How I Lost My Kidneys in China
Winner
2024 Southern California Book Festival

Randall Flores How I Lost My Kidneys in China reveals the true story of Randall Flores, an intrepid explorer who, by chance, studied Mandarin in 1987. Three years later, he made his way to the esteemed halls of Peking University, followed by a two-year stint in Taiwan. After relocating to Hong Kong in 1994, he…

Hilton’s Island
Honorable Mention
2023 New England Book Festival

Mary Beth McCarthy Hilton, a golden doodle, loves to visit Hilton Head Island. As a matter of fact, he thinks it’s “his” island. When Hilton’s owners bring him to the beach he accidentally slips out of his collar, and is FREE! Join Hilton as he meets some adorable, silly and unexpected island animals as he…

From the Back of a Donkey, Journey of a Lifetime – Second Edition
Honorable Mention
2024 Southern California Book Festival

Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor From the Back of a Donkey, Journey of a Lifetime – Second Edition is a journey that captivates, moving you to slow down and rediscover the wonder, hope, and awe within the Christmas story, with an invitation to embark on a transformative and heartfelt journey through the essence of Christmas.

Tea, Elixir and Cottongrass 1. The Gardens
Honorable Mention
2023 New England Book Festival

Claire Huneault The Great Gardens are under attack! Iris and Max are planning on an uneventful Fall. What exactly is going on here? Why has there been an attack and who is responsible for it? Oddly enough, it occurs almost at the same time as an outbreak of COVAD-14. What a coincidence …

Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible
Runner-Up
2023 New England Book Festival

Chris Morehouse Discover African expressions of the Golden Rule, African versions of loving one’s enemies and welcoming the stranger, African insights about losing your way to find your way—and much more. The task of finding common ground—and facing our common future—has never been more urgent.

The Selfish Shellfish and the Sick Sea
Honorable Mention
2023 New England Book Festival

Andrea Harrison Caleb, a self-centered King Crab leader of the Shellfish does not want to face that his shellfish subjects are struggling to survive in the polluted ocean. He learns a valuable lesson about the importance of sharing and caring when his friends take up the cause to try and find a solution to heal…

Against All Enemies
Runner-Up
2024 Southern California Book Festival

Thomas M. Wing A Chinese sneak attack devastates the American military. Russia takes advantage and attacks NATO. A US destroyer, alone in the South China Sea, faces off wit the Chinese Navy. How much risk and loss must Captain Bill Wilkins accept to bring his crew home?

Already Home: Confronting the Trauma of Adoption
Honorable Mention
2024 Southern California Book Festival

Howard Frederick Ibach In his debut memoir, Already Home, adopted son, Howard Frederick Ibach, invites readers on an inspiring, roller-coaster journey of discovery and transformation that ultimately debunks presumptive ideas about adoption and reveals what it really means to have a family…or two.

The Last Three Houses on Bowman Street
Honorable Mention
2023 New England Book Festival

Thomas Hall This is an historical novel about family, strong women, and America coming of age.

Goodbye Woodstock: The Last Reunion
Honorable Mention
2023 New England Book Festival

M.H. Sullivan With the annual Woodstock Reunion about to begin, a commune must face multiple challenges: a natural disaster, a land dispute, and a life-threatening illness. Will the strength of the commune be enough to overcome these multiple threats and bring the community together to save their grove of giant sequoia trees?