Previous FIREBIRD BOOK AWARD Winners are listed at the bottom of this page.
ANNOUNCING
1st Quarter 2025
THE INTERNATIONAL
FIREBIRD BOOK AWARD WINNERS
&
QUIRKY CATEGORIES WINNERS
CONGRATULATIONS
to all winning authors.
And a huge thank you to all the authors who entered.
Your submission donation allowed us to send hundreds of happy handmade pillowcases and children’s books to women and children in long-term shelters.
You are so appreciated!
(Every entrant was sent a personalized email, regardless of winning status. If you entered, please check your email for the announcement or check your alternative folders if you don’t find it, as we sometimes land in unusual places.)
Three winners per category are possible based on each category’s judging criteria and the cumulative scores of two independent judges. On occasion, a tie may occur. You may also find that your book is listed in a different category than the one/s you entered.
Honorable Recognitions are listed at the bottom of this page.
Nonfiction Winner
PIECES FALLING:
Navigating 9/11 with Faith, Family, and the FDNY
by Ann Van Hine
Fiction Winner
BORN OF BOMBS and BULLETS:
An Aaron Thornton Thriller
by David A. Dummer
Children’s Book Winner
HAVEN
by Valerie Biel
ALL WINNERS, including CHILDREN’S BOOK CONTEST & QUIRKY CATEGORIES CONTEST
LISTED IN ORDER OF FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD PLACE
Action/Adventure – Diane Byington – Andrew Cavanagh – Darrell G. Coley
Animals – Helena Telkanranta
Audiobook – Marty Martin – Marcia Dawood
Biographical Fiction – Laura DeNooyer
Book Cover Design Fiction – James Davison – Starr Z. Davies
Book Interior Design Fiction – Stephen Pollock – Kathy J. Perry
Business/Entrepreneurship & Small Business/Motivational – Cash Nickerson – Carrie Kerpen – Dr. Bill Senyard
Business Finance – Marcia Dawood
Chick-Lit – Christina Consolino
Children Adventure – Andy M. Riley
Children Animals/Pets – Christina Strassel – Judy McGee – Lisa Jacovsky
Children Book Cover Design – Kathy J. Perry – M.S.V. Walker – Valerie Biel
Children Dual Language – Sara Brown
Children Early Reader Chapter Books – Kathy J Perry – Kathy Iorio Snow
Children Environment – Karen B. Shea
Children Fairy Tale Fantasy Spanish – Patricia Bossano
Children Fantasy – M.S.V. Walker – Abigail Samson
Children Fiction – Judy McGee
Children Grief and Death – Jessica Heintz
Children Illustration – Elena Kayne
Children Multicultural – Ekaterina Otiko
Children Nature – Karen B. Shea
Children Picture Book – Jessica Heintz – Brandon Moore – Fred Berri
Children Picture Book ages 4-8 – Sally Kashner – Raven Howell – Melissa Carrigee
Children Pre-teen Fiction – Margaretta James – Valerie Biel – Robert Gilbert
Children Religious Holiday – Wanda Carter Roush
Children Realistic Fiction – Valerie Biel
Children Spanish – Miranda Sada
Christian – Jessica Ashley – Dustin Bryan – TIE Donna M. Young – O’Shan Waters
Coffee Table Book – Michael C. Higgins PhD
Comics and Graphic Novels – Helena Telkanranta
Coming of Age – Jennifer M. Lane – Juliet Rose – Javier De Lucia
Contemporary Novel – Patricia Leavy – Lucille Guarino – Christina Consolino
Cozy Mystery – Carolyn Summer Quinn – Valerie Taylor
Crime Fiction – E.A. Coe – Denny Darke
Crime True – Terry L. Harmon
Cross Genre – Ann Van Hine – Jef Curlin – LS Delorme
Divorce – Kirsten Pursell
Dystopian – Jennifer Lane
Education – Charle Peck and Joshua Stamper
Fantasy – Peter Eliott – Andrew Cavanagh – TIE/Audrey Auden – Starr Z. Davies
Fiction – David A. Dummer
Health & Wellness – Marty Martin – Esther Avant
Historical Fiction – Meg Hamand – S.P. Somtow – Lee Brand
History/American – Larry Freeland
Holiday – Valerie Taylor
Humor – Barb Dwyer – Alia Luria
Illustrations – Corey Elizabeth Jackson
Inspiration – Kathy Sechrist – Marty Martin – Bill C. Myers
Leadership – Will Lukang – Jami Varela – Dave Reynolds
LGBTQ Nonfiction – Jennifer Towns, PhD
Literary Fiction – Laura DeNooyer-Moore
Magical Realism – Alida Winternheimer
Marriage – Christina Consolino
Medical Fiction – Muffy Walker
Medical Nonfiction – Kenneth S. Lipman PhD
Memoir – Ann Van Hine – Iris V Fernandez – Kathy Sechrist
Mental Health – Faye Arcand – Jen Towns PhD
Military War Fiction – Larry Freeland
Mystery – Phillip L. Wray
Narrative Nonfiction – Brianna Lafferty and Jill Lafferty
New Adult Fiction – J Rose Black
New Fiction – David A. Dummer – H. J. Ramsay
New Nonfiction – Kenneth S. Lipman PhD
Nonfiction – Ann Van Hine
Novella – S. Atzeni
Paranormal – LS Delorme – H.J. Ramsay
Parenting & Family – Kat McGrady
Personal Growth – Francis J. Shaw – Frank Winters – Bill C Myers
Photography – Michael C. Higgins PhD
Poetry – Stephen Pollock – Heather Nelson – Toussaint St. Negritude
Political Thriller – David A. Dummer
Relationships and Friendship – Lucille Guarino – Jen Towns PhD
Romance – Patricia Leavy – Kirsten Pursell – Eve M Riley
Romantic Suspense – Jessica Ashley – Crystal Charlotte (CC) Lane – PJ Ellis
Self Help Motivational – Billy Peterson – Cindy England – Jon Deam, MD
Self Help/General – Darrell Van Wagner – Will Lukang
Series – Amy Friedl
Short Story – Wilson Whitlow
Social Media – Ross Brand
Southern Fiction – Laura DeNooyer-Moore – James Davison – Ashley Sheikh
Speculative Fiction – G.W. Darcie
Spiritualism – Peter Gruenewald, MD
Sports Romance – J. Rose Black
Summer Beach Read – Patricia Leavy – Kirsten Pursell
Suspense – Peter Eliott – Charles Stewart – Valerie Biel
Thriller – David R. Leng – Larry Freeland – H.H. Mika
Urban Fantasy – Jef Curlin – Peter Eliott – K.R. Gastreich
Visionary Fiction – Mark Bertrand
Western Fiction – Patricia Roberts Wright – Russell M. Chace
Women’s Fiction – Leslie A. Rasmussen – Diane Byington – Diane Parrish
Women’s Issues – Jessica Garrison – Carrie Kerpen – Dr. Bill Senyard
Women’s Health – Laurie M. Hatch RD
Young Adult Fiction – Michael J. Bowler – Stephen Weller and Mary Weller – Tamar Anolic/Tamar Anolic
Young Author Written by Teens ages 13-18 – Pearl Riter and Shell Riter
QUIRKY CATEGORIES ADULT
Best Author Bio Award – Stephen Weller and Mary Weller – Valerie Taylor
Best Book Club Pick – Leslie A. Rasmussen – Patricia Leavy
Best Chapter Titles Award – Ashley Sheikh
Best Plot Twist – James A. Davison
Best to Read on a Rainy Day – Michael J. Bowler
Best Unconventional Love Story Award – G.W. Darcie – Noa Raveh
Book that Feels Like a Work of Art – Stephen Pollock
Most Likely to Inspire a Sequel – Pearl Riter and Shell Riter
Most Unforgettable Opening Line Award – Ashley Sheikh
BEST BOOK TRAILERS
Click the boxes to view the trailers
Best Book Trailer Award – J Rose Black – Jane O’brien – Violet Lemay – Jessica Garrison
QUIRKY CATEGORIES CHILDREN
Artful Adventures Award – Lulu Buck
Fanciful Fun Award – Wendy Schicktanz
Unlikely Friendships Award – Wendy Schicktanz
Whimsical Wonders Award – Lulu Buck
Whimsical Wonders Award on Every Page – Lulu Buck
Whimsical Wonders in Spanish – Patricia Bossano – Patricia Bossano
HONORABLE RECOGNITION
A. O. Wagner – The Karma Sequence
BA Gillies – Return to the Galaxy
B.L. Mostyn – Heroes of Another Age: A Guardian Prequel
Dave Spacer – Project Mind River: Techs Future Promise and Peril
Donna Overly – The Trinity Knot
Dr. Jewel D Williams – I Am Delivered: Before, During, and the Aftercare to Wholeness
Jamilette Cintron – The Dark Mother: Gold Collection
Marie Q Rogers – Quest for Namai
Matthew Contrady – Moving Magic Moving with Children
O’Shan Waters – The Splendor of Us – Reminiscent of Water
O’Shan Waters – The Splendor of Us – Lotus and Bird
R.R. Raita – Countdown Butterfly
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WINNERS
Previous FIREBIRD BOOK AWARD Winners
♥4th Quarter 2024 Book Award Winners♥
♥3rd Quarter 2024 Book Award Winners♥
♥2nd Quarter 2024 Book Award Winners♥
♥1st Quarter 2024 Book Award Winners♥
♥4th Quarter 2023 Book Award Winners♥
♥3rd Quarter 2023 Book Award Winners♥
♥2nd Quarter 2023 Book Award Winners♥
♥1st Quarter 2023 Book Award Winners♥
♥4th Quarter 2022 Book Award Winners♥
♥3rd Quarter 2022 Book Award Winners♥
♥2nd Quarter 2022 Book Award Winners♥
♥1st Quarter 2022 Book Award Winners♥
♥4th Quarter 2021 Book Award Winners♥
♥3rd Quarter 2021 Book Award Winners♥
♥2nd Quarter 2021 Book Award Winners♥
♥1st Quarter 2021 Book Award Winners♥