FROM THE BEACH BOOK AND NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVALS: AWARDS NIGHT

Awards night, for those of us who attended and received awards, was both an energizing and intimate event at New York's Grolier Club.  Several things stayed with me from that night.  First, how supportive and inclusive the writers I met were.  They seemed to understand what my friend and fellow writer, Cindy Hill, told me recently.  "Books are not in competition with each other."  It's what publishers already know.  Having many books that are like each other creates a synergy between them and helps bring attention to them all.

Even when all the books are so very different.  Which is one of the other remarkable things about that night.  I was amazed at the scope and variety of the work represented there.

Lastly, I was taken by how much writer's went through to produce their work.  At a time when it may be easier than ever to publish books, it is very difficult to sell books.  Despite the odds against commericial success from writing, all of these writers have one thing in common.  They have not let anything stop them from telling their stories, and many have made great sacrifices in time, energy and financial resources to complete their projects. Here are the books and links from some of the authors I met and shared with that night.

From Kizzie Elizabeth Jones, winner in the Children's category of the Beach Book Festival.

http://kizziejones.com/index.html

And from Ralph W. Baker Jr. his honorable mention in the General Non-fiction category.

http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com/content/blogcategory/1/37/

Here is Midge Leavey's honorable mention for the Children's category:

http://www.missmidgiespreschool.com/missingmommycure

And from K. Patrick Malone, winner in the Compiliations/Anthologies category:

 http://www.a-argusbooks.com/authorsMalone.htm

/Beyond-Pale-K-Patrick-Malone/dp/0615696457


Publisher Danforth Prince accepted the Grand Prize for the Beach Book Festival for author Darwin Porter:

This is the untold story of the sex slave who was rented out by her husband, even for rape, to celebrities and high-rollers. Boldly told, it's all here, naming names with the first published exploration of the 1970s sex goddess who was transformed into a feminist icon of the 1980s. To this iconic and overheated saga, Blood Moon applies its award-winning formula to sex-industry players from the world of entertainment and politics.

 http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Linda-Lovelaces-Deep-Throat/dp/1936003333



From Ronita Johnson, honorable mention in  the Biography/Autobiography category Coming to Forgiveness

http://www.comingtoforgiveness.com/



Finally, from Alicia Young, winner of the How-to category for The Savvy Girl's Guide to Grace

http://www.savvy-life.com/