Winners of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association’s Annual President’s Book Awards were presented with their medals last Saturday, August 3, during the President’s Book Awards Ceremony in conjunction with FAPACon 2024 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace.

Recipients who were not able to attend the ceremony will receive their medals in the mail by the end of August.

The FAPA President’s Book Awards recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors, illustrators, cover designers, and publishers. This contest isn’t limited to Florida; it is open to anyone worldwide, as long as the book is written in English. We hope to encourage entries from all who share our complex and wonderful language. 

Publishers, librarians, educators, and other professionals in the industry from Florida and throughout the United States volunteer as judges. Three judges read each entry, and their scores determine the finalists.
Entrants may choose from thirty — seven categories. If applicable, a single book may be entered in multiple categories. Consequently, some entries may receive two or even three medals if they earn them in the categories entered.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded based on each book’s score and the range of scores in each category. Competition is very tight. A book must earn a minimum score to receive a medal. For example, suppose no book in a particular category scores high enough for a gold or silver. In that case, only one bronze medal may be awarded for that category. On the other hand, if the final scores for several entries are very close within a specific category, multiple gold, silver, or bronze medals will be awarded.

Congratulations again to all of our winners. Earning a medal is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to each winner’s skill and talent.

The following is a list of winners by category.

Adult Fiction: Historical
Lizard of Transition Ed Borowsky Bronze
The Peculiar Affliction of Thomas Wade Duncan Kip Koelsch Bronze
Full Naval Honors: The Final Novel of Peter Wake and his Descendants Robert N. Macomber Silver
The Crystal Ball Chronicles Janet Naughton and Ginger Pedersen Silver
Alice's War William McClain Gold
An Island Long Ago Julie Burnette Gold
Southern Crosses Victoria Laurienzo Gold
The Puppet Maker's Daughter Karla M. Jay Gold
Adult Fiction: Mystery/Suspense

Dangerous Undercurrents - FBI Affairs: Book 4 Suzanne Baginskie Bronze
It's a Good Day to Liquidate Ed Borowsky Bronze
Model Suspect TK Sheffield Bronze
Strange Timing Jeffrey C Bruce Bronze
Prophetic Redemption Paul Headworth ene
Three Dead Freds Linda Marie Guecia Silver
The Snake Traders Brenda Spalding Gold
Adult Fiction: Thriller/Horror
Blue Magic on Mushroom Island David C Edmonds Bronze
The Murder Plague Scott Michael Powers Silver
The Street Between the Pines: A Southern New England Horror J.J. Alo Silver
Adult Fiction: Romance
Matching Melissa Dianna Dann Silver
Roads To Run Ronni Miller Gold
Adult Fiction: Sci-Fi
The First HumAIn Robert Lewis Heron Bronze
The Song of Immaru: Earth's Door P.J. Dudek Silver
Adult Fiction: Fantasy
The Acros Raiders Sara Tunder Bronze
Forgotten Rebellion A.J. Park Silver
The Peculiar Affliction of Thomas Wade Duncan Kip Koelsch Silver
Atlanta's Guide to Cryptids Kevin A Davis Gold
Stones of the Earth Kolby Carrell Gold
Adult Fiction: Anthology/Collection
These Strange Matters: Eyes in the Storm & Other Tales Scott Turick Bronze
Adult Non-Fiction: General
Double Haul Bill Bishop -publisher will pick up - Gabriel Vaughn Silver
Heartbreak Guitar Janice Dodge Gold

Young Adult: Fiction
Awakening: An Enchanted Romance Diane Green Bronze
The Claddagh: Book 1: The Loyalty of the
Leprechauns M.R. Street Bronze
Welcome to Mansfield Anthony Farina Bronze
Magda, Standing Christine Fallert Kessides Silver
The Shadowlink Two Sides of Hexel Stefanie Schatzman Silver
Forgotten Rebellion A.J. Park Gold
Middle Grades: Fiction
Cruel Nature: Seven Terrifying Tales to Trouble your Sleep. Denise Albiza Bronze
The Galaxy According to Cece Sherry Roberts Silver
Harry and the Hurricane Dr. Robert A. Ernst and Rose E. Grier Evans Gold
Children: Chapter Books
The Secret Society of Cats & Chickens: A Key West Adventure Story for Kids and Whimsical Adults Margaret Meps Schulte Bronze
A Simple Seagrass Camille Klump Silver
Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma Laura Wiltse Prior Silver
A Code Red Christmas Camille Klump Gold
Harry and the Hurricane Dr. Robert A. Ernst and Rose E. Grier Evans Gold
Children: Beginning Reader
Princess Sofia's Special School Adventure Donna Frost, Illustrations by Lisa J. Michaels Bronze
Bella & Blue: Bella Meets Blue Berrie Torgan-Randall, Illustrations by Berrie Torgan-Randall Silver
How Pickleball Saved Ollie Otter Lawrence R. Blundred, Illustrations by Milt Priggee Gold
Magenta Sheri Fink, Illustrations by Bright Jungle Studios Gold
Children: Prereader/ Picture Book
A Snowboy Spreads Christmas Joy Gayle Paben, Illustrations by Reader's Magnet LLC Bronze
Boo Thunder! Evelyn Presley, Illustrations by Judith Gosse Bronze
Caleb's Christmas Quest: Featuring Pigmuffin Evelyn Presley, Illustrations by Judith Gosse Bronze
Malcolm Hatches an Egg Valerie Crowe, Illustrations by Carlos Weiser Bronze
A Firefly Named Felix Deanna Hart, Illustrations by Chrish Vindhy Silver
One Perfect Plan: The Bible's Big Story in Tiny Poems Nancy Tupper Ling, Illustrations by Alina Chau Silver
Periodic City: The Table Without Chairs Joyce O’Malley Bradford and Susan Lee, Illustrations by Susan Lee Silver
Sssnake on a Ssskate? Steven V. LeShay, Ph.D., Illustrations by Matthew V. LeShay and Santi Jurado Silver
Wrigley at the White House Karna Bodman, Illustrations by Susan Spellman Silver
Hello, France! Ekaterina Otiko, Illustrations by José Gascón Gold
Lost and Found: The Adventures of Marco the Cat Austin J. Bell, Illustrations by Kayleigh Castle Gold
The Little Monster's Big Birthday Sheri Fink, Illustrations by Bright Jungle Studios Gold
Zoey and Max: Best Friends Forever Zandria Bastian, Illustrations by Queen Smith Gold
Travel/Geography
Timisoara to the power of 23 Andreea Sepi and Claudia Tanasescu Silver
Science/Nature
Whitetail Secrets: Bachelor Life Susan Lindsley Bronze
Periodic City: The Table Without Chairs Joyce O’Malley Bradford Silver
Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey Kirsten Hines Gold
Coloring/Activity Book
Color My World Ginger Marks Bronze
Color Me Culture: Explore Paris Séverine Chanay-Savoyen Silver
Wings of Freedom - The Story of the Berlin Airlift Bibi LeBlanc Gold
Biography
Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants Cindy Roe Littlejohn Gold

Autobiography/Memoir

Dispatches from a Kitchen Table: Exploring Life, Love, and Lots of Other Stuff Cynthia D. Bertelsen Bronze
Fever of Unknown Origin: A True Tale of Medicine, Mystery, and Magic Judith M. Ford Bronze
CSI : The Casey Anthony Child Murder Case Gerardo Bloise Silver
Divine Restoration: Life After Manic Depression Alan Lantieri Silver
Tales From An Asylum: A Memoir Unlike Any Other Steven V. LeShay, Ph.D. Silver
An Apparently Normal Person Bonnie R Armstrong Gold
The Killing Closet V.L. Brunskill Gold
Business/Technology
The 80/20 CEO: Take Command of Your Business in 100 Days Bill Canady Bronze
100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 4: Top Content Creators Help You Succeed in an Era of Rapid Change Ross Brand Silver
Your Multimillion-Dollar Exit: The Entrepreneur's Business Success(ion) Planner: A Blueprint for Wealth Guide Wayne M. Zell, JD, CPA Silver
The Revenue Acceleration Framework: A Proven Roadmap to Transform and Dynamically Grow Your Business Doug Davidoff Gold
The Value Equation: A Business Guide to Wealth Creation for Entrepreneurs, Leaders and Investors Christopher H. Volk Gold
Why Brand Protection Matters L.A. Perkins Gold
How-To/Instructional/Self- Help
The Game: Winning by Virtue One Move at a Time Her Royal Majesty Princess Merrilee of Solana (Merrilee Sweeney) Bronze
Five Doors of Success: How to Build a Future Without Luck, Money, or Friends in High Places Joshua Candamo Silver
You’re on Fire, It’s Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors Katie K. May Silver
You're Driving Me Crazy! John Reinhardt Silver
From the Boxing Ring to the Ashram Deborah Charnes Gold
Variations on the Theme of Chess George R. Dekle Sr. Gold
Poetry
Listening to the Silence: Poems of Love, Remembrance, and Survival Linda Kraus Silver
Driving The Lost Highway Jeff Weddle Gold
Inspirational/Motivational
Bridges Between Our Hearts Jennifer Collins Bronze
Finding Love and Purpose: Our Journey to Healing through Connection Sarina Baptista, Vickie Hays, Carrie Hackwelder-Longo, and Kimberly Latta Silver
Keeping Mother Darlene Goodwin Silver
Mixed up with Me: A Journey through Adoption, Pregnancy, Loss, & Renewal Sallie Gordon Silver
Religion/Spirituality
Finding Love and Purpose: Our Journey to Healing through Connection Sarina Baptista, Vickie Hays, Carrie Hackwelder-Longo, and Kimberly Latta Bronze
20 Ways to Increase Your Psychic Abilities John Russell Silver
Keeping Mother Darlene Goodwin Silver
Prophetic Redemption Paul Headworth Silver
Wolves Unseen: A Theological Excavation of Christianity, Cults, and Ideologies Tekoa Manning Silver
God's Good Works: Stories to Treasure and Tales to Ponder Lorilyn Roberts Gold
Fitness/Sports/Recreation
How Pickleball Saved Ollie Otter Lawrence R. Blundred Silver

History
1696 Jonathan Dickinson: A shipwreck and a perilous trek through Spanish Florida James D. Snyder - Julie Alexander accepting Silver
Racers in the Sun, Volume One: The Story of Florida's Sprint Car Legends Richard Golardi Silver
Touchstones of Tradition: Insights from the Material Culture of Miccosukee and Seminole People William H Marquardt, Sandra L. Starr, Brent Weisman, Stacey L. Huber, Patsy West, and Austin J. Bell Silver
Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants Cindy Roe Littlejohn Gold
Wings of Freedom - The Story of the Berlin Airlift Bibi LeBlanc Gold
Fitness/Health

Geriatrics Handbook: Practical applications for healthcare professionals and patients Venkit S. Iyer, MD, and David Bernstein, MD Silver
From the Boxing Ring to the Ashram Deborah Charnes Gold

Humor/Comedy
The Gullwing Colony Antonio Simon, Jr. Silver
The Great Mongolian Bowling League of the United States of America Ed Borowsky Gold
Political/Current Events
Flaming Moderate: A Riveting Journey and Quest to Save Democracy Bo Roberts Bronze
Cover Design: Adult
Keeping Mother Darlene Goodwin, Cover Design by Darlene Goodwin Bronze
Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants Cindy Roe Littlejohn, Cover Design by Hannah Marie McDonald Silver
Stones of the Earth Kolby Carrell, Cover Design by Gabriel H. Vaughn Silver
Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse
Chris Coward, Cover Design by Kevin Stone Gold
Cover Design: Young Adult
Dragons, Monsters, and Imaginary Friends: and Peter's Field of Dreams Clifton Savoy, Cover Design by The Book Cover Whisperer Silver
Cover Design: Juvenile
A Code Red Christmas Camille Klump, Cover Design by Beatriz del Alamo Bronze
Lost and Found: The Adventures of Marco the Cat Austin J. Bell, Cover Design by Jason Fowler Gold
Magenta Sheri Fink, Cover Design by Bright Jungle Studios Gold
Malcolm Hatches an Egg Valerie Crowe, Cover Design by Ginger Marks Gold