Interplay: An Artist’s Approach to Spirituality
Honorable Mention,
2014 San Francisco Book Festival

Author: Makram Abu-Shakra Driven by the pursuit of inspiration and breakthrough experiences, musician, artist, and writer Abu-Shakra explores the inner terrain and develops a spirituality centered on attaininghigher states of mind. Weaving memoir with fiction, discussions on art and music, and unique observations on the nature of reality, Interplay traces the author’s progression from skepticism…

NO BEES PLEASE!
Honorable Mention,
2014 San Francisco Book Festival

Author: Brian Courrejou NO BEES PLEASE! tells the tale of Antoine, a well-to-do ant who lives all alone in the fanciest ant hill around. Antoine has everything he could ever want…except for someone to share it with. So, he announces that he has a spare room for rent and immediately, bugs from all parts come…

My Life in Secret
Honorable Mention,
2014 San Francisco Book Festival

Author: K. F. Mueller My Life in Secret is a memoir of an adult child of an alcoholic parent. It tells how she found her light; realizing she was living in a prison of her own making. I hope to be a beacon of light for others, who are struggling in their darkness.

Side-Yard Superhero
Honorable Mention,
2014 Great Northwest Book Festival

Author: Rick D. Niece, Ph.D. A picture-perfect childhood in a picture-perfect town…Growing up in small-town DeGraff, Ohio, teaches Rick Niece that life’s best moments are the innocent ones, especially when seen through the eyes of his hero, Bernie Jones. Born with cerebral palsy, Bernie teaches Rickie that the indomitable human spirit can never be confined.

CougaMongaMingaMan…the cat with the very long name and the very long tail
Honorable Mention,
2013 Los Angeles Book Festival

Author: Nancy Scalabroni CougaMongaMingaMan had the longest name of any cat in the neighborhood. He also had the longest tail which would get him into trouble and then ultimately save him.

Raising A Child’s Awareness: An Educator’s Guide to Happier, Empowered Children
Honorable Mention,
2013 London Book Festival

Author: Gretchen M. Fox and Gina McCormick A simple guide that teaches children to be aware of their feelings, then change their thoughts to make themselves feel better. An extremely important book for child, teacher, and parent alike, this is a must-have for anyone interested in exploring and implementing lifelong lessons in happiness and personal…

Wizdom and Pandora: The Quest For The Blood Jewel
Honorable Mention,
2013 London Book Festival

Author: K M Woodard One day Wizdom finds himself in a secret world, face to face with dragons and fire monsters. He meets Pandora and soon finds himself on a magical journey full of secrets, sorcery, and danger. He fights fierce battles and faces certain death as his quest leads him on an adventure like…

Barry’s Adventure
Honorable Mention,
2013 London Book Festival

Author: Dulce Rodrigues A real pet dog story, written to be enjoyed by both kids and adults. Barry is a special dog that even runs his own site barry4kids. The perfect family summer reading! An adventure… while travelling! A firm family favorite.

Sable Shadow and The Presence Cult
Runner-up,
2013 London Book Festival

Author:William Peace This fictional autobiography of a bright but introverted and slightly insecure Henry Lawson begins at a young age when he hears strange voices. He attributes one voice to Sable Shadow, a confident of the devil, and the other to The Presence, a representative of God. The book follows Henry through his successes and…

Canine Confessions
Honorable Mention,
2013 New England Book Festival

Author: Bernadette Griffin Montreal in the 1970s. Daisy, a cocker spaniel, recounts in touching, albeit humorous, detail, the story of her life as it intersects with humans. Through Daisy, we meet Harry and Monique, their children, and significant others, and experience the turmoil swirling around them, to which she is the all-seeing witness.