Summer-Fall 2023 Super Contest
* Featuring 31 returning champions
* 141 total contestants
* The biggest and most competitive OCA contest of all time
GRAND-PRIZE/OVERALL WINNERS
(Medalists)
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Fiction Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Canvas of Healing” Suzette Welling
“Over the Fence” Debbie Schrack
“Not My War” Valerie Anne Hudson
2nd Place
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” John Daze
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
“Tales of Monstrosity” Marx Pyle et al.
“Cheerful Obedience” Patrick McLaughlin
“Fractured Shards” Shaun Keenan et al.
“It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” Athena Kaiman
“Gothic Revival” Michael Mullin
“Grave Secrets” Cassandra Aston
“Changing Tide” Robert Joncas
“The Superhero of Emotion” Emiliano Forino Procacci
“Delicatus” SP Somtow
“Corruption” Parker Samuels
"Culver City" Brant Vickers
3rd Place
“Kaw Lake” Ethan Richards
“The Soul Machines” Alexandru Czimbor
“Prometheus’ Gift” John Sangster
“An Enemy Like Me” Teri Brown
“Eleonora and Joseph” Julieta Rodrigues
“The Oasis King” Mark David Pullen
“White Sands Gold” Mike Torreano
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Non-Fiction Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Taking Stock” Peter J. De Silva
“The Off-Balance Theory” Dan Diaconu
“The Old Man and Me” RC Larlham
“The Power of Being Seen” Roger Saillant
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” by Dr. Adam Ankrum
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“My Place Among Them” J. Stanion
2nd Place
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
“The Power of Wholeness” Dr. Verlaine Crawford
“Growth” Karen DeBonis
“The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” Gwen Romack
“Unhunched” Aesha Tahir
“Teens’ Guide to Making Friends” Kev Chilton
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
“You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
3rd Place
“Zaidy’s War” Martin Bodek
“Marching Through Time” Frankie Billie Tadius
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” Randall Flores
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“The Overthinking Orbit” Erin George
“You Will Never Be Normal” Catherine Klatzker
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Children's Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“What I See is Love” Gabriella Fiorletta
“Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” Miki Taylor
“Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic” Kendra Fogarty
“Where are you, Alfie?” Mary Jean DeSantis
“ABC for Future CEOs” Chris Folayan
“Puppy Comes Home” Diane Capogna
“Henri and the Magnificent Snort” Samantha Childs
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen
“Welcome Home, Pearl” Tuula Pere
“The Caring Crab” Tuula Pere
“Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
“Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze” Sheryl Bass
2nd Place
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” Steve Stables
“What Is the Shape of My Egg?” Lisa Weckbacher
“The Fox’s Tower” Tuula Pere
“Pearl’s Life” Tuula Pere
“Pearl, Our Butterfly” Tuula Pere
“Digger the Colony Worker Ant” Dr. Christian Kueng
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” Rahni Davies
“ABC Bible Adventure” Leslie Mae
“A Butterfly’s Song” Tuula Pere
“The Gnatural” Mark & Ryan Bryson
“Colorworld” Anthony Richichi
“Mysteries of the Mist” Cynthia Rand
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
3rd Place
“Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
“Bedtime Fables” Raymond Johnson
“Fun with Mathematics” Sumita Bose
“Haunted House: Day & Night” Jaybie D
“Tammy the Troll” Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
“Raccoons Go Rafting” Rachel Vogel
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Art of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Aschenputtel” Jackie Sonnenberg
2nd Place
“Nancy Grace Roman, Mother of the Hubble Space Telescope” Gayle Cobb
“Glass Reflection/Pigeon Dropping Art for Tahera” Steve Offord
“Kleenah & Mist” from “Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand, Illustrated by Danilo Cerovic
3rd Place
“Tonya Harding” Steve Offord
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Music of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Story Monsters Theme” Linda Radke, Conrad J. Storad, Erin Rementer, Zachary Simpson
Best Fiction Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Canvas of Healing” Suzette Welling
“Over the Fence” Debbie Schrack
“Not My War” Valerie Anne Hudson
2nd Place
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” John Daze
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
“Tales of Monstrosity” Marx Pyle et al.
“Cheerful Obedience” Patrick McLaughlin
“Fractured Shards” Shaun Keenan et al.
“It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” Athena Kaiman
“Gothic Revival” Michael Mullin
“Grave Secrets” Cassandra Aston
“Changing Tide” Robert Joncas
“The Superhero of Emotion” Emiliano Forino Procacci
“Delicatus” SP Somtow
“Corruption” Parker Samuels
"Culver City" Brant Vickers
3rd Place
“Kaw Lake” Ethan Richards
“The Soul Machines” Alexandru Czimbor
“Prometheus’ Gift” John Sangster
“An Enemy Like Me” Teri Brown
“Eleonora and Joseph” Julieta Rodrigues
“The Oasis King” Mark David Pullen
“White Sands Gold” Mike Torreano
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Non-Fiction Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Taking Stock” Peter J. De Silva
“The Off-Balance Theory” Dan Diaconu
“The Old Man and Me” RC Larlham
“The Power of Being Seen” Roger Saillant
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” by Dr. Adam Ankrum
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“My Place Among Them” J. Stanion
2nd Place
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
“The Power of Wholeness” Dr. Verlaine Crawford
“Growth” Karen DeBonis
“The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” Gwen Romack
“Unhunched” Aesha Tahir
“Teens’ Guide to Making Friends” Kev Chilton
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
“You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
3rd Place
“Zaidy’s War” Martin Bodek
“Marching Through Time” Frankie Billie Tadius
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” Randall Flores
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“The Overthinking Orbit” Erin George
“You Will Never Be Normal” Catherine Klatzker
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Children's Book of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“What I See is Love” Gabriella Fiorletta
“Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” Miki Taylor
“Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic” Kendra Fogarty
“Where are you, Alfie?” Mary Jean DeSantis
“ABC for Future CEOs” Chris Folayan
“Puppy Comes Home” Diane Capogna
“Henri and the Magnificent Snort” Samantha Childs
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen
“Welcome Home, Pearl” Tuula Pere
“The Caring Crab” Tuula Pere
“Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
“Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze” Sheryl Bass
2nd Place
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” Steve Stables
“What Is the Shape of My Egg?” Lisa Weckbacher
“The Fox’s Tower” Tuula Pere
“Pearl’s Life” Tuula Pere
“Pearl, Our Butterfly” Tuula Pere
“Digger the Colony Worker Ant” Dr. Christian Kueng
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” Rahni Davies
“ABC Bible Adventure” Leslie Mae
“A Butterfly’s Song” Tuula Pere
“The Gnatural” Mark & Ryan Bryson
“Colorworld” Anthony Richichi
“Mysteries of the Mist” Cynthia Rand
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
3rd Place
“Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
“Bedtime Fables” Raymond Johnson
“Fun with Mathematics” Sumita Bose
“Haunted House: Day & Night” Jaybie D
“Tammy the Troll” Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
“Raccoons Go Rafting” Rachel Vogel
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Art of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Aschenputtel” Jackie Sonnenberg
2nd Place
“Nancy Grace Roman, Mother of the Hubble Space Telescope” Gayle Cobb
“Glass Reflection/Pigeon Dropping Art for Tahera” Steve Offord
“Kleenah & Mist” from “Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand, Illustrated by Danilo Cerovic
3rd Place
“Tonya Harding” Steve Offord
Outstanding Creator Award for
Best Music of Clash of Champions 2023
1st Place
“Story Monsters Theme” Linda Radke, Conrad J. Storad, Erin Rementer, Zachary Simpson
CATEGORY WINNERS
Outstanding Creator Award for
Biographies / Autobiographies / Memoirs / Pseudo-Memoirs
1st Place
“The Old Man and Me” RC Larlham
“The Power of Being Seen” Roger Saillant
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“Growth” Karen DeBonis
2nd Place
“Marching Through Time” Frankie Billy Tadius
“Zaidy’s War” Martin Bodek
“You Will Never Be Normal” Catherine Klatzker
3rd Place
“Dear Michael” Adam Lieber
“Las Crosses” Apple An
“Travels and Tribulations” Tyrel Nelson
Honorable Mentions
“My Imaginary Friend” Thomas Wermuth
“My Autobiographies” John Koenig
“A How Pretty Town” Bruce Evans
“Hell's Half Acre” Richard Lee Cook
Outstanding Creator Award for
Travel
1st Place
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” Randall Flores
2nd Place
“Travels and Tribulations” Tyrel Nelson
3rd Place
“Las Crosses” Apple An
Outstanding Creator Award for
LGBTQA+
1st Place
“Delicatus” S.P. Somtow
2nd Place
“Dear Michael” Adam Lieber
3rd Place
“My Imaginary Friend” Thomas Wermuth
Outstanding Creator Award for
African-American Literature
1st Place
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
2nd Place
“You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
“8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” Darren Henry
3rd Place
“Broken Pencils” JR Rice
Outstanding Creator Award for
Historical Fiction
1st Place
“Not My War” Valerie Anne Hudson
“An Enemy Like Me” Teri Brown
2nd Place
“Cheerful Obedience” Patrick McLaughlin
"Culver City" Brant Vickers
“Eleonora and Joseph” Julieta Rodrigues
“Delicatus” S.P. Somtow
3rd Place
“The Soul Machines” Alexandru Czimbor
Honorable Mentions
“The Age of Heroes” Mikhail Gladkikh
“Taken” By EC Roderick
Outstanding Creator Award for
Murder Mystery / Detective Mystery / Cozy Mystery
1st Place
“Prometheus’ Gift” John Sangster
“Corruption” Parker Samuel
“Fractured Shards” Shaun Keenan et al.
“Bloodlines & Betrayals” Sarah Hualde
2nd Place
“Click-Click-Click” Anne Warner, Karen DeVanie
3rd Place
“The Nocturnal Devil” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Outstanding Creator Award for
Graphic Novels & Comics
1st Place
“Fractured Shards” Shaun Keenan et al.
“It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
Outstanding Creator Award for
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
1st Place
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen
2nd Place
“Please Grow Away” Amy Gerardi, Brenda Umbrianna
Outstanding Creator Award for
Holiday Books
1st Place
“Haunted House: Day & Night” Jaybie D
“Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” Paula Bailey
Outstanding Creator Award for
Relationships, Marriage, and Couples
1st Place
“You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
Outstanding Creator Award for
Thrillers & Suspense
1st Place
“Over the Fence” Debbie Schrack
“Gothic Revival” Michael Mullin
2nd Place
“Bucharest Legacy” William Maz
“Prometheus’ Gift” John Sangster
3rd Place
“The Box” Fred Falcon
Honorable Mentions
“Shadow of the Gypsy” Shelly Frome
Outstanding Creator Award for
Fantasy
1st Place
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” John Daze
“Tales of Monstrosity” Marx Pyle et al.
“Grave Secrets” Cassandra Aston
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
“Changing Tide” Robert Joncas
2nd Place
“The Cup” Marieke Lexmond
3rd Place
“The Wind at Oak Hollow” Melissa Widmaier
“The Age of Heroes” Mikhail Gladkikh
Outstanding Creator Award for
Real-Estate
1st Place
“Foundation Repair Secrets” Robert K. Brown
Outstanding Creator Award for
Business
1st Place
“Taking Stock” Peter J. de Silva
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
2nd Place
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
3rd Place
“8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” Darren Henry
Outstanding Creator Award for
Science-Fiction (Sci-Fi)
1st Place
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” Athena Kaiman
“Changing Tide” Robert Joncas
“Diary of a Martian” Stephen Haunts
“The Superhero of Emotion” Emiliano Forino Procacci
2nd Place
“Endgame on Lunar One” Isaac Petrov
“The Space Traveller’s Lover” Omara Williams
“The Mines of Jedira” Cal Davis
3rd Place
“The Box” Fred Falcon
“Dar & Earth: Revelations” Athena Kaiman
“The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” Jay Foreman
Honorable Mention
“The Windy City Terror” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
“The Angel Theory” John Morelli
Outstanding Creator Award for
Romance
1st Place
“Not My War” Valerie Anne Hudson
“Canvas of Healing” Suzette Welling
“An Enemy Like Me” Teri Brown
2nd Place
“Always Orchid” Carol Van Den Hende
“Dear Michael” Adam Lieber
“Changing Tide” Robert Joncas
“My Dearest Miss Fairfax” Jeanette Watts
3rd Place
“The Space Traveller’s Lover” Omara Williams
Outstanding Creator Award for
Superheroes, Supervillains, and Superpowers
Winners (Tie- 1st Place)
“The Superhero of Emotion” Emiliano Forino Procacci
“Colorworld” Anthony Richichi
“Fractured Shards” Shaun Keenan et al.
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
Outstanding Creator Award for
Paranormal Romance
Winners (Tie- 1st Place)
“It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
“Grave Secrets” Cassandra Aston
Outstanding Creator Award for
Comedy / Humor
1st Place
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” Steve Stables
“Chato, the Puppy-Cat” Anita Haas
2nd Place
“Senior Thesis” Darren Greninger
3rd Place
“Snoodles in Space” Steven Joseph
Outstanding Creator Award for
Middle Grade Books
1st Place
“Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
2nd Place
“The Oasis King” Mark David Pullen
3rd Place
“Diary of a Martian” Stephen Haunts
Outstanding Creator Award for
Music (Literature)
1st Place
“The Guitar Decoder Ring” Asher Black & Barry Gilman
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
“Marching Through Time” Frankie Billy Tadius
2nd Place
“Any Rhyme at All” Terri Whitney
Outstanding Creator Award for
Grief & Coping
1st Place
“Canvas of Healing” Suzette Welling
“Pearl, Our Butterfly” Tuula Pere
“Pearl’s Life” Tuula Pere
2nd Place
“A Voice from Heaven” Alexander & Cynthia Girman
Outstanding Creator Award for
Westerns
1st Place
“White Sands Gold” Mike Torreano
Outstanding Creator Award for
Horror
1st Place
“Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
“It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” Dr. Adam Ankrum
2nd Place
“Haunted House: Day & Night” Jaybie D
“The Windy City Terror”
3rd Place
“The Nocturnal Devil” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
“Meth Gator” Ethan Richards
Outstanding Creator Award for
Illustrated & Picture Books for Children
1st Place
“Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” Miki Taylor, Eunhye Shin
“Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic” Kendra Fogarty
“Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze” Sheryl Bass, Ramesh Ram
“Mysteries of the Mist” Cynthia Rand
2nd Place
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen
“Henri and the Magnificent Snort” Samantha Childs
“What I See is Love” Gabriella Fiorletta
“The Caring Crab” Tuula Pere
“The Fox’s Tower” Tuula Pere
“A Butterfly’s Song” Tuula Pere
“ABC for Future CEOs” Chris Folayan
“Tammy the Troll” Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
3rd Place
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” Steve Stables
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“What Is the Shape of My Egg?” Lisa Weckbacher
“Digger the Colony Worker Ant” Dr. Christian Kueng
Outstanding Creator Award for
Photography Books
1st Place
“The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” Gwen Romack
2nd Place
“Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” Paula Bailey
3rd Place
“50 Paintings for 50 Coworkers and What I Learned Along the Way” Dr. Steve Offord
Outstanding Creator Award for
Health
1st Place
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” Dr. Adam Ankrum
“Growth” Karen DeBonis
2nd Place
“The Sweet Tooth Dilemma” Andrea Grayson
“Unhunched” Aesha Tahir
3rd Place
“Nurse Florence, What is Asthma?” Michael Dow
“Nature Gifts of the Soursop Leaves” David Soh Poh Huat
Outstanding Creator Award for
Mental Health
1st Place
“Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic” Kendra Fogarty
“The Power of Wholeness” Dr. Verlaine Crawford
2nd Place
“Teens’ Guide to Making Friends” Kev Chilton
“The Overthinking Orbit” Erin George
“You Will Never Be Normal” Catherine Klatzker
3rd Place
“A Voice From Heaven” Alexander & Cynthia Girman
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” Rahni Davies
Outstanding Creator Award for
True Crime
1st Place
“Click-Click-Click” Anne Warner, Karen Devanie
Outstanding Creator Award for
Military Fiction
1st Place
“Cheerful Obedience” by Patrick McLaughlin
“An Enemy Like Me” Teri Brown
2nd Place
“Not My War” Valerie Anne Hudson
Outstanding Creator Award for
Spirituality
1st Place
“The Power of Wholeness” Dr. Verlaine Crawford
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
2nd Place
“Journeys to Other Planets” Mary Gallagher Hannigan
“A Voice from Heaven” Alexander & Cynthia Girman
3rd Place
“My Autobiographies” John Koenig
Outstanding Creator Award for
Politics
1st Place
“The Off-Balance Theory” Dan Diaconu
Outstanding Creator Award for
Self-Help / How-to Books
1st Place
“The Off-Balance Theory” Dan Diaconu
“The Power of Wholeness” Dr. Verlaine Crawford
2nd Place
“Unhunched” Aesha Tahir
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
“Teens’ Guide to Making Friends” Kev Chilton
3rd Place
“The Sweet Tooth Dilemma” Andrea Grayson
“The Overthinking Orbit” Erin George
“The Guitar Decoder Ring” by Asher Black & Barry Gilman
Honorable Mentions
“Visual Impact” Wendi Pillars
Outstanding Creator Award for
Educational & Reference Books
1st Place
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
“Taking Stock” Peter J. De Silva
"The Off-Balance Theory" Dan Diaconu
2nd Place
“Teens’ Guide to Making Friends” Kev Chilton
3rd Place
“Visual Impact” Wendi Pillars
Outstanding Creator Award for
Children’s Educational Books
1st Place
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
“ABC for Future CEOs” Chris Folayan
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
2nd Place
“Fun with Mathematics” Sumita Bose
“What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
“ABC Bible Adventure” Leslie Mae
“Colorful Creatures” Dr. Joe Richichi
3rd Place
“Nurse Florence, What is Asthma?” Michael Dow
“Finding the Blaze” Maryellen Eyer
Outstanding Creator Award for
Christian
1st Place
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
2nd Place
“ABC Bible Adventure” by Leslie Mae
“You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
3rd Place
“Bloodlines & Betrayals” Sarah Hualde
Outstanding Creator Award for
Poetry
1st Place
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
2nd Place
“Any Rhyme at All” Terri Whitney
3rd Place
“Vampire Stories and Poems” Glenn Stevens
“Hell's Half Acre” Richard Lee Cook
Outstanding Creator Award for
Vampire Literature
1st Place
“The Vampires Missing Cape” Steve Stables
“Grave Secrets” Cassandra Aston
2nd Place
“Vampire Stories and Poems” Glenn Stevens
3rd Place
“Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
“The Seventh Syndicate” Dawn Ray
Outstanding Creator Award for
Activity Books / Workbooks / Coloring Books
1st Place
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
“Fun with Mathematics” Sumita Bose
2nd Place
“Colorful Creatures” Dr. Joe Richichi
3rd Place
“Visual Impact” Wendi Pillars
Outstanding Creator Award for
Action & Adventure
1st Place
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade”
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” Athena Kaiman
“Kaw Lake” Ethan Richards
“The Oasis King” Mark David Pullen
2nd Place
“The Mines of Jedira” Cal Davis
“Endgame on Lunar One” Isaac Petrov
3rd Place
“The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” Jay Foreman
“The Age of Heroes” Mikhail Gladkikh
Outstanding Creator Award for
Literary Fiction
1st Place
“Canvas of Healing” Suzette Welling
“Over the Fence” Debbie Schrack
2nd Place
“My Dearest Miss Fairfax” Jeanette Watts
“Eleonora and Joseph” Julieta Rodrigues
Outstanding Creator Award for
Multicultural, Multilingual, and Bilingual Books
1st Place
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” Randall Flores
2nd Place
“Travels and Tribulations” Tyrel Nelson
“Always Orchid” Carol Van Den Hende
“Las Crosses” Apple An
“Chato, the Puppy-Cat” Anita Haas
3rd Place
“Dear Michael” Adam Lieber
Outstanding Creator Award for
Children's Motivational & Inspirational Books
1st Place
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“The Gnatural” Mark & Ryan Bryson
“What I See is Love” Gabriella Fiorletta
"Welcome Home, Pearl" Tuula Pere
2nd Place
“Colorworld” Anthony Richichi
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
3rd Place
“Pearl’s Life” Tuula Pere
“Pearl, Our Butterfly” Tuula Pere
“Bedtime Fables” Raymond Johnson
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” Rahni Davies
“Scared to Swim” Tuula Pere
“Please Grow Away” Amy Gerardi, Brenda Umbrianna
Outstanding Creator Award for
Film Scripts / Play Scripts / Screenplay
1st Place
“Senior Thesis” Darren Greninger
Outstanding Creator Award for
Time Travel
1st Place
“The Box” Fred Falcon
2nd Place
“Taken” By E.C. Roderick
3rd Place
“The Angel Theory” John Morelli
Honorable Mention
“Surfer Moon” Domenic Melillo
Outstanding Creator Award for
Short-Stories / Anthologies / Collections
1st Place
“Tales of Monstrosity” Marx Pyle et al.
2nd Place
“Vampire Stories and Poems” Glenn Stevens
3rd Place
“Surfer Moon” Domenic Melillo
Outstanding Creator Award for
Motivational / Inspirational
1st Place
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
2nd Place
“Setback or Stepping Stone?” Wayne Faulkner
Outstanding Creator Award for
Children’s Fiction / Juvenile Fiction
1st Place
“Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
2nd Place
“Mysteries of the Mist” Cynthia Rand
3rd Place
“Circus Cannelloni Invades Britain” Tuula Pere
Outstanding Creator Award for
Teen & Young-Adult Fiction
1st Place
“The Mines of Jedira” Cal Davis
2nd Place
“The Wind of Oak Hollow” Melissa Widmaier
3rd Place
“The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” Jay Foreman
Outstanding Creator Award for
Mystery
1st Place
“Prometheus’ Gift” John Sangster
2nd Place
“The Nocturnal Devil” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
3rd Place
“The Windy City Terror” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Outstanding Creator Award for
Science / STEAM / Mathematics
1st Place
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
2nd Place
“Fun with Mathematics” Sumita Bose
3rd Place
“Colorful Creatures” Joe Richichi
Outstanding Creator Award for
Pets and Animals
1st Place
“Where Are You, Alfie?” Mary Jean DeSantis
“Puppy Comes Home” Diane Capogna
“Night Watchers” Conrad J. Storad
2nd Place
“The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” Gwen Romack
“Henry and the Magnificent Snort” Samantha Childs
3rd Place
“Chato, the Puppy-Cat” Anita Haas
“Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” Paula Bailey
“Colorful Creatures” Joe Richichi
“Finding the Blaze” Maryellen Eyer
Outstanding Creator Award for
Myths & Legends / Fairy Tales / Mythical Creatures / Cryptids
1st Place
“Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
“Mice” Jackie Sonnenberg
2nd Place
“The Age of Heroes” Mikhail Gladkikh
“Kaw Lake” by Ethan Richards
3rd Place
“The Windy City Terror” Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Outstanding Creator Award for
Home & Garden
1st Place
“Foundation Repair Secrets” Robert K. Brown
Outstanding Creator Award for
Audiobooks
1st Place
“The Old Man and Me” RC Larlham
2nd Place
“Corruption” Parker Samuels (* Previous contest winner)
Outstanding Creator Award for
Native American Literature
1st Place
“My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
Outstanding Creator Award for
Jewish Literature
1st Place
"Zaidy's War" Martin Bodek
Outstanding Creator Award for
History
1st Place
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
2nd Place
“Zaidy’s War” Martin Bodek
“Marching Through Time” Frankie Billy Tadius
3rd Place
“Any Rhyme at All” Terri Whitney
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
Outstanding Creator Award for
Medical Fiction
1st Place
“Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
“Nurse Florence, What is Asthma?” Michael Dow
Outstanding Creator Award for
Sports
1st Place
“The Gnatural” Mark & Ryan Bryson
SPECIAL AWARDS
* These are fun, less formal awards intended to recognize the unique accomplishments of each work. For that reason, they are not ranked in order. They are still recognized as Outstanding Creator Awards.
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Book Cover”
Winners:
“An Enemy Like Me” by Teri Brown
“Her Eyes Were on the Stars” by Jennifer Sommer, Cover by Gayle Cobb
Honorable Mentions:
“Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
“Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand
“The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier, Cover Illustrated by Tanja Demchenkova
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Writing (Fiction)”
Winners:
“Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
“Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Honorable Mention:
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” by Steve Stables
“The Box” by Fred Falcon
“The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
"Not My War" Valerie Anne Hudson
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Writing (Non-Fiction)”
Winner:
“Taking Stock” Peter J. de Silva
Honorable Mentions:
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Research”
Winner:
“The Off-Balance Theory” by Dan Diaconu
Honorable Mentions:
“The Guitar Decoder Ring” by Asher Black & Barry Gilman
“Any Rhyme at All” by Terri Whitney
“Taking Stock” Peter J. de Silva
“Night Watchers” by Conrad J. Storad
“Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” by Dr. Adam Ankrum
“Colorful Creatures” by Dr. Joe Richichi
“My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
“Zaidy’s War” by Martin Bodek
“Foundation Repair Secrets” Robert K. Brown
“Marching Through Time” by Frankie Billy Tadius
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best World-Building”
Winners:
“The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
"Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Honorable Mentions:
“Dar & Earth: Revelations” by Athena Kaiman
“Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan
“Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” by Randall Flores
“The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
“Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
“Cheerful Obedience” by Patrick McLaughlin
“The Mines of Jedira” by Cal Davis
“The Oasis King” by Mark David Pullen
“Diary of a Martian” by Stephen Haunts
“The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
“The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Character”
Winners:
Larry D. Thornton from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Detective Sebastian Vetro from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan
Jacob from “Welcome Home, Pearl”, “Pearl’s Life”, and “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Roy from "The Gnatural" by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Honorable Mentions:
Megan Hart from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Colin Crab from “The Caring Crab” by Tuula Pere
Francis Fox from “The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere (* Previous contest winner)
Aschenputtel from “Mice” by Jackie Sonnenberg
John from “My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
Edgar Allan from “Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Davies
Wren from "Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
Pedro Penguin from “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
Ila, Roman, Christopher, and Daisy the Deer from “Bedtime Fables” by Raymond Johnson
Mr. Bedell from “8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
Bentley, Betty from “Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” by Miki Taylor
Coralee, Mist from “Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand
Eleonora from “Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
Josh from “Shadow of the Gypsy” by Shelly Frome
F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Lee from “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
Peaches, Jake from “Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” by Paula Bailey
Father from “The Old Man and Me” by RC Larlham
Randall “Thunder”/”Mr. Thunder” from “How I Lost My Kidneys in China” by Randall Flores
Conor Patrick McKall from “Cheerful Obedience” by Patrick McLaughlin
Alfie from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Vampire from “The Vampire’s Missing Cape” by Steve Stables
Erin/Shaillah from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” Omara Williams
Kyle, Mandy from “Haunted House: Day & Night” by Jaybie D
Hopper, Cassie from “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Wayne Adams from "A How Pretty Town" by Bruce Evans
Bannigan Novak from “Meth Gator” by Ethan Richards
Dr. Mwara Muthoni from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Roger from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Bill Arena from “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli
Susi Van Husen (cat lady) from “Chato, the Puppy-Cat” by Anita Haas
Abbey Rose from “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
Lemons, Grapes from “Please Grow Away” by Amy Gerardi & Brenda Umbrianna
Kyle and Cassady from "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Alex from “Finding the Blaze” by Maryellen Eyer
Fred/Frankinschool and Luisa/Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Baby Dragon, Mirabelle from “Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze”by Sheryl Bass
Kenny from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Silkie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Allie from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Jade, Teddy from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Oscar, Nicola from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Eddie (Eduardo E. Owlington VIII) from “Night Watchers” by Conrad J. Storad
Bill from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
Azoria from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Edgar Allan from “Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Ravies
Finnegan Count Smooshie Tushie from “The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” by Gwen Romack
Skye from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Sporus, Gaius Petronius Arbiter from “Delicatus” by S.P. Somtow
Aelish and Isabela from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Brian and Duke from “Surfer Moon” by Domenic Melillo
Roy, Phoenix, and Orchid from “Always Orchid” by Carol Van Den Hende
Lydia from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Hefflin from “Bucharest Legacy” by William Maz
Digger from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
June from “Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
Herbie Snoodleman and Sour Croodleman from “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph
Freya, Luna, and Lucy from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
Princess Elhi-Nikkal from “The Age of Heroes” by Mikhail Gladkikh
Eve (Katie) and Emma from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Jean from “Nurse Florence, What is Asthma?” by Michael Dow
Cate from “Cate and the Garden Bandits” by Betsy Coffeen
Vogt Tudor from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Pearl from “Welcome Home, Pearl”, “Pearl’s Life”, and “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Lillian from “Scared to Swim” by Tuula Pere
Ernesto Cannelloni, Rosita Cannelloni from “Circus Cannelloni Invades Britain” by Tuula Pere
Pupa from “A Butterfly’s Song” by Tuula Pere
Landon and Aurora from “Senior Thesis” by Darren Greninger
Lottie Durham from “White Sands Gold”by Mike Torreano
Louise ("Lulu") from "Not My War" by Valerie Anne Hudson
Mist and Coralee from “Mysteries of the Mist” by CA Rand
Detective Griffin Knight from “The Windy City Terror” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Detective Griffin Hunter from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels (* Previous contest winner)
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Supporting Character”
Winners:
Martin from “The Oasis King” by Mark David Pullen
Jandar from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Tabitha from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Honorable Mentions:
Grandma from “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Count Richter from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Bryce Hopper from “The Gnatural” by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Thomas Jefferson from “Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
Glens Falls Community from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Dad from "Scared to Swim" by Tuula Pere
Liam from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Sam Sheppard from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
Richard from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Shannon Shark from “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
Ashby from "Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
Miss Nichols and Richard Fuller from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Blaze from “Finding the Blaze” by Maryellen Eyer
Frank from “Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
Gregg from “It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
Dottie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Mabel (“Grammy”) from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Emma from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Alien Paul from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Fiona/Woodstock from “Gothic Revival” by Michael Mullin
Ivy, Randy from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Princess Antilles from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Gwen from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
Pete the Potato Bug, Davey the Dumb Beetle, Walter the Earthworm from “Cate and the Garden Bandits” by Betsy Coffeen
Ma, Deputy O Sanders from “White Sands Gold” by Mike Torreano
Violet from “The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
Dr. Lew from “You Will Never Be Normal” by Catherine Klatzker
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Villain”
Winner:
“Papa” (William Axel Anderson) from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Honorable Mentions
Martin from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Captain Hans and General Hartman from “Not My War” by Valerie Anne Hudson
The Organization and the Eight from “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Leo and the Council of Lights from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
President Jameson and Chairman Pichai from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Mr. McCelland and the Children’s Aid Society from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Michael Campbell from “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli
Creature from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Leichtenberg from “The Nocturnal Devil” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Father from “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
Ebo the Eagle from "The Merry Meerkats Go!" by Ty Loyd-Calhoun
Henry Anderson, Quinn (arguably) from “Death to the Soul” by River Polsgrove
Mayor Higgins, Reptivians, Lord Scrynthor from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Edna Dusseau, Aschenputtel (arguably) from “Mice” by Jackie Sonnenberg
Zeke from “My Autobiographies” by John Koenig
The Burner, Ricardo from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
The Bahlari from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Nero from “Delicatus” by S.P. Somtow
Komprathians, Gideon from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Eric Asher from “Gothic Revival” by Michael Mullin
Wind from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Shantelle, Dante, and Grant from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Replicators from “Kaw Lake” by Ethan Richards
Evil Kidoodle, Grand Doodle Cloodle from “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph
Jack Armstrong from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
The Bishop and Karoly from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
El Cucuy and the Jersey Devil from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Dolan and Bart Richards from “White Sands Gold” by Mike Torreano
Sirens from from “Mysteries of the Mist” by CA Rand
Desert King from “Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan
Cat (arguably) from “You Will Never Be Normal” by Catherine Klatzker
Donovan from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Hottest Character”
Winners:
Christopher Dunn from “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy
Detective/”Captain” Crunch from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels
Francois from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Honorable Mentions:
Captain Hans, Louise (“Lulu”) from “Not My War” by Valerie Anne Hudson
Sheila from “Meth Gator” by Ethan Richards
Shelley Whitting from “You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” by Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
Liam, Dr. Mwara Muthoni from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Vivian Leigh, Leslie Howard, and Sir Lawrence Oliver in "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Red Trenchcoat Mom from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Viila from “Viila and the Doomsday Affair” by Roger Danchik
Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Sylvie, Seamus from “Taken” By E.C. Roderick
Emma from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Anita from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
Paul from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Para and Hereu from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Jill, Vickie, Karen, and Black Widow from “Vampire Stories” by Glenn Stevens
Catherine from “Bucharest Legacy” by William Maz
Orsolya from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Elena from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Lottie Durham from “White Sands Gold”by Mike Torreano
Sporus from “Delicatus” by SP Somtow
Maggie (Marjorie McClaff), Armaud, and Lenora from “The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Cutest Character”
Winners:
Abbey Rose from “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
Luisa/Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Finnegan Count Smooshie Tushie from “The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” by Gwen Romack
Honorable Mentions:
Tammy from “Tammy the Troll” by Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
Alfie from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Baby Dragon from “Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze”by Sheryl Bass
Silkie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Henri from “Henri and the Magnificent Snot” by Samantha Childs
Chato from “Chato, the Puppy-Cat” by Anita Haas
Peaches and Jake from “Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” by Paula Bailey
Shirley Meerkat from “The Merry Meerkats Go!” by Ty Lloyd-Calhoun
Nugget Raccon from “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
Digger from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Dynamic Duo”
Winners:
Roy (the gnat) & Bryce Hopper from “The Gnatural” by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Frankinschool & Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Honorable Mentions:
Ryane & Quinn from “Death to the Soul” by River Polsgrove
Aelish & Isabela from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Elena & Ned from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Allie & Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Azoria & Jandar from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Couple”
Winner:
Megan & Samuel from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Honorable Mentions:
Fred & Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Kenny & Francois from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Skye & Paul from “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
Hereu & Marl from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Orchid & Phoenix from “Always Orchid” by Carol Van Den Hende
Michael & Adam from “Dear Michael” by Adam Lieber
Orsolya & Tudor from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Ernesto & Rosita Cannelloni from “Circus Cannelloni Invades Britain” by Tuula Pere
Josh & Molly from “Shadow of the Gypsy” by Shelly Frome
Jane & Frank from “My Dear Miss Fairfax” by Jeanette Watts
Jacob & Bonnie from “An Enemy Like Me” by Teri Brown
Erin & Sam from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
Allie Graves & Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Weapon”
Winner:
Klarion/Clair (Sword) from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Honorable Mentions:
Conch Shell from “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
AA-12 from “Kaw Lake” by Ethan Richards (* Previous contest winner)
Zoodle Kidoodles from “Snoodles in Space” Steven Joseph
The Objects from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond (* Previous contest winners)
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Moment” (WARNING: May contain spoilers)
Winners:
* Lucy .vs. Mab in “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
* A social worker finally recognizes Roger’s plight in “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Honorable Mentions:
* Finding Alfie in “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
* “Now works for me” from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
* Megan coexisting with Tabitha in “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
* Richard calms and befriends violent protesters in “Genesis of a Genre” by Joe Markko
* Abbey Rose wearing holidays costumes, marking the passage of time in “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
* Nugget Raccoon reacts to Moose helping the raccoons with their raft from “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
* Isabela meeting Aelish in “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
* While overlooking an ornate Mexican cemetery, a local girl named Tanya talks to Tyrel about how her people view death in contrast to how Americans view death, saying, “we have fun in life and death” in “Travels and Tribulations” by Tyrel Nelson
* “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” used as an SOS code in “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
* Adam under arrest and sent to a Filipino prison in “Dear Michael” by Adam Lieber
* Eve talking about what it feels like to be loved by a real family for once in “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Funny, Strange, and Bizarre” (WARNING: May contain spoilers)
Winner:
* About 20 too many characters in “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Honorable Mentions:
* The typos in “8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
* The typos in “Colorful Creatures” by Dr. Joe Richichi
* The typos and formatting in "Surfer Moon" by Domenic Melillo
* The excessive use of italics and ALL-CAPS in “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
* The narrator struggling to pronounce “Nina” in the audiobook version of “The Old Man and Me” by RC Larlham
* The title and cover of “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli seem to have nothing to do with the content of the book
* The word salads in “A How Pretty Town” by Bruce Evans. For example:
“...sporadically, usually, seemingly random or incongruous, often--from his buffering unconscious, his mind, itself a fiction, grasping as many of them as it could as they sought to wriggle free, then consciously buffering and buffing some, rebuffing others, rearranging, rewording, or discarding, he could become a fiction-maker, an orderer, an executor, a self. He waited, scribbled, waited some more, scribbled, revised the scribbles.”
* Christopher Dunn friend-zoning everyone and coming across like an unrelatable, unlikable, disconnected robot or alien in “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy
* Shannon Shark considers eating Pedro Penguin because she's hungry in “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
* Brie Ann can't have a normal conversation without going into a politically and socially-charged diatribe in "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
* Raccoons marking their turf in “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
* Luisa drooling while sleeping in “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
* The entirety of “Viila and the Doomsday Affair” by Roger Danchik
* The title of “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman evokes images of a romance or adventure novel set in the 1800s, however, the novel is a sci-fi story featuring monsters and aliens
* “Zeus” is way too benevolent, humble, selfless, and kind to be Zeus in “The Age of Heroes” by Mikhail Gladkikh
* Sylvie in “Taken” By EC Roderick keeps thinking that the men who captured her are Revolutionary War reenactors
* Could you imagine if a coworker gave you a broken tailpipe or wood from a house fire with a cryptic message like "i could end up alone?" or "i could end up in big big trouble!" (like in "50 Paintings for 50 Coworkers" by Steve Offord)?
* The subtitle (“With All My Might It Shall Be Done”) repeating dozens of times in “Setback or Stepping Stone?” by Wayne Faulkner. This was probably done to show emphasis or to match the hook of a sermon, however, it seemed excessive.
* In “The Merry Meerkats Go!” by Ty Loyd-Calhoun, Shirley Meerkat's introduction sounds very strange and unnatural. First, she exclaims: "What a Great Day to to Be Alive" (with all the words capitalized for some reason). Second, she tells us that she can do anything the boys can do. She says this without any provocation, build, or lead up that would justify her making this statement. Soon after, she tells us that Naomi is a jokester without Naomi demonstrating that fact. It is better to show these things than to tell them.
* “Corporal Reilly” is sometimes written as “Private Riley” in “My Autobiographies” by John Koenig
* While learning about humans flirting, Alien-Paul asks Skye “Does she want to mate with me?” and “Do you want to mate with me?” in “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
* Isabela goes from being a precocious character in the first book to being the “SMARTEST PERSON ON EARTH” in book two (“Dar & Earth: Revelations” by Athena Kaiman). Because of this, Isabela goes from being a very sympathetic character in book one to coming across as an insufferable Mary Sue in book two, constantly lecturing and grandstanding while everyone sings her praises.
* “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier is essentially Little House on the Medieval-Fantasy Prairie. There are way too many subplots and characters popping in and out of focus. This is more like a slice-of-life TV series than a cohesive story.
* The coffin of Tommy (a little vampire) is equipped with an entertainment system in “Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
* “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph features way too many characters with like-sounding names. It’s practically impossible to keep track of all these characters. Also, some characters like Dr. Quack Kidoodle and Voodoo Kidoodle seem superfluous and unnecessary because, unlike Doo Doo Kidoodle (yes, that’s really its name), they don’t advance the plot.
* A seagull poops, compelling a character to view it as a sign to fulfill a prophecy in “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond. Also, there’s way too much happening in this novel. Bridget (a character) even comments on how she can’t keep track of all the familial and extra-familial conflicts that are happening at once.
* The murder in the book is constantly called an “execution” or an “assassination” in “Click-Click-Click” by Anne Warner & Karen Devanie
* The abrupt ending of “The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere
* Someone shouts “FINISH HER!” at the end of the Nerf fight in “Senior Thesis” by Darren Greninger
* Seemingly endless sex and sexuality in “Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan. The insect-alien things jump to mating at the earliest opportunity. The angel-alien people poop, pee, and eat in a way that mimics a sexual act. Also, regardless of the planet, time, or situation, the narrator is almost always sexually desirable and/or highly fertile. Freud & Lacan might appreciate this.
* The same information repeats several times in separate chapters in “Marching Through Time” by Frankie Billie Tadius
* Why do so many pages of “Diary of a Martian” by Stephen Haunts need to be on top of a giant, generic photo of space? That just seems like a humongous, gargantuan waste of printer ink. It also makes those particular pages a bit harder to read.
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Illustrated”
Winner:
“Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” by Miki Taylor, Illustrated by Eunhye Shin
Honorable Mentions:
“Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand, Illustrated by Danilo Cerovic
"Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
“Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
“8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
“Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
“Tammy the Troll” Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
“Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze” by Sheryl Bass, Illustrated by Ramesh Ram
“It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven, Illustrated by Gabriel Iumazark
“Henri and the Magnificent Snort” by Samantha Childs
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Davies, Illustrated by Barbara Owczarek
“Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen, illustrated by Ginger Seehafer
“The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere
“A Butterfly’s Song” by Tuula Pere
“The Caring Crab” by Tuula Pere
“ABC for Future CEOs” by Chris Folayan
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Quote”
Winner:
“The lives we live are so much bigger than the bodies we inhabit.”
- From “Zaidy’s War” by Martin Bodek
Honorable Mentions:
“Just learn whatever lesson trouble was trying to teach you”
- From “You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” by Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
“When you want to know about a man, ask his wife” / “How near to heaven do you imagine Icarus ascended before learning, from waxen-wings, that some things just don't work out? No matter how heroic or daring, no matter purity of purpose, or the size of sacrifice, sometimes things don't work out”
- From “Genesis of a Genre” by Joe Markko
“Not all humans are evil, and not all elves are good”
- From “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
“It was said that these early creatures' greatest wish was for Hephaestus to solder them to one another again so that their souls could be as one, and they could share in a common fate once more” / “...sometimes life needs to be shaken up to help one see things in a new light”
- From “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy.
“Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job, you can make a living. But if you work hard on yourself, you'll make a fortune... most of your fortunes are not financial.” / “I see a man, just a man that is winning, like me.”
- From “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“…true death arrives when the last person to remember you dies” / “we’re all just broken pencils”
- From “Broken Pencils” J.R. Rice
“From Vinyl 45s to Vinyl LPs
Lest we forget 8-tracks, cassettes and CDs
I listen, I read and collect what I can
Forever I will be a diehard Beatle Fan”
- From “Any Rhyme at All” by Terri Whitney
“...what seems like a coincidence is merely just a ‘hello’ from the Universe to pay attention to whatever is going on”
- From “My Imaginary Friend” Thomas Wermuth
* Authors of "Tales of Monstrosity":
Marx Pyle, Scott A. Johnson, Anne C. Lynch, Sen R.L. Scherb, W.H. Horner, Carrie Gessner, Kevin Plybon, Katharine Dow, Victoria L. Scott, Jeremiah Dylan Cook, J.C. Mastro, Sophia DeSensi, Jeannie Rivera, Michael La Ronn, Marisa Wolf, Jeff Burns, Francis Fernandez, Colten Fisher, and G.K. White
* Authors of "Fractured Shards":
Dan Feurriegel, Stephen Kok, Riccardo Faccini, and Shaun Keenan
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Book Cover”
Winners:
“An Enemy Like Me” by Teri Brown
“Her Eyes Were on the Stars” by Jennifer Sommer, Cover by Gayle Cobb
Honorable Mentions:
“Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
“Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand
“The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier, Cover Illustrated by Tanja Demchenkova
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Writing (Fiction)”
Winners:
“Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
“Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Honorable Mention:
“The Vampire’s Missing Cape” by Steve Stables
“The Box” by Fred Falcon
“The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
"Not My War" Valerie Anne Hudson
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Writing (Non-Fiction)”
Winner:
“Taking Stock” Peter J. de Silva
Honorable Mentions:
“Tales of the Profitable Trader” James Harris
“Voices of Diversity” Vanessa Caraveo
“Genesis of a Genre” Joe Markko
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Research”
Winner:
“The Off-Balance Theory” by Dan Diaconu
Honorable Mentions:
“The Guitar Decoder Ring” by Asher Black & Barry Gilman
“Any Rhyme at All” by Terri Whitney
“Taking Stock” Peter J. de Silva
“Night Watchers” by Conrad J. Storad
“Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
“Halloween Horror: True ER Terror” by Dr. Adam Ankrum
“Colorful Creatures” by Dr. Joe Richichi
“My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
“Zaidy’s War” by Martin Bodek
“Foundation Repair Secrets” Robert K. Brown
“Marching Through Time” by Frankie Billy Tadius
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best World-Building”
Winners:
“The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
"Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Honorable Mentions:
“Dar & Earth: Revelations” by Athena Kaiman
“Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan
“Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan
“How I Lost My Kidneys in China” by Randall Flores
“The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
“Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
“Cheerful Obedience” by Patrick McLaughlin
“The Mines of Jedira” by Cal Davis
“The Oasis King” by Mark David Pullen
“Diary of a Martian” by Stephen Haunts
“The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
“Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
“The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
“Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Character”
Winners:
Larry D. Thornton from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Detective Sebastian Vetro from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan
Jacob from “Welcome Home, Pearl”, “Pearl’s Life”, and “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Roy from "The Gnatural" by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Honorable Mentions:
Megan Hart from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Colin Crab from “The Caring Crab” by Tuula Pere
Francis Fox from “The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere (* Previous contest winner)
Aschenputtel from “Mice” by Jackie Sonnenberg
John from “My Place Among Them” by J. Stanion
Edgar Allan from “Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Davies
Wren from "Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
Pedro Penguin from “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
Ila, Roman, Christopher, and Daisy the Deer from “Bedtime Fables” by Raymond Johnson
Mr. Bedell from “8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
Bentley, Betty from “Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” by Miki Taylor
Coralee, Mist from “Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand
Eleonora from “Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
Josh from “Shadow of the Gypsy” by Shelly Frome
F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Lee from “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
Peaches, Jake from “Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” by Paula Bailey
Father from “The Old Man and Me” by RC Larlham
Randall “Thunder”/”Mr. Thunder” from “How I Lost My Kidneys in China” by Randall Flores
Conor Patrick McKall from “Cheerful Obedience” by Patrick McLaughlin
Alfie from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Vampire from “The Vampire’s Missing Cape” by Steve Stables
Erin/Shaillah from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” Omara Williams
Kyle, Mandy from “Haunted House: Day & Night” by Jaybie D
Hopper, Cassie from “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Wayne Adams from "A How Pretty Town" by Bruce Evans
Bannigan Novak from “Meth Gator” by Ethan Richards
Dr. Mwara Muthoni from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Roger from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Bill Arena from “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli
Susi Van Husen (cat lady) from “Chato, the Puppy-Cat” by Anita Haas
Abbey Rose from “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
Lemons, Grapes from “Please Grow Away” by Amy Gerardi & Brenda Umbrianna
Kyle and Cassady from "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Alex from “Finding the Blaze” by Maryellen Eyer
Fred/Frankinschool and Luisa/Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Baby Dragon, Mirabelle from “Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze”by Sheryl Bass
Kenny from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Silkie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Allie from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Jade, Teddy from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Oscar, Nicola from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Eddie (Eduardo E. Owlington VIII) from “Night Watchers” by Conrad J. Storad
Bill from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
Azoria from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Edgar Allan from “Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Ravies
Finnegan Count Smooshie Tushie from “The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” by Gwen Romack
Skye from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Sporus, Gaius Petronius Arbiter from “Delicatus” by S.P. Somtow
Aelish and Isabela from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Brian and Duke from “Surfer Moon” by Domenic Melillo
Roy, Phoenix, and Orchid from “Always Orchid” by Carol Van Den Hende
Lydia from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Hefflin from “Bucharest Legacy” by William Maz
Digger from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
June from “Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
Herbie Snoodleman and Sour Croodleman from “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph
Freya, Luna, and Lucy from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
Princess Elhi-Nikkal from “The Age of Heroes” by Mikhail Gladkikh
Eve (Katie) and Emma from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Jean from “Nurse Florence, What is Asthma?” by Michael Dow
Cate from “Cate and the Garden Bandits” by Betsy Coffeen
Vogt Tudor from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Pearl from “Welcome Home, Pearl”, “Pearl’s Life”, and “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Lillian from “Scared to Swim” by Tuula Pere
Ernesto Cannelloni, Rosita Cannelloni from “Circus Cannelloni Invades Britain” by Tuula Pere
Pupa from “A Butterfly’s Song” by Tuula Pere
Landon and Aurora from “Senior Thesis” by Darren Greninger
Lottie Durham from “White Sands Gold”by Mike Torreano
Louise ("Lulu") from "Not My War" by Valerie Anne Hudson
Mist and Coralee from “Mysteries of the Mist” by CA Rand
Detective Griffin Knight from “The Windy City Terror” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Detective Griffin Hunter from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels (* Previous contest winner)
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Supporting Character”
Winners:
Martin from “The Oasis King” by Mark David Pullen
Jandar from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Tabitha from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Honorable Mentions:
Grandma from “Pearl, Our Butterfly” by Tuula Pere
Count Richter from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Bryce Hopper from “The Gnatural” by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Thomas Jefferson from “Eleonora and Joseph” by Julieta Rodrigues
Glens Falls Community from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Dad from "Scared to Swim" by Tuula Pere
Liam from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Sam Sheppard from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
Richard from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Shannon Shark from “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
Ashby from "Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
Miss Nichols and Richard Fuller from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Blaze from “Finding the Blaze” by Maryellen Eyer
Frank from “Frankinschool” Caryn Rivadeneira
Gregg from “It Eats What Feeds It” Max Hoven
Dottie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Mabel (“Grammy”) from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Emma from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Alien Paul from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Fiona/Woodstock from “Gothic Revival” by Michael Mullin
Ivy, Randy from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Princess Antilles from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Gwen from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
Pete the Potato Bug, Davey the Dumb Beetle, Walter the Earthworm from “Cate and the Garden Bandits” by Betsy Coffeen
Ma, Deputy O Sanders from “White Sands Gold” by Mike Torreano
Violet from “The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
Dr. Lew from “You Will Never Be Normal” by Catherine Klatzker
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Villain”
Winner:
“Papa” (William Axel Anderson) from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Honorable Mentions
Martin from “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
Captain Hans and General Hartman from “Not My War” by Valerie Anne Hudson
The Organization and the Eight from “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Leo and the Council of Lights from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
President Jameson and Chairman Pichai from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Mr. McCelland and the Children’s Aid Society from “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Michael Campbell from “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli
Creature from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Leichtenberg from “The Nocturnal Devil” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Father from “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
Ebo the Eagle from "The Merry Meerkats Go!" by Ty Loyd-Calhoun
Henry Anderson, Quinn (arguably) from “Death to the Soul” by River Polsgrove
Mayor Higgins, Reptivians, Lord Scrynthor from “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman
Edna Dusseau, Aschenputtel (arguably) from “Mice” by Jackie Sonnenberg
Zeke from “My Autobiographies” by John Koenig
The Burner, Ricardo from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
The Bahlari from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Nero from “Delicatus” by S.P. Somtow
Komprathians, Gideon from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Eric Asher from “Gothic Revival” by Michael Mullin
Wind from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Shantelle, Dante, and Grant from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Replicators from “Kaw Lake” by Ethan Richards
Evil Kidoodle, Grand Doodle Cloodle from “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph
Jack Armstrong from “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
The Bishop and Karoly from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
El Cucuy and the Jersey Devil from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Dolan and Bart Richards from “White Sands Gold” by Mike Torreano
Sirens from from “Mysteries of the Mist” by CA Rand
Desert King from “Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan
Cat (arguably) from “You Will Never Be Normal” by Catherine Klatzker
Donovan from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Hottest Character”
Winners:
Christopher Dunn from “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy
Detective/”Captain” Crunch from “Corruption” by Parker Samuels
Francois from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Honorable Mentions:
Captain Hans, Louise (“Lulu”) from “Not My War” by Valerie Anne Hudson
Sheila from “Meth Gator” by Ethan Richards
Shelley Whitting from “You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” by Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
Liam, Dr. Mwara Muthoni from “Endgame on Lunar One” by Isaac Petrov
Vivian Leigh, Leslie Howard, and Sir Lawrence Oliver in "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
Red Trenchcoat Mom from “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
Viila from “Viila and the Doomsday Affair” by Roger Danchik
Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Sylvie, Seamus from “Taken” By E.C. Roderick
Emma from “The Superhero of Emotion” by Emiliano Forino Procacci
Anita from “Prometheus’ Gift” by John Sangster
Paul from “Changing Tide”by Robert Joncas
Para and Hereu from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Jill, Vickie, Karen, and Black Widow from “Vampire Stories” by Glenn Stevens
Catherine from “Bucharest Legacy” by William Maz
Orsolya from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Elena from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Lottie Durham from “White Sands Gold”by Mike Torreano
Sporus from “Delicatus” by SP Somtow
Maggie (Marjorie McClaff), Armaud, and Lenora from “The Seventh Syndicate” by Dawn Ray
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Cutest Character”
Winners:
Abbey Rose from “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
Luisa/Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Finnegan Count Smooshie Tushie from “The Finn Chronicles: Year Five” by Gwen Romack
Honorable Mentions:
Tammy from “Tammy the Troll” by Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
Alfie from “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
Baby Dragon from “Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze”by Sheryl Bass
Silkie from “What Is the Shape of My Egg?” by Lisa Weckbacher
Henri from “Henri and the Magnificent Snot” by Samantha Childs
Chato from “Chato, the Puppy-Cat” by Anita Haas
Peaches and Jake from “Peaches and Jake Celebrate Christmas” by Paula Bailey
Shirley Meerkat from “The Merry Meerkats Go!” by Ty Lloyd-Calhoun
Nugget Raccon from “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
Digger from “Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Dynamic Duo”
Winners:
Roy (the gnat) & Bryce Hopper from “The Gnatural” by Mark & Ryan Bryson
Frankinschool & Princesa Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Honorable Mentions:
Ryane & Quinn from “Death to the Soul” by River Polsgrove
Aelish & Isabela from “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
Elena & Ned from “Tales of Monstrosity” by Marx Pyle et al.
Allie & Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Azoria & Jandar from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Couple”
Winner:
Megan & Samuel from “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
Honorable Mentions:
Fred & Luisa from “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
Kenny & Francois from “It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven
Skye & Paul from “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
Hereu & Marl from “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier
Orchid & Phoenix from “Always Orchid” by Carol Van Den Hende
Michael & Adam from “Dear Michael” by Adam Lieber
Orsolya & Tudor from “The Soul Machines” by Alexandru Czimbor
Ernesto & Rosita Cannelloni from “Circus Cannelloni Invades Britain” by Tuula Pere
Josh & Molly from “Shadow of the Gypsy” by Shelly Frome
Jane & Frank from “My Dear Miss Fairfax” by Jeanette Watts
Jacob & Bonnie from “An Enemy Like Me” by Teri Brown
Erin & Sam from “The Space Traveller’s Lover” by Omara Williams
Allie Graves & Simon from “Grave Secrets” by Cassandra Aston
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Weapon”
Winner:
Klarion/Clair (Sword) from “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
Honorable Mentions:
Conch Shell from “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
AA-12 from “Kaw Lake” by Ethan Richards (* Previous contest winner)
Zoodle Kidoodles from “Snoodles in Space” Steven Joseph
The Objects from “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond (* Previous contest winners)
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Moment” (WARNING: May contain spoilers)
Winners:
* Lucy .vs. Mab in “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond
* A social worker finally recognizes Roger’s plight in “The Power of Being Seen” by Roger Saillant
Honorable Mentions:
* Finding Alfie in “Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
* “Now works for me” from “Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
* Megan coexisting with Tabitha in “Canvas of Healing” by Suzette Welling
* Richard calms and befriends violent protesters in “Genesis of a Genre” by Joe Markko
* Abbey Rose wearing holidays costumes, marking the passage of time in “Puppy Comes Home” by Diane Capogna
* Nugget Raccoon reacts to Moose helping the raccoons with their raft from “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
* Isabela meeting Aelish in “Dar & Earth: Oraculi” by Athena Kaiman
* While overlooking an ornate Mexican cemetery, a local girl named Tanya talks to Tyrel about how her people view death in contrast to how Americans view death, saying, “we have fun in life and death” in “Travels and Tribulations” by Tyrel Nelson
* “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” used as an SOS code in “Bloodlines & Betrayals” by Sarah Hualde
* Adam under arrest and sent to a Filipino prison in “Dear Michael” by Adam Lieber
* Eve talking about what it feels like to be loved by a real family for once in “Over the Fence” by Debbie Schrack
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Funny, Strange, and Bizarre” (WARNING: May contain spoilers)
Winner:
* About 20 too many characters in “The Box” by Fred Falcon
Honorable Mentions:
* The typos in “8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
* The typos in “Colorful Creatures” by Dr. Joe Richichi
* The typos and formatting in "Surfer Moon" by Domenic Melillo
* The excessive use of italics and ALL-CAPS in “Hell's Half Acre” by Richard Lee Cook
* The narrator struggling to pronounce “Nina” in the audiobook version of “The Old Man and Me” by RC Larlham
* The title and cover of “The Angel Theory” by John Morelli seem to have nothing to do with the content of the book
* The word salads in “A How Pretty Town” by Bruce Evans. For example:
“...sporadically, usually, seemingly random or incongruous, often--from his buffering unconscious, his mind, itself a fiction, grasping as many of them as it could as they sought to wriggle free, then consciously buffering and buffing some, rebuffing others, rearranging, rewording, or discarding, he could become a fiction-maker, an orderer, an executor, a self. He waited, scribbled, waited some more, scribbled, revised the scribbles.”
* Christopher Dunn friend-zoning everyone and coming across like an unrelatable, unlikable, disconnected robot or alien in “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy
* Shannon Shark considers eating Pedro Penguin because she's hungry in “Pedro Penguin Let’s Go to the Beach” by Pedro Samuel Saquic & Annie Saquic
* Brie Ann can't have a normal conversation without going into a politically and socially-charged diatribe in "Culver City" by Brant Vickers
* Raccoons marking their turf in “Raccoons Go Rafting” by Rachel Vogel
* Luisa drooling while sleeping in “Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
* The entirety of “Viila and the Doomsday Affair” by Roger Danchik
* The title of “The Adventures of Mulberry Manor” by Jay Foreman evokes images of a romance or adventure novel set in the 1800s, however, the novel is a sci-fi story featuring monsters and aliens
* “Zeus” is way too benevolent, humble, selfless, and kind to be Zeus in “The Age of Heroes” by Mikhail Gladkikh
* Sylvie in “Taken” By EC Roderick keeps thinking that the men who captured her are Revolutionary War reenactors
* Could you imagine if a coworker gave you a broken tailpipe or wood from a house fire with a cryptic message like "i could end up alone?" or "i could end up in big big trouble!" (like in "50 Paintings for 50 Coworkers" by Steve Offord)?
* The subtitle (“With All My Might It Shall Be Done”) repeating dozens of times in “Setback or Stepping Stone?” by Wayne Faulkner. This was probably done to show emphasis or to match the hook of a sermon, however, it seemed excessive.
* In “The Merry Meerkats Go!” by Ty Loyd-Calhoun, Shirley Meerkat's introduction sounds very strange and unnatural. First, she exclaims: "What a Great Day to to Be Alive" (with all the words capitalized for some reason). Second, she tells us that she can do anything the boys can do. She says this without any provocation, build, or lead up that would justify her making this statement. Soon after, she tells us that Naomi is a jokester without Naomi demonstrating that fact. It is better to show these things than to tell them.
* “Corporal Reilly” is sometimes written as “Private Riley” in “My Autobiographies” by John Koenig
* While learning about humans flirting, Alien-Paul asks Skye “Does she want to mate with me?” and “Do you want to mate with me?” in “Changing Tide” by Robert Joncas
* Isabela goes from being a precocious character in the first book to being the “SMARTEST PERSON ON EARTH” in book two (“Dar & Earth: Revelations” by Athena Kaiman). Because of this, Isabela goes from being a very sympathetic character in book one to coming across as an insufferable Mary Sue in book two, constantly lecturing and grandstanding while everyone sings her praises.
* “The Wind at Oak Hollow” by Melissa Widmaier is essentially Little House on the Medieval-Fantasy Prairie. There are way too many subplots and characters popping in and out of focus. This is more like a slice-of-life TV series than a cohesive story.
* The coffin of Tommy (a little vampire) is equipped with an entertainment system in “Falling Stars” by Julie Rogers
* “Snoodles in Space” by Steven Joseph features way too many characters with like-sounding names. It’s practically impossible to keep track of all these characters. Also, some characters like Dr. Quack Kidoodle and Voodoo Kidoodle seem superfluous and unnecessary because, unlike Doo Doo Kidoodle (yes, that’s really its name), they don’t advance the plot.
* A seagull poops, compelling a character to view it as a sign to fulfill a prophecy in “The Cup” by Marieke Lexmond. Also, there’s way too much happening in this novel. Bridget (a character) even comments on how she can’t keep track of all the familial and extra-familial conflicts that are happening at once.
* The murder in the book is constantly called an “execution” or an “assassination” in “Click-Click-Click” by Anne Warner & Karen Devanie
* The abrupt ending of “The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere
* Someone shouts “FINISH HER!” at the end of the Nerf fight in “Senior Thesis” by Darren Greninger
* Seemingly endless sex and sexuality in “Journeys to Other Planets” by Mary Gallagher Hannigan. The insect-alien things jump to mating at the earliest opportunity. The angel-alien people poop, pee, and eat in a way that mimics a sexual act. Also, regardless of the planet, time, or situation, the narrator is almost always sexually desirable and/or highly fertile. Freud & Lacan might appreciate this.
* The same information repeats several times in separate chapters in “Marching Through Time” by Frankie Billie Tadius
* Why do so many pages of “Diary of a Martian” by Stephen Haunts need to be on top of a giant, generic photo of space? That just seems like a humongous, gargantuan waste of printer ink. It also makes those particular pages a bit harder to read.
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Illustrated”
Winner:
“Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea” by Miki Taylor, Illustrated by Eunhye Shin
Honorable Mentions:
“Mysteries of the Mist” by Cynthia Rand, Illustrated by Danilo Cerovic
"Wren and the Worry-Vanishing Magic" by Kendra Fogarty
“Where Are You, Alfie?” by Mary Jean DeSantis
“8 Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur for Kids” by Darren Henry
“Fractured Shards” by Shaun Keenan et al.
“Tammy the Troll” Dina McDermott & Once Upon a Dance
“You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“Frankinschool” by Caryn Rivadeneira
“Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze” by Sheryl Bass, Illustrated by Ramesh Ram
“It Eats What Feeds It” by Max Hoven, Illustrated by Gabriel Iumazark
“Henri and the Magnificent Snort” by Samantha Childs
“Edgar Allan Know and His Busy Brain” by Rahni Davies, Illustrated by Barbara Owczarek
“Digger the Colony Worker Ant” by Dr. Christian Kueng
“Cate and the Garden Bandits” Betsy Coffeen, illustrated by Ginger Seehafer
“The Fox’s Tower” by Tuula Pere
“A Butterfly’s Song” by Tuula Pere
“The Caring Crab” by Tuula Pere
“ABC for Future CEOs” by Chris Folayan
Outstanding Creator Award for
“Best Quote”
Winner:
“The lives we live are so much bigger than the bodies we inhabit.”
- From “Zaidy’s War” by Martin Bodek
Honorable Mentions:
“Just learn whatever lesson trouble was trying to teach you”
- From “You Can’t Get a Racehorse Out of a Mule” by Brenda and Shari Culpepper, Casey Carter
“When you want to know about a man, ask his wife” / “How near to heaven do you imagine Icarus ascended before learning, from waxen-wings, that some things just don't work out? No matter how heroic or daring, no matter purity of purpose, or the size of sacrifice, sometimes things don't work out”
- From “Genesis of a Genre” by Joe Markko
“Not all humans are evil, and not all elves are good”
- From “Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade” by John Daze
“It was said that these early creatures' greatest wish was for Hephaestus to solder them to one another again so that their souls could be as one, and they could share in a common fate once more” / “...sometimes life needs to be shaken up to help one see things in a new light”
- From “Search for Complete” by Stephen Hardy.
“Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job, you can make a living. But if you work hard on yourself, you'll make a fortune... most of your fortunes are not financial.” / “I see a man, just a man that is winning, like me.”
- From “You Have to Live, Why Not Win?” by Dave Ketchen, Larry D. Thornton
“…true death arrives when the last person to remember you dies” / “we’re all just broken pencils”
- From “Broken Pencils” J.R. Rice
“From Vinyl 45s to Vinyl LPs
Lest we forget 8-tracks, cassettes and CDs
I listen, I read and collect what I can
Forever I will be a diehard Beatle Fan”
- From “Any Rhyme at All” by Terri Whitney
“...what seems like a coincidence is merely just a ‘hello’ from the Universe to pay attention to whatever is going on”
- From “My Imaginary Friend” Thomas Wermuth
* Authors of "Tales of Monstrosity":
Marx Pyle, Scott A. Johnson, Anne C. Lynch, Sen R.L. Scherb, W.H. Horner, Carrie Gessner, Kevin Plybon, Katharine Dow, Victoria L. Scott, Jeremiah Dylan Cook, J.C. Mastro, Sophia DeSensi, Jeannie Rivera, Michael La Ronn, Marisa Wolf, Jeff Burns, Francis Fernandez, Colten Fisher, and G.K. White
* Authors of "Fractured Shards":
Dan Feurriegel, Stephen Kok, Riccardo Faccini, and Shaun Keenan