150 Award Genres
Children
- Children - Action
- Children - Adventure
- Children - Animals
- Children - Audiobook
- Children - Christian
- Children - Coming of Age
- Children - Concept
- Children - Educational
- Children - Fable
- Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Children - General
- Children - Grade 4th-6th
- Children - Grade K-3rd
- Children - Mystery
- Children - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Children - Non-Fiction
- Children - Picture Book
- Children - Preschool
- Children - Preteen
- Children - Religious Theme
- Children - Social Issues
Christian
- Christian - Amish
- Christian - Biblical Counseling
- Christian - Devotion/Study
- Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Christian - Fiction
- Christian - General
- Christian - Historical Fiction
- Christian - Living
- Christian - Non-Fiction
- Christian - Romance - Contemporary
- Christian - Romance - General
- Christian - Romance - Historical
- Christian - Thriller
Fiction
- Fiction - Action
- Fiction - Adventure
- Fiction - Animals
- Fiction - Anthology
- Fiction - Audiobook
- Fiction - Chick Lit
- Fiction - Crime
- Fiction - Cultural
- Fiction - Drama
- Fiction - Dystopia
- Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
- Fiction - Fantasy - General
- Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
- Fiction - General
- Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic
- Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
- Fiction - Historical - Personage
- Fiction - Holiday
- Fiction - Horror
- Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Fiction - Inspirational
- Fiction - Intrigue
- Fiction - LGBTQ
- Fiction - Literary
- Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
- Fiction - Military
- Fiction - Mystery - General
- Fiction - Mystery - Historical
- Fiction - Mystery - Legal
- Fiction - Mystery - Murder
- Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
- Fiction - Mythology
- Fiction - New Adult
- Fiction - Paranormal
- Fiction - Realistic
- Fiction - Religious Theme
- Fiction - Science Fiction
- Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Fiction - Social Issues
- Fiction - Southern
- Fiction - Sports
- Fiction - Supernatural
- Fiction - Suspense
- Fiction - Tall Tale
- Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
- Fiction - Thriller - Environmental
- Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
- Fiction - Thriller - General
- Fiction - Thriller - Legal
- Fiction - Thriller - Medical
- Fiction - Thriller - Political
- Fiction - Thriller - Psychological
- Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
- Fiction - Time Travel
- Fiction - Urban
- Fiction - Visionary
- Fiction - Western
- Fiction - Womens
Non-Fiction
- Non-Fiction - Adventure
- Non-Fiction - Animals
- Non-Fiction - Anthology
- Non-Fiction - Art/Photography
- Non-Fiction - Audiobook
- Non-Fiction - Autobiography
- Non-Fiction - Biography
- Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
- Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
- Non-Fiction - Cultural
- Non-Fiction - Drama
- Non-Fiction - Education
- Non-Fiction - Environment
- Non-Fiction - Genealogy
- Non-Fiction - General
- Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
- Non-Fiction - Grief/Hardship
- Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
- Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
- Non-Fiction - Historical
- Non-Fiction - Hobby
- Non-Fiction - Home/Crafts
- Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Non-Fiction - Inspirational
- Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
- Non-Fiction - Marketing
- Non-Fiction - Memoir
- Non-Fiction - Military
- Non-Fiction - Motivational
- Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
- Non-Fiction - New Age
- Non-Fiction - Occupational
- Non-Fiction - Parenting
- Non-Fiction - Relationships
- Non-Fiction - Religion/Philosophy
- Non-Fiction - Retirement
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Non-Fiction - Social Issues
- Non-Fiction - Spiritual/Supernatural
- Non-Fiction - Sports
- Non-Fiction - Travel
- Non-Fiction - True Crime
- Non-Fiction - Womens
- Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
Poetry
Romance
Young Adult
- Young Adult - Action
- Young Adult - Adventure
- Young Adult - Coming of Age
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
- Young Adult - Fantasy - General
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
- Young Adult - General
- Young Adult - Horror
- Young Adult - Mystery
- Young Adult - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Young Adult - Non-Fiction
- Young Adult - Paranormal
- Young Adult - Religious Theme
- Young Adult - Romance
- Young Adult - Sci-Fi
- Young Adult - Social Issues
- Young Adult - Thriller
Illustration Award
Recommend this book:
Becoming Mrs. Smith
Tanya E Williams
2019 Finalist
148 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
World War II is beginning and the boys are marching off to war, but Becoming Mrs. Smith takes a very different and enlightening look at the families and friends left behind in a very beautiful love story. We are not on the battlefields; we are with Violet who is at home in a small town in South Dakota, worrying about John. They have been best friends since childhood, but more importantly, they are hoping to marry when he returns. Violet is constantly thinking of John and hoping that he will soon be coming home to her. She spends her days working and her evenings doing volunteer work with her best friends for the war effort. When others receive the dreaded telegram about their loved one, Violet mourns with them and prays that John is still alive. When he is missing in action her imagination takes awful turns. John’s mother and father are also distraught and together the three spend time sharing letters and memories with each other.
Becoming Mrs. Smith is full of happiness and sorrow, taking me back in time and pulling me right into the pages of the story. It was impossible not to feel Violet’s misery as well as her joy. Tanya E Williams is a superb writer who brought the wartime home front alive and Violet, John and the supporting cast became very real people to me. Becoming Mrs. Smith covers love, friendship, small town life and war in a kind and thoughtful story that is hard to put down. I am anxiously awaiting a follow-up book to join with my new friends again. Please do not pass up reading Becoming Mrs. Smith.
Recommend this book:
A Taste of Bread
Olga D'Agostino
2019 Honorable Mention
153 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
One day. One moment in time. That’s all it takes for a tragedy, a sorrow that will seep through the soul of a child forever. The memories that fill this tiny space of eternity are enough to make the reader weep for the child who couldn’t find the love she craved, certainly not from her parents. And, for the child who must give up so much for others: the taste of fresh milk meant for sale or for the piglets, the cherished doll that she willingly bequeaths to another child who needed its love more, and the crushed egg that would never secure her the much-desired tasty bun. Her parents may not love her, but her brother did and so did her aunt, whose words of wisdom stayed with her: “You cannot change things now, but you can always change your life when you grow up.” It is a harsh world where a child learns at an early age that “Life is erratic. It isn’t easy.” Meshed in the hardship and harsh realities, a young child can learn, prosper and rise above his or her current circumstances, and the most important life lesson of all is to “love the person next to you if you want to be loved in return.”
Award-winning author Olga D'Agostino takes the reader to a different time and place where daily life was a struggle at best. Her novella, A Taste of Bread, explores the power of love and how it affects children. Taking a simple story of a fresh egg saved to trade with the bread man on his daily delivery, the author explores the many poignant memories that lead up to the race to catch the bread man. Through it all, a little girl learns to accept God’s will, even when it’s not her own, discovering the love she craves in the most unlikely places. A powerful story.
Recommend this book:
Diamonds and Lies
Inge-Lise Goss
2019 Bronze Medal
196 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
Diamonds and Lies is a romantic suspense novella written by Inge-Lise Goss. Mia had thought that her other life, that shadow existence she had led with her brother, Andy, as the apprentices of their burglar father, was tucked away in the past, but that morning’s call from Andy had her worried once again. It had been three years since their dad had been apprehended with a bag filled with rare coins sitting in plain sight in his home.
Mia’s father had died in prison, and for a few years Andy had continued setting up the heists while Mia provided the distractions and set up their targets. Andy thereafter purchased an auto shop, and Mia got involved in the advertising world. Her mind had been focused, in fact, on her work as an account executive, when Andy called and asked her out for an early breakfast. Andy was in trouble. He had shorted their last client, who was asking for what he was owed plus a penalty. It bothered Mia that Andy had let his addiction to gambling put their lives in jeopardy again, but she would do whatever she could to fix the situation. He was, after all, her brother.
Inge-Lise Goss’s romantic suspense novella, Diamonds and Lies, is a taut and thrilling look at high stakes burglary and a family secret with deadly repercussions. Goss’s plot is intricate and ingenious, and her characters are well defined and credible, particularly Mia. Diamonds and Lies is action packed and fast paced, and Goss quickly gets her readers involved in the story of the brother and sister who have to do just one more heist. Diamonds and Lies is highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Hurricane Crimes
Chrys Fey
2019 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
In Hurricane Crimes by Chrys Fey, Beth Kennedy is alone in her house with Hurricane Sabrina beginning to bear down on her Florida home. As she watches the storm through her front window, a car comes zooming down the road and slams into a tree. Beth fights the elements and makes her way to the smashed car, to find a handsome man draped over the steering wheel. Beth pulls him out, drags him home, and the story begins. Donovan Goldwyn is bruised but otherwise fine. Donovan’s picture appears on the TV as a wanted man and Beth’s first reaction is to panic. As the storm rips apart Beth’s home, the two are forced to spend several hours together and they cannot deny the attraction they are feeling towards each other. As the storm’s eye passes over, the two take a canoe through the flooded streets and attempt to prove Donovan's innocence. Together, they are faced with life threatening dangers.
Hurricane Crimes by Chrys Fey is a pure delight. It is a romance first and a suspense novella second, but both are combined in a perfect formula for a wonderful afternoon’s reading. Chrys Fey is a talented author who has blended the best of two genres into one wonderful story. I really enjoyed my afternoon curled up in my favorite chair and reading Hurricane Crimes. This was a love story against all logical odds, but it was impossible not to hope that Beth and Donovan would find happiness together. I highly recommend Hurricane Crimes and can’t wait to read more of Chrys Fey’s books.
Recommend this book:
The Black Knight's Tune
Ruby's Story ( A Slave of the Shadows Series: Novella 1)
Naomi Finley
2019 Gold Medal
114 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
In The Black Knight’s Tune: Ruby’s Story, Ruby has the good fortune to be adopted by kindly white folks in New York, but as she grows up and becomes a journalist, her longing to know about her true heritage becomes overwhelming. When her white boss, with whom she has fallen in love, has her accompany him on a visit to the deep South, where the lady he loves is involved in the abolitionist movement, Ruby gets to participate in the lives of her black brethren living on the plantation. Though their lives differ from hers in New York, more than ever she feels their shared connection to the past and their resiliency. She is enriched by that experience and a couple of others that mean the world to Ruby and which I’ll leave for the reader to enjoy with her.
It never ceases to amaze me how some authors, like Naomi Finley, can write a sensitive, realistic story in only a few pages while others will take twice as many pages to tell a similar story and not touch your heart. What a talent! The Black Knight’s Tune: Ruby’s Story is one of a series planned by Finley who tells us in her bio that she has “an affinity for the Deep South and its history” and is “fascinated by the resiliency of the human spirit.” That resiliency is evident in the female protagonist, Ruby, born to black slave parents but separated from them while still a youngster. Beautifully written, tightly edited, and with plenty of revealing dialogue and reflection, The Black Knight’s Tune will resonate in your memory long after you set the book aside. Like that famous song, “Amazing Grace”, Naomi Finley as crafted this novella with amazing grace. I look forward to her next book in this series.
Recommend this book:
The Forgotten Painting
A Historical Mystery Novella
Gabriel Farago
2018 Gold Medal
129 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
Joy, sorrow, suffering, tragedy, loss – the entire spectrum of human emotions can envelop a person for either good or evil. Nothing expresses the magnitude and infinitesimally emotional power of music and art than the story surrounding the lives that both created them and those that nurtured and enjoyed them. Music and art are the very essence of being human. So, the story that follows music and art creates a powerful life force of its own. A story wrought with the joy of giving, the agony of having the gift removed, the guilt that follows the one who took the gift, and the violence that both frightened and expunged the beauty of life itself, making the beauty of the painting and the music dull in comparison.
We’re talking about a painting of a garden with a violinist playing off in the corner. The painting is by a famous Impressionist artist, Claude Monet. He painted the violinist into his garden scene and then gifted the painting to the violinist. A treasured gift that held prominence in the Jewish home for years captured the eye of a Nazi soldier after the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The violinist and his family were sent to Auschwitz, the painting was hidden in the Imperial crypt of the Hapsburgs in Vienna, and the Nazi thief lived the remainder of his days in fear of being brought to trial for his war crimes and with regret for what he had done. But there’s another twist to this story, a mystery about the painting itself. Is it the real Monet? Or is it a forgery?
Very seldom does a story capture my emotions as deeply as this one did. Like the 1998 movie, The Red Violin, Gabriel Farago’s The Forgotten Painting: A Historical Mystery Novella takes the reader on a journey led by a painting and the music it represented. This is a story about a painting, but it is so much more. It’s a narrative, complex and intricate in its presentation, that traces a drama from the early 1920s, through the horrors of the Second World War and projecting a connection to a monastery in the outback of Australia and a young boy, Jack Rogan, a celebrated writer, a passionate storyteller, who will follow the clues that lead back to the hidden painting. Powerful writing. A mystery within a mystery.
Recommend this book:
The Librarian
A First Contact Story
M.N. Arzu
2018 Silver Medal
110 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
The Librarian: A First Contact Story is a short sci-fi tale told by M.N. Arzú. Jane Logan is deciding on an evening snack while she awaits the return of her husband, Nick, who went hiking alone for the day. There’s a knock on her door, but instead of her husband, Jane is greeted by a very imposing US General Mitchell who whisks her away to his base. He tells her they’re holding an impostor who is impersonating Nick. Nothing makes any sense, and it makes even less sense when Jane arrives and meets the man who looks like Nick, but his image on the video monitor shows him made entirely of light, an alien being. And, he's radioactive. Jane wants to flee, but the alien insists on talking to her and the General insists that she listen. But where is Nick?
I thought The Librarian was a fantastic story with a perfect ending. Arzú’s writing is economical – nothing is wasted and the narrative moves along at a brisk pace. Besides being a fine piece of science fiction, The Librarian is also a very sweet love story. There is not much time to develop Nick and Jane’s relationship and yet we learn everything we need to know. Besides not showing up on video, the alien’s voice also doesn’t show up on recording devices, so a young army private is assigned to type all his words. Private Connors is an enjoyable addition to the story. From start to finish, I loved this book. Recommended for sci-fi fans and romantics alike.
Recommend this book:
Sarah & Zoey
A Novella
Linda Watkins
2018 Bronze Medal
122 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
Sarah & Zoey by Linda Watkins opens with Sarah, who is happily married to successful corporate lawyer, David Palmer, and mom to Thad. Her only problem is an unfinished article for the Boston Globe that stops her going on a sailing trip with her husband and son, and mild concern over dark clouds on the horizon. David and Thad don’t return for lunch. They don’t return, period. Sarah is plunged into a deep depression, but she adopts Zoey, a dog being rehomed in Boston, a thousand miles from Randall James Watson. Zoey leaves behind Mindy Sue, Watson’s abused wife, whose life she saved almost at the cost of her own, but can she save Sarah’s sanity? Will Mindy Sue recover from a broken spine, and contrive to evade Randall’s revenge?
Linda Watkins has written a fascinating, in-depth study of two very different women. Sarah, a wealthy “world-at her-feet” woman who loses her husband and son in a freak storm at sea, and a poor country girl, Mindy Sue, who miscarried her baby and has been living with her violent drunken husband ever since. Zoey is the dog who links them across class and distance with her gift of unconditional love. Every character is beautifully drawn, the contrasting lives and settings are vivid and so very different, the pace is fast, and the end utterly unpredictable. Sarah & Zoey is a powerful, heart-tugging story that must be read at one sitting; it’s too enthralling to put down. I loved this five-star novella, and I’ll be looking for more by Linda Watkins.
Recommend this book:
Liquid Gambit
Bonnie Milani
2018 Honorable Mention
54 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
In the sci-fi novella Liquid Gambit by Bonnie Milani, Rick is a bar owner at the Bogue Dast Station, a talon-less, broken-hearted Lupan with just enough self-motivation to run his bar every day, dealing with rough crowds and authorities. He turns down his Lupan kinsmen’s offer to go home with them. With his wife and children gone, there’s no longer a real home for Rick. When a mysterious woman named Emma walks into his bar, asking for a job, Rick never expected that she would evoke his past and bring an unforeseen trouble.
It took a while to familiarize myself with the world-building. That said, the narrative is very engaging and has a slight noir-esque feel to it. I kept wondering about what would happen next, and it got more interesting when Snicket, a young thief, hid a vial of Home World water-a clean vial of water from the old Earth herself-in Rick’s bar. This prompted the antagonist, Bayliss, to search the place. The plot is well structured and well executed for this novella, even better in some aspects compared to a few lengthy novel plots that I’ve read.
Milani also makes the well rounded characterization seem effortless. It’s easy to relate to the characters, particularly the protagonists Rick and Emma. I would love to see Liquid Gambit come alive visually on screen. The ending is nicely done, but I hope there’s a continuation for this story since its concept and premise are excellent. On the whole, this is a short but substantial and enjoyable read from Milani.
Recommend this book:
Lucent Sylph
A Short Story
RJ Conte
2018 Finalist
25 Pages
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Fiction - Short Story/Novela
Lucent Sylph by RJ Conte is a short story with heart about hearts. A Lucent Sylph is, in the words of the author, “…a translucent glass fairy that can sit in the palm of your hand.” They originate from Sylpha, an otherworldly land inexplicably connected to America by a portal. Although they are much coveted as pets, not only by twenty-fourth century Americans, but the rest of the world as well, Lucas Thissel wants nothing to do with them, for he fears causing them harm and ultimately their death. Yet, what he most fears is love. Then, one day he discovers Nissa, a Lucent Sylph to whom he had been previously introduced, now abandoned by ex-friend and insufferable gaming rival, Josiah. Despite his best efforts to mind his own business, Lucas can’t control his heart nor ignore Nissa’s plight.
RJ Conte’s Lucent Sylph is somewhat reminiscent of The Little Prince, each tale making observations about human existence through the words of unearthly beings. Lucent Sylph is about love, but is not a typical love story. On the part of Lucas, there is a certain wistful longing for some romance, “but if a bird loved a fish, where would they live?” The need for love is an obvious theme, as is loss, and that loss can be turned into purpose. God is unabashedly referred to more than once, so are the Lucent Sylphs really angels sent to teach humans more about love? I loved the cover and the story and its message. The writing is fun and poetic at times. I found the language of Lucent Sylph taut yet enchanting. All in all, Lucent Sylph is well worth your time.