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:
Treasure Found
An Art Journey
Cinthia James

2023 Silver Medal
143 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

Sometimes people involved in creative endeavors can hit a roadblock that prevents them from finding inspiration. In Treasure Found: An Art Journey, illustrator and pattern design artist Cinthia James offers potential creative artists a glimpse into her creative process and search for inspiration ranging from fashion, art, and entertainment to the K-pop musical group ATEEZ. She advises readers to start with the most significant aspect of any creative process: "What do you Love?" This book can be a guide to starting your artistic process, ensuring a continuous stream of inspiration and a visible improvement in your work. You will be able to discover and define your style and feel confident in your art while learning the fundamentals of graphic design, the process of creating in a series and outlining your work, negating self-doubt, and avoiding procrastination.
Cinthia James provides some deep and helpful insights into the process of creating art. She believes in the benefits of placing some constraints on your ideas to sharpen your focus and push your creativity, having a clear and concise vision while creating an idea, and breaking down projects into smaller components. James also explains the key differences between style and concept, inspiration and influence, and shows the application of grids, creative briefs, mood boards, and many other aspects of creating art. I was impressed by how many of James's ideas are not just bound to the realm of illustration or pattern designs but can be applied to other artistic media such as music, writing, and poetry. Treasure Found is truly a book for all the creatives out there.
Recommend this book:
On to Plan C
A Return to Travel
Jeremiah A. Gilbert

2023 Bronze Medal
250 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

On to Plan C: A Return to Travel by Jeremiah A. Gilbert tells the story of traveling again after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted. Two years of planned trips had been canceled, but now the world was opening up again. It’s 2022, and Jeremiah wanted to use his travel credits from canceled flights to plan a trip for himself and his wife. Up to date with vaccinations and with masks firmly in place, they set off on the first trip, battling health and fitness problems and the ever-changing rules of entry to each country. Is this the new normal, or will travel ever return to the easy way it once was?
On to Plan C by Jeremiah A. Gilbert is a fabulous tale of travel after the pandemic that reflects the issues we all faced when trying to get back to normal. It’s a wonderfully open, honest account of their adventures, the battle to keep up with the entry requirements for each country that seemed to change daily, and the COVID-19 testing requirements in each place, too. There are hundreds of photographs in this book, some color, some black and white, all helping to bring the tale to life. If you haven’t been brave enough to get on a plane since the pandemic was over, read this book. It will help you see how much easier it is now compared to when the world was just beginning to open up again. This is a fabulous book. Jeremiah is a talented writer and photographer, and his words leap off the page at you, with his descriptions and stories written in a way that makes you feel you are living the adventures with him. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Your Words Your Heart
Louise Bélanger

2023 Honorable Mention
81 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

Your Words Your Heart by Louise Bélanger is a collection of Christian poetry that celebrates God’s gifts to humankind. It is composed of twenty-six poems complemented by forty spring and summer pictures of nature and flowers taken by the author in her hometown in Canada. Each poem is dated and they range from 2 December 2021 to 17 August 2022. The poems are written in free verse, with the first poem paying tribute to the place we call home. This effectively establishes the theme for the rest of the book. Most of the poems in this collection are filled with insight into the moral dilemmas that society faces, with religious themes that center on faith and doubt, love, trust, times, and seasons. The colorful and stunning pictures enhance the universal appeal.
Louise Bélanger’s Your Words Your Heart is her third work of inspirational poetry. What I like most about this collection is not only how the poet skillfully uses the elements of simile, metaphor, and personification, but the spirit of worship that is on every page reminding us of God’s love. Most of the poems give meaning and stability to our lives and make us aware of spiritual realities. My favorite poem in this collection is Petals Like Heart where the author laments an unattended heart when its edges are turning into ice, like petals. However, the poem ends on a positive note with: "The sun can warm one/The Son can heal the other/Petals Like hearts Are subject to frost."
Recommend this book:
The Adjacent Possible
Evolve Your Art From Blank Canvas To Prolific Artist
Nancy Hillis

2022 Gold Medal
228 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

The Adjacent Possible: Evolve Your Art from Blank Canvas to Prolific Artist is a fascinating presentation on the science of artistic creativity by the psychiatrist and abstract artist Nancy Leigh Hillis, M.D. It is written with the stated purpose to “guide, nudge, and inspire” the reader to reach their fullest artistic expression by venturing into the adjacent possible. Dr. Hillis describes this as existing on the creative edge where every brushstroke or artistic expression reveals new possibilities which didn’t exist before. The inner journey of creativity is discussed, followed by topics such as tips for artists, mistakes even the pros make, traps artists face, and the paradox of creation including the value of ugly art. A link to a website and an invitation to join the Artists Journey community are also provided.
As someone who has admittedly produced a few pieces of ugly art, I have to say that in The Adjacent Possible, Dr. Nancy Leigh Hillis has hit a home run. As an engineer, I appreciated the references to science as she explored creativity and the role of attitude. “Art is an inside job,” she tells us. “Your inner landscape, your inner dialogue, your mindset is your most important asset because it affects everything.” It’s not the refining of artistic technique that will have the greatest impact on your creativity, but your willingness to experiment. The well-written narrative flows from one topic to another, using stories that are sprinkled throughout to convey the concepts that are beautifully presented. This book will challenge you to re-evaluate how you approach your creativity and artistic expression.
Recommend this book:
Starvin' Artist
Hunger for Success
Anthony Waldren

2022 Silver Medal
224 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

On its surface Starvin' Artist: Hunger for Success is an inspirational memoir by graphic artist and businessman Anthony Waldren. On a deeper level, it’s a thoughtful, insightful, and reflective work of philosophy about life based on the lessons Waldren has learned. As a memoir, it’s impressive. A young boy falls asleep in class because gunshots keep him awake at night. His early exposure to business ethics and the search for prosperity are the drug dealers in his neighborhood. Yet he rises beyond them to find success through talent, intelligence, and diligence. As a book about philosophy, I find it even more impressive. Waldren is able to express life’s lessons in a comprehensible, almost guru-like manner, and there is something here of value for everyone.
In Starvin’ Artist, Anthony Waldren depicts a “real life” struggle that plays out in American streets every day. What is it that leads one child born into harsh conditions to succumb to a criminal way of life to acquire the wealth and prestige he desires and another to reject it? The one, it seems, proves highly adaptable to his surroundings, to surviving and even prospering in the violent “box” in which he lives. The other sees outside the “box” to another world. Through the stories of life experiences and the lessons they brought him, Anthony Waldren gives hope that we can climb out of one “box” and into another with persistence, toughmindedness, and the ability to learn from the lessons of life. This is an utterly amazing read. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Lazy Creativity
The Art of Owning Your Creativity
Kyle Bernier

2022 Bronze Medal
170 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

You want to be creative, but it’s a different thing to get out of bed and start doing something. As your muse pokes you awake, sloth entices you with a soft pillow. What if there’s a way for these two creatures to get along? Author Kyle Bernier took a while to write Lazy Creativity: The Art of Owning Your Creativity, and the outcome of this endeavor is worth it. Here, creativity is his driving force to keep working, yet at the same time, he did it little by little, piece by piece, step by step—doing away with any unnecessary pressure. He guides you through a similar creative process, breaking down his book into sections that follow a linear creative process. From getting started to moving forward, you can focus on any topic that interests you since creativity doesn’t always operate in a linear process.
I personally like Kyle Bernier’s take on what he coins as Lazy Creativity. It took me a year to write a novella, and I was happy with its outcome. We all have our own concepts of creativity and our relationship with it varies. Bernier shares how he deals with it without any imposition for you to follow it. If you do choose to follow this guide, you will likely find it easier to deal with or tame your muse. The passion to create is something that you do not force. It must flow. And it will only do so if you take time to understand why and how creativity happens and in what manner it approaches you. Doing so allows you to find the energy to face it and do it each day. This is why this Lazy Creativity deserves your attention because it gives you a reason to get motivated in thinking, creating, and connecting in spite of life’s complexities that make you want to sit back and do nothing.
Recommend this book:
Faces We Love Shanghai
Capturing Honest, Human Moments
Derek Muhs (Compilation), Marisa Tarin (Compilation)

2022 Honorable Mention
240 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

Faces We Love Shanghai by Derek Muhs and Marisa Tarin is an extraordinary compilation of photographs starring the people of Shanghai. Each picture is complemented by a short description, a sentence, a thought which is shared with us and which we can choose to read after having seen the photograph or before studying it. I personally preferred to start with the picture and try understanding what the aim of the photographer was. Moreover, it is mentioned in the foreword that, "the function of the artist is to disturb". I am not sure this is about disturbing the persons being photographed, but more for us as the audience; to make us think, to make us reflect on customs, traditions, differences.
Faces We Love Shanghai by Derek Muhs and Marisa Tarin is a fabulous work of art mixing writing in its conciseness and straightforwardness with the art of photography. Two different ways of expressing ideas, thoughts, but also of sharing emotions. The whole work focuses on the people who are making a country, who are the real pieces of a puzzle, of a specific, unique community. The pictures are magnificent, the texts are telling. The questions make us doubt what we see and dig deeper. We feel immersed in another community as we examine this superb collection of snapshots. The artists share multiple views, pictures, places, instants, thus giving us a hint of a deeper, stronger message and diverse lifestyles. A great job and a perfect gift for your loved ones.
Recommend this book:
Threads of Awakening
An American Woman's Journey into Tibet's Sacred Textile Art
Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo

2022 Finalist
328 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

Thangkas are a rare form of fabric wall hanging depicting sacred figures of Tibetan Buddhism. Using a little-known technique called Tibetan applique, these detailed images are created by sewing together pieces of colorful silk. Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo is one of few Westerners who has mastered this tradition. In Threads of Awakening: An American Woman's Journey into Tibet's Sacred Textile Art, she describes not only her transformation from an urban planner/economist working in India for the Tibetan refugee community into a full-time art student but also her spiritual journey as a follower of Tibetan Buddhism. A foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a preface by Tibetan art educator Pema Namdol Thaye, an appendix with instructions on the technique, a glossary, and photographs are included.
In Threads of Awakening, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo gives us a wonderful blend of art and autobiography. Her writing style is engaging, well-paced, informative, detailed, and revealing. Just as the thangka communicates spiritual teachings through the puzzle piece-like details in the images created by the fabric, so the author explores the spiritual transformation she experienced as the pieces of her life came together like a puzzle when she saw her first appliqued thangka - an epiphany not unlike being struck by the proverbial light on the road to Damascus - which redirected her life. Bringing this art form to the West, making the study of it available to others from around the world through a virtual apprenticeship program, and helping to preserve a re-emerging traditional textile art that was nearly lost will surely bring many blessings. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Through A Sober Lens
A Photographer's Journey
Michael Blanchard

2021 Gold Medal
100 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

Through A Sober Lens: A Photographer’s Journey by Michael Blanchard is an exquisite collection of photographs and words that signal the author’s transformational journey and looking at the world with sobriety. The beauty that unfolds in front of the reader’s eyes gives them glimpses of the author’s catharsis from darkness to light and hope. The book is a fine blend of words and photographs that reveal the darker days of the author, which include his addiction and alcoholism, and give positive insights on his recovery. There are stories that reiterate the presence of love, faith, compassion, resilience, and empathy and his realization that challenges are part of life and growth is not possible in their absence. This memoir shares his experiences and is a good tool for readers who are looking to be free from their alcohol addiction.
Michael Blanchard’s photographic skills and aesthetic eye are a treat for readers and bring his creativity to the fore. The approach to reaching out to others to help them heal from their addictions is different and unique and that makes the book refreshingly original and unconventional. His words along with the pictures will influence many readers to change their perception of life and how to deal with their demons. The Affirmations in the Storm are good to use as a reminder to readers to see how far they have come from what they originally were. Through A Sober Lens is a good way of helping alcohol addicts to remove their shame which actually stops them from seeking help. The author’s spirituality, connection with nature, and his healing journey are motivating and inspiring. I enjoyed the presentation and his simple and clear narrative style makes it easy for readers to comprehend his words, incorporate them into their lives, and effect the changes they are looking for.
Recommend this book:
The National Parks
A Century of Grace
Karla K. Morton and Alan Birkelbach

2021 Silver Medal
320 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Art/Photography

The National Parks: A Century of Grace by Karla K. Morton and Alan Birkelbach is a fabulous collection of pictures, poems, and facts about the National Parks of America, which are extraordinary places where the beauty of the untouched wilderness can be experienced. Humans are always in search of finding meaning in Nature. The magnitude of what Nature offers can be felt through the pictures, descriptions, and poetry shared and will make readers aware of how blessed they are living close to the stunning beauty of natural wonders of nature in their lifetime. The two poets share their views on the seen and unseen beauty of the National Parks of America and take readers on a fascinating and adventurous journey to appreciate the offerings of nature.
The National Parks: A Century of Grace will encourage travelers to visit any one of these National Parks to experience the wonders of nature. The pictures and the poems capture the beauty of these National Parks, making it tangible to readers. 'Crater Lake Blue' is my favorite poem in the book, more so because I am fascinated by different shades of blue, and the poet, Karla, pulls readers into the beauty of the Crater Lake National Park and will leave them speechless. Alan Birkelbach captivates readers with his poem 'What We Abandon,' which makes the beauty of the Glacier National Park, Montana, and Canada palpable to readers. All the poems are unique in their own way as they speak about each one of the National Parks mentioned in the book. The approach to the topic is avante-garde and I liked the poets' poems on all the National Parks based on their perception of these places. This book will no doubt be re-read and also used to plan trips to any one of these National Parks.
