New York Book Festival Names ‘No Birds Sing Here’ For Grand Prize Honors
NEW YORK _ The story of two young friends who set out on an odyssey to define the artistic life has been awarded the grand prize for the 2021 New York Book Festival, which honors books worthy of further attention from the world’s publishing capital.
Author Daniel V. Meier Jr.’s No Birds Sing Here (BQB Publishing) tells the story of two young pseudo-intellectuals, Beckman and Malany, who set out on an odyssey to define the artistic life, and in doing so, unleash a barrage of humorous, unintended consequences. No Birds Sing Here is a multi-layered novel about a Post-Modernist America in which characters are struggling to survive in an increasingly chaotic world.
Beckman and Malany’s journey reflects the allegorical evolution of humanity from its primal state. The world these protagonists live in is a world without love. Do they know it? Not yet. And they won’t until they figure out why no birds sing here.
Other winners in the competition:
GENERAL NON-FICTION
WINNER: The Hanford Plaintiffs – Trisha Pritikin
RUNNER-UP: Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz – Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Buried but Never Forgotten – Elisa Chastaine
Char’s Gift – Steve Harryman
The Ultimate Guide to Planning – Mike Bernstein
Getting Out – Greg Siofer
Never Be Poor Again – Matthew Morales
Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths – Joseph N. Abraham, MD
From Student to Warrior: A Military History of the… – Wilford Kale
Simple Activities for Toddlers – Lisa Forsythe
Sabrina’s Book – Sabrina Runyon
A Constitution for a Democracy – Rohit (Roy) Kajaria
More Fish Faces Book One – Tam Warner Minton
More Fish Faces Book Two – Tam Warner Minton
Rental Secrets – Justin Pogue
Out of Rushmore’s Shadow – Lou Del Bianco
Conscious Love – Kashonia Carnegie PhD
The Angle of Flickering Light – Gina Troisi
Butterfly Awakens – Meg Nocero
This Moment: Bold Moments from…. – Edited by Keren Taylor
Lo que nadie me dijo sobre – Isabel de Navasqüés
The Language Theater – Maria Beatty
Boys Secrets and Men’s Loves – David A.J. Richards
Mindful Framing – Oscar Seguaro
An Ungrown Mind – Sarah Laney
In Search of Somatic Therapy – Setsuko Tsuchiya
Love Yourself to Life – Dr. Monica Debro
Secret Life of a Juror – Voir Dire – Paul Sanders
Strong Women, Fed-Up Men, Defeated Sons… – Mark Momplaisir
She Got Up – Janice Freeman
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
WINNER: Ella Sue and the Burlap Bag – Robin Taylor Chariello
RUNNER-UP: I Would Love You Even If You Burned the Christmas Turkey – Bucleigh Newton Kernolde
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Girl with the Magical Curls – Evita Giron
Mom’s Voice – Jason O. Bradley
Brody the Lion: I Can Do It, Yes I Can! – Dr. Kristin Wegner
Black Bear Goes To Washington – Denise Lawson
Kristy, Mikey and Harley D the Cat – Holly Smith & Krista Taylor
Completely Me – Justine Green
Mommy’s Hot Pink Heels – Missy Brickman
The First Birthday Party Ever! – Keith Johnson
Giraffes Don’t Talk To Ants – Lauren M. Poteat
The Day The Colours Went Away – Christopher Quirk
Glitter the Unicorn Goes.. – Callie Chapman
How the Dog Saved the Squirrel from the Hawk – D.L. Luke
Pong and the Birthday Journey – Linda Sowa Young Cornish
Belinda and the “Boring” Ballet Class – Dani Tucci-Juraga
The Gifts of Ping Mei – Linda Sowa Young Cornish
Bobby’s Story – Linda Sowa Young Cornish
Kindergarten Kapers – Sabrina Runyon
The Christmas Tale: A Fishy Feast – Diana Pishner Walker
If I Were A Pony – Leonard Eckhaus
Let’s Talk! A Story of Autism….- Lisa Jackovsky
Becky’s Bonnet – Linda Sowa Young Cornish
Little Giants: 10 Hispanic Women… – Raynelda A. Calderon
Tricky Times – Laura Irelan
The Burping Pumpkin – Steph Alexis
Welcome to Chuckle Giggle Nu – Keith Johnson
Bobby the Bear and his Missing Dinner – Ryan O’Connor
Patty Panda Gets a Potty – Vicky Wu
Allman Town Changed with Sam’s Mother’s Cake – Ashia Foster
Shadow and Friends Costume Party – S. Jackson, M. Schmidt
Simple Activities for Toddlers – Lisa Forsythe
The Letter Critters Talent Show – Chase Taylor
El’s Mirror – Ellison and Bavu Blakes
Ting Ting The Girl Who Saved China – Ryan O’Connor
Walter Finds a Home – Cat Smith with Brad and Kelly Blake
Earth Day Park’s Swans – V.A> Boeholt/Nate Jensen
The Twin Dolphin’s Kind Rescue – V.A. Boeholt/Nate Jensen
The Holy Kid and Bud Book – Linda Sowa Young Cornish
Dirty Monkeys Smell Bad – G. Katz Chronicle
GENERAL FICTION
WINNER: No Birds Sing Here – Daniel V. Meier, Jr.
RUNNER-UP: The Bookseller’s Daughter – Steve Burt
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
High Desert High – Steven Schindler
Never Play with Death – Hans Trujillo
A Lost Woman – Ann Brooks
Truth is in the House – Michael J. Coffino
The Red Thread – Rebekah Pace and Tracy Lawson
Kevin on Earth – Pres Maxon
Lucky – Sara Condrey
When Angels Die – James Sniechowski
Bloodroot – Daniel V. Meier, Jr
The Wondrous Apothecary – Mary E. Martin
Heaven and Other Zip Codes – Mathieu Cailler
Rosa – Barbara de la Cuesta
Dark Times – Michael Gerhartz
Never Too Soon – Tamika Christy
Faster – Alex Schuler
The Field of Wrongdoing – Lili St. Germain
Scavenger Hunt – Dani Lamia
A Portable Chaos – E.M. Schorb
DHARMA, A Rekha Rao Mystery – Vee Kumari
Last Casualty – Lee W. Daly
The Man Who Would Be King – Addison J. Chappel
Into Africa – Kerry McDonald
The Wingless Angel – Fabrice Wilfong
Rhodes – Never Forgotten – M.M. Gornell
Operation Olive Tree – Jemil Metti
The Paloma Crossing – Randall Reneau
Apollo’s Other Daughter – Suzanne Jenkins
Spirits of the Ice Forest – Max Davine
Missing – Don Helin
Lusitania Lost – Leonard Carpenter
Amid Rage – Joel Burcat
White Skies Black Mingo – Kevin D. Miller
Revenge of the Beast – M. Ward Leon
Whisperwood – Van Temple
Watkins Glen – Eleanor Lerman
Before Pittsburgh – Kasie Whitener
Hidden Enemies – M.A. Florence
Trading Secrets – Rachael Eckles
The Wasteland – Harper Jameson
Moonlight Rocks – Yurie Kiri
The Patched Sea – Loodie
Games We Played – Shawne Steiger
House of Bastiion – K.L. Kolarich
CSCO: First Station – D. A. Pendleton
Black Child to Black Woman – Cheryl Denise Bannerman
South of Main Street – Robert Gately
Genesis The Beginning – Tarrone M. Fearo
UNPUBLISHED
WINNER: 12 Relatos Impuros – Hans Trujillo
RUNNER-UP: Lay Off or Lie Dead! – Joseph Idigo
COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES
WINNER: Our Moment of Choice – Robert Atkinson, Kurt Johnson, et. Al
RUNNER-UP: A New Way to Hope – William Stephenson
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Black Trans Prayer Book – Dane Edidi and J Mase III
Voices from the Pandemic – Don Helin
You Sound Amazing – Jeffrey Weber
WILD CARD
WINNER: Blind Pony: As True a Story As I Can Tell – Samantha Hart
RUNNER-UP: That Darn Cat – Janos Toldy
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Wingless Angel – Fabrice Wilfong
Cinderella – A Love Story – Gina LoBiondo
The Edge of Madness – Raymond Gaynor
Sketches of Life – A. Gavazzoni
Digest: Ten Short Stories – Evan Witmer
Pandemic Side Effects – Jeffrey Weber
Corrupted.- Jared Dixon
Secret Life of a Juror – Voir Dire – KC Wuraftic
More Postcards Home – WD Mast
House of Bastiion – K.L. Kolarich
Christ Over Covid-19 – Ngozi Iwuoha
SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS
WINNER: The Menu – Steven Manchester
RUNNER-UP: The Art of Forgiveness – Carolyn CJ Jones
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Girl Who Could Read Hearts – Sherry Maysonave
Belonging: One Catholic’s Story – Frank J. Butler
The Birth of a Soul – Johanna Kern
Stepping Stones – Marilea C. Rabasa
Opening the Gates of the Heart – Carolyn CJ Jones
To Be Enlightened – Alan J. Steinberg
Visions of Time – Lori B. Hines
Good, Butter, Best; From Dream to Reality – Donny Willis
The YOU Beyond You – Ramzi Naijar
Through Fire and Rain – Joseph and Mary Anselmo
When Angels Fly – S. Jackson, A. Raymond, M. Schmidt
The Evangelical’s Daughter – Debra Roberts Torres-Reyes
BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
WINNER: Gilligan’s Dreams – Dreama Denver
RUNNER-UP: Rendered Safe: Tales of an NYPD Bomb Tech – Jeff Ingber
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Corners Untouched by Madness – N. Daniel
Roots & Branches: A Family Saga – Michael M. Meguid MD
My Year in Vaudeville – Rory Lance
No Man’s Compass – SD Hines
As Living Stones: My Five Years in Saudi Arabia – Marjory Henderson
Plotting to Stop The British Slave Trade – Jane Reeve
Put Off My Sackcloth: Essays – Annie Dawid
Through Fire and Rain – Joseph and Mary Anselmo
The Music – Herbert and Stephanie Ausbel
100 Days in Vietnam – Matthew Tallon
Splat – Adele Deegan
My Body, My Soul – Vandee Crane
The Journey/The Path/The Way I See It – LaDonna Marie
SCIENCE FICTION
WINNER: Pivot – L.C. Barlow
RUNNER-UP: Counterfeit Lover – J.C. Farmer
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Perish – L.C. Barlow
Forgive Us – E.T. Gunnarson
Condition Black – Stu Jones and Gareth Worthington
The Vanishing – Arjay Lewis
Callisto 2.0 – A novel of the future – Susan English
Tokyo Games – Yurie Kiri
Code Word Access – Alex Schuler and Rolf Yngve
Stalked – Sara Condrey
The Adventures of Wandala – Daniel Boyd
The Green Cathedral – Kerry McDonald
The Cadmium Command – JGR Penton
Ivory!! An Annotated Account…. – Reid Scott
666 Gable Way – Dani Lamia
COOKBOOKS
WINNER: One Loaf at a Time/One Bowl at a Time – CJ Katz
RUNNER-UP: Lean & Luscious Kid’s Edition – Millie Snyder
PHOTOGRAPHY/ART
WINNER: The Undersea Art of Indonesia – Charles Rawlings, Lobbu, Leah Perez
RUNNER-UP: The National Parks: A Century of Grace – Karla Morton and Alan Birkelbach
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Battle Carried – Michael Bortner
The Strait and Narrow – Jane Tuckerman
Dancing, and Other Problems – Norville Parchment
ROMANCE
WINNER: When the Wind Chimes – Mary Ting
RUNNER-UP: No Other Name – Robert Beatty
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Midnight Temptation – Shari Nichols
Falling for the Manny – Kayla Nicole
What’s Left of Me – Kristen Granata
Inside the Grey – Bobbi Groover
YOUNG ADULT
WINNER: Blood & Silver – Vali Benson
RUNNER-UP: Someone in the Walls – Teymour Shahabi
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Charley’s Horse – Judith Shaw
Facing Off – Tanya Ross
New England Seaside, Roadside, Graveside, Darkside – Steve Burt
How to Become a Better Writer – Anishka Verna
Secret Life of a Juror – Voir Dire – KC Wuraftic
Melby – Melinda Chambers
Never Say Never – Justine Manzo
Last Letters to Gettysburg – Jan Thornton Jones
Escapade – Margery Neely
Nathan’s Investigation – G. Katz Chronicle
Tyrone Evans Clark’s Grapefruit… – Tyrone Evans Clark
House of Bastiion – K.L. Kolarich
A Thief in Pollinator Paradise – G. Katz Chronicle
HOW-TO
WINNER: Can You Get Our Attention? – Kraig Kann
RUNNER-UP: Never Be Poor Again – Matthew Morales
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Rental Secrets – Justin Pogue
How To Live From Your Heart – Nanette V. Hucknall
Turn Words into Wealth – Aurora Winter
The Ultimate Human Secrets – Ramzi Naijar
A Turbulent Mind – Swetha Amit
It’s About You Too: How to Manage…- Lori B. Rassas
BUSINESS
WINNER: Ascend Your Startup – Helen Yu
RUNNER-UP: Silent Resistance – Paul Boudreau and Caitlyn Schmidt
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Things I Heard My Professor Say – Curtis L. Odom, Ed.D
Pathway to Prosperity – Mark Lazar
Book Title Generator – Scott Lorenz
Never Be Poor Again – Matthew Morales
Rental Secrets – Justin Pogue
Rise of the Digital World – RS Amblee
It’s About You Too – Lori B. Rassas
POETRY
WINNER: En Aras del Tiempo – Issamary Simmons
RUNNER-UP: The National Parks: A Century of Grace – Karla Morton
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Much – Joel Peckham
Bent: 31 Poems – T.A. Price
The Miracle Machine – Matthew Pennock
Old State Road – Jason Gerrish
Excursions of the Mind 2: Stories Take Flight – Joanne Kenzy
One Heart: Many Breaks – Sandeep Kumar Mishra
Where Wild Thoughts Grow – Tanya M. Hazelwood