A Taste of Friday with Tracy Krauss and NEIGHBORS

NEIGHBORS – A Series

Forward

I love people watching. Airports, waiting rooms, shopping malls –these are ripe fields for the student of human nature. It was during one of these ‘research’ sessions that I started a list of possible characters that might make an appearance in one of my novels. As I began to flesh some of these people out, it dawned on me that I had an entire community. What if they lived in the same neighbourhood, or even an apartment building, where they could interact? I soon realized that several characters had their own unique story to tell, perhaps not long enough for a full-length novel, but perfect for a series. Thus NEIGHBORS took shape. I hope you enjoy meeting this varied, sometimes quirky, cast. Welcome to the neighborhood.

NEIGHBORS - Volume 1 - New in the Neighborhood

Lester Tibbett has to leave his farm in Southern Alberta for the big city. It means starting over in an unfamiliar environment - a heavy burden for the guardian of a teenage sister full of angst. The apartment complex to which they relocate is a far cry from their spacious farmhouse and offers little anonymity for a man used to doing things his own way. During the process, he pushes his own loneliness aside in favor of looking after his sister. As Lester struggles to find a church that will meet both their spiritual needs, he quickly learns that neighbors come in many forms, some of them quite meddlesome. Still, he is happy to accept help from an overtly friendly neighbor named Jed who also happens to work for the same construction company. The two soon become friends, despite Jed’s habit of trying to set Lester up with every available single female, and end up frequenting a local pub where Lester is surprised to discover an ‘old school’ mechanical bull just waiting to be ridden. The former rodeo cowboy in him rises up, but not before he meets a mysterious woman who is out of his reach. 

NEIGHBORS – Volume 2 – Stuck In the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 3 – Sneaking Around the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 4 – Working the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 5 – Back In the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 6 – Navigating the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 7 – Skeletons In the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 8 – Leaving the Neighborhood

NEIGHBORS – Volume 9 – There Goes the Neighborhood

               

Tracy Krauss is a multi-published author, playwright, artist and teacher, with several best selling and award winning novels to her credit. Originally from a small prairie town, Tracy received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Saskatchewan with majors in Art, and minors in History and English. Apart from her many creative pursuits, she directs an amateur theater group and leads worship at her local church. She and her husband, an ordained minister, have lived in many remote and unique places in Canada's north, and currently live in northern British Columbia. For more visit her website: http://tracykrauss.com

Links:

Volume 1 

Volume 2 

Volume 3 

Volume 4 

Volume 5  

Volume 6 

Volume 7  

Volume 8  

Volume 9  

Literary Classics Award Winners

NEWS

For Immediate Release

October 15, 2014

Literary Classics

pr@clcawards.org

Literary Classics Announces Youth Media Top Book Winners

SOUTH DAKOTA - Literary Classics announced its 2014 selection of top books for children and young adults today.  Award recipients were selected from entries received from around the globe.  The Literary Classics selection committee is proud to recognize the following titles in children’s and young adult literature which exemplify the criteria set forth by the Literary Classics Awards committee.

A list of the 2014 recipients follows:

TOP HONORS BOOK AWARDS:

Enchanted Page Book Award for the most distinguished children’s storybook -  Scratch and Old Mouse, written by Kathryn England and illustrated by Kimberly Soderberg - Character Publishing

Eloquent Quill Book Award for one work of extraordinary youth fiction  -  Strange Metamorphosis, by P.C.R. Monk - Bloomtree Press

Lumen Award for Literary Excellence honoring the most notable work of  youth nonfiction  -  The Men Who Made the Yankees, by W. Nikola-Lisa - Gyroscope Books

Words on Wings Book Award for the most highly acclaimed young adult fiction work - Dew Angels, by Melanie Schwapp - Independent

BEST IN CATEGORY (GOLD)

Best Illustrator  - Morton Munson Built a Mansion, written and illustrated by Jeff Busch - Bongo Books

Best First Picture Book  -  Scratch and Old Mouse, Kathryn England - Character Publishing

Best First Chapter Book  -  Annie the Scientist, Daniel Johnson - Character Publishing

Best First Novel  -  ​Unveiling the Wizard’s Shroud, Eric Price - Muse It Up Publishing

Best Children’s Picture Book Series  -  Shelly’s Adventures (Shelly Goes to the Zoo, Shelly’s Outdoor Adventure), written by Kentrell Martin and illustrated by Marc Rodriguez - Shelly’s Adventures, L.L.C.

Best Chapter Book Series  -  1950s Adventure Series by C.A. Hartnell (Scary Spring, Sinister Summer, Ferocious Fall, Wild Winter) - Hawk Prints Publishing

PRESCHOOL/EARLY READER:

General Infant / Preschooler GOLD - Benjamin Jay was a Bully,  Emma Glover - Guardian Angel Publishing

General Infant / Preschooler SILVER - I Like Pink, by Vivian Zabel - 4RV Publishing

Picture Book / Preschooler GOLD - Even Poop Has a Purpose, Uncle Paul - PerBook Publishing L.L.C.

Picture Book / Preschooler SILVER - Without Me?,  Kayleen West - Wombat Books

General Early Reader GOLD - Deputy Dorkface, How Trutherton Got its Honesty Back, Kevin D Janison - Stephens Press

General Early Reader SILVER - A Creepy Nothingness Came Crawling, Gideon Maxim - Dot and Odd Press

Picture Book Early Reader GOLD - Odie the Stray Kitten, Kristen Mott - Author House

Picture Book Early Reader SILVER - CougaMongaMingaMan, Nancy Scalabroni - Mascot Books

PRE-TEEN / TWEEN

Fiction Chapter Book GOLD - Benton Believes, Kimberly Bugbee, M.S. - Character Publishing

Fiction Chapter Book SILVER - The Mysterious Mandolin, Aneta Cruz - Independent

Fantasy Pre-Teen GOLD - The Magician’s Doll, M.L. Roble - Independent

Fantasy Pre-Teen SILVER - Karmack, J.C. Whyte - Muse It Up Publishing

Mystery Pre-Teen GOLD - A Secret in Time, HY Hanna - Wisheart Press

Mystery Pre-Teen SILVER - The Charelton Locket, Ann Morgan Taylor - XLibris

Fiction Pre-Teen GOLD - Glimpse, Steven Whibley - Steven Whibley Books

Fiction Pre-Teen SILVER - Sons of the Sphinx, Cheryl Carpinello - Beyond Today Educator

Health /Self Esteem GOLD - Kaylee, the “What if?” Game, Christine Dzidrums - Creative Media

Health /Self Esteem SILVER - Not a Doctor Logan’s Divorce Book, Sydney Salter - Character Publishing

YOUNG ADULT

Fiction YA GOLD - ​Alchemy’s Daughter, Mary A. Osborne - Lake Street Press

Fiction YA SILVER - Sway, Jennifer Gibson - Black Opal Books

General Young Adult GOLD - Curse of the Crystal Kuatzin, Jan H. Landsberg - CreateSpace

General Young Adult SILVER - My Name is Rapunzel, ​K.C. Hilton - CreateSpace

Fantasy Fiction YA GOLD - Strange Metamorphosis, P.C.R. Monk  - CreateSpace

Fantasy Fiction YA SILVER - Firelight of Heaven, Lizbeth Klein - Wombat Books

Science Fiction YA GOLD - Protostar, Braxton A. Cosby - Winter Goose Publishing

Science Fiction YA SILVER - ​The Heir, Lynne Stringer - Wombat Books

Faith Based Young Adult GOLD - The King, Lorilyn Roberts - CreateSpace

Faith Based Young Adult SILVER - Motive Games, L.D. Taylor - Wombat Books

Historical Fiction GOLD - Alchemy’s Daughter, Mary A. Osborne - Lake Street Press

Historical Fiction SILVER - My Name is Luke, Jim Ruddle - Amika Press

NonFiction YA GOLD -  The Men Who Made the Yankees, W. Nikola-Lisa - Gyroscope Books

NonFiction YA SILVER - Once Upon a Road Trip, Angela N. Blount - Artifice Press

SPECIAL INTEREST (GOLD)

Rhyme Book -  ​If Chocolate Were Purple, Jen Barton - Flickerfawn

Self Esteem Preschool - Alex and the Rabbit, Monica Dumont - Independent

Gender Specific Picture Book - My Brother Is My Best Friend, Nicole Weaver - Guardian Angel Publishing

Interactive Book - Bubble Tubbie, Epiphany Schwarz - Black Catapult Publishing

Faith Based Early Reader - Sì Mama, Sì Papa, Nancy Scalabroni - Mascot Books

Holiday Book - The Santa Spy, Patrick Bates - Character Publishing

Educational Book - Cockroach Invasion, Dr. Sherry L. Meinberg - Archway Publishing

Environmental Issues - Cycle, Jay Amberg - Amika Press

Guide Book - What Do They Want from Me?, Kristina Kumar - Character Publishing

Gender Specific Young Adult - Hometown Heroines, Betty Boltè - ePublishing Works

Inspirational / Visionary - The Undecided, Robin Donaruma - ​Sunbury Press

Cultural Issues - Dew Angels, Melanie Schwapp - Independent

Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.  Judging is based upon the criteria set forth by Literary Classics’ highly selective awards committee which honors books promoting character, vision, creativity and learning, through content which possesses key elements found in well-crafted literature.

The Literary Classics judging committee consists of experts with backgrounds in publishing, writing, editing, design, illustration, and book reviewing.   To learn more about Literary Classics, visit their website at www.literaryclassicsawards.com.