Paris Book Festival Honors Novel ‘Being Human. Human Being.’ For Top Honors
PARIS_ A novel that depicts an alien’s dating relationship with an earthling is the top book of the 2025 Paris Book Festival, which honors the best of international publishing.
Author Paul Black’s Being Human. Human Being. (Novel Instincts) is the story of a developer who signs up for online dating, and gets more than he bargained for.
After several torturous experiences, he reluctantly meets Toni Anne Morgan. Her adorable and quirky beauty ignites something he thought had died along with his wife, but she quickly proves herself more than just a pretty face. Much more.
Cameron Harrison’s comfortable life is about to be torn apart. Toni is not what she seems; in fact, nothing is what it seems. A dark and dangerous secret looms behind her beautiful blue eyes, and Cameron’s dream date is about to lead him into the center of a plot-twisting nightmare that will change everything mankind holds dear.
The novel’s intriguing premise and its well-written action make it well worthy of top honors.
Other winners in the competition:
GENERAL FICTION:
WINNER: Being Human. Human Being. – Paul Black
RUNNERS-UP:
The Doctor, the Witch and the Rose Stone – Joanne Coyle
The Third Act of Theo Gruene -Talya Tate Boerner
The Dung Beetles of Liberia – Daniel V. Meier Jr.
The Fateful Voyage of the Empress of Ireland – Cheryl Roberts Gale
The Picasso Job – Avanti Centrae
Ancestor – Matt Ozanich
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
La Mentira de Alejandro – Bob Van Laerhoven
The Mystery From Way When – Carolyn Summer Quinn
Legend of the Ishkadees – Richard Polak
Cogitatio: Shadows in the Wind – Book Two – McKinley Aspen
Keeper of the Fallen Ages – Clifton Wilcox
The Black Widow – Michael Hanson
Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life – Pamela Reitman
Crash and Fred – Chase Fiore
Little Bird – Barbara Viniar
Masa Chronicles – The Copper Scroll – Nicholas Teeguarden
Sky Thunder – Charles A. Stewart
Descending Thirds – Nicole Conn
The Monuments Must Bleed – Clifton Wilcox
The Final Comeuppance – Carolyn Summer Quinn
Asayi – Sharon Curcio
Wrecked by You – Kate Sweden
Missing, A Modern Art Masterpiece in a French Medieval Village – Roberta Samuels
Attacking the Dragon – A. Marc Ross
Vanished, A Valuable African Statue Stolen in Southwest France – Roberta Samuels
The Secret Rise, Book – Judith Briles and Brian Barnes
A Life Saving Bullet – Krista Beggan
I Forgave You – Natia Khaduri
Shilpa’s Blue Crayon – Crystal Charlotte CC Lane
Conversations with My Mother – Ron Gilbert
Abbot Lane – Jim Layeux
Born Posthumous – Fish Nealman
Easy to Slip – Cal Hoffman
Richard: A Dragon’s Destiny – Michael W. Hickman
A Dialogue Without Words – Alex Amirian
PHOTOGRAPHY/ART:
WINNER: Mythic Adventures – Ayn Cates Sullivan
RUNNER-UP:
The Other Worldly Deep – Charles Rawlings
MEMOIR:
WINNER: My Family and “Them Languages” – Aline P’nina Tayar
RUNNERS-UP:
Rough Magic – Miranda Newman
The Tennis Champion Who Escaped the Nazis – Felice Hardy
French Lessons – Roberta Samuels
Hiding in Plain Sight – I.M. Enough
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Easy to Slip – Cal Hoffman
One Man’s Journey – Donald T. Hardison II
From Nightmare to New Beginnings – Juliette Kalokoh
Celine’s Life – Celine Ong
…And Then I Would Fly – Damien Thompson
POETRY:
WINNER: Thunderstroke – Terence Ang
RUNNERS-UP:
American Mobile – E.M. Schorb
A History of Echoes – Poems – Rod Carlos Rodriguez
65 Sonnets – Paul Buchheit
Drifter – Douglas Cole
Exits -Stephen C. Pollock
BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY:
WINNER: Wonders of the West – Stephen G. Yanoff
RUNNER-UP:
The Undiscovered Showman – Wayne Olivieri
HONORABLE MENTION:
Seeing Eye Girl – Beverly J. Armento
ROMANCE:
WINNER: Living on a Prayer – Katrina Alexander
GENERAL NONFICTION:
WINNER: End of Tour – Pete Thorn
RUNNERS-UP:
Before Their Crimes – Dr. Wendy Smith
The Masterpiece of Nature – Rabei Wazzeh
Restoring Our Sanity Online – Mark Weinstein
American Kings – Seth Wickersham
Listen to Your Animals – Karen Wickerson
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Seeds of Leadership – Will Lukang
It’s Okay Not To Be Fabulous Every Day – Ally Dalsimer
Expositions and World’s Fairs – In the Beginning – Bob McGlincy
Unpacking the Attic – Ann Mracek
The Art of Thinking Critically with Clarity for Optimal Health – Jerome Puryear
South Node Shaman – Shaman Melodie McBride
Yesterday Was Not So Long Ago – Ruth Benario
Hardy’s Heroes, Book Two- Rick A.Shockey
CHILDREN’S BOOKS:
WINNER: Just As It Is!/!Tal Cual Como Es! – Janice Kenyatta
RUNNERS-UP:
Into the Misty Forest – Zak Karamally
Porsche The Frog Adventures: Porsche Goes Hiking – Faisal Mirza
Seasons Change and So Do I – Carol Vigoda-Fuchs
Lawrence Likes to Dance – Don Stansberry
Voyage au bord du Monde – S.J. Barratt
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Cottonwood Adventures – New Beginnings – Jacqueline Graham
The Underground Hounds – Doreen Pullo-Fleisch
Not Everyone Walks the Stage – Sierra Andrews, Nicholas Seidler
Sydney, Bean and the Missing Gloves – Janice E. Collins
Allan Learns to Talk – Sharon Wright Austin
Look Up at the Moon – Dr. Karen Phillips
UNPUBLISHED STORIES:
WINNER: The Chinese Room – The Paradox Series – C.V. Wooster
COOKBOOKS:
WINNER: Herbal Teas – Bette K. Angle
COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES:
WINNER: River of Dolls and Other Stories – Suzanne Kamata
RUNNER-UP:
Gravity Flow, The Jimmy Whistler Stories – E.M. Schorb
HONORABLE MENTION:
AmeriCANS Who Made America – Richard V. Battle
SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS:
WINNER: Divine Witnesses – Steven Manchester
RUNNER-UP:
Dinner at God’s House – Todd Lieman
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Spirit Guides and Angels: Death and Taxes – Wayne Cesaro
Cancer, Faith, God’s Miracle – Ray Scott
The Cosmic Caretaker – Ang Anderson
YOUNG ADULT:
WINNER: Seaside Magic and The Lost Amulet – Vianlix-Christine Schneider
RUNNER-UPS:
Charlotte’s Ghosts – L.P. SImone
George Petit and the Whispers of Time – Luca Tom Bilotta
Tales of the Wandering Mists – Oleg Varetskiy
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
That’s My Sister – Adrianna Pakes
Beyond Superhero School – Gracie Dix
WILD CARD:
WINNER: Before Their Crimes – Dr. Wendy Smith
RUNNERS-UP:
The Doctor, the Witch and the Rose Stone – Joanne Coyle
Chloroform Wars – Dan Uselton
Cinderella – A Love Story – Gina LoBiondo
The Escape – Eve M. Riley
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Game – Eve M. Riley
Silver Lake Awakening – D.D. Franklin
Confronting the White Shadow – Marcus W. Williams, Esq.
Easy to Slip – Cal Hoffman
HOW-TO:
WINNER: Must: Becoming the Person You Were Meant to Be – Stephen Rue
RUNNER-UP: 9 Steps to Build a Life of Meaning – Rick Walker
HONORABLE MENTION:
How to Celebrate Your Fandom – Nicholas Seidler, Libby Shea, Robert Warnock, Steven Warren Hill
BUSINESS:
WINNER: The Creative Entrepreneur – Carolyn Dailey
RUNNER-UP: The Cherry Pie Principle – Michael Levine