Introducing the Finalists for the 2022 Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year

And the Winner of Best Book of the Year is . . . determined by YOU!

Congratulations to our three finalists for the Outskirts Press 2022 Best Book of the Year award: Eating Yellow Paint,by Susie Newman; Survived By No One? My Story of Finding Hers, by Karen Spicer-Wolven; and The Un-Diet, The Ultimate Mindset Journal to Living Beyond Diets, by Stacey Stedman. All three books took home first place awards from this year’s EVVY Awards, qualifying the authors for Outskirts Press’s highest honor!

While each of these books has achieved great heights, the highest honor of Best Book of the Year is . . . determined by YOU! So, study your choices, order their books, visit their webpages and social media, and cast your vote. Public voting will begin Monday, September 19th on Self-Publishing News and will close promptly on September 23rd, at 11:59 a.m. Mountain Time.

These works are impressive. It’s going to be an exciting sprint to the finish! Here’s a recap of the finalists:

Eating Yellow Paint, by Susie Newman

About the book:

Fifteen-year-old Savannah Jorja Dale is a sensitive poet searching for happiness. Savannah and her siblings, Montana and Phoenix, all named for the places their drug-addicted mom would like to visit, are being raised by their Mimi. When Mimi dies of cancer, their lives become uprooted and more chaotic. The three teens must move in with their eccentric great-grandma, Granny Crackers, and pick trash to earn their keep. Granny Crackers runs a never-ending garage sale from the back lot of her house in a Midwestern, inner-city neighborhood known as Paris Village. Savannah seeks answers to her questions about suffering and God by finding beauty in ugly and unexpected places. She captures images of her new world and shares them on Instagram. The problems that Savannah faces are indicative of today’s social landscape. The characters that share her story have their own crosses to bear. Savannah tells their stories with compassion and understanding. The book touches on subject matter relevant in today’s world, such as sexual identity, racial discrimination, LGBTQ issues, immigration, poverty, the generation gap, the opioid crisis, and many other timely topics.

About the Author:

Susie Newman is married and the mother of four children. She lives in Westerville, Ohio. Susie is the author of two earlier books: Diaries, a collection of short stories, and the novel Lost Souls Cafe.

Buy from Outskirts Press: https://outskirtspress.com/eatingyellowpaint

Survived By No One? My Story of Finding Hers, by Karen Spicer Wolven

About the Book:

In the summer of 2014, Angelika Harder-Russo passed quietly from this earth. Little did Karen Spicer-Wolven know that the search for Angelika’s family would help her survive her own darkest days and learn the true value of human connection.

This story began based solely on the 82 letters and over 300 photos Karen retrieved from the trash in Angelika’s home. However, as she tried to piece together Angelika’s life story, Karen learned that there are no “facts”—simply documented accounts of events recorded through someone else’s lens, which is what Angelika’s photos and letters provided: her version of life in post-WWII Germany; her perspective of her own romance, family conflict, survival, and the fear and excitement of leaving Germany to become an American military wife.

Survived by No One? is told through the eyes of a brave young mother who endured war, poverty, and incredible heartache. Angelika survived it all, but who survived her? This book takes the reader on Karen’s journey through Angelika’s letters, photos, documents, and eventually a trip to Bavaria, Germany, to finally share Angelika’s story with her family. It turns out that Angelika Harder-Russo has many “survivors.”

About the Author:

Karen Spicer-Wolven is a self-proclaimed “historical hoarder” with degrees in history/government, human services, with an emphasis on mental health. She spent four years researching Angelika’s story before traveling to Bavaria to meet with her family, and their friendship and learning continue. Karen lives in the Missouri Ozarks with her husband, Chris.

Buy from Outskirts Press: https://outskirtspress.com/survivedbynoone

The Un-Diet, The Ultimate Mindset Journal to Living Beyond Diets, by Stacey Stedman

About the Book:

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who loves being on a diet. Saying that you are on a diet usually comes with kale between your teeth, a sad sigh, a longing for foods you can’t have, an eye roll and/or an end date to when it’s over. The Un-Diet ditches the diet mentality. This journal takes you on a daily journey to be your own advocate for your health and nutrition. I will teach you how to get in tune with your body by fueling it properly, listening to your hunger cues, and checking in with your emotions and stress level before you eat. There is so much more to our nutrition mindset than WHAT we eat. There are a few ways to use this journal to get the most out of it for YOU. Day-by-day logging for 30 days; using a separate journal for your daily logs and staying on each day as long as you want; or reading the whole thing, then working on the parts that resonate with you the most.

About the Author:

After 20 years of yo-yo dieting, I finally had enough. There had to be a better way. So I started health and fitness coaching in 2014, and I am now a certified health coach and personal trainer with an advanced certificate in sports nutrition coaching. I’ve been running online health and accountability groups for years and have helped hundreds of people shift their nutritional mindset. I was put on this earth to positively influence people’s lives and help them feel amazing and vibrant. I live in Longmont, Colorado, with my fantastic husband and two boys.—Stacey Stedman.

Buy from Outskirts Press: https://outskirtspress.com/theundiet

The Best Book of the Year winner will receive a Grand Prize of $1,500 directly from your choice at the polls. So, come back on Monday, September 19th, to cast your vote!

Are you ready to publish your own award-winning book and perhaps find yourself in the running for next year’s Best Book of the Year award?