2013 living now award winners

Here are the gold, silver and bronze medalists in our fifth annual Living Now Book Awards. 

To view the Evergreen medalists, click here

Congratulations to all!


1. Cookbooks/General

Gold: Fast, Fresh + Simple, by Hope Cohen (Strawberryblonde Press)

Silver: Greek Revival from the Garden: Growing and Cooking for Life, by Patricia Moore-Pastides (University of South Carolina Press)

Bronze: LiveEatCookHealthy, by Rachel Khanna (Self-Published)


2. Cooking/Natural (Nutrition, Organic, Vegetarian, etc.)

Gold: FoodTrients: Age-Defying Recipes for a Sustainable Life, by Grace O (FoodTrients Publishing Company)

Silver: Fire & Ice: ALASKA – Baked, Blended, & Sautéed, by Sharon R. Leippi (Frosty Books)

Bronze: Your Best Investment: Secrets to a Healthy Body and Mind, by Edwin Lee M.D., F.A.C.E; with Alison Gordon B.S. and Laura Gavin M.S. (IHB Publishing, LLC)


3. Cooking/Ethnic/Holiday

Gold: Maya’s Secrets, by Maya León-Meis, Malena Perdomo, and Martín Limas-Villers (American Cancer Society)

Silver: A Romance with Indonesian Cooking, by Irene Liem; design and photography by Lilian Liem (Self-Published)

Bronze: Marx Canoy’s Food Feast: Traditional to World-Class Philippine Cuisine, by Marx Canoy (MarxChef Trading)


4. Crafts/Hobbies/Collecting

Gold: New York: Beauty Diversified, by Linda J. Hahn (American Quilter’s Society)

Silver: Melis van der Sluis: Ceramic Artist, Potter, by Melis van der Sluis (Galerie de Roos van Tudor)

Bronze: Taylor’s No-Sew Doll Clothes Patterns, Volume 1, by Christine Curry Taylor (Trafford Publishing)


5. Gift/Specialty/Keepsake

Gold: Quotable - 20 Years of Black + White, by Quotable (Quotable Cards)

Silver: How to Write Heartfelt Letters to Treasure: For Special Occasions and Occasions Made Special, by Lynette M. Smith (All My Best)

Bronze: Where Did My Dreams Go? by A.H. Cameron Strother, Ph.D. (First Projection)


6. Journal/Planner/Calendar

Gold: Youlo Pages, by Carol Lasky (Youlo.gy)

Silver: The Student Life Jacket, The Easy-to-Use Organizer and Guide to Staying Afloat in a Sea of Paperwork for Young Working Adults and College Students, by Susan M. Sparks (SMS Promotional Ventures, LLC)

Bronze: Rock & Root: A Three-Year Journal for Gardeners, Dreamers, & Artists, by Gretchen Butler (Self-Published)


7. Gardening/Farming/Landscaping

Gold: The Seasoned Gardener: Five Decades of Sustainable & Practical Garden Wisdom, by Carolyn Singer (Garden Wisdom Press)

Silver: The Maine Garden Journal: Insider Secrets from Maine People Who Love to Put Their Hands in the Dirt, by Lisa Colburn (Fern Leaf Publishing Company)

Bronze: Wings, Worms, and Wonder: A Guide for Creatively Integrating Gardening and Outdoor Learning Into Children’s Lives by Kelly Johnson (Wings, Worms, and Wonder)


8. Animals/Pets/Livestock

Gold: Wild Among Us: True Adventures of a Female Photographer Who Stalks Bears, Wolves, Mountain Lions, Wild Horses and Other Elusive Wildlife, by Pat Toth-Smith (Pat Toth-Smith Photography)

Silver: Backyard Race Horse: The Training Manual, by Janet Del Castillo & Lois Schwartz (Prediction Publications)

Bronze: Storee Wryter Gets a Dog, by Barbara Simpson Carducci (Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC)


9. Green Living (Alternative energy, Conservation, Cleaning, etc.)

Gold: What Has Nature Ever Done for Us? by Tony Juniper (Synergetic Press)

Silver: Greening Vermont: The Search for a Sustainable State, by Elizabeth Courtney & Eric Zencey (Thistle Hill Publications)

Bronze: Wild Plum Café, by Gretchen Butler (Self-Published)


11. Family/Parenting

Gold: Live Wires: Neuro-Parenting to Ignite Your Teen’s Brain, by Judith Widener Muir (Bright Sky Press)

Silver: Dad to Dad: Parenting Like a Pro, by David L. Hill, MD, FAAP (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Bronze: The Asperkid’s Launch Pad: Home Design to Empower Everyday Superheroes, by Jennifer Cook O’Toole (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)


12. Finance/Budgeting

Gold: The Plastic Effect: How Urban Legends Influence the Use and Misuse of Credit Cards, by Polly A. Bauer & Stephen Lesavich (Coconut Avenue)

Silver: Radiant Wealth, by Sue Stevens (Stevens Wealth Management)

Bronze: The Financially Empowered Woman: Everything You Really Want to Know About Your Money, by Tracy Theemes (Sophia Financial)


13. Social Activism/Charity

Gold: Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon, by Paola Gianturco (powerHouse Books)

Silver: Hope In Sight: One Doctor’s Quest to Restore Eyesight and Dignity to the World’s Poor, by Aisha Simjee, MD (White Spruce Press)

Bronze: Committee of One: Making a Difference, One Life at a Time, Leila Wahbeh and the Refugees, by Patricia Martin Holt (Matriarch Press)


14. Personal Growth/Motivation

Gold: Living the Life You Love: The No-Nonsense Guide to Total Transformation, by Paula Renaye (Diomo Books)

Silver: Your Killer Emotions: The 7 Steps to Mastering the Toxic Emotions, Urges, and Impulses That Sabotage You, by Ken Lindner (Greenleaf Book Group Press)

Bronze: Voyage of a Viking: How a Man of Action Can Become a Man of Grace, by Tim Marks (Obstaclés Press Inc)


15. Relationships/Marriage

Gold: The Marriage Whisperer: Tips to Improve Your Relationship Overnight, by Patt Hollinger Pickett, Ph.D (MSI Press)

Silver: WordFood: How We Feed or Starve Our Relationships, by Julia Hubbel (The Hubbel Group, Inc.)

Bronze (tie): Moving In: Tales of an Unlicensed Marriage, by Bruce Littlefield (Self-Published)

My Pretty Fraulein: A Journey Through Cultural Boundaries, by Arthur & Ursula Rathburn (Fort Dane Books)


16a. Inspirational Memoir - Female

Gold: Clear Cut: One Woman’s Journey of Life in the Body, by Ginny Jordan (Lantern Books)

Silver: Pieces of Sky: a Memoir, by Noelle Cablay (CreateSpace)

Bronze: A Moment in Connemara: an Irish Love Story, by Annie Quinn (A Word with You Press)


16b. Inspirational Memoir – Male

Gold: True North – The Shocking Truth About “Yours, Mine and Ours,”by Tom North (True North Productions, LLC)

Silver: Unremembered Wings: One Orphanage, Two Angels, and a Lost Boy Finding Unconditional Love, by Paul Wayne (Asset One 23, LLC)

Bronze: Cowboys, Armageddon, and the Truth: How a Gay Child Was Saved from Religion, by Scott M. Terry (Lethe Press)


17. Femininity/Sexuality

Gold: The Savvy Girl’s Guide to Grace: Small Touches with Big Impact – at Home, Work & in Love, by Alicia Young (Parasol Press)

Silver: Great Sex Made Simple: Tantric Tips to Deepen Intimacy and Heighten Pleasure, by Mark A. Michaels & Patricia Johnson (Llewellyn)

Bronze: Your Career, Your Way! Personal Strategies to Achieve Your Career Aspirations, by Lisa Quast (Career Woman, Inc.)


18. Enlightenment/Spirituality

Gold (tie): Beyond Happiness: The 12 Principles of Enduring Bliss, by Marnie McDermott (Balboa Press)

Ten Methods of the Heavenly Dragon, by Robert Sheaffer (Singing Dragon)

Silver: Change: Realizing Your Greatest Potential, by Ilchi Lee (Best Life Media)

Bronze: Mystic Journey: Getting to the Heart of Your Soul’s Story, by Robert Atkinson (Cosimo Books)


19. Metaphysical (Astrology, Tarot, Psychic Development, etc.)

Gold: Discovering the Medium Within: Techniques & Stories from a Professional Psychic Medium, by Anysia Kiel (Llewellyn)

Silver (tie): Lifesigns: Tapping the Power of Synchronicity, Serendipity and Miracles, by Alex Marcoux (Jenness)

Your Soul’s Gift: The Healing Power of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, by Robert Schwartz (Whispering Winds Press)

Bronze: The Ascension Oracle: Guidance for Accelerated Spiritual Growth, by Natalia M. Schotte, Ph.D. (Rose House Publishing)


20. Exercise/Fitness/Yoga

Gold: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Master: The Story of Yogi Amrit Desai, by Lila Ivey (MahaMedia, Inc.)

Silver: Weight Loss through Yoga: Jewel in the Lotus, by James Donavon Bothell (Book Publishers Network)

Bronze: Mudras of India: A Comprehensive Guide to the Hand Gestures of Yoga and Indian Dance, by Cain Carroll and Revital Carroll (Singing Dragon)


21. Health/Wellness

Gold: Blood Pressure Down: The 10 Step Plan to Lower Your Blood Pressure in 4 Weeks Without Prescription Drugs by Dr. Janet Brill (Three Rivers Press)

Silver: Bliss Cleanse: Your Two-Week Mind, Body, Spirit Guide to Greater Health and Happiness, by Lorraine Miller and Lindsey Smith (inCredible Messages Press)

Bronze: Picture Your Life After Cancer, by The New York Times (American Cancer Society)


22. Meditation/Relaxation

Gold: Stop Living In This Land: Go To the Everlasting World of Happiness, Live There Forever, by Woo Myung (Cham Books)

Silver: The Map: To Our Responsive Universe – Where Dreams Really Do Come True! by Boni Lonnsburry (InnerArt)

Bronze: Meditation for Aspies: Everyday Techniques to Help People with Asperger Syndrome Take Control and Improve Their Lives, by Ulrike Domenika Bolls (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)


23. Healing Arts/Bodywork/Energy Techniques

Gold: Beauty Pure and Simple: The Ayurvedic Approach to Beautiful Skin, by Kristen Ma (Trumpeter Books/Shambhala)

Silver: The Other Medicine That Really Works! How Energy Medicine Can Help You Heal in Body, Mind and Spirit, by Heidi DuPree, RN, CTN (CreateSpace)

Bronze: The Mechanic Meets the Gardener, by Susan M. Gallant (Town Landing Press)


24. Caregiving

Gold: Me? A Caregiver? A Memoir, by Mary Beth Harris (Incha Publishing)

Silver: Alzheimer’s Care with Dignity, by Frank Fuerst (Headline Books)

Bronze: Care-Full Love: Learning the Joys and Struggles of Caregiving, by Lois Werth Mimbs (Xulon Press)


25. Mature Living/Aging

Gold: Do Not Go Quietly: A Guide to Living Consciously and Aging Wisely, by George & Sedena Cappannelli (Hay House)

Silver: Looking Up: Seven Steps for a Healthy & Youthful Midlife and Beyond, by Cynthia Olsen (Kali Press)

Bronze: Move with Balance®: Healthy Aging Activities for Brain and Body, by Karen Peterson, M.A. (Giving Back Books)


26. Grieving/Death & Dying

Gold: Finding Your Own Way to Grieve: A Creative Activity Workbook for Kids and Teens on the Autism Spectrum, by Karla Herlbert (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)

Silver: A Friend in Grief: Simple Ways to Help, by Ginny Callaway (High Windy Press)

Bronze: Flowing with the Go: A Jiu-Jitsu Journey of the Soul, by Elena Stowell (BQB Publishing)


27. Inspirational Fiction

Gold: Axel Hooley’s Death Watch List: A Sick Comedy, by Scotty-Miguel Sandoe (CreateSpace)

Silver: Twelve Months, by Steven Manchester (The Story Plant)

Bronze: The Winter House, by Joan MacCracken (Tiffin Press of Maine)


28. Adventure Fiction

Gold: Wrath of the Caid, by Joe O’Neill (Black Ship Publishing)

Silver: Caught Inside: A Surfing Passage, by Lauren Benton Angulo (SurferSeen Inc)

Bronze: The Cadence of Gypsies, by Barbara Casey (Hungry Goat Press)


29. Children’s Picture Book

Gold: Inside My Imagination, by Marta Arteaga; illustrated by Zuzanna Celej (Cuento de Luz)

Silver: Earth Remembers When, by Dawn Wynne; illustrated by Gloria Piñeiro (Dawning Press)

Bronze (tie): John’s Whistle, by Lili Ferreirós; illustrated by Sonja Wimmer (Cuento de Luz)

Today I am a Princess! For the Little Princess in All of Us, by Jill Cikins; illustrated by Rosalie Peng (Naampedia, LLC)


30. Children’s Non-Fiction

Gold (tie): Fingerprints on the Table: The Story of the White House Treaty Table, by Connie Remlinger Trounstine; illustrated by Kerry P. Talbott (White House Historical Association)

What’s in the Garden? by Marianne Berkes; illustrated by Cris Arbo (Dawn Publications)

Silver: Eat It! Food Adventures with Marco Polo, by Gracie Cavnar; illustrated by Anni Matsick (S2P Press)

Bronze: Vokabbalahry: Words of Wisdom for Kids to Live By, by Michal Berg; illustrated by Enrique Torralba (Kabbalah Publishing)