT
Publisher: American Diabetes Association
ISBN: 978-1-58040-566-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

A straightforward, effective 8-week blueprint for identifying diabetes management challenges and making lasting improvements. Each week details specific actionable steps to help get your self-management back on track.

 SILVER WINNER

Killing Heel Pain: Your Final Freedom from Plantar Fasciitis

Author: Dr. Karen L. Smith, DPM
Publisher: Blue Viper Books
ISBN: 978-0-9981675-3-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Author Website

Written by a foot expert, KIILLING HEEL PAIN is the ultimate "how-to" guide for getting rid of plantar fasciitis as quickly and effectively as possible!

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History

Music at the White House: From the 18th to the 21st Centuries

Author: Elise K. Kirk
Publisher: The White House Historical Association
ISBN: 978-1-931917-69-8
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Elise Kirk traces the story of more than 200 years of musical performance in the White House to present the tale of the American process of music-making.

 GOLD WINNER

The Good Fight: America's Ongoing Struggle for Justice

Author: Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt
Publisher: Against All Odds Productions
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2734-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

THE GOOD FIGHT depicts the human face of America's sporadically violent, often triumphant, always risky struggle to fulfill the promise of freedom and equality for all.

 SILVER WINNER

Red 4WD Tractors 1957-2017: High-Horsepower Four-Wheel-Drive Tractors from International Harvester, Steiger, J.I. Case & Case IH

Author: Lee Klancher
Publisher: Octane Press
ISBN: 978-1-937747-71-8
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

The story of the four-wheel-drive tractors built by Steiger, International Harvester, Case and Case IH is told in dramatic fashion in this authoritative guide.

 SILVER WINNER

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Home & Garden

Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka

Author: Karen Melvin and Melinda Nelson
Publisher: Big Picture Press
ISBN: 978-0-9892627-5-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

BOATHOUSES OF LAKE MINNETONKA is a beautiful 246-page coffee-table book by award-winning author and photographer Karen Melvin and writer Melinda Nelson. If you've ever sailed, boated, or paddled past a vintage boathouse on Lake Minnetonka and wished its rustic wooden walls could talk, you'll love this beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched volume about Minnesota's famed lake.

 GOLD WINNER

Garden Wisdom: 365 Days

Author: Cheryl Wilfong
Publisher: Heart Path Press
ISBN: 978-0-9972729-4-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

These fresh, funny, and wise inspirations in GARDEN WISDOM: 365 DAYS use nature as a metaphor for human nature.

 SILVER WINNER

Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home

Author: Marl Esser Cloos
Publisher: My Home Press, a service of the National Association of Home Builders
ISBN: 978-0-86718-752-6
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Make your home greener with these simple steps that save money, increase your home’s value, and make it healthier for you—and the environment.

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Humor

Uncle John's OLD FAITHFUL Bathroom Reader: 30th Anniversary

Author: The Bathroom Readers' Institute
Publisher: Portable Press
ISBN: 978-1-68412-086-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

This extra-special 30th anniversary edition Bathroom Reader has the latest "scientific" studies, weird world news, surprising history, obscure facts, and more!

 GOLD WINNER

The Fatness: A Novel of Epic Portions

Author: Mark A. Rayner
Publisher: Monkeyjoy Press
ISBN: 978-1-927590-05-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

A satire of bureaucracy gone mad, set in a concentration camp for overweight people. And a re-telling of the Romeo and Juliet story.

 SILVER WINNER

The Silly World of Chelm: Everyone's Favorite Tales of the Wise Men of Chelm

Author: Zalman Goldstein
Publisher: Two Lights Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-891293-04-7
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

A treasury of Jewish wit straight from the fabled town of Chelm—a place where solving life’s problems always resulted in a rollicking journey into the inane.

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Inspirational

Whispers in the Wilderness

Author: Erik Stensland
Publisher: Morning Light Photography
ISBN: 978-0-99696266-7
Purchase: Amazon, Book Website

Through daily readings and stunning photographs WHISPERS IN THE WILDERNESS invites us to reconnect with nature and our deepest selves.

 GOLD WINNER

Diary of a Beautiful Disaster

Author: Kristin Bartzokis
Publisher: KiCam Projects
ISBN: 978-0-9977222-3-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

Born with Treacher Collins syndrome, Kristin Bartzokis has never looked or lived like everyone else. Her strength and her spirit empower readers to embrace their own uniqueness.

 SILVER WINNER

Gift from the Garden

Author: Bernie DuBois
Publisher: Trellis Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-930650-26-8
Purchase: Amazon, IndeiBound, IPG

Bernie DuBois applies a gentle approach to the changes that happen in a woman's life, and she compares these stages to plants in a garden.

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Multicultural

Constant Fires

Author: Rebecca Hatcher Travis
Publisher: White Dog Press
ISBN: 978-1935684572
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

This second collection of poetry from award-winning Chickasaw poet Rebecca Hatcher Travis offers a deeper understanding of the Chickasaw people and Native perspective.

 GOLD WINNER

Embroidering within Boundaries: Afghan Women Creating a Future

Author: Rangina Hamidi and Mary Littrell; Paula Lerner (Photography)
Publisher: Thrums Books
ISBN: 978-0-99845230-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

EMBROIDERING WITHIN BOUNDRIES chronicles the development of a remarkable business run solely by Afghan women. It is a story of creativity, courage, and discovering a future through ancient textile traditions.

 SILVER WINNER

Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook: Savory Spices and Bold Flavors from South Asia

Author: May Abraham Fridel
Publisher: American Diabetes Association
ISBN: 978-1-58040-599-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Indian cuisine combines fresh, seasonal ingredients with aromatic spices to create hearty dishes that are perfect for anyone who is trying to eat better!

 SILVER WINNER

The Stump: My Way Out of Chicago's South Side

Author: Terry L. Braddock
Publisher: Terry L. Braddock
ISBN: 978-0-9991516-0-0
Purchase: Amazon, Author Website

Debut African-American author Braddock, delivers a cinematic tale of personal triumph growing up on Chicago's South Side, and offers an illuminating portal into military culture.

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Nature & Environment

A Temporary Refuge: Fourteen Seasons with Wild Summer Steelhead

Author: Lee Spencer
Publisher: Patagonia
ISBN: 978-1-938340-67-3
Purchase: IndieBound, Publisher Website

Umpqua River Fish watch Lee Spencer’s almanac, a natural history teeming with fish, water, vegetation, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, seasonal changes, and interesting events and stories.

 GOLD WINNER

The Greenbelt: Protecting and Cultivating A Great Ontario Treasure

Author: Burkhard Mausberg
Publisher: Barlow Books
ISBN: 978-1-988-0516-2
Purchase: Amazon

This beautiful coffee-table book is a portrait of Ontario's Greenbelt, the largest protected urban green space in the world. Richly illustrated on the finest ecologically sensitive paper, it tells the story of how the Greenbelt was established, and celebrates the people who live there - artists, farmers, entrepreneurs, cyclists, mountain climbers, and so many others who have been enriched by what makes them quintessentially Canadian: the land.

 SILVER WINNER

Malama Honua: Hokule'a - A Voyage of Hope

Author: Jennifer Allne; John Bilderback (Photography)
Publisher: Patagonia
ISBN: 978-1-938340-69-7
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Publisher Website

From the launch in Hawai'i in May 2014, around the world 60,000 miles, to 23 different countries, this beautiful hardcover book chronicles Hokule'a's epic mission to raise awareness of and nurture worldwide sustainability.

 SILVER WINNER

Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean

Author: Jonathan White
Publisher: Trinity University Press
ISBN: 978-1-59534-805-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

In TIDES, writer, sailor, and surfer Jonathan White takes readers across the globe to discover the science and spirit of ocean tides.

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Parenting & Family Issues

Stepparenting the Grieving Child: Cultivating Past and Present Connections with Children Who Have Lost a Parent

Author: Diane Ingram Fromme
Publisher: Merry Dissonance Press
ISBN: 978-1-939919-47-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Through personal examples and experience, case study insights, and research, STEPPARENTING THE GRIEVING CHILD provides information and inspiration to any parent who supports grieving children.

 GOLD WINNER

Relationship Reset: Secrets from a Couples Therapist That Will Revolutionize Your Love for a Lifetime

Author: Jen Elmquist, MA, LMFT
Publisher: Risk Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9974581-0-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Crafted specifically for all couples, Relationship Reset focuses on helping committed relationships last by offering simple and essential skills in an interactive format.

 SILVER WINNER

True Love: How to Use Science to Understand Love

Author: Fred Nour, M.D.
Publisher: Niguel Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-9984043-9-4
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Itasca Books

Understand love based on scientific facts, not myth. TRUE LOVE details in simple terms how our genes and brain chemicals cause lifelong love to happen.

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Political/Current Events

China's Great Migration: How the Poor Built a Prosperous Nation

Author: Bradley M. Gardner
Publisher: The Independent Institute
ISBN: 978-1-598132-22-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publishers Website

China’s Great Migration shows how the largest economic migration in the history of the world has led to a bottom-up transformation of China.

 GOLD WINNER

Crisis in U.S. Healthcare: Corporate Power vs. The Common Good

Author: John Geyman, M.D.
Publisher: Copernicus Healthcare
ISBN: 978-1-938218-15-6
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

This is an objective, non-partisan look at the major trends changing U. S. health care over the last 60 years, including approaches to reform.

 SILVER WINNER

The Good Fight: America's Ongoing Struggle for Justice

Author: Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt
Publisher: Against All Odds Productions
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2734-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

THE GOOD FIGHT depicts the human face of America's sporadically violent, often triumphant, always risky struggle to fulfill the promise of freedom and equality for all.

 SILVER WINNER

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Professional & Technical

Buy Low, Sell High: The Simplicity of Business Finance

Author: Dr. Philip Young
Publisher: LID Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9969433-7-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

BUY LOW, SELL HIGH is the compact business book that's dedicated to helping non-financial professionals understand the fundamentals of business finance easily and painlessly.

 GOLD WINNER

Lean Media: How to Focus Creativity, Streamline Production, and Create Media that Audiences Love

Author: Ian Lamont
Publisher: i30 Media Corp.
ISBN: 978-1-939924-99-5
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Publisher Website

"The recipe for success in everything from music to blogging is to be inexpensive, fast, and attentive to audiences, according to this canny primer." - KIRKUS

 SILVER WINNER

Veterans Benefits for the Florida Resident

Author: John R. Frazier, JD, LLM and Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., JD
Publisher: Cabo Azul Publications, LLC
ISBN: 978-0-9907940-2-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A resource for Florida veterans that explains VA and potentially applicable state benefits programs, who qualifies, how to get started and what to expect.

 SILVER WINNER

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Psychology

The ACT Approach: A Comprehensive Guide for Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Author: Timothy Gordon, MSW and Jessica Borushok, PhD
Publisher: PESI Publishing & Media
ISBN: 978-1-683730-81-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Combines the foundational knowledge of ACT with practical guidance, strategies, and techniques. Filled with handouts, worksheets, scripts, exercises, and therapy session transcripts to treat a variety of mental health disorders.

 GOLD WINNER

The Expanded Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training Manual: DBT for Self-Help, and Individual & Group Treatment Settings

Author: Lane Pederson, with Cortney Sidwell Pederson
Publisher: PESI Publishing & Media
ISBN: 978-1-683730-46-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Designed for DBT therapists, and as a self-help guide for people interested in learning DBT skills. Straightforward explanations and useful worksheets make DBT skills learning and practice accessible, practical. 

 SILVER WINNER

It Never Ends: Mothering Middle-aged Daughters

Author: Sandra Butler and Nan Fink Gefen
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-278-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Mothering middle-aged daughters brings challenges and satisfaction with the inevitable recalibrating of authority, autonomy, and independence to reveal the courage and connections that comes with aging.

 SILVER WINNER

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Reference

Red 4WD Tractors 1957-2017: High-Horsepower Four-Wheel-Drive Tractors from International Harvester, Steiger, J.I. Case & Case IH

Author: Lee Klancher
Publisher: Octane Press
ISBN: 978-1-937747-71-8
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

The story of the four-wheel-drive tractors built by Steiger, International Harvester, Case and Case IH is told in dramatic fashion in this authoritative guide.

 GOLD WINNER

Financial Freedom for Special Needs Families: 9 Building Blocks to Reduce Stress, Preserve Benefits, and Create a Fulfilling Future

Author: Rob Wrubel, CFP
Publisher: Rosalibean Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-996659-21-5
Purchase: Amazon

A comprehensive planning guide designed to give families with a special-needs member the tools needed to create a financial and legal plan.

 SILVER WINNER

Once Upon a Time it was Now: The Art and Craft of Writing Historical Fiction

Author: James Alexander Thom
Publisher: Blue River Press
ISBN: 978-1-68157-051-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

This book gives you the tools you need to research and create stories born from the past that will move and inspire modern readers.

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Regional

Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka

Author: Karen Melvin and Melinda Nelson
Publisher: Big Picture Press
ISBN: 978-0-9892627-5-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

BOATHOUSES OF LAKE MINNETONKIA is a beautiful 246-page coffee-table book by award-winning author and photographer Karen Melvin and writer Melinda Nelson. If you've ever sailed, boated, or paddled past a vintage boathouse on Lake Minnetonka and wished its rustic wooden walls could talk, you'll love this beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched volume about Minnesota's famed lake.

 GOLD WINNER

Photographing the Southwest: Vol. 2 - A Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Arizona

Author: Laurent Martres
Publisher: PhotoTripUSA Publishing, an imprint of Graphie International, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-916189-26-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Photographing the Southwest – Vol. 2 is the culmination of over twenty five years experience exploring and photographing the natural landmarks of Arizona.

 SILVER WINNER

Woodland: The Story of the Animals and People of Woodland Park Zoo

Author: John Bierlein and the Staff of HistoryLink
Publisher: HistoryLink and Documentary Media
ISBN: 978-1-933245-41-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

Follow Woodland Park Zoo from its nineteenth-century origin, carved from the wilderness north of Seattle. Lavishly illustrated, Woodland maps changing ideas about the relationship between humans and animals.

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Religion

Say to These Mountains: A Biography of Faith and Ministry in Rural Haiti

Author: Elizabeth Turnbull
Publisher: Light Messages Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-61153-229-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Through the story of Wallace Turnbull, SAY YES TO THESE MOUNTAINS takes readers on a journey where grace and beauty shine into the tightest crevices of brokenness, poverty, and loss.

 GOLD WINNER

Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik

Author: Scott Hilton Davis
Publisher: Jewish Storyteller Press
ISBN: 978-0-9975334-1-5 (PB); 978-0-9975334-0-8 (HC)
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Celebrate Chanukah with a journey to Oykvetchnik, the tiny town where people complain a lot. These sweet and heartwarming tales will fill your heart with the light of Jewish history, culture, and values.

 SILVER WINNER

The Last Christians: Stories of Persecution, Flight, and Resilience in the Middle East

Author: Andreas Knapp
Publisher: Plough Publishing House
ISBN: 978-0-874860-62-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A Westerner’s travels among the persecuted and displaced Christian remnant in Iraq and Syria teach him much about faith under fire.

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Self-Help

Blush: Women & Wine

Author: Molly Davis
Publisher: Trailhead Coaching & Consulting
ISBN: 978-1-942545-74-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

An honest exploration of wine as a classy looking coping mechanism for women, BLUSH is invitational, vulnerable, wise, and laugh-out-loud funny.

 GOLD WINNER

Ask Outrageously! The Secret to Getting What You Really Want

Author: Linda Byars Swindling
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-5230-8271-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Asking for what you want or just taking what you are given? Usually it’s the latter. Ask outrageously and get the results you want.

 SILVER WINNER

Out of the Woods: A Journey Through Depression and Anxiety

Author: Brent Williams; Korkut Oztekin (Illustrator)
Publisher: Educational Resources Ltd.
ISBN: 978-0-473-39006-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, IPG

A compelling graphic memoir to help sufferers and their families. It combines the author's own personal journey with medical research and proven self-help strategies.

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Sports & Recreation

The Chicago Tribune Book of the Chicago Cubs: A Decade-By-Decade History

Author: Chicago Tribune Staff
Publisher: Agate Midway
ISBN: 978-1-57284-217-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A comprehensive portrait of Chicago Cubs history featuring essays, reproduced articles, photography, and team memorabilia from the Chicago Tribune's archives.

 GOLD WINNER

Legendary Lumber: The Top 100 Player Bats in Baseball History

Author: Joe Orlando, with Tom Zappala and Ellen Zappala
Publisher: Peter E. Randall Publisher, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-937721-41-1
Purchase: Amazon, Author Website

Showcases the most desirable professional model bats, while detailing the story behind the professional and personal lives of the players. Tips on rating and collecting!

 SILVER WINNER

A Mountaineer's Life

Author: Allen Steck
Publisher: Patagonia
ISBN: 978-1-938340-70-3
Purchase: Publisher Website

Stories from the days when mountain climbing was discovery, when men like Allen Steck forged new routes, both literal or literary. With dry humor and detailed recall, he captures the excitement and intrigue of a time when there were few rules and no guidelines.

 SILVER WINNER

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Travel

Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos: Textiles, Tradition and Well-Being

Author: Joshua Hirschstein and Maren Beck; Joe Coca (Photographer)
Publisher: Thrums Books
ISBN: 978-0-9972168-9-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A tender portrait of an American family’s travels in Laos where they learn about ancient silk weaving traditions in the hill tribe community of Xam Tai.

 GOLD WINNER

Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier

Author: Nick Jans; Mark Kelley (Photographer)
Publisher: Mark Kelley Photography
ISBN: 978-1-880865-60-6
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

This book  celebrates Mark Kelley's thirty-eight year quest to document the Mendenhall Glacier, America’s backyard glacier, found in Alaska’s capital, Juneau.

 SILVER WINNER

Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park

Author: Janet Chapple
Publisher: Granite Peak Publications
ISBN: 978-0-9858182-7-2
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Updated for 2018, this full-color guidebook provides mile-by-mile road logs and explains geyser walks, out-of-the-way hikes, geology, wildlife, and wildflowers. Sixty-five new photos, revised maps.

 SILVER WINNER

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Cover Design: Fiction

Lunch with the Do-Nothings at the Tammy Dinette

Author: Killian B. Brewer
Publisher: Interlude Press
ISBN: 978-1-945053-13-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

When Marcus Sumter, a short order cook with dreams of being a chef, inherits a house in small town Marathon, Georgia, he leaves his big city life behind. Marcus intends to sell the house to finance his dreams, but a group of lovable busybodies called the Do Nothings, a new job at the local diner, the Tammy Dinette, and a handsome mechanic named Hank cause Marcus to rethink his plans. Will he return to the life he knew, or will he finally put down roots?

 GOLD WINNER

The Breedling & The Trickster: The Element Odysseys, Book 2

Author: Kimberlee Ann Bastian
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-088-5
Purchase: Amazon, Strand Books

For immortal soulcatcher Buck, acclimating to newfound freedom in 1934 Chicago would have been impossible if not for the selfless actions of Charlie Reese. Now separated from his mortal friend, Buck accepts a new mission: to save the Shepherdess, whose unclaimed soul will soon stand trial in his old world, Euxinus.

 SILVER WINNER

Death on West End Road: A Hamptons Murder Mystery, Book 1

Author: Carrie Doyle
Publisher: Dunemere Books
ISBN: 978-0-9972701-8-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Antonia Bingham investigates the killing of Susie Whitaker, whose brutal 1990 slaying on a tennis court in the poshest part of the Hamptons was never solved.

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Cover Design: Nonfiction

Blitz Your Life: Stories From an NFL and ALS Warrior

Author: Tim Shaw, with Richard Sowienski
Publisher: Dexterity, LLC
ISBN: 978-0-9983253-0-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

BLITZ YOUR LIFE is a collection of reflections and challenges from former NFL linebacker and ALS warrior Tim Shaw, inspiring readers to pursue true success.

 GOLD WINNER

Sky Theater: Essays on Rural Life and Community

Author: Heidi Marttila-Losure
Publisher: Prairiesummer Books
ISBN: 978-0-9848907-3-6
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

SKY THEATER invites readers to see new possibilities in their places. Aspiring community builders everywhere can find inspiration and motivation in its mindset-shifting ideas and photographs.

 SILVER WINNER

Harry Potter and the Art of Spying: Young Agent Edition

Author: Lynn Boughey; Kevin Cannon (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-045-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

Harry Potter. Rubeus Hagrid. Severus Snape. Each of them is an accomplished spy. We can learn a lot from the wizarding world in terms of secret-agent techniques! This book will teach you the ways of the world-class spy, along the way, Potter-themed activities start you on the way to becoming a spy yourself.

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Cover Design: Large Format

Tyree: Artist of the South Pacific

Author: CJ Cook
Publisher: South Pacific Dreams Publishing
ISBN: 978-099842224-0-4
Purchase: Amazon, Itasca Books, Publisher Website

Ralph Burke Tyree, was the premier artist of the Tiki era, who captured the exoticism of island people in oils on board and black velvet.

 GOLD WINNER

The Dressmaker's Companion: A Practical Guide to Sewing Clothes

Author: Elizabeth M. Haywood
Publisher: Cooatalaa Press
ISBN: 978-0-646-96824-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A comprehensive sewing reference for dressmakers, fashion students or anyone who enjoys sewing. Contains over 3,000 illustrations, step-by-step instructions, clever ideas, troubleshooting and fitting advice.

 SILVER WINNER

Yoga For Pain Relief: A New Approach to an Ancient Practice

Author: Lee Albert, NMT
Publisher: Dudley Court Press
ISBN: 978-1-940013-32-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

YOGA FOR PAIN RELIEF shows you how to identify the specific muscle imbalances that cause YOUR pain and create a safe yoga practice to rebalance YOUR body.

 SILVER WINNER

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Cover Design: Children's/Young Adult

How to Turn Your Mom into a Monster

Author: Aurora Whittet
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-087-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Itasca Books

Do you like smearing your lunch all over yourself? Do you fight with your sister just because she's there? Do you find yourself unable to go to bed because mysterious ninjas keep stealing your pajamas? Then you're a little monster! Guess what: Mom can be a monster, too! It's up to you to make your mom's monster come out to play.

 GOLD WINNER

The Bubble Who Would Not Pop!

Author: Shelly Roark; Simone Krüger (Illustrator)
Publisher: Little Lamb Books
ISBN: 978-0-9986243-0-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Target

Join Billy Bubble on his journey of faith, and discover the power of prayer for yourself using the helpful prayer journal in the back of this book!

 SILVER WINNER

Pickles + Ocho

Author: Dan Wellik; Tou Yia Xiong (Illustrator)
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-780-1
Purchase: Amazon, Itasca Books

Heartwarming story of two French bulldogs, learning to be brothers with a little help from their two dads.

 SILVER WINNER

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Interior Design: 1-2 Color

Harry Potter and the Art of Spying: Young Agent Edition

Author: Lynn Boughey; Kevin Cannon (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-63489-045-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

Harry Potter. Rubeus Hagrid. Severus Snape. Each of them is an accomplished spy. We can learn a lot from the wizarding world in terms of secret-agent techniques! This book will teach you the ways of the world-class spy, along the way, Potter-themed activities start you on the way to becoming a spy yourself.

 GOLD WINNER

Chill Out Guide to Colorado: Tips from a Native

Author: L.L. Chilcoat
Publisher: What If? Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-545525-93-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Whether you’re coming to visit Colorado, relocate or already live here, CHILL OUT GUIDE TO COLORADO offers an easy way to navigate the state’s many attributes.

 SILVER WINNER

Growing Strong Girls: Practical Tools to Cultivate Connection in the Preteen Years

Author: Lindsay Sealey, MA, ED
Publisher: LifeTree Media
ISBN: 978-1-928055-29-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

In GROWING STRONG GIRLS, Lindsay Sealey reveals the tremendous power of connection to activate self-awareness, inner strength, and confidence in girls.

 SILVER WINNER

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Interior Design: 3 or more Color

The Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History

Author: Caaseen Gaines
Publisher: Insight Editions
ISBN: 978-1-60887-811-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

THE DARK CRYSTAL: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY is the definitive collection of rare artwork, interviews, and on-set photos from the beloved Jim Henson classic.

 GOLD WINNER

Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest

Author: Deborah Wall
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
ISBN: 978-0-9972369-4-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

101 hikes that let you enjoy spectacular unspoiled wilderness by day, then retire to the world-class urban amenities of a basecamp like no other: Las Vegas.

 SILVER WINNER

Bodie: Good Times and Bad

Author: Nicholas Clapp; Will Furman (Photographer)
Publisher: Sunbelt Productions
ISBN: 978-1-941384-26-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

There were, in fact, two Bodies. On one hand, it was "a fearfully and wonderfully bad place." On the other hand, it was “a town of hard-working pioneers.”

 SILVER WINNER

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Interior Design: 3 or more Color: Children's/Young Adult

Rice & Rocks

Author: Sandra L. Richards; Meghan Kayleigh Sullivan (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-940014-73-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Author Website

RICE & ROCKS is an exciting children's book that celebrates the varied traditions of every culture while also highlighting the delicious similarities that bring us all together.

 GOLD WINNER

Kobee Manatee: Shipwreck Sea Friends

Author: Robert Scott Thayer; Lauren Gallegos (Illustrator)
Publisher: Thompson Mill Press
ISBN: 978-0-9971239-3-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Children are drawn to brilliant illustrations, amused with Kobee and his friends, while learning the importance of ocean appreciation, its beauty and diversity under the water’s surface.

 SILVER WINNER

My Dog Named Hope: A Special Girl, Her Amazing Dog and One Family's Journey through Childhood Cancer

Author: Joe Dean; Lauren Curwick (Illustrator)
Publisher: My Dog Named Hope.com
ISBN: 978-0-578-19485-1
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Heart-warming story about a loyal puppy and brave young girl as they journey through a cancer diagnosis and treatment. “There is always room for Hope!”

 SILVER WINNER

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Best New Voice: Fiction

Dark Associations

Author: Marie Sutro
Publisher: Viper Press, an imprint of A&M Publishing Florida
ISBN: 978-1-9439-5703-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Rookie San Francisco Police Detective Kate Barnes rushes to save those around her from an insidious serial killer whose final sights are set on her.

 GOLD WINNER

Eden

Author: Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-188-1
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A family story that spans generations and secrets. Grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter must come to terms with the secrets they've hidden from each other.

 SILVER WINNER

The Fix: A Father's Secrets, A Daughter's Search

Author: Sharon Leder
Publisher: KiCam Projects
ISBN: 978-0-9977222-5-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Sara Katz is coming of age in the 1950s and ’60s while trying to understand her father’s heroin addiction and break free from its secrecy and shame.

 SILVER WINNER

Gradle Bird

Author: J.C. Sasser
Publisher: Koehler Books
ISBN: 978-1-63393-263-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

15-year-old Gradle Bird moves to a haunted house with Grandpa Leonard and finds cruelty, love, and redemption amidst a lineup of crazy characters.

 SILVER WINNER

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Best New Voice: Nonfiction

Dig Where You Are: How One Person's Effort Can Save a Life, Empower a Community and Create Meaningful Change in the World

Author: Nan Alexander Doyal
Publisher: Casper Press
ISBN: 978-0-9973203-0-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

The stories of seven ordinary people who believed in the potential of others and solved some of the biggest challenges facing our societies today.

 GOLD WINNER

Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing, and Pregnancy After Loss

Author: Alexis Marie Chute
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 978-1-63152-174-4
Purchase: Amazon (US), Amazon (CA), B&N, IndieBound

EXPECTING SUNSHINE is an inspiring story about the unbreakable bond between mother and child, that even in the face of loss love never dies.

 SILVER WINNER

Your Invisible Toolbox: The Technology Ups and Interpersonal Downs of the Millennial Generation

Author: Rowena Crosbie and Deborah Rinner
Publisher: Business Publications Corporation Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-9986528-1-8
Purchase: Amazon, B&N

YOUR INVISIBLE TOOLBOX tackles the challenges many millennials face with a unique set of research-based tools, put together in an easy-to-apply road map to success.

 SILVER WINNER

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Best New Voice: Children's/Young Adult

If You Look Up to the Sky

Author: Angela Dalton; Margarita Sikorskaia (Illustrator)
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
ISBN: 978-1-59298-828-0
Purchase: Amazon, IndieBound, Publisher Website

IF YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY is about the power of everlasting love and the ways the sky connects us through good times and bad.

 GOLD WINNER

Rice & Rocks

Author: Sandra L. Richards; Meghan Kayleigh Sullivan (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-940014-73-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Author Website

RICE & ROCKS is an exciting children's book that celebrates the varied traditions of every culture while also highlighting the delicious similarities that bring us all together.

 SILVER WINNER

Tutti's Promise: A Novel Based on a Family's True Story of Courage and Hope During the Holocaust

Author: K. Heidi Fishman
Publisher: MB Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9908430-1-6
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

A poignant story of hope and perseverance based on the author’s mother’s actual experiences in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam and two camps—Westerbork and Theresienstadt.

 SILVER WINNER

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The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Fiction)

Getting off on Frank Sinatra: A Copper Black Mystery

Author: Megan Edwards
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
ISBN: 978-0-9972369-0-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Aspiring journalist Copper Black is drawn into a high-profile Las Vegas murder investigation while juggling family, work, and boyfriends.

 GOLD WINNER

Holy Crap! The World is Ending

Author: Anna-Marie Abell
Publisher: Alien Abduction Press
ISBN: 978-1-947119-01-7
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

Aliens have arrived and they brought wine. Thank god, because the Earth is going to be destroyed and it’s up to one girl to save all of humanity.

 SILVER WINNER

Jeopardy Surface

Author: Sheri Leigh Horn
Publisher: Perpetuity Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9981326-0-0
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

This debut crime thriller features a one-of-kind protagonist and cutting-edge investigative techniques that will have you turning pages late into the night.

 SILVER WINNER

Tiger Pelt

Author: Annabelle Kim
Publisher: Leaf~Land LLC
ISBN: 978-0-9976090-0-4
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

"Korea serves as a perfect crucible for Kim's expansive and impressive historical fiction debut, in which the characters must struggle against overwhelming odds." - Kirkus Reviews (starred)

 SILVER WINNER

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The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Nonfiction)

Blitz Your Life: Stories From an NFL and ALS Warrior

Author: Tim Shaw; with Richard Sowienski
Publisher: Dexterity, LLC
ISBN: 978-0-9983253-0-9
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

BLITZ YOUR LIFE is a collection of reflections and challenges from former NFL linebacker and ALS warrior Tim Shaw, inspiring readers to pursue true success.

 GOLD WINNER

Aging: An Apprenticeship

Editor: Nan Narboe
Publisher: Red Notebook Press
ISBN: 978-0-692-75399-6
Purchase: Amazon

An intimate and lyrical collection of essays on aging, from an impressive array of contemporary writers—authors Judy Blume, Andrew McCarthy, Gloria Steinem, and others.

 SILVER WINNER

Dig Where You Are: How One Person's Effort Can Save a Life, Empower a Community and Create Meaningful Change in the World

Author: Nan Alexander Doyal
Publisher: Casper Press
ISBN: 978-0-9973203-0-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

The stories of seven ordinary people who believed in the potential of others and solved some of the biggest challenges facing our societies today.

 SILVER WINNER

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The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children's/Young Adult)

The Bubble Who Would Not Pop!

Author: Shelly Roark; Simone Krüger (Illustrator)
Publisher: Little Lamb Books
ISBN: 978-0-9986243-0-3
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Target

Join Billy Bubble on his journey of faith, and discover the power of prayer for yourself using the helpful prayer journal in the back of this book!

 GOLD WINNER

The Curse Ends: The Story of the 2016 Chicago Cubs

Author: Jeff Attinella; Mike Pascale (Illustrator)
Publisher: It Had to Be Told Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9989440-0-5
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Publisher Website

The epic tale of 108 years of heartbreak, the infamous Curse of the Billy Goat and the monumental return to glory as World Series Champions!

 SILVER WINNER

Sebastian Creates a Sock Company

Author: Erica Swallow; Li Zeng (Illustrator)
Publisher: Entrepreneur Kid
ISBN: 978-1-946984-00-5
Purchase: Amazon, Publisher Website

Five-year-old Sebastian Martinez and his older brother, Brandon, turns his love for socks into a business that not only makes wacky socks, but also enables the duo to finally revamp the school dress code.

 SILVER WINNER

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