NEW YORK_The story of restaurateur Joseph Costanzo Jr.’s rise to success is the top selection of the 2024 New York Book Festival, which honors books worthy of further attention from the world’s publishing capital.
Authors Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins’ On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story (Koehler Books) chronicles the real-life journey of restaurateur Joseph Costanzo Jr. during his rise to success in the 1990s as the owner of the highly acclaimed Primadonna Restaurant, and his other roles as radio host, columnist, and aspiring politician.
Costanzo is a complex character, whom readers will admire for his confidence and rebuke for his arrogance, will love for his generosity and despise for his egotism, and will learn from in both his attention to detail and lack thereof.
This driven, not-your-average-Joe is an unforgettable character who achieves the seemingly impossible, but can’t help getting in his own way. It is a page-turning story and well worthy of top honors.
Other winners in the competition:
POETRY:
WINNER: We Are What We Are – Lopa Banerjee and Priscilla Rice
RUNNERS-UP:
Ireland’s Unparalleled Essence – Norbert G Gomes
The Gold Tooth in the Crooked Smile of God – Douglas Cole
Sunrise Over South Africa – Joseph Kuhn Carey
Un Chant D’oiseau Dans La Paume – Adlyne Bonhomme
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Decades Book Of Poems – Christopher Fontes
for the Cracks and Potholes in our lives – August Irons
Un Printemps Qui Finit A Mes Pieds – Selmu Accilien
Say Their Names – Anonymous
Asteroides Fulgar Des Ants – Raynaldo Pierre Louis
CHILDREN’S BOOKS:
WINNER: It’s Not That Spicy! – Mei Powers and Kaili Powers
RUNNERS-UP:
Addie Ant Goes on an Adventure – Maren Morris, Karina Argow
Mira & the Magic Pond – Zahra Omar Shansab
Kindness Is – Kaitlin Johnstone
Andrew Conquers the Court – Antonietta Quinn
The Wonderful Attic of Dreams – Ebenezer O. Makinde
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Recipe For Adventure series – Steve Burt
A Grandpa Joe Day! – Bill Shea
Hugo’s Adventure – Jeremy Ireland
Naptime with Imani and the Fox – Lena Bee
Why don’t you just grow some fur? – Nick Moreland
Fly Butter – Tiffany V. Ricci
Exploring All I Can Do – Hockey – Nia Obotette
Belle And Chloe – Reflections In The Mirror – Isabela Sardas, Ph.D.
Summer Break With Vicky and Tweedle – Kris Benny
Exploring All I Can Do – Snowboarding & Skiing – Nia Obotette
Magic Pasta – Diana Pisher Walker
The Power of Consent – Lea Danielle Cook
Let’s Count New York City – Adina Oberman
The Light of Your Eyes – Donna Lee Sonnenberg
Spectrum Fairies – Diana Atehortua
Flick Sends a Valentine – Alicia Mott-Comitto
Nishka’s Golden Heart – Mel Kucenic
Sky – Mary McEwan
Tid and Tad – A Tale of True Friendship – Sally Reynolds
Lost but Found – Lauren Persons
Grouchy Bear – Elissa Bel Barber
Danny Loves Video Games – Mr. Luna
Playing Together in the Sandbox – Scott Pansky
She Who Walks Above The Trees – Jennifer Conklin
Goodnight Shadow – Kimberly J. Muller
Luca Meets Sonny – Roseanne Critelli
Kids Need a Day Off Too! – Shaniqua Mighty
Alex Axoloti’s First Day of School – Angelrae Thompson
Ladybug In An Average Garden – Jill Anne Koehler
Calico Zebra – Julie Bray
Aurora’s Race Car Brain – Jessica Iliana Silvestre-Marin
Bird, a Boy and a Big Adventure – Tanya Ney
The Beastly Baron of Beaux Bottom – Jeremy Hullah
Uncle Digit and the Truth About Magic – Jeremy Hullah
Pauly Panda – Penny Bellofatto
An Alien’s Biography: Life on Earth – Reyaansh Joshi
BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY:
WINNER: On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story – Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins
RUNNERS-UP:
Cuba, your children cry! – Otto H. Iglesias
I Am Worthy – Elisha Rose
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Near the Danube Bridge – Catherine Allen-Walters
A Touch of Light – Ann Naimark
GENERAL NONFICTION:
WINNER: Chasing Giants: – Zeb Hogan and Stefan Lovgren
RUNNERS-UP:
Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids – Janelle Molony
The Curious History of the Heart – Vincent M Figueredo
1968: A Primer for Understanding Baby Boomers – Rick Robinson
Syrup Sandwiches Choose Not to Give Up! – Anthony Owens
Conscious Life-Purpose – Kashonia Carnegie PhD
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Livable Luxe – Brigette Romanek
Camo – Thandiwe Muriu
Delaware from Railways to Freeways: – Dave Tabler
Belonging Matters – Julie Ryan McGue
Killing Shore – K.A. Nelson
Women of Tarot – Cat Willett
Infinite Impact: – Amber Vilhauer
Small Changes BIG RESULTS – Jay Nesbit
Vote for You – Marnie Maton
Developing Practical Wisdom – Michael A. Surkes
Reparations 101 – K. Snyder
The Stress Book – D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
This is How We Heal from Painful Childhoods: – Ernest Ellender, PhD
The Music Therapy Studio: – Rick Soshensky
Fiascoes and Foibles – Paul Burton
In The Volume: My Life in Film and TV – Alex Hyde-White
An Unsuspecting Child – Marylee Martin
An Unknown Angels Gift – Cherie S. Blackwell
When The Bell Rings -A Firefighter’s Journey – Robert Gass
What Really Counts: The Story of Cara, A Very Preterm Birth Survivor – August Irons
The Fall from Lunathal – Christopher S. Carlone
Magic for Longevity – Antonina Duridanova
My broken road – Stacie Sherman
FiNDing Hope – Jocelyn Bystrom
The Miracle of Honesty – Daniel Loriston
Trauma: Survival Lessons for Black Children – Kimberly A DiPasquale
The Magnificence of the 3 – Timeout A. Taumua
The Eye of God – Aeternus Costin
Untouched: Miraculous Recovery – Joan E. Anderson
Finding A Soulful Love – Lucinda Johnson
The Beauty of Service – Ezinne Matilda Igbokwe
SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS
WINNER: Raging Fire of Love – Kelly James Clark
RUNNERS-UP:
Songs for the Spirit / Canciones para el Espiritu – Robert Giron
Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible, – Chris Morehouse
20 Ways to Increase Your Psychic Abilities – John Russell
Sacred Psychiatry – Judy Suzanne Reis Tsafrir, M.D.
Highway To Your Happy Place – Gary Sprouse, MD
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Brighton Beach Bible – Joel Silverstein
From Tension to Transformation – Janet M. Harvey
Deeper Into Mindfulness – Lia Langer, PhD
Reign of Freedom – Ebenezer O. Makinde
The Soul of Happiness: – Robert Rugel
Face of Deception – Victoria Quinn
Intercessor – Justin K. Kojok
Awakening, A Journey from Medication to Meditation – Karina Cury
Moonlight Cruise – Yurie Kiri
MEMOIR:
WINNER: Getting Sauced – Karen S. Katz
RUNNERS-UP:
Wonder of the West – Stephen G. Yanoff
Kicking Karma’s Ass – Pat Miller
Mighty Joe Mui – Jeremy Durgana
Jungle Wild The Adventures of A Real Jungle Boy – Joseph M. Coe
Out From the Shadows – Willie Handler
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Road to Courage – Roy Taylor
Frying Pork Chops Naked – Eric V. Litsky –
Syrup Sandwiches, Choose Not to Give Up! – Anthony Owens
Beauty on the Balcony – Tom Hester
(In) Sane – Memoir of a Manic Millennial – Michael J. Schiuma
The Invisible Girl – Yvonne Sandomir
Outside Voices: A Memoir…. – Joan Gelfand
Escape from England – Miranda Crimp
Morocco, A Remembrance of Childhood – James B. Farmer
Timmy’s Wish: Lessons From Heaven – Richard Kirk
Half A Century Ago – Angela Arias
What the Heal – Tia Warrick
Ivy Lodge – Linda Murphy Marshall
Silencing the enemy within – Marsha Rene –
My Stroke in the Fast Lane: – Bonni Brodnick
Turning pages of my life – Samuel Nisbett
American Airman: A memoir of a wounded veteran – Jonathon C Benjamin
The Time We Have – Michele Weldon
Backstory – The Many Lives of Granville Johnson – Granville Johnson
Elusive Jewels – Odelaisy Maceo Martinez
GENERAL FICTION:
WINNER: The Ledger – Steven Manchester
RUNNERS-UP:
Wylde Oates – Dell Brand
Not Far from the Ocean – Dennis Torres
Interview with Death – V. K. Pasanen
The Hollow – C.L. Thomas
True Grace – Karen E. Osborne
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Two Poppins Lane – Patricia Striar Rohner
21 Tattoos – Monica Broussard
Searching for Happy – Venus Knight
180 Days – Alfredo Botello
Frank’s Shadow – Doug McIntyre
Buried Relics – Don Helin
Eyes on the Horizon – Carrie Lynn Fazzolari
Comes Around – C. D. “Tony” Hylton III
The White Field – Douglas Cole
Leaving Seattle – J.C. Cole
Songs For the Deaf – Kenneth Alan Silver
How Will I Know – Marc Renson
Careful What You Wish For…- Roger C Douglas
The Summer Before – Dianne C. Braley
Golden Dust – Igor Shchepetkin
The Tender Silver Stars – Pamela Stockwell
The Joy Divisions – Scott Dimovitz
Second Life – James Sniechowski
Where the Seams Meet – Patrick Holcomb
The Hollywood Backlash Moon – Carolyn Summer Quinn
The Gambler’s Game – James Darnborough
In An Instant A Voice Only My Heart Hears – S.E. Shore
The Falcon and The Shaikhs – John Dragonetti
The Throne of Osiris – Peter Meissner
Silenced Whispers – Afarin O Bellisario
The Race Horse – Vicki Reess Kendall
Fiercely Loyal – Deborah Ettinger Tom Johnson
Inscription – Fiona Ballard
The Hermit – Katerina Grishakova
Toxic Sphere: Volume 3: Enemy Apparent – C N Sky
Regina of Warsaw: – Geri Spieler
Circuit Sweat – Rodney Hamright
Imelda’s Secret – Liza Gino
Boomerang – S. Jennifer Paulson
One Last Swim – RL Monsheimer
Second Term – J.M. Adams
Kyd’s Game – Marc Rosenberg
The Eyes Have It – B. Lynn Carter
We Are Not Saints: The Acolyte – H. Les Brown
Driving for Justice – Justin K. Kojok
Captured by Their Past – Miguel Arrufat Millán
The Maredian – Susan B. Iris
Hollis and Gray – J.P. Zeigler
Spectrum Fairies – Diana Atehortua
The Future King | Return of the Once Monarch – Vishnul Jain
Whispers in the Vineyard – Justin Kojak
Death of a Mayfly – Ellie Leonard
The Water Factor – Marilynne Eichinger
Heart in the Jungle: Mountain City – Fred J. Lauver
Spectral Guidance – Laurie A. M. Ludtke
Golden Dust – Igor Shchepetkin
COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES:
WINNER: Hollywood Remembered – Darwin Porter with Danforth Prince
RUNNERS-UP:
CCNY Made: Profiles in Grit – Ronnyjane Goldsmith
We Were Warned – Cash Anthony, Editor
Temple Made: Profiles in Grit – Ronnyjane Goldsmith
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
A Fire for Christmas – William R. Hincy
Scars Of The Heart – Bob Van Laerhoven
I Dream I Wake I Write – Jane F. Ruby
HOW-TO:
WINNER: The Learned It In Queens Communications Playbook – Julienne B. Ryan
RUNNERS-UP:
Are You Ready? – Dr. Kimberly Harms
Retiring Right – Jake Falcon
Sell Your Business At The Right Time – Jane Johnson
How To Talk To Your Enemies – Alicia Dunams
What, Who, Why, Where, How, When, Plan – Yvonne Sandomir
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Stress Book – D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
Booked: A Strong Start For Your Child Actor – Gloria Iatridis
Feng Shui Rx for Your Home – Anna Maria Prezio Ph.D.
Breathe. Write. Breathe. – Lisa Tener
WILD CARD:
WINNER: Vizard – Shari Marshall
RUNNERS-UP:
Misadventures of a Cryptid Hunter – Michael Kelso
Listening to Fish – Tim Tomlin
The Stress Book – D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
Loving Leopold – Diane Ramsay
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Highway To Your Happy Place – Gary Sprouse, MD
Sketches from a Sunlit Heaven – Sarah Law
Toxic Sphere: Volume 3: Enemy Apparent – C N Sky
Regina of Warsaw: – Geri Spieler
Caretaker (The Goodpasture Chronicles) – R.J. Halbert
The Real Resident Aliens – Dr. Raymond A. Keller
Butterfly in a Flame – Nadia Red
Climate Dragon: – S W Lawrence
Seeking Closure – Monsieur Serendipity
BUSINESS/TECHNOLOGY:
WINNER: How To Talk To Your Enemies – Alicia Dunams
RUNNERS-UP:
The 87-Day MBA – Vonne Williams
100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 4 – Ross Brand
WINX for Employees – Irma Parone
Sell Your Business at the Right Time – Jane Johnson
Rite Of Passage: – V. Michael Santoro
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
From Tension to Transformation – Janet M. Harvey
Purposeful Performance – Jonathan Stanley
Briefly Speaking: Deluxe Boxed Set – Deborah Shames and David Booth
The Future of Work is Human: – Lisa X. Walden and Hannah L. Ubl
The Power of Networking – Michael V. Morgan
Find The Ladder – Nadeem Lutfullah
YOUNG ADULT:
WINNER: Seaside Magic and The Binding Curse – Vianlix-Christine Schneider
RUNNERS-UP:
Secrets in the Halls – Karen Lynn Rose
Mark of the Pteranodon – Mitzi S Scotten
I Hunt For Stars Alone – Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo
Dawn of Legends: A Tale for Christmas Vol 2 – Matt Dragovits
They’re Here You Know – Steve Pricone
Pretend – Jennifer Conklin
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor – Jana Klánová
Angelina’s Opinions – Angelina Wang
Erift’s Journeys, Book 1 – J.T. Tenera
JJ and Frijolito – Victoria Cepeda
The Eyes Have It – B. Lynn Carter
Fake Out – Felicia Farber
Captain Bacawly and the Breakaway Bandits – Jimmy Jungles
The Moon Tear – M.E. Royce
Children of Plains Estates – Claudette Milner
A Remarkable Marketable You: – Jes Petion
The Empath – Katelynn Simmons
Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper – Gary Natoli
Angelina’s Choices – Angelina Wang
SCIENCE FICTION:
WINNER: Against the Machine: Evolution – Brian Van Norman
RUNNERS-UP:
PULSE – J Z York
In the Throes – Matthias Freese
I Am My Father’s Daughter: Winds of Time – B. G. Simpson
Artefactum – J.E. Tobal
Meddling Mages – S.G. Blaise
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Look Away – Paige DeFreece
eMortal – Steve Schafer
Juris Ex Machina – John W. Maly
Of Friction – S.J. Lee
The Pilgrim – Part I – A. Keith Carreiro
The 5 Moons of Tiiana – PT Harry
Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper – Gary Natoli
And The Sun Goeth Down – Terry Mark
Hounds of Gaia – Sean M. Tirman
Ominous Odyssey – J.T. Kelly
Sentience Hazard – Alexandru Czimbor
ROMANCE:
WINNER: The Secret – Eve M. Riley
RUNNERS-UP:
Written in the Water – Elf Ahearn
a perfect miracle: Jacobs Landing series Book One – Katrina Alexande
Lost in Wonderland – Jack Quill
For All of Us – Jillian Rose
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Love ad Lib – E. Abolins-Farrell
Currents of Blue – Sharon Brubaker
Whispers in the Vineyard – Justin K. Kojok
Anarchy at Almacks – Nola Saint James
In Silence Cries the Heart – Catherine Hughes
Ava Again: A sequel to “Ava” – Janet Perroni
UNPUBLISHED:
WINNER: Matilde’s General – Robert S. Phillips
RUNNER-UP:
Iron Dad – Paul Weigel
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Third Estate Secrets of the Manor – D. R. Berlin
Tooth Tales and Enchanted Smiles – Angelina and Cameron Huang
HORROR:
WINNER: Nightingale – D.K. Golden
RUNNER-UP:
Interview with a Sinner – M.M. White
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Infliction Point – Mark Hacker –
The Sundial Inn – Stephen John Ross
PHOTOGRAPHY/ART
WINNER: On the Road: Structures – John Custodio