2022 Book Award Finalists

Silver surfer, Christine Ottaway, though older in years, loves to write Middle Grade adventure stories, some of which have Christian themes. She has been an avid reader from an early age and has never lost her love of children’s fiction. Her first job in a public library was an ideal career for a

Hi there. I am Whitney Rose. Published author, creative and inspirational writer, and poet. I transmute raw and vulnerable life experiences into written stories that people relate to on a powerful, deep level. Readers that are drown to my writing often receive what they need to hear and learn at the

Susan L. Combs is President of Combs & Company, a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in New York City. Susan started the company at twenty-six years old with a drive to “Do more, better.” This internal mantra has resulted in numerous successes and firsts, like being named the youngest

Susan L. Combs is President of Combs & Company, a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in New York City. Susan started the company at twenty-six years old with a drive to “Do more, better.” This internal mantra has resulted in numerous successes and firsts, like being named the youngest

A lifelong Illinoisan, Amanda cherishes her Midwestern roots, and has deep passion for sports, film, and politics. She earned a BA in journalism from Loyola University Chicago, and currently resides in Champaign where she continues to write and blog. Amanda’s debut memoir, "The Accidental Virgin,"

Following a career in education, I qualified as an aromatherapist at the Tisserand Institute in London in 1999 and later worked there as an anatomy and physiology lecturer. My aromatherapy studies sparked an interest in natural health and since then, I have completed a variety of complementary

Laura Davis is the author of seven non-fiction books, including The Courage to Heal, Becoming the Parent You Want to Be and I Thought We'd Never Speak Again. Her groundbreaking books have been translated into 11 languages and sold more than 1.8 million copies. In addition to writing books that

A small-town Georgia girl, Shannon finds no greater joy than stepping into the lives and worlds created by the written word. Despite a severe aversion to reading as a child, Shannon's passion for literature started with her first young adult read at the age of seventeen, which she has since nurtured

I am a 33-year-old single mom to a teenage boy and I live on the west coast of Norway. I was a high school dropout who got pregnant at 18. I decided to be a better role model for my son so I went back to school when I was 20. I got my diploma as a truck/bus mechanic. To provide for us I had to work

As a teacher, and voracious reader, I have dreamed of writing educational books for children for many years. I also have a long history of volunteer work with nonprofit literacy organizations. When I decided to complete Queen Bee’s Alphabet Cookbook, I enlisted help from my beautiful and talented

I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, graduating from the University of New Mexico with a degree in marketing and married my husband, Louie. After a few years in the business world, I became a stay-at-home mom, raising my two sons, Tyler and Chase. As an avid learner and aspiring author, I studied

A freelance (and corporate, and agency) writer since earning her B.A. in English in 2006, Meghan Palmer has been drawn to writing about culture in the American Mountain South throughout her career. Palmer's creative nonfiction work has been published in magazines like "Home and Hill" and "Marquee."

Natalie Symons is an award-winning playwright and best-selling novelist. Her plays have been developed and produced at theatres across the county, including American Stage, freeFall Theatre, ACT Theatre, Theatre22, Urbanite Theatre, Aurora Theatre, Theater Schmeater, Florida Studio Theatre, Bridge

Peter Sterios has been part of the global yoga community for over four decades as a teacher, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder of MANDUKA™ and creator of LEVITYoGA™. Peter’s first DVD “Gravity & Grace” made Yoga Journal’s “Top 15 yoga videos of all time”, and his first book

Laura Eigel, Ph.D., is the founder of The Catch Group, a leadership coaching firm accelerating women into the c-suite, and the host of the You Belong in the C-Suite podcast. Known for her direct feedback and her passion for living a life guided by her values, she has been an HR executive at Fortune

Tamra Ryan is the CEO of Women's Bean Project, a social enterprise that provides transitional employment, while operating a food manufacturing business, to women attempting to break the cycle of chronic unemployment and poverty. Tamra is a former partner and board member for Social Venture Partners

While other kids read comic books under the covers with a flashlight at bedtime, C.K. DONNELLY wrote fan fiction and fantasy stories. She used her love of writing to pursue a career in journalism and was honored with several press awards for business and economic reporting. She has also held careers

Keri Bloomfield is a Kiwi mum in Denmark and a witty observer of cultural nuances. Born in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, she now lives in Copenhagen with a Dane, their daughter and far too many bakeries. She enjoys confusing others with New Zealand slang while wrestling with her lifetime commitment to

Greg Buford has lived in Japan, India, France, Cambodia, and Switzerland. He’s settled down (for the moment) in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Dana, and their children. He published his first novel, Making Ghosts Dance, in 2017 and a humorous memoir, Kept: An American Househusband in India, in 2020

Mikael Carlson is the award-winning author of the Michael Bennit Series of political dramas. He is also authoring two additional ongoing series: Tierra Campos Thrillers and Watchtower Thrillers. His newest series, America, Inc., is a retelling of the futuristic dystopian Black Swan Saga that serves

Sandeep Adnani is the Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of ‘The Codes of the Exiled Rogue’ , ‘The Origin of the Exiled Rogue’ and ‘The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue’ eBooks. He nurtured this metaphysical and transformational fiction idea for over six years before publishing the first part in July 2019

Since the debut of her award winning book, The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Conscious Living, Lorie Givens has been inspiring her community of readers to do just that. With a friendly down-to-earth style and a commitment to making a difference, she's now focused on authoring a series of children's books

Greg Buford has lived in Japan, India, France, Cambodia, and Switzerland. He’s settled down (for the moment) in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Dana, and their children. He published his first novel, Making Ghosts Dance, in 2017 and a humorous memoir, Kept: An American Househusband in India, in 2020

Katrina-Jane is a down to earth, ‘out of the box’ clairvoyant medium, multiple times award winning author, inspirational speaker, teacher and thought leader - who is dedicated to guiding people on your soul journey. Her specialities include death and dying, clairvoyant readings, support for

Katrina-Jane is a down to earth, ‘out of the box’ clairvoyant medium, multiple times award winning author, inspirational speaker, teacher and thought leader - who is dedicated to guiding people on your soul journey. Her specialities include death and dying, clairvoyant readings, support for

Danielle M. Wong is a bicoastal author with a permanent case of wanderlust. An extended trip abroad inspired her debut novel, Swearing Off Stars. The book was published to critical acclaim, garnering an Independent Press Award, a Benjamin Franklin Award, and an International Book Award. Danielle’s

Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry met as co-workers in New York City in 2012, discovering a shared passion for writing and true crime. After Steph relocated to Charlotte, NC in 2018, they continued to collaborate creatively. Separated by 5 states, they spend countless hours scheming via Facetime and

Writing has always been an important part of Angela’s life. Over the years she has contributed to each of a series of successful collections of short stories set in and around Oxford. Since retiring as a teacher, Angela has been researching her Egyptologist ancestors, the Tyssen Amhersts of

Al Davidson has loved writing action adventure stories since she could pick up a crayon in kindergarten. Zer0-Day: The Sommerfeld Experiment is a Kirkus reviewed first novel in a planned series of 5. Gauntlet, the second book in the series, released in April. She lives on a small ranch in the

Dr David Ko and Richard Busellato are experienced investment veterans and authors of 'The Unsustainable Truth' (2021). The book explains how investments, even with good intentions, are inevitably corrupted and explores what we can do about it. With a successful career anticipating risk and asking,

Merrick Rosenberg is a keynote speaker, author, and entrepreneur who teaches people how to tap into the power of their personality. In 1991, he founded Team Builders Plus, one of the first team building companies in the United States. After helping hundreds of thousands of people to build teamwork

Rohit Bhargava is is on a mission to inspire more non-obvious thinking in the world. He is an innovation and marketing expert, skilled facilitator, and keynote speaker. After a successful 15 year career as a brand and marketing strategist at two of the largest agencies in the world (Ogilvy and Leo