4th ANNUAL FLORIDA BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCE BEST OF 2009

The Florida Book Awards provide recognition of the best literature published by Florida authors the previous year. The Florida Non-Fiction category must be about Florida, but does not need to be written by a Florida author. The Florida State University Library coordinates the program.  Wayne A. Weigand directs the program with program chair Gloria Colvin.

Seven categories comprise the competition. Seven juries with three members each choose up to five medalists for each category.  Sponsoring agencies select the jurors.  Authors and publishers submit their works for the judging. 

A ceremony will be held on March 24 at the Historical and Cultural Awards Ceremony sponsored by the State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs.  The ceremony will be held in the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee. Additionally all medal winners will be recognized at an awards banquet at the Florida Library Association Conference on April 8^th.  The Conference will be held in Orlando.

Listed below are the winners of the Florida Book Awards 2009.

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Gold Medal Winner: Joan Hiatt Harlow, Secret of the Night Ponies

FLORIDA NONFICTION

Gold Medal Winner: Jack E. Davis, An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century

Silver Medal Winner: Carlton Ward Jr., Florida Cowboys

Bronze Medal Winner: Todd T. Turrell, Naples Waterfront – Changes in Time

GENERAL FICTION

Gold Medal Winner: N M Kelby, A Travel Guide for Reckless Hearts

Silver Medal Winner: Janet Burroway, Bridge of Sand

Bronze Medal Winner: Ana Menendez, The Last War

Bronze Medal Winner: A. Manette Ansay, Good Things I Wish You

Bronze Medal Winner: Michael Lister, Double Exposure

POETRY

Gold Medal Winner: Campbell McGrath, Shannon

Silver Medal Winner: Denise Duhamel, Ka-Ching!

Bronze Medal Winner: Jesse Millner, Neighborhoods of My Past Sorrow

Bronze Medal Winner: Peter Meinke, Lines from Neuchatel

POPULAR FICTION

Gold Medal Winner: Glynn Marsh Alam, Moon Water Madness

Silver Medal Winner: Diane A. S. Stuckart, Portrait of a Lady: A Leonardo DaVinci Mystery

Bronze Medal Winner: Jonathon King, The Styx

Bronze Medal Winner: Chris Kuzneski, The Lost Throne

Bronze Medal Winner: Tim Dorsey, Nuclear Jellyfish

SPANISH LANGUAGE BOOK

Gold Medal Winner: Juan Cueto-Roig, Veintiún cuentos concisos

Silver Medal Winner: José Alvarez, Frank País y la revolución cubana

YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

Gold Medal Winner: Alex Sanchez, Bait

Silver Medal Winner: Rick Yancey, The Monstrumologist

To learn more about Florida Book Awards, visit: http://floridabookawards.lib.fsu.edu.