Attention, all Colorado-based authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers
OUTSKIRTS PRESS is once again sponsoring Colorado Humanities who hosts the annual Colorado Book Awards. We encourage YOUR submissions for the 2021 Awards!
The annual event is run by the Colorado Center for the Book, the program department of the Colorado Humanities, which is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers.
The Colorado Book Awards—presented annually by Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book—were launched in 1991 with four categories of awards to recognize authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers and have since expanded to ten literary categories. Many of Colorado’s most prominent authors have been recognized with awards, including David Milofsky, John Fielder, Tom Noel, Stephanie Kane, and Linda Hogan, among others.
Applications for the 2021 Colorado Book Awards are due January 7, 2022, and should be submitted directly to the Colorado Book Awards. Judging generally occurs in April, and the awards will be presented at a ceremony in June.
Are you a non-Coloradan but interested in other book competition opportunities? If so, visit Outskirts Press to learn more about how book awards can help move your book to new levels of success.
Outskirts Press self-publishing authors continually impress the judges at the annual CIPA EVVY Awards and this year is no different. In fact, our authors garnered 23 spots as finalists for the 2021 awards and we couldn’t be prouder!
Now in its 27th year, the EVVY Awards, sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) and the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation (ELF), recognize the works of independent authors in dozens of book categories.
First-, second- and third-place winners will be revealed and recognized at an awards banquet on Tuesday, Aug. 24, in Denver, Colorado. Details about the broadcast will be announced soon on our blog, Self-Publishing News, and on the CIPA website.
Winning an EVVY Award is a prerequisite to being an Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year finalist, and we announce those three finalists from among all the EVVY winners on our blog shortly after the EVVY Awards.
At last, here are the Outskirts Press books that have been selected as finalists in the 2021 EVVY Awards:
Non-Fiction Academic / Educational
Applied Beekeeping in the United States by David MacFawn
Profiles in Kindness: Stories of Inspiration & Everyday Leadership by Paul E. Kotz
The Compleat Ambler: A Hiker’s Notebook about the Flora, Fauna and Fungi of a Healthy Mind and Body by William Donald Needham
Levi Sawyer: The Convict Train by Larry A. Bieghler
Fiction Young Adult (Ages 14 – 18)
In the Black by ANDREW CERONI
Mission Proxima b by Scion Fra
Congratulations to all our EVVY Award finalists! We are so proud of your impressive achievements in this awards cycle.
Have you published a book this year, or are you getting ready to? Let Outskirts Press show you how to produce an award-worthy work! Follow the link below to learn more about our book publishing and marketing services.
Attention all Colorado-based authors, editors, illustrators and photographers: Outskirts Press is once again sponsoring the annual Colorado Book Awards, and we encourage your submissions for the 2021 Awards!
The annual event is run by the Colorado Center for the Book, the program department of the Colorado Humanities, which is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators and photographers.
The Colorado Book Awards — presented annually by Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book — were launched in 1991 with four categories of awards to recognize authors, illustrators, editors and publishers, and have since expanded to 10 literary categories. Many of Colorado’s most prominent authors have been recognized with awards, including David Milofsky, John Fielder, Tom Noel, Stephanie Kane and Linda Hogan, among others.
Applications for the 2021 Colorado Book Awards are due January 8, 2021, and should be submitted directly to the Colorado Book Awards. Judging generally occurs in April, and the awards are presented at a ceremony in late Spring.
Are you a non-Coloradan but interested in other book competition opportunities? Visit Outskirts Press to learn more about how book awards can help move your book to new levels of success.
Attention all Colorado-based authors, editors, illustrators and photographers: Outskirts Press is once again sponsoring the annual Colorado Book Awards, and we encourage your submissions for the 2020 Awards!
The annual event is run by the Colorado Center for the Book, the program department of the Colorado Humanities, which is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators and photographers.
The Colorado Book Awards — presented annually by Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book — were launched in 1991 with four categories of awards to recognize authors, illustrators, editors and publishers, and have since expanded to 10 literary categories. Many of Colorado’s most prominent authors have been recognized with awards, including David Milofsky, John Fielder, Tom Noel, Stephanie Kane and Linda Hogan, among others.
Applications for the 2020 Colorado Book Awards are due January 6, 2020, and should be submitted directly to the Colorado Book Awards. Judging generally occurs in April, and the awards are presented at a ceremony in late Spring.
Are you a non-Coloradan but interested in other book competition opportunities? Visit Outskirts Press to learn more about how book awards can help move your book to new levels of success.
Last week, we were proud to announce to you the three finalists for this year’s Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year award. Since then, the finalists have been showing us their impressive marketing chops — reaching out to fans on social media, making appearances and promoting their book like pros to win your votes.
Now it is time to pick a winner. We’re in the final hours, and we need your vote today to determine which of these talented authors has proven they have the author platform and promotional muscle to take top honors as the Grand Prize winner, and take home the $1,500 Grand Prize for Best Book of the Year.
So, take one last look at these worthy contenders, and then scroll down to the poll to place your vote for the 2019 Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year!
Finalist: The Red Shore by Andrew Ceroni
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video, and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
Finalist: Dance Because You Can by Amy Jordan
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video, and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
Finalist: To Paint a Murder by E.J. Gandolfo
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video, and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
Vote Now!
The public poll for Best Book of the Year ends tomorrow, Sept. 13 at 5:00 PM Mountain Time, so make your voice heard!
(If you can’t see the voting poll here, please open this web page in another browser like Chrome.)
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? Connect with Outskirts Press now in whatever manner is easiest for you:
And the Winner of Best Book of the Year is… determined by YOU!
Congratulations to our three finalists for the Outskirts Press 2019 Best Book of the Year award: The Red Shore by Andrew Ceroni, Dance Because You Can by Amy Jordan and To Paint a Murder by E.J. Gandolfo. All three books took home first place awards from this year’s EVVY Awards, qualifying the authors for Outskirts Press highest honor!
While each of these books have 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 9th on Self-Publishing News and will close promptly on Friday, September 13th at 5:00 PM Mountain Time.
These works are impressive and it’s going to be an interesting sprint to the finish! Here’s a recap of the finalists:
The Red Shore
Dave McClure arrives in Bar Harbor, Maine, for some rest and relaxation before returning to the CIA-a world he left behind years ago. But he is unaware of the danger he’ll face in the days ahead as he discovers the secrets that lie in the deep ocean trenches of the Atlantic. Deadly secrets.
McClure is unexpectedly thrust into the middle of a vicious Russian plot and a harbor town’s lethal intrigue, each as perilous as they are startling, and struggles to make sense of all the jumbled pieces in this deadly puzzle. Is there a connection between Russian drone submarines probing the U.S. coastline, a Top-Secret, advanced technology Navy torpedo program, and the sinister secret behind Tamarack Harbor’s missing boys? Another brutal murder is the catalyst that finally leads McClure to the juncture of high-stakes espionage and an impending attack on American soil. As the CIA and the U.S. Navy race against time and the Russian threat, the powerful pull of emotion will test the limits of Dave McClure’s skill, strength, and courage.
About Author Andrew Ceroni
Andrew Ceroni served a distinguished career as a Senior Supervisory Special Agent in the conduct of global counterespionage and antiterrorism operations. He received his BS degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy; MA from Case Western Reserve University; and studied several foreign languages at the University of Maryland. He lives in Colorado with his family.
Have you ever felt pinned down by life? Have you ever had a moment when you thought things would never get better? Guess what? You are not alone.
Dance Because You Can is a direct pathway to getting through any obstacle and transforming trauma into triumph. The book from Amy Jordan, critically acclaimed award-winning author, speaker, coach, and choreographer, walks you through her five-step system of D.A.N.C.E In the end you have a tool kit that works for pretty much any adversity in life.
The book is poignant, funny, tragic, and truthful. Jordan parallels her dramatic and life-threatening experiences, proving that value can be created from any situation. She challenges and triumphs life with difficult-to-manage type 1 diabetes, recovery from an eating disorder, a dream of dancing professionally, or challenging an MTA bus.
Whatever you are facing right now, no matter how tough it seems, this book will help you feel better and create answers. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Her professional company, The Victory Dance Project, has honored legends of dance and stage including Chita Rivera. Jordan’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NY Post, and FORTUNE magazine among others. Amy is an in- demand motivational speaker and coach speaking for groups from ten to ten thousand, including corporations, organizations, youth programs, leadership development, health organizations, and schools.
“This is an amazing book. Amy’s message is empowering and impactful. Thank you for sharing your message to encourage everyone to never give up.”- James Malinchak, Star of ABC’s hit show ‘Secret Millionaire’, World’s premiere speaker, trainer and coach.
“This book: Dance Because You Can, simply says if you reach a point of impossibility, a seemingly unfixable challenge, this 5 Step system will help anyone facing any adversity to Transform Trauma into Triumph and dance your victory dance!” -Kevin Harrington, Original Shark on ‘Shark Tank,’ Inventor of the infomercial: Sold over $5 Billion on TV
“Dance Because You Can. I love that message. Thank you for inspiring the world.”
– Leeza Gibbons, Emmy winning journalist, Former Host: Entertainment Tonight
“This is an amazing woman with an amazing story. If you would like to take your life to the next level and move through what you think is stopping you; Amy Jordan can help you do that.” -Jack Canfield, New York Times Best Selling Author Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Success Principles, Star of the breakthrough movie: ‘The Secret’
E. J. Gandolfo weaves a mystery story about art theft, deception and murder in a small seaside town on the North Shore of Boston. Middle-aged Veronica Howard is drawn into events when she opens her longed for vintage-antique shop and becomes an unwitting sleuth and accomplice. If you love vintage jewelry and clothing and the Art Deco and Victorian eras, you will be fascinated by the descriptions. The people Veronica trusts are not what they seem and she relies on her common sense and spirit of adventure to find answers. She has fought long and hard to be a success in the business world and now she must put her inquisitive nature to work in this tale of insatiable greed among some collectors of fine art. Caught between the affections of a long-time love and a new, glamorous mystery man, she has to decide if her trust has been misplaced.
About Author E. J. Gandolfo
E. J. Gandolfo is a former advertising agency copywriter and sales executive. She is an artist, antique dealer and world traveler and resides in the Boston area.
The Best Book of the Year winner will receive a Grand Prize of $1,500 as a direct result of your choice at the polls. So, come back on Monday, September 9th, 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? Connect with Outskirts Press now in whatever manner is easiest for you:
Our three authors have already won in their categories at the EVVY Awards, but only one can claim our highest honor: Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year!
Selecting a favorite book is no small feat, and each of our authors works deserve to be recognized. T.D. Arkenberg: Two Towers, Katherine S. Egan: Genetics Isn’t Everything, and C. R. Norris: Wasp on the Wind are our top three finalists and we are proud of them and their great achievements.
Our authors have offered you their very best, and you’ve weighed your options and voted for your favorite book for this incredible distinction!
The winner of the 2018 Best Book of the Year award goes to Two Towers by T.D. Arkenberg.
Two Towers
In his poignant memoir, Two Towers, T.D. Arkenberg navigates readers through a personal perfect storm. A resurgence of his father’s long-dormant cancer and chaos at his job in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks serve as the backdrop for a private struggle with a secret hidden for thirty-seven years. The story opens on Christmas Eve, 2001. Alone, he stands in his empty childhood home. Two months earlier, his father succumbed to cancer after a lengthy struggle. Five weeks after that painful loss, his mother’s unexpected death shattered his world. The double-barreled blast toppled his towers of strength and unconditional love at a time he was barely treading water. Only weeks before his parents’ deaths, his professional life descended into turmoil. Nineteen hijackers commandeered four commercial jets, unleashing unspeakable terror on US soil. Two towers collapsed into piles of twisted steel, a dusty grave for thousands of innocent souls. Friends don’t know how he survives. Neither does he, especially with the added burden of a dark secret. As his world starts to crumble, fate offers a lifeline.
.
About Author T.D. Arkenberg
Two Towers is the fourth book and first memoir from award-winning author T.D. Arkenberg. Independent Publisher Book Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards, and Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society have recognized his work. T.D. studied at The University of Chicago, London Business School, and Northwestern University. He lives with his spouse, Jim, and their cat outside Chicago. Visit www.TDArkenberg.com.
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? Connect with Outskirts Press now in whatever manner is easiest for you:
Last week, we were proud to announce to you the three finalists for this year’s Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year awards. Since then, the finalists have been showing us their impressive marketing chops – reaching out to fans on social media, making appearances and promoting their book like pros to win your votes.
Now it is time to pick a winner. We’re in the final hours, and we need your vote today to determine which of these talented authors has proven they have the author platform and promotional muscle to take top honors as the Grand Prize winner, and take home the $1,500 Grand Prize for Best Book of the Year.
So, take one last look at these worthy contenders, and then scroll down to the poll to place your vote for the 2018 Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year!
FINALIST: Two Towers by T. D. Arkenberg
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video, and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
FINALIST: Genetics Isn’t Everything by Katherine S. Egan
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video, and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
FINALIST: Wasp on the Wind by C. R. Norris
Visit the blog posting to read the synopsis, learn more about the author, watch the video and visit the author’s webpage. Opens in a new window.
The public poll for Best Book of the Year closes at 5:00 PM (MST) on Friday, September 14th.
Are you ready to start your own self-publishing journey? We can help deliver an award-worthy publication to you! If you need help choosing your best self-publishing option, you can connect with Outskirts Press now:
The results of the EVVY Awards judging is back, and it’s good news: Outskirts Press self-publishing authors garnered a company record of 21 finalists for the 2017 CIPA EVVY Awards, including one book, Gramma Darling by Lissa Schroeder, which placed in six competition categories! A second, The Thundering Herd by John E. Peltier, will be recognized in two.
Now in their 23rd year, the CIPA EVVY Awards are sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) and the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation (ELF), and recognizes the works of independent authors in dozens of book categories. Outskirts Press hand-selects only the highest quality books for nomination each year. In fact, we generally nominate only 2 to 5 percent of the books we publish in any given year. (This is also the first step toward nomination for the Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year Award, which comes with a $1,500 Grand Prize. Authors who publish using an Ultimate, Full-Color or One-Click publishing package are automatically eligible for Best Book of the Year.)
First, second and third place winners in the EVVY Awards are, for now, a closely guarded secret — and the suspense is killing us! Winners will be revealed and recognized at an awards banquet on Aug. 19 in Denver, Colorado. Outskirts Press would love to see as many of these amazing authors at the ceremony as possible. If you can’t make it, no worries: Executives will be on hand to accept the awards on behalf of authors not able to appear in person.
Here are the self-published books that have been selected as finalists in the 2017 EVVY Awards:
Autobiography/Memoir
Biography
Children’s Picture Books
Cooking
Family & Relationships
Fiction: Fantasy
Fiction: Literary & Contemporary
Fiction: Mystery & Detective
Fiction: Romance
History
Humor
Inspirational
Interior Layout/Design
Juvenile Fiction
Juvenile Non-Fiction
Motivational
Performing Arts
Poetry
Politics/Political Science
Religion & Spirituality
Congratulations to all our EVVY Award finalists — we couldn’t be prouder of all you’ve accomplished! Visit Self-Publishing News August 22 to find out who took home top honors.
Have you published a book this year, or are you getting ready to? Let Outskirts Press show you how to produce an award-worthy work! Follow the link below to learn more about our book publishing and marketing services.
Outskirts Press is fortunate to boast many award-winning authors and books over the years, and today we add one more to list. We’re proud to announce that Outskirts Press author J.M. Erickson has taken Gold in the Science Fiction category in ForeWord’s Book of the Year Awards for Future PrometheusII, the second book in a series.
ForeWord’s Book of the Year Awards program was created to spotlight distinctive books from independent publishers. The judges—working librarians and booksellers—review the entries based upon on their experiences with patrons and customers. The annual ForeWord IndieFab Awards has for the past 18 years recognized the best in independent/self-published books. Winners are awarded cash prizes, along with priceless industry recognition that helps indie authors continue to make connections with readers and publishing insiders. More than 1,300 entries in 63 categories were considered for the awards, which represent the best in small publishing offerings. Foreword Reviews announced the winners at the annual ALA Conference in June.
Congratulations to J.M. Erickson for the big win in the 2014 awards!
Attention all Colorado-based authors, editors, illustrators and photographers: 
About Author Andrew Ceroni
Her professional company, The Victory Dance Project, has honored legends of dance and stage including Chita Rivera. Jordan’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NY Post, and FORTUNE magazine among others. Amy is an in- demand motivational speaker and coach speaking for groups from ten to ten thousand, including corporations, organizations, youth programs, leadership development, health organizations, and schools.
About Author E. J. Gandolfo
Two Towers is the fourth book and first memoir from award-winning author T.D. Arkenberg. Independent Publisher Book Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards, and Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society have recognized his work. T.D. studied at The University of Chicago, London Business School, and Northwestern University. He lives with his spouse, Jim, and their cat outside Chicago. Visit 
