by Ron Kenner
American Reporter Correspondent
New York, N.Y.
Printable version of this story
NEW YORK, June 1, 2007 -- A lavish and beautiful coffee-table book edited by AR Correspondent Ron Kenner has walked off with two major awards Thursday night at the annual independent bookseller's convention in New York City.
"Orléans Embrace, with the Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré," garnered two of the major book awards of the year Thursday evening at the Park Central Hotel before a crowd of some 300 independent publishers and book industry leaders.
"Orléans Embrace" was a collaborative work that includes lavish photos of some of New Orleans' most secret and beautiful places by the former fifth-generation owner of Antoine's, Roy F. Guste, and acclaimed photographer Louis Sahuc.
Morgana Press is a small New Orleans publisher whose offices were threatened by Hurricane Katrina only days after the company agreed to publish its first book, and some of its principals were forced to flee the deadly hurricane. Many of those remaining were utterly discouraged as investors grew queasy about financing future projects. Today, though, Morgana Press is solidly ensconced in pleasant new offices in the storied French Quarter. The fledgling publisher officially launched "Orléans Embrace," its debut title, on April 1. The book won a major national distributor and warm compliments from Francis Ford Coppola, Jimmy Buffett and other celebrities, and glowing reviews.
The Independent Book Publishers Association (PMA) presented author TJ Fisher and Morgana Press the coveted Ben Franklin Award for Best New Voice in the non-fiction category, and The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book of non-fiction.
Finalists competing for the Best New Voice award in non-fiction were "New England Court Records" (Quill Pen Press, LLC) by Diane Rapaport and "Planning the Low-Budget Film" (Chalk Hill Books) by Robert Latham Brown.
Finalists for Best First Book in the non-fiction category were "Gypsy Horses and the Travelers Way" (Fine Art Editions Press) by John S. Hockensmith, and "Letters to My Sisters" (Ben Bosah Books) by Ngozi Osuagwu.
Winners in the fiction category for Best New Voice were "Washaka: The Bear Dreamer" (Many Kites Press) by Jamie Lee, and The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book of fiction went to Everett Madison Publishing for "No Guns, No Knives, No Personal Checks" by Larry Sager.
Other winners and finalists are posted on the PMA website.
Copyright 2007 Joe Shea The American Reporter. All Rights Reserved.