NEW YORK (June 2, 2010) _ The coming-of-age memoir “County of Kings” by Lemon Andersen is the grand prize winner of the 2010 New York Book Festival.

A book that bursts with the flavor of growing up in New York’s Sunset Park neighborhood, “County of Kings” was adapted to print from a one-man stage production that received critical acclaim. The book does not suffer in its transformation, taking the magic of words and creating a vibrant, gripping and highly-original mix of prose and poetry.

Andersen will be honored at an awards reception on June 11, 2010 at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.

Other winners in the competition:

NON-FICTION
WINNER: The Ghosts of Harlem – Hank O’Neal

RUNNER-UP: Far From The Land – Thomas J. Rice

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Hudson River – John Bernardo
• It Happens Every Day – Robin Sax
• Playing the Lying Game – Gini Graham Scott
• American Idle – Mary Collins
• What Would Jane Say? – Janice Metzger

HISTORY:
WINNER: The War Behind Me – Deborah Nelson

CHILDREN’S
WINNER: I Wish All Your Wishes and Mine – Vaeta Zitman

HONORABLE MENTION:

• One Seashell, Two Seashell, Flap, Flap, Flap – Erik X. Raj
• My Little Piggy – Elisa Vasquez
• The Willow Falls Christmas Train – William Trombello, illustrated by John Schuller
  Baxter’s Backyard Adventures – H.R. Cline, illustrations by Renee Doorly
• Safe For Life – Katherine Reynolds
• Rusty’s Lemonade Stand – Ken Ninomiya
• The Grumpy Frog – Dana L. Perri
• Curio A Shetland Sheepdog Meets The Cat – Jeanette A. Griver, illustrated by Phyllis L. Milway
• Nick & Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine – Pamela Henn
• What Can We Do Next? – Toula Magi
• Magical Tales of Enchanted Mysteriousness – Patrick & Daria McQuade
• I See Me – Margaret Manuel

SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR
WINNER: Lord Skyler and the Earth Defense Force – Matt T. Schott

HONORABLE MENTION:The Sin of Addison Hall – Jeffrey Onorato

PHOTOGRAPHY/ART
WINNER: Drainspotters – Remo Camerota

HONORABLE MENTION: Diamonds, Gold and Ice Road Truckers – Vanessa M. Truter

WILD CARD:
WINNER: The One Page Business Plan – Jim Horan and Tamara Monosoff

RUNNER-UP: Three Rings – Gilberto Gonzalez

HONORABLE MENTION:

• How to Lower Your Cholesterol with French Gourmet Food – Chef Alain Braux
• The Street Life Series: Is It Rags or Riches – Kevin M. Weeks
• The Ice Cream Theory – Steff Deschenes
• Finding Slovenia – Jacqueline Stewart
• Return of the Fearsome Critters – Warren S. James/Susan Hopkins McQuarrie
• Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots – Vicky Oliver

BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY
WINNER: County of Kings – Lemon Andersen

RUNNER-UP: Tiptoe Through The Tombstones – Ghlee E. Woodworth

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Encounters – Sam Oglesby
• Beyond Reason – Gregg Korbon
• Talk Thai: The Adventures of Buddist Boy – Ira Sukrungruang
• Blending Colors From Life – Charisa A. Smith

FICTION
WINNER: Manifest Destiny – Rick Robinson

RUNNER-UP: The Etruscan – Linda Lappin

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Speak Right On – Mary E. Neighbour
• My Sister’s Voice – Mary Carter
• Windless Summer – Heather Sharfeddin
• The House at Miller’s Court – K. Patrick Malone
• Final Sin – Chelle Cordero
• Voluntary Chaos – Joan Jackson
• Miko Kings – Leanne Howe
• Buffalo Gal – Laura Pedersen

COOKBOOKS
WINNER: 400 Sensational Cookies – Linda J. Amendt

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Shortcuts to Gourmet Cooking and Family Favorites – Frances Schaffer
• The Table My Mother Set – Theresa V. Decaria
• To Romance with Love – Dave Valletta, illustrated by Christine Kerrick

POETRY:
WINNER: Little Earthquakes – Christeene Fraser

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Evidence of Red – Leanne Howe
• Chasing Down Lincoln Highway – Jim Rainey

AUDIO/SPOKEN WORD
WINNER: It’s Not Mean To Be Green – Jamie Kleman

SPIRITUAL
WINNER: God, The Universe & Where I Fit In – Dr. Laurie Ann Levin

HONORABLE MENTION:

• How Big Is Your But? – James Robinson
• Courageous Wake – Dr. Catherine P. Perry
• Opening The Gates of the Heart – Carolyn CJ Jones
• Who Stole My Soul? - Vishwa Prakash
• It’s All Thought – Terry Neal

UNPUBLISHED
WINNER: The North Pole Challenge – Kevin George

HONORABLE MENTION:Petunia Wiggles, Giggles & Hops – Michelle Reynoso

TEENAGE
WINNER: Silhouette: Bold Lines and Voices from WriteGirl – edited by Keren Taylor

HONORABLE MENTION:

• The Light of Asteria – Elizabeth Isaacs
• The Attitude Girl – Mila Bernadkin
• 187 Iz An Art – Richard L. Brown and Mikal H. El-Amin

HOW-TO
WINNER: Change Your Age – Frank Wildman

RUNNER-UP: Money Management: Easy as 1-2-3 – Ernest Burley, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION: Slob Proof! – Debbie Wiener