San Francisco – The 2021 San Francisco Book Festival honors the best books of the spring and an overwhelming response to the 2021 San Francisco Book Festival made this year’s competition one of our best. From how-to books to children’s books and everything in between, this year’s judging was very difficult.
Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts looking for general excellence, the author’s passion for telling a good story, and the potential of the work to reach a wider audience.
The high caliber of writing we received shows that independent authors made good use of their ‘shut-down time’ during the pandemic of 2020.
Winning Headline Titles are:
HOW-TO – WINNER: Can You Get Our Attention? – Kraig Kann
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
WINNER: I Would Love You Even if You Burned the Christmas Turkey – Bucleigh Newton Kernodle
Honorable Mention – If I Were A Pony by Len Eckhaus
BUSINESS – Honorable Mention – Bag Boy and Sweet Slob – Dave Shelton
BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY
RUNNER-UP: Gilligan’s Dreams – Dreama Denver
Honorable Mention
Gorilla Tales: My Life As A Professional Primate – Don McLeod
Kindergarten Kapers – Sabrina Runyon
GENERAL FICTION
Honorable Mention
White Skies Black Mingo – Kevin D. Miller
Missing – Don Helin
Amid Rage – Joel Burcat
SCIENCE FICTION – RUNNER-UP: The Adventures of Wandala – Daniel Boyd
COOKBOOKS – RUNNER-UP: Lean & Luscious Kid’s Edition – Millie Snyder
WILD CARD – RUNNER-UP: Lady Columba Venus Revelations – Raymond A. Keller
COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES – WINNER: Voices from the Pandemic – Don Helin
YOUNG ADULT – Honorable Mention – Melby – Melinda Chambers
A travel memoir detailing the experiences of a young American instructor and newspaper editor on Sakhalin Island, Russia during Perestroika times is the top honoree for Life and Death on a Contested Island: Surviving Sakhalin (Certa Publishing) by N.L. Fix tells the story of a woman invited to teach business and language classes at the remote island.
We are planning to hold a consolidated festival winners celebration this October. While most restrictions have been lifted in San Francisco, there are still travel issues and health concerns that will be burdensome for many. Since we have seen many plans change over the past year, we are being cautious with our gathering and will announce a reception gala date in the near future.