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 was 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 Panther Resurrection – Jane Robe
· Winter’s A Coming Soon – 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
· The 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 – Mazir 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 – Nicholas Rvachew
· 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