2026 Non-Fiction Book Award Finalists

Nicky is an award winning, international speaker and best-selling author, born in Bath and now living in South Glos. At 40, Nicky suffered and recovered from a disabling stroke - inspiring a life's mission to make a bigger difference. Nicky has survived abusive relationships, understands business

After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, Geoff Michael served six years on active duty in the project management field as a procurement officer. He was involved in the development and management of advanced aviation systems and space communications programs. After leaving the

Anita Selzer is an acclaimed author of fifteen books in adult and children’s non-fiction, including the first volume of The Female Gaze in Art and Photography. Her interest is in women, gender and culture, and history. She has earned a BA, Dip Ed, Master of Education, PhD in Education and Grad Dip

Natasha Ickes is a resilience strategist, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate with a background in psychology and community-centered leadership. She holds a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Her

I am the author of the award-winning Inspector Stark series of gritty crime thrillers, as well as being a retired CID detective of 25 years dealing with serious and major crimes from murder downwards. I like to think I know what makes detectives tick and indeed criminals of all types. Better than

Dr Paul Taylor is a Psychophysiologist, with a PhD in Psychology, separate master's degrees in Exercise Science and Nutrition and a postgraduate qualification in Neuroscience. A former Royal Navy Officer and former Adjunct Professor at University of San Francisco, Paul is a leading expert in

Alisa Hope Wagner is an international award-winning author, editor and publisher of over thirty books. She married her high school sweetheart, and together they raise their three children in a Christ-centered home. Though an introvert by nature, Alisa easily expresses herself through social media

Mohan Kumar Thadi is a debut author, public servant, and State Joint Secretary of the Janasena Party from Andhra Pradesh, India. Holding qualifications including M.A. (English Literature) and M.B.A., Mohan brings both literary depth and lived experience to his writing. His debut memoir My Pain Is My

Jeza Belle is a drag queen, comedian, and multiple award-winning author whose work spans gritty realism, humor, and overlooked histories. A 2026 Saints & Sinners Fiction finalist, her work was recently longlisted for the SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction, and her poetry is forthcoming in

Jennifer Collins began writing novels in 2020. A retired physical therapist and college professor, she became inspired to write after experiencing the loss of several loved ones. From her debut award-winning novel, Comfort in the Wings, arose two additional books to comprise the Love That Does Not

Retired communications professor, church pastor, and journalist Bruce H. Joffe is an award-winning author of magazine features, academic research, journal articles, and newspaper by-liners. An American from the USA who emigrated to Portugal and Spain in 2017, his books deal with international

Larry Robertson is an innovation advisor who works, writes, and guides at the nexus of creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership—and great questions. He’s the award-winning author of four books: “A Deliberate Pause,” “The Language of Man,” “Rebel Leadership,” and most recently, “Great Question.” As

Stephen Norris grew up on a council estate in Essex, moved through the care system, and was excluded from school by the age of 10. The conventional path was never available to him. He built his own instead. As a teenager in Colchester, he became a founding member of punk band Special Duties. Three

Susanna Reay is ‘The Authority Architect’ who helps established experts transform scattered expertise into systematic intellectual property. As the creator of Framework Thinking® and the SPARK Process®, she's guided hundreds of coaches, consultants, and leaders to build scalable authority through

Katey Wallace is a Taekwondo Master and four-time British Champion who once represented Team GB at the Junior and European Championships. But ask her about any of that and she'll probably shrug. What she'll actually tell you is this. She was nine when she walked into her first Taekwondo lesson

Jennifer Layman is the author of two entrepreneurial books: Forward Thinking for Your Business and Forward Thinking for Future Entrepreneurs. Both books were written from her experience as a marketing and communications consultant. The book are also named for her company, Forward Thinking, which was

Matteo Romano is a Brazilian-Italian journalist based in Spain. He worked as a correspondent for major magazines in Rio and Brasilia. Later, he was an analyst for a geopolitical intelligence consulting firm in London. He writes and researches about Political Economy in Latin America. He has recently

Retired communications professor, church pastor, and journalist Bruce H. Joffe is an award-winning author of magazine features, academic research, journal articles, and newspaper by-liners. An American from the USA who emigrated to Portugal and Spain in 2017, his books deal with international

Anette DeMattio, MA is the founder of The Too Strong Movement and the award-winning author of the #1 Amazon bestseller Too Strong For Your Own Good. Drawing on her experience as a six-time cancer survivor and more than 25 years as an executive coach, Anette identified a pattern she saw everywhere

Ana Mª López Jimeno, born in Puerto Rico, lives in Toledo (Spain) and has a BA in Arabic & Islam and a Certificate of English by the Language Department, both by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Owner of a private language academy for 40 years, she teaches Spanish, English and Arabic. She has

George Kesic is an Australian author, health advocate, and former pharmacist who risked everything to stand for truth during one of the most turbulent periods in modern Australian history. His debut book, The Chemist Whisperer, tells the extraordinary true story of courage, compassion, and

Kerstin Decook is a bestselling author, speaker, and certified professional coach who helps people break free from the invisible barriers that keep them stuck so they can move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose. Growing up behind the Berlin Wall gave her a unique perspective on

We are Juliet and Matthew Maguire, a husband-and-wife team, living and working in London, with a strong connection to the world of journalism. We’ve been running their Second Mentions account on X/Twitter since 2013, building up a devoted following. Juliet began working in news in 2008, as a

Jim Walker is an award-winning photographer based in Maine, USA. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya. With more than 50 years of experience in travel photography and over 40 years dedicated to wildlife and bird photography, Jim brings a seasoned

Award-winning author Sunny Weber has over 35 years in animal welfare advocacy. She has experience in rescue, fostering, medical care, service and therapy dog evaluation and training, shelter and sanctuary work, and specializes in the rehabilitation of fearful animals. Sunny has rehabilitated then re

Tamra Ryan is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and leadership expert who is redefining what it means to lead with purpose and compassion. After serving as CEO of Women’s Bean Project from 2003 to 2025—a social enterprise transforming lives through transitional employment—Tamra has dedicated

Born in Nashville, raised in Murfreesboro Architectural degrees from University of Tennessee, University of Pennsylvania, and Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris Founder of Tuck-Hinton Architects 1984-2019. Now have studio : Kem Hinton Design Designer of award-winning projects including Tennessee

Lael Giebel grew up in Berkeley, spent several years in Indonesia, and now lives in Central Florida with her husband and four sons. She is a sustainability professional, public speaker, and author. Lael has been in the sustainability space for 14 years and holds several industry certifications, as

Bruce D. Forman, PhD practices trauma informed behavioral sleep medicine and is ordained as a rabbi. He authored ten books and dozens of scientific/professional articles. He is a regular contributor to Florida Jewish Journal and has a blog on The Times of Israel. Dr. Forman is the insomnia course

Asal Shirazi BEM: A Life Dedicated to Autoimmune Awareness & Health Advocacy Asal Shirazi is a pioneering health advocate, educator, and author whose work is reshaping how autoimmune diseases are understood and managed. Her journey is driven by a passion for saving lives, educating the public, and

Alison Bladh BSc (Hons), mBANT, rCNHC, CIDESCO is a leading menopause and women’s health expert, award-winning registered nutritional therapist, beauty therapist and hormone health specialist with over 35 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. She is the international best-selling

Max is a multi-award winning disability and LGBTQIA+ activist, who was recognised in 2024 as the UK’s most influential disabled scientist. They talk extensively about intersectionality in the workplace, and their experiences as a queer, DeafBlind, and disabled person in STEM. Max is a Bard and a