1
www.PrintedWordReviews.com
CALLING ALL PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORS FROM ANYWHERE
W I N N
WHO CAN ENTER?
N
G
2025
U I
S H E D
I T
AWARD F A
V
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS 1. Decide which books or audiobooks (copyright date within the past three years is recommended to enter into this year’s competition.
Print and audiobooks can be submitted by: • independent publishers • hybrid publishers • self-published authors • university presses • association presses • small, medium and big house presses
2. Calculate the total entry fee. Choose which categories, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/categories to enter each book into. You may enter a book into as many categories as you’d like. The fee for the first category is $99. Any additional book categories for that same book is $79 per category. SINGLE BOOK, MULTIPLE CATEGORIES: One who enters “Book One” in Children’s Educational and Book Cover Design Children’s category, the entry fee is $99 + $79 = $178. MULTIPLE BOOKS: One who enters “Book One” in Children’s Educational and Book Cover Design Children’s category, the entry fee is $99 + $79 = $178, and “Book Two” in Mystery and New Fiction (first-time published), the entry fee is $99 + $79 = $178, so $178 + $178 = $356 in total book entry fees.
* including any of the big five publishing houses and their imprints
Outside of the big five publishing houses, any publisher or author may submit to both competitions, IndependentPressAward.com (every spring); and NYCBigBookAward.com (every fall). See webpages for complete details.
WHEN CAN I ENTER the NYC Big Book Award? We are on a rolling submission, approximately every two and a half months, with two hard deadlines: (1) September 1, 2024 to December 30, 2024 (2) March 1, 2025 to August 15, 2025
3. Download a form from this page, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/submitviamail OR submit the entry form online on this page, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/submit-online Complete form.
Final entries must be received no later than August 15, 2025. This final deadline will not be extended.
4. For print books, email a PDF or epub file to: Gabby@NYCBigBookAward.com (No Kindle Gifts). Please mail ONE copy of your print book, even if it's entered in multiple categories. For audiobooks, you may email us a redeemable Audible gift code.
What if I miss the deadline? Enter our spring program Independent Press Award as we take books until December 2025 for IndependentPressAward.com.
IF SUBMITTING application form and payment ONLINE, you may send a book directly from Amazon.com or other retailer/printer: NO PAPERWORK IS REQUIRED.
ENTRY FEE $99 per title/per category, plus $79 for any additional category.
www.PrintedWordReviews.com
I
R
That’s right, no limitation on where the author is located or the topic of the book.
O
2025 E R
2 5
T
0
I S
2
D
AWARD
E
Submit your book on any subject for the 2025 NYC Big Book Award!
5. Pay via PayPal button on the website or mail a check, along with your books and printed entry form, and ship to: NYC Big Book Award Attn: Gabby Olczak 63 Clinton Road Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 Phone: +1 973-969-1899 All international checks or money orders must have “USD” or “US Dollar” pre-printed on the check/money order.
2
3
www.PrintedWordReviews.com
PUBLISHER'S LETTER Dear Readers, Authors, Publishers and Publishing Enthusiasts, It is with immense pleasure and excitement that we unveil the distinguished recipients of the 2025 Independent Press Award. In a year marked by extraordinary literary talent and a vibrant independent publishing scene, we've had the privilege of witnessing the power of storytelling in its most authentic form. The Independent Press Award celebrates the dedication, creativity, and unwavering spirit of independent publishers and authors. In 2025, we received a record number of submissions, each showcasing the unique voices and perspectives that enrich our literary landscape. The Independent Press Award is faced the challenging task of selecting the best of the best across 12 main categories, and over 100 subcategories, and the final decisions reflect the remarkable quality of the works submitted. In a world increasingly dominated by digital media, the enduring power of the written word remains undeniable. Independent publisher authors and small to mid-size presses play a vital role in fostering innovation, diversity, and artistic freedom, and we are honored to recognize their exceptional contributions. This year’s winners exemplify the breadth and depth of independent publishing. From compelling narratives that transport us to distant worlds to thought-provoking explorations of contemporary issues, these books have captivated our hearts and minds.
The Printed Word Reviews magazine has been issued the following ISSNs by the U.S. ISSN Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.: Format: Online Format: ISSN 3067-011X. The title was previously published under the Independent Press Award and NYC Big Book Award Present and was published eight times per year with the following ISSNs by the U.S. ISSN Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.: Format: Online Format: ISSN 2836-9157; and the Print Format: ISSN 2836-9149. Any questions or comments, please contact the Publisher Ted Olczak at Ted@GabbyBookAwards.com or Ted@PrintedWordReviews.com.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners, finalists, and participants. Your passion for storytelling inspires us all. We invite you to explore the list of award-winning books and discover the remarkable talent that defines the independent publishing community. In these pages, you will find stories that challenge, enlighten, and entertain. To see the complete list of winners, please visit www.independentpressaward.com/2025winners.
No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system - except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper - without permission in writing from the publisher. To submit your book for review, send to: Printed Word Reviews, 63 Clinton Rd, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028. Allow 8 -12 weeks. Unpaid reviews are not guaranteed. More details available on our website at www.printedwordreviews.com/ To submit your book, visit our websites:
Here's to the enduring power of independent publishing and the transformative magic of books.
Fall 2025: www.nycbigbookaward.com/ (More consumer focused; different judging; allows for all authors and publishers to participate; announced in the fall of every year)
Read and be great,
Spring 2026: www.independentpressaward.com/ Ted@GabbyBookAwards.com or Ted@PrintedWordReviews.com, or visit our website, www.independentpressaward.com/advertise
JOIN
PWR’s MEMBERSHIP
Publisher
monthly (only $5 per month) or annually ($50 per year)
Next, Join Us at BookCAMP 2025 to continue Your Publishing Adventure
a. Four issues of BookCamp Magazine included at NO CHARGE with an annual membership. b. Small Press and Fall Trade Book Fairs? (AUGUST 2025 special supplement) c.
For aspiring and current publishers and authors, the journey doesn't end here. The Independent Press Award is dedicated to fostering a thriving independent publishing scene. Join us at BookCAMP 2025 www.ipabookcamp.com and connect with fellow wordsmiths, industry experts, and potential collaborators for three days of practical and useful book strategies. I look forward to seeing you there!
other publishing professionals. d. Sign up now & receive an ADDITIONAL BONUSES as we add them throughout the year! (Outside of the United States /International digital magazine only). https://www.independentpressaward.com/membership
www.PrintedWordReviews.com
Ted Olczak
TED OLCZAK
4
TABLE of CONTENTS 2
Call for entries for the 2025 NYC Big Book Award
3
IPA BookCAMP 2025 & AWP Author Signings
4
Publisher’s Letter
6&7
The GAB TALKS with Ann Mracek, author of Unpacking the Attic: A Path To Healing Your Inner Child
8
PWR's UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with Angela Harris: Finding Love in the Margins: One Author's Journey to Redefine Romance
9 - 19
2025 Independent Press Award Winners & Distinguished Favorites Listings
12
PWR's UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with Franke James: From Canvas to Climate: How a Worried Artist Accidentally Became an Award-Winning Author
17
Call for "40 Under Forty in Publishing"
22
Call for entries for the 2026 Independent Press Award
5
www.PrintedWordReviews.com
Ann Mracek
Author: Unpacking the Attic, A Path to Healing Your Inner Child
U
npacking the Attic, A Path to Healing Your Inner Child was written by Ann M. Mracek. She is an author, storyteller, illustrator, composer, singer, dancer and speaker.
The book is a 2025 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in the Self Help Motivational category. Ann is also the author and illustrator of the children’s book Friendship Flies the Sun: The Ancient Egyptian Legend of Scarab Beetle and the novel for young readers: My Best Friends Live in the Forest: The Adventures of Albert which she narrates on YouTube. She is currently working on an adult novel, Through Eternal Time. Ann earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music theory composition from the University of Kansas, where she also studied painting and silversmithing. Ann teaches private piano, voice and music composition. She has been belly dancing since 1979 and is the founder and director of the Aabla Raqs Belly Dance Company. Ann’s work focuses on kindness, compassion and selflessness. She lives with her husband Richard in St. Louis, Missouri. Gabby: Unpacking the Attic represents unpacking physical belongings, but it metaphorically speaks to unpacking the attic of your mind. The book is part memoir and part guide to healing. Share your story with us.
age. How can folks navigate and find joy in that transition period?
Ann: My parents decided that they were going to move into an assisted living apartment after 56 years in their home. They wanted everything to find a new home and be repurposed. As the items from my childhood were literally brought out of the attic I began to relive long suppressed childhood traumas and memories.
I gave myself permission to be open and honest, to be vulnerable, to re-experience childhood traumas, and to try to back up and distance myself from the emotional triggering response that the child had to a more educated, more refined, broader perspective.
Ann: Retrospection is a very powerful healing elixir.
Gabby: You and your husband Richard have traveled to 26 countries. Your experiences have obviously been a powerful influence in your writing and your creativity. Share the most interesting place that you have visited and how it sparked your creativity and your narratives.
Gabby: You talk about reframing your past traumas from an adult perspective. rather than a child's perspective, which is so essential to the healing process. Ann: I found out that even childhood traumas can be reframed, learn from it and be an inspiring experience. Even though at the time it didn't seem like that. Now I see that it was an essential puzzle piece for me to become the creative, thriving adult that I am now.
Ann: I'd have to say Morocco. I related so strongly to the sense of place there, to the sense of community there, to the point that when we were in Fez, I walked into a riad and I suddenly felt like I'd been there before. Gabby: I don't know if our listeners are aware of this, but you are a YouTube sensation with your children's novel, My Best Friends Live in The Woods: The Adventures of Albert.
Gabby: You pointed out a really interesting statistic: there are 210 million baby boomers and Gen X millennials in the US. We have a huge thing in common, watching our parents www.PrintedWordReviews.com
6
There are 85 chapters and you have over 100,000 subscribers. The characters are animals. How did you come to that decision?
compassion. Each chapter has a focus. Gabby: In Unpacking The Attic and My Best Friends Live in The Woods you’ve written about what you've known and what you've experienced. What can folks discover?
Ann: It removes any prejudices of race, religion and socioeconomic alliances to politics or country. It makes a very pure, focused message on just the spiritual or the emotional concept that I'm exploring.
Ann: My Best Friends Live in The Woods and Unpacking The Attic go together so well, because this is extending that love and compassion to my inner child, and then also my parents and my husband. My Best Friends Live in The Woods is extending that same love and compassion to the children, the world, not just your inner child, but all children.
At the end of each story, we have a discussion and questions so that you can relate the concepts to your own life. It's for teachers, parents, mentors, caregivers, to watch with children, to empower them to have these conversations about the concepts of bullying, community, and
Listen to additional author interviews on www.thegabtalks.com To learn more about Ann Mracek and her work, visit annmracek.com
American Poetry/Horror/LGBTQ Hisses Like Whispers HED FAVORITE UIS •P R NG TI
D WAR SA ES
202 5D IS
Clem Stambaugh A highly engaging work that simultaneously combines Clem’s darkly romantic poems with the intriguing story of vampire Henri Martineau and his murderously lustful quest to possess Olivia Dandridge. Through both prose and verse, Clem reveals, Olivia holds her own shadowy secret that may have monstrous consequences even for a powerful and ancient vampire.
ISBN: 979-8989675869 Price $16.99 hardcover; $9.99 paperback; read for free with Kindle Unlimited Available exclusively at Amazon.com
American Poetry/LGBTQ/Love Poetry The Ghosts of Gold: The poetry of Clem Stambaugh Clem Stambaugh In his second book of poetry, Clem Stambaugh continues to draw on a lifetime of love, life, and soul-searching. Where his previous volume, the top-selling In Black and Light, took a deep dive into and out of relationships, melancholy, and discovery, The Ghosts of Gold empowers him to follow fresh paths to find new “words,” as he calls his poetry.
ISBN: 979-8218249045 Price $11.99 hardcover; $5.99 paperback; free with Kindle Unlimited Available exclusively at Amazon.com
7
www.PrintedWordReviews.com