“The Starfish People” Strike Silver

The Starfish People, by Leann Marshall, introduces readers to Sera, a young girl tormented by her past.  Her therapist sends her back in time to discover the source of her nightmares.  Sera must decide if she should break the rules of time travel and try to stop what has happened to her loved ones, or save herself.  The Starfish People earned Leann a silver medal in the Science Fiction / Fantasy category at the 2008 IPPY Awards.  It is a “science fiction story with heart.”   Author’s website 

The New IQ

In Dr. David Gruder’s opinion, integrity is the most important quality a person can possess.  In today’s society, with money and fame as people’s major motivators, integrity has fallen by the wayside.  Dr. Gruder’s new book, The New IQ: How Integrity Intelligence Serves You, Your Relationships, and Our World, directs us back to the right track.  As the author puts it, “Integrity isn’t a burden—it’s a path to joy.  Integrity isn’t a sacrifice—it’s a path to fulfillment.”  This book earned Dr. Gruder a bronze medal at the 2008 IPPYs in the Self-Help category.    

 

More information 

Land of Stone Earns Bronze

One of the most poignant and unusual books in our contest, Land of Stone: Breaking Silence through Poetry by Karen Chase, greatly impressed our judges, earning a bronze medal in the 2008 IPPY Awards in the Psychology/Mental Health category.  Land of Stone is the true account of Chase’s experiences working with Ben, a troubled patient at a psychiatric hospital near New York City in the 1980’s.  Once a week, she would visit with Ben, a handsome young man who had not spoken for years, and the pair would compose poetry together, alternating lines.  Land of Stone is a story of healing, of Ben’s gradual emergence from silence.             

View Karen Chase’s website 

Calling All 2008 IPPY Winners!

We are looking for feedback from gold, silver, and bronze medalists from the 2008 IPPY Awards.  We would like to hear anything they have to say about their experiences in the IPPY contest or its aftermath, including news on how their books are doing on the market.  If desired, all or part of what they have to say will be published on this blog, along with a cover shot of their book.  Questions and responses can be emailed to Amy Brunner at abrunner@bookpublishing.com

MoonQuest Earns Gold

Congratulations to Mark David Gerson of LightLines Media, gold medalist at the 2008 IPPYs in the Visionary Fiction category.  Gerson’s winning novel, The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy, was deemed “an evocative and emotionally moving tale…” by the Midwest Book Review.  We recently heard from the author on the success of his book after winning his IPPY gold:

“Although my novel, The MoonQuest, has placed in three other book competitions, the IPPY is its first first. And I have to say that the big, heavy, shiny gold medal is impressive — and not only to me. My IPPY win has earned me more media attention than my three other awards combined and I’m counting on that attention to add up to increased sales — not only for The MoonQuest, but for my new book on writing: The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write.

 

The MoonQuest, by the way, is a ”true fantasy” set in a time when stories are banned and storytelling spells death. Here, as black-clad armies terrorize the countryside, one young bard must come out of hiding to embark on the long-prophesied journey to end the tyranny…a journey guided only by stories…a journey that blurs the line between vision and reality. A perfect book for anyone who cares about books!”