We are pleased to announce that 7 of our outstanding authors have won awards in the AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS. Several were finalists and our Mark Sabbas was a winner in the NEW AGE category.
These awards were given across many genres. We are proud to publish and represent such outstanding authors, and work with them to create award-winning works of art.
Congratulations to all!
A complete listing of all awards can be found here.
Winner: New Age Fiction
Finalist: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic
& Visionary Fiction
The Monarchs
Mark Sabbas
The eyes are the windows to the universe, if one knows how to look. For a select group of extraordinary children, this has never been more apparent.
Born into a world ravaged by war, Samuel Helen is among the first in a wave of “new youth” children who possess abnormally large eyes and breathtaking psychic abilities. But Samuel’s powerful telekinesis cannot be managed by the team of scientists at General George Mabus’s military facility. He finds his only solace in his sessions with his wise tutor, Walter, who introduces him to music and philosophy, and his cherished weekly visits with an ordinary orphan girl, Evelyn, in the neighboring village.
When a twist of fate sends Samuel and Evelyn into uncharted territory, Samuel is forced to confront dark shadows from his past in order to unlock the deepest wells of his psyche, even the universe itself, and discover deep spiritual truths while harnessing his abilities-and facing off with vengeful enemies.
Finalist: Best New Fiction & Romance
180 Days
Alfredo Botello
What happens when what was built to last forever will be demolished in just 180 days?
Tomas Araeta and Naomi Curran are nearing their tenth year of marriage-and on the cusp of adopting a child-when Tomas, an aspiring architect, strays with a client. Discovering the infidelity, Naomi files for divorce, but California has a mandatory six-month waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. The clock is ticking: Tomas has 180 days to win Naomi back.
This kicks off a fraught, painful, and at times humorous and absurd undertaking which will bring them in contact with a reclusive punk-rock star, aloof parents, architectural wonders, coworkers they thought they knew, friends with fragile secrets, and, most importantly, themselves. The infidelity is only the beginning of this journey.
And on day 180, Naomi and Tomas will have to answer the question facing every couple in a serious, wonderful, flawed relationship: what they each really want, and whether they still see a future together.
Finalist: Best New Fiction & Young Adult Fiction
Anela’s Club
D. K. Yamashiro
“Let’s learn from yesterday and live for today. It’s the only way to move forward.” —Anela Lee
When Anela Lee’s brother, Jake, dies on the football field, her family is shattered. Her parents never wanted her, and without her biggest cheerleader, she withdraws into her pain and insecurities. Even school, once a refuge, means nothing anymore. Only one teacher refuses to give up on her, pushing her to enter an essay contest that gives her a shot at Harvard. Still, self-doubt holds Anela back.
Then a senator teaches her about the many world leaders who have used their childhood trauma to do great things. The hope that Anela can turn her pain into something beautiful gives her back her spark and encourages her to enter the contest. But does she have the confidence to share her essay in front of an audience?
Anela’s Club is a coming-of-age story about rising above tragedy and learning to view life through a lens of hope and love.
Finalist: Horror-General & Horrror-Paranormal/Supernatural
Separate
Alan & Sairung Wright
Ghosts are real, and Rojana Bensen, an American college student, believes they’re dangerous, too. Her professor, paranormal researcher Dr. Elmir, insists they are harmless. Not too far away, in the town of Milton, a mass sighting leaves several factory workers dead, giving Rojana and Dr. Elmir a perfect opportunity to uncover the truth.
Follow Rojana on her investigation into the nature of this sudden surge of hauntings. As she forms new relationships, inadvertently makes herself a target, and awakens the ability to peer beyond life, she learns more and more about exactly what ghosts are. But there is a price to pay for traveling between this world and the next.
Finalist: Humor-Comedy-Satire
Capitol Gains
Rick Spees
RICHARD BREWSTER IS A FAST RISING WASHINGTON LOBBYIST in a large law firm with a bright future. But what if he wants to short-circuit the long climb to the top of the profession by creating a made-up client that has a phony problem? What if he uses that client to embarrass the president, to pass irrelevant legislation and arrange Congressional show hearings with professional wrestlers as witnesses? What if he charges the fictional clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees that the banks use to loan his law firm vast sums of money? Can he stay one step ahead of his partners, the president, the Senate, and the FBI?
Written with knowledge and insights by a forty-year DC lobbyist, Capitol Gains follows in the traditions of Christopher Buckley and P. J. O’rouke as a wild romp through the Washington lobbying scene.
Finalist: Pre-Teen Fiction
The Sea Devil’s Demise: A Delta & Jax Mystery
Susan Diamond Riley
When a strange girl follows twelve-year-old Delta Wells and her younger brother, Jax, to Hilton Head Island after a visit to a Savannah pirate festival, the sibling duo suspects that time is playing tricks on them again. Who is this mysterious person, who is she fated to become, and how can they return her to her own era before she gets stuck in the twenty-first century forever? On their adventure to find the answers, the kids learn about the dangers of water pollution and what they—and readers—can do to help save our oceans.
Like its predecessors, the fourth book in the award-winning Delta and Jax mystery series will charm readers of all ages with its blend of real history, a touch of magic, and an inspiring message about the Sea Island environment.
Finalist: Novella
Dragona
Mary Elizabeth Ames
Dragons are among the earliest mammals to appear on Earth. They arose during the late Cretaceous Period. Over time, they settled into different environments, which led to the development of different dragon species. Dragona provides insight into the evolution and natural history of fire dragons: their physical characteristics, their social behaviors, and their interactions with humans. People who are fascinated with dragons will find their tales intriguing and entertaining. Illustrations of each species of fire dragons support their individual stories.
