HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL SELECTS “A CRY FOR A HERO” FOR TOP HONORS

HOLLYWOOD, CA_The 2013 Hollywood Book Festival has selected  Jonathan Womack’s “A Cry for a Hero,”(Charles River Press) as the grand prize winner of its eighth annual competition honoring works worthy of further attention from the film, television and multimedia industries.

The fast-paced action thriller begins with an amazing discovery. After playing dead to survive a terrifying encounter, hero Jack Ramsey learns he has the power to become a ghostly, disembodied spirit with fantastic abilities. He soon uncovers a plot to destroy Boston, and teams with a female assassin who is being targeted by the evil-doers in a mad dash to save the city.

Originally written prior to 9/11 and shelved as reality mirrored fiction, author Womack revived the manuscript and has its sequel arriving soon. The well-executed and page-turning work captivated the judges and is an excellent candidate for adaptation in other forms.

Womack will be honored at a private reception July 20 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, the home of the first Academy Awards.

Other winners in the competition:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

WINNER: Norman – Heather Young/illustrations by Ramir Quintana

RUNNER-UP: A Little Different All Perfect – Anita Telle/illustrated by Denis Proulx

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• The Magic Owl – Lisa Stammerjohann/illustrated by Claudia Gadotti
• Brady Needs a Nightlight – Brian Barlics/illustrated by Gregory Burgess Jones
• Shovelful of Sunshine – Stacie V. Hutton/illustrated by Cheryl Harness
• Roy G. Biv is Mad at Me Because I Love Pink – Nancy Guettier
• The Little Apple – Deborah Smith Ford
• How Hollyhocks Came to New Mexico – Rudolfo Anaya, Nicolas Otero, Nasario Garcia
• William Meets the Stick Family – Karen Voss Peters
• Randy the Raindrop – Patty Jean Wiese/illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
• Lightkeepers to the Rescue! – Marisa de Jesus Paolicelli/illustrated by Susan E. Daly
• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? – Carol McCloud/illustrated by David Messing
• Franklin Frog and the Fallen Tree – Gregory Paul Ogden
• Kumba’s Courage – Robin Renna/illustrations by Valerie Woelk
• Kiwi and the Serpent of the Isle – Vickie Johnstone
• Gingertown – David Gillam
• Pillow with a Heartbeat – Nancy Stanley and Truffles
• Scooter & Cupcake – Mary Anne Lipousky-Butikas
• The Adventures of Anna and Andy Hummingbird: Book 1 – Linda P. Young
• Dragonfly Landing – Helen L. O’Reilly
• Mermaids on Mars – Nancy Guettier/illustrated by Tina Cash-Walsh
• Parry Pretty and the Eight Realms – S.J. Musgraves
• Captain No Beard – Carole P. Roman
• Once Upon a Time…A House – Dulce Rodrigues
• The Legend of Lizard Lick – Karen Matthews/illustrated by Josh Taylor

GENERAL NON-FICTION

WINNER: Deadly Times – Lew Irwin

RUNNER-UP: Fire in a Small Town – Ken and Kris Bilderback

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• The Terrible Loyalty – Sandy Moss
• Dude, Where’s My Stethoscope? – Donovan Gray, M.D.
• The Imagine Project – Diane Maroney/photography by Maria Masitti
• Serving Celebrities – Bill Ryan
• Tenants Uncommon – Jesse Brewer
• Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan – Melissa Bowersock
• Report of an Expedition.. – Dwaine Schuldt
• How to Make Your Audience Fall in Love with You – Deryn Warren
• From Pain to Parenthood – Deanna Kahler
• 17 Cents and a Dream – Daniel Milstein

SEQUELS

WINNER: Postcards from Cedar Key – Terri Dulong

RUNNER-UP: The Elephants of Shanghai – Stephen Jared

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• The Dead Lawyer Conspiracy II. The Panther Resurrection – Jane T. Robe
• Winter’s A Coming Still – Neal Hall

SCIENCE FICTION

WINNER: A Cry for a Hero – Jonathan Womack

RUNNER-UP: Element 238: The Deadly Fall: Episode I – J.H. Soeder

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Synapse – Ron Prasad
• The Borealis Genome – Tom Wise/Nancy Wise
• Grapeshot & Demons – Vincent P. Scully
• Untimed – Andy Gavin
• My Familiar Stranger – Victoria Danaan

GENERAL FICTION

WINNER: Living Well is the Best Revenge – Jake Aurelian

RUNNER-UP: Alligator Alley – Rick Robinson

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• My Enemy’s Tears – Karen V. Williams
• Secret Blood – Don Stansberry
• Evangeline: Paradise Stolen – M.M. Le Blanc
• Island of the White Rose – R. Ira Harris
• Courage – Disko Praphanchith
• Kill Screen – Benjamin Reeves
• The Length of the Leash – Gary Sproul
• Surviving 26th Street – Carol June Stover
• Saving Faith – Patrick M. Garry
• We Leave with our Guns Out! – Jake Aurelian
• The House’s Money – Owen Sullivan
• The Treason of Mary Louvestre – My Haley
• A Small Perfect Place – Arnold Gordenstein
• Sanctuary – Alene Adele Roy
• A Touch of Immortality – Vivian Ditzler
• Medicines and Poisons – Philip Benz
• Benevolent – Devon Trevarrow Flaherty
• Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai – Rishi Vohra
• El Volcan – C.L. Levy
• 9 Squares – E.K. Prescott
• Promise to Pay the Bearer – Page Martin
• They Only Come Out at Night – F.M. Kearney
• Revealed – Mary Unrush Ballard, MD
• Soul Meaning – A.D. Starrling
• Truth Runs Deep – Sheila Callaham
• Black Crow White Lie – Candi Sary
• Killer Weed – Michael Castleman
• Running with the Enemy – Lloyd Lofthouse

WILD CARD

WINNER: Inside Linda Lovelace’s Deep Throat – Darwin Porter

RUNNER-UP: Diary of an Alaskan Madam – Lorina Ewing

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Beyond the Pale – K. Patrick Malone
• I Like Your Form: Confessions of a Personal Trainer – J.D. Holmes
• Unsinkable Mister Brown – Brian David Bruns
• Insight of Perseverance – Christopher Thomas/Dewight Major Jones
• Reviewing the Montauk Legend – David Ritchey
• Sleaze Crossing – Maziar Sadree
• Living Shells – Charles E. Rawlings
• The Art Dockuments – Carlton Davis
• Fashion Forward – Shawnelle/Shawnee Gibbs/Linda Chung

SPIRITUAL

WINNER: God and Boobs – Angie Schuller Wyatt

RUNNER-UP: Twelve Months – Steven Manchester

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• The Spirit Within – Paul Pacific
• Gift of a Servant – Tamara Amos
• The Path of a Reluctant Metaphysician – Michael Mayer
• Children of Angels – Kathryn Dahlstrom

BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WINNER: Those Glamorous Gabors: Bombshells from Budapest – Darwin Porter

RUNNER-UP: Tears for my City – Dean Dimitrieski

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Tasting Home – Judith Newton
• Freeways to Flip-Flops – Sonia Marsh
• Paperback Writer: A Memoir – Mark Bego
• The Unauthorized Autobiography of W.B. – Walter Bodlander
• Chasing Love: A Mother’s Journey – Elinor Rogosin
• Coming to Forgiveness – Ronita Johnson
• Charlie & Me – Harriett Bronson
• Follow Your Heart – Philip Devitte and Erika Celeste
• A World Torn Asunder – Marina Giurescu. M.D.
• Southern Vapors – Lynn Garson
• Nobody Knows How Famous I Am – Tom Duro

YOUNG ADULT

WINNER: Sweetest Taboo – Eva Marquez

RUNNER-UP: Downtown Cowboy – Jean Blasiar

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Hard Magic – John Caruso
• Codename Fairy Godmother: Reassigned – Tanjlisa Marie
• Rosi’s Time – Edward Eaton
• The Orphanage of Miracles – Amy Neftzger
• Willie Kettle and the Sea Witch – V.M. Catanio/illustrations by Christine Hatem
• Dangerous Blessings – J. Arvid Ellison
• Alliance.125: Terra Unionia – The First Book – Raita Jauhiainen
• Confessions of a Teenage Psychic – Pamela Woods-Jackson
• No Character Limit – edited by Keren Taylor
• Hanna The President’s Daughter – John Denison
• Brothers Bullies and Bad Guys – N.D. Richman
• Become – Ali Cross

UNPUBLISHED STORIES

WINNER: I’ll Show You Mine… - Trustin Howard

RUNNER-UP: Freshman Forty – Christine Duval

 

SCREENPLAYS

WINNER: The Path – Ronnie Gale Turbane

 

BUSINESS

WINNER: Seeds of Success – John Brubaker

RUNNER-UP: Mondays at 3 – Greg Giesen

 

GENRE-BASED

WINNER: Border Field Blues – Corey Lynn Fayman

RUNNER-UP: Fort Douglas – Nancy Foshee

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Inheritance – Kate Loveday
• Shattered Triangle – William Messenger
• Joshua’s Revenge – Richard L. Wren
• Bad Spirits – D.V Berkom
• Terrorists and the Terchova Treasure – George Banas
• Sleeper’s Run – Henry Mosquera
• Wrapped – Dennis Nehamen

HOW-TO

WINNER: Cut to the Chase – edited by Linda Venis

RUNNER-UP: DUI: The Next Day – Melanie Beauchamp

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Inside the Room – edited by Linda Venis