FIRST PLACE - OLDIE BUT GOLDIE - PARIS LAMB by Marcia Fine
The suspicious death of an esteemed professor thrusts biblical archaeologist, Michael Saunders, to the forefront of a rare antiquities auction. Coupled with an academic meeting in New York, he is beckoned from a Paris vacation to authenticate the priceless artifacts known as God's Gold. The objects, a candelabrum, silver trumpets and a sacrificial table, from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem have traveled through the hands of barbarians and Vandals, to find their way into the Vatican for safe-keeping. Released onto the open market, world powers vie for the treasures. Impulsively, Michael returns with his Paris lamb to encounter the opposition. Michael's stance that the objects are authentic sparks confrontations with other archaeologists as well as a sinister cabal of Chinese investors. In defense of his research, his anger compounds what he feels about a revealed family secret. At the auction his life changes forever. A robust, satisfying read with a captivating love story that journeys from Paris to the Ivy League, New York, Miami and beyond.
Award-winning author and speaker Marcia Fine has written eight novels, including THE BLIND EYE—A Sephardic Journey, historical fiction chosen by the state library of Arizona for ONEBOOKAZ 2015. PAPER CHILDREN—An Immigrant’s Legacy has been a finalist for three national prizes. PARIS LAMB, her sixth novel, deals with anti-Semitism in the 1950s. She has also written the only satirical series about Scottsdale. Her novel, HIDDEN ONES—A Veil of Memories released in 2017, examines Sephardic Jews in Mexico during the Inquisition. With an interest in epigenetics she examines how trauma is passed on in families. Marcia has a BA from Florida State University and a Masters from Arizona State University.
SECOND PLACE - OLDIE BUT GOLDIE - JEWISH THIGHS ON BROADWAY by Penny Orloff
Based on her hilarious solo show, Penny Orloff's novel is populated by an oddball immigrant family, on-again-off-again lovers, diets from Hell, and a Rogue's Gallery from the Showbiz underworld; and every scene has readers laughing out loud.Abigail Paine, born Miriam Rosen, has been in love with Show Business since childhood, perpetually fantasizing herself as the Little Trouper Who Finds Stardom and True Love by the end of the movie. After a hundred shows and a hundred one-night stands, love and fame still elude her, and she'd rather suck a tailpipe than face another audition.Complicating her search for the Busby Berkeley ending is her primitive alter-ego ¿ The Beast. This creature can track, kill, dismember and devour an entire cheesecake; can kick the sh-- out of smaller muggers on the sidewalks of New York; and can't say no to recreational sex with a famous director on the Third Ring of the New York State Theater while a public tour is in progress.When Abigail finds love at long last, she is faced with an agonizing choice: Showbiz or The Guy. As she laments, 'Breaking into this Business is like breaking into Fort Knox; breaking out, we're talking Alcatraz.'
Penny Orloff, LA actor/dancer and author, relocated to NYC with a Julliard scholarship. She sang 20 roles for NYC Opera and played featured roles on Broadway. Her solo show, "Jewish thighs on Broadway," toured the US for 10 years. Her new show, "Songs and Stories from a Not-Quite-Kosher Life," awaits reopening of theatres. Author of "Art as Lifework, Life as Artwork" and "Who Would You Be If You Had Nothing to Bitch About?" she also published 3 stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul, served as arts journalist for 10 years, and has read Taro cards professionally for decades.
THIRD PLACE - OLDIE BUT GOLDIE - SYMBOLS OF THE GRID by Jeri Castronova
A mysterious golden disc is found under the Coliseum. A journal surfaces purportedly written by Mary Magdalene. A lost Orb is discovered in Glastonbury under the legendary site of the church built by Jesus himself. Dr. Sydney Grace stands poised at the center of an earth-shaking mystery. One step ahead of the horrific duo--the Vatican and the Sicilian mafia--her success could validate the Mayan prophecies and bring a fateful collapse to the Vatican.
Jeri Castronova, PhD, spiritual psychologist, award-winning author, healer, artist, and world traveler, trained in traditional clinical psychology and did a mid-career leap due to life-changing experiences in Egypt, Greece, Britain, Ireland, and Italy. With 30 years' experience in the healing arts, rebirthing the Divine Feminine, past life regression, and Egyptology, her fiction and nonfiction books bring new understanding of ancient wisdom, hidden history, the Emerald Tablets, and the Atlantean Mastery Game Board. Her inspiring, original lectures and workshops are presented at local and international conferences.HONORABLE MENTION - OLDIE BUT GOLDIE - YOU WANT MY DOG TO GET A JOB? by Lynn Marie Lusch
This book series is about seven-year-old Lindsey, her family, friends and pets. The characters are consistent throughout the books, to help the reader establish a friendship with them. These short stories, some of which are mysteries, help the reader get involved in the life of this second grader. Incidents at school or home are shown from her perspective to enable the reader to relate to her. The positive ways shown to Lindsey by parents and teachers, will be examples to young readers.
In this story, Lindsey's second grade homework assignment is the best she's ever had! The whole class gets to imagine they have any kind of pet they want, and write a story about it. The catch is, the pet must come to life and have a job. Each student must explain what the job is, what they do, and where the job is located. They write a story using their imagination in ways they never have before. Every student amazes themselves with what they've created. This is a "must read" for any child that loves to make-believe, or for encouraging the development of their imagination. A dinosaur as a pet? Why not?
Lynn Marie Lusch has been an Arizona resident since 2005, living in Chandler with her husband Tim, and their dogs. She is the mother of two daughters, faithful student of the Positive Thinking philosophy, and believer in the Law of Attraction. It wasn't until she was in her thirties that she discovered these teachings. There was one question she always asked herself when introduced to a new book on these subjects: Why wasn't I taught this as a child? Lynn's children's book series contains messages of positive thinking by facing a problem or issue from a different standpoint, on a child's level.
