Celebrating Excellence in Literature: Announcing the 2025 PenCraft Book Awards First and Second Place Winners

Houston, Texas Dec 30, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - The 2025 PenCraft Book Awards is proud to officially unveil the First and Second Place winners of its 9th Annual PenCraft Book Award Competition. This annual event serves as a platform to celebrate and honor exceptional literary accomplishments across a diverse spectrum of genres, highlighting the best in modern writing. This year's winners were carefully selected from an impressive and highly competitive pool of nearly 1,200 entries. Each submission showcased a unique blend of remarkable storytelling and artistic creativity, reflecting the high standard of excellence that the competition seeks to recognize and promote within the global literary community.

"2025 showcased an abundance of literary talent, and we are honored to recognize our first and second-place winners," said David Hearne, Editor-in-Chief of the PenCraft Book Awards. "These awards honor exceptional contributions to literature and celebrate authors whose work enriches the cultural lives of their readers. This years competition was incredibly fierce, presenting our judges with the difficult task of evaluating high-quality submissions to select the best in each category."

Judge James Burns added, "When two books in the same genre earn identical scores, deciding which receives first or second place often sparks intense debate. This situation is common, as both our first and second-place winners demonstrate exceptional levels of literary excellence."
Twenty-twenty-five marked a memorable close to a year that celebrated the brilliance and diversity of the PenCraft literary winners' achievements. With this years competition setting such a high standard, literary enthusiasts will be eagerly anticipating the winning works that PenCraft Book Awards will honor in the future.
Below is a list of the 1st and 2nd Place Winners for 2025.

1st Place Winners:

A Cup of Tea on the Commode - By: Mark Steven Porro - For Genre: Nonfiction- Memoir - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: WriteLife Publishing
Last of the Pops - By: Adam Wilson - For Genre: Graphic Novel/Comic - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Read Furiously
BRAVE FALLS - By: AnneMarie Mazotti Gouveia - For Genre: Children - Fantasy & Magic - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Atmosphere Press
How To Train Your Dog With Love + Science - By: Annie Grossman - For Genre: Nonfiction - Animals - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Sourcebooks
Mother of Red Mountains - By: Apple An - For Genre: Fiction - Historical - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Voices Heard Publishing, LLC
Kentucky Blood - By: Ashley Thomas Sheikh - For Genre: Fiction - Drama - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Prism Gate Publishing
Pride and Perjury - By: Alice McVeigh - For Genre: Fiction - Short Stories/Anthologies - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Warleigh Hall Press
Transcend - By: Faisal Hoque - For Genre: Nonfiction - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Post Hill Press
Sour Apples - By: Paul Jantzen - For Genre: Young Adult - Coming of Age - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Black Rose Writing
Election Hacks - By: Bob Zeidman - For Genre: Nonfiction - Gov/Politics - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Swiss Creek Publications
Santa Overboard - By: Carolyn McBride - For Genre: Fiction - Chick Lit - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Make Waves Press
The Backyard Detectives - By: Christal Majestic - For Genre: Children - Mystery & Wonders - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Christal Majestic
Escape The Clock - By: Daniel Rogers - For Genre: Nonfiction - Retirement - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Manhattan Book Group
The Plain of Pillars - By: Daniel Firth Griffith - For Genre: Fiction - Folklore - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Robinia Press
A Dagger in the Ivy - By: Dorothy Dreyer - For Genre: Romance - Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Crimson Fox Publishing
A Hush at Midnight - By: Marlene M. Bell - For Genre: Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Ewephoric
When Mimi Went Missing - By: Suja Sukumar - For Genre: Young Adult - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Soho Teen
The Protector of Dunbar - By: Eric Ferguson - For Genre: Christian - Fiction - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Credo House Publishers
The Jellybean Gospel & The Born-Again Bunny - By: Wanda Carter Roush - For Genre: Children - Christian Books - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Wanda Carter Roush
You Got This - By: Wanda Carter Roush - For Genre: Children - Dealing With Emotions - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Ella's Pearl Publishing
Visions of You - By: Erin Brockus - For Genre: Romance - Contemporary - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Green Sage Press
Exits - By: Stephen Pollock - For Genre: Poetry/Music - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Windtree Press
Callie's Copenhagen Tour - By: Bailey Clack - For Genre: Children - K-3rd - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Clark Publishing, LLC
Echoes of the Tomb - By: M Tobias Harris - For Genre: Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: M Tobias Harris
The Overcomer - By: James Collins - For Genre: Christian - Living - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: On Point Publishing
Trusted Friends & Lovers - By: Charles Breakfield & Rox Burkey - For Genre: Fiction - Action & Adventure Short Stories - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: ICABOD Press
Murder at the Pontchartrain - By: Kathleen Kaska - For Genre: Fiction - Mystery-Series - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Anamcara Press LLC
Finding Real Yoga - By: Daren Black - For Genre: Nonfiction - Biography - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Daren Black
The Biology of Trauma - By: Aimie Apigian MD - For Genre: Nonfiction - Health - Medical - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: BenBella Books
Hey Dad... - By: Rob Finlay - For Genre: Nonfiction - Parenting - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Post Hill Press
I Blew My Diet! Now What? - By: Connie Bennett - For Genre: Nonfiction- Health - Fitness - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Greenleaf Book Group
Whispers in the Night - By: Dorothy Elizabeth Love - For Genre: Romance - Suspense - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: LED Literature and Publication
The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf - By: Heather G. Harris & Jilleen Dolbeare - For Genre: Fiction - Supernatural - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Hellhound Press Limited
Code Name: TRIFECTA - By: Jacek Waliszewski - For Genre: Nonfiction - War - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Rich Relationships: Create a Million-Dollar Network for Your Business - By: Selena Soo - For Genre: Nonfiction - Self Help - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Rich Relationships LLC
100 Things Black Boys Should Do and Know - By: Jason Huey - For Genre: Children - Preteen - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Jason "NS" Huey
Everything You've Ever Known - By: Jessica Ames - For Genre: Fiction - Womens - 1ST Place Winner - Published y: Halo Publishing
No Woman Left Behind - By: Kate Grant - For Genre: Nonfiction - Historical/Cultural - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: She Writes Press
Land Grab - By: Kit Karson - For Genre: Fiction - Mystery - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Granite Mountain Press
Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. - By: Colin C. Campbell - For Genre: Nonfiction - Business/Finance - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Forbes Books
Crossing the Blue Ridge - By: L. E. Denton - For Genre: Fiction - Southern - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Laura Denton
TRUE NATURE: Hidden in the High Sierra - By: Lisa Michelle - For Genre: Nonfiction - Short Stories/Anthologies - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Check R Press
Fine, I'm a Terrible Person - By: Lisa F. Rosenberg - For Genre: Fiction - Humor - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Sibylline Press
Mommy Has a Monster on Her Back! - By: Liz Long - For Genre: Children - Preschool - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Liz Long
New Star - By: Lana Christian - For Genre: Christian - Historical Fiction - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Scrivenings Press LLC
The Gray Prophecy - By: Maria A. Eden - For Genre: Fiction - Paranormal - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Maria A. Eden Books
Horace in Space - By: Mary L Schmidt - For Genre: Children - Nature Books - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: M. Schmidt Productions
Her Alibi - By: Mary L. Schmidt - For Genre: Nonfiction - Relationships - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: M. Schmidt Productions
Zodak - The Last Shielder - By: Max Moyer - For Genre: Fiction - Fantasy - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
A Guide to Jazz in Japan - By: Michael Pronko - For Genre: Nonfiction - Music/Ent. - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Raked Gravel Press
7 Secrets to Creating a Life You Love - By: MONIQUE De Maio - For Genre: Nonfiction - Motivational - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Manuscripts LLC
Black Sun Rising - By: Otho Eskin - For Genre: Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Meridian Editions
Good Digital Citizen - By: Kori Kastell - For Genre: Nonfiction - Religion/Phil. - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Archway Publishing
Somebody Knows - By: Pamela Ungashick - For Genre: Fiction - Suspense - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Red Adept Publishing
Gertie Braves the River! - By: Louis Papadakis - For Genre: Children - Animals Books - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
THE MANY MOTHERS OF IVY PUDDINGSTONE - By: Randy Susan Meyers - For Genre: Fiction - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Koehler Books
Buried Secrets of the Copper Locket - By: D.L. Bush - For Genre: Children - 4th-6th - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Writhe - By: Erica Summers - For Genre: Fiction - Horror - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Rusty Ogre Publishing
Lumilore - By: Sabine Ruh House - For Genre: Children - K-3rd - Fable - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
eMortal - By: Steve Schafer - For Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Koehler Books
A Siren Called Truth - By: Patricia Roberts Wright - For Genre: Fiction - Action - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Patricia Roberts Wright
Bottled Lightning - By: L.M. Weeks - For Genre: Fiction - Cultural - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: South Fork Publishers
Homecoming Queen - By: Chad Boudreaux - For Genre: Fiction - Intrigue - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Morgan James Fiction
Vermilion Harvest - By: Reenita M Hora - For Genre: Fiction - Realistic - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Indignor House, Inc
Born in Space - By: Jeremy Clift - For Genre: Fiction - Science Fiction - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Ellewon Press
Echoes of Fortune - By: David R Leng - For Genre: Fiction - Thriller - General - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Mastering Inductive Reasoning Tests - By: Georgios Kalogiannidis - For Genre: Nonfiction - Education - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Georgios Kalogiannidis
Pieces Falling - By: Ann Van Hine - For Genre: Nonfiction - Grief - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Illumify Media
Staplewood Park - By: Michelle Grahame - For Genre: Romance - Historical - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: AuthorHouse UK
HAIKU FOR YOU - By: Anthony J. D'Amato - For Genre: Children - Early Childhood Education - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: ToDiMiJo & Co LLC
Disappearing Dads Revised Edition - By: Dwight E. DeRamus Jr. - For Genre: Christian -  Nonfiction - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Trey Nickel Media
Stitching Your Story Piece By Peace - By: Naomi Fata - For Genre: Christian - Devotion/Study - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Christian Resource Ministry Inc
Who Cares?: A Guided Self-Help & Devotional Journal for the Seasons of Life - By: Melita Murray-Carney - For Genre: Christian - Biblical Counseling - 1ST Place Winner - Published by: Xulon Press

Second Place   Winners:
Welcome Baby Wigglet! By: Amber Berkowitz - For Genre: Children - Dealing With Emotions - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: BookBaby
Bedtime Lullabayou By: Angie Kay Dilmore - For Genre: Children - Preschool - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Mascot Kids
Ghost Music By: Alice McVeigh - For Genre: Fiction - Cultural - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Warleigh Hall Press
Scrambled or Sunny-Side Up? By: Loren Ridinger - For Genre: Nonfiction - Grief - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Post Hill Press
The Inhabitants By: Beth Castrodale - For Genre: Fiction - Horror - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Regal House Publishing
Roadside Sisters By: Catherine Matthews - For Genre: Fiction - Womens - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Pacific Peaks Publishing
The Door Is Open By: Darlene Gaston - For Genre: Christian - Living - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Christian Faith.
Project Mind River By: Dave Spacer - For Genre: Fiction - Science Fiction - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Futures Point Press
Slaying Paradise By: Travis Easter - For Genre: Fiction - Supernatural - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Travis Easter
The Boy Who Wanted to Fly By: Farial English - For Genre: Children - K-3rd - General - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Miriam Laundry Publishing
The Ransom Enigma By: Breakfield and Burkey - For Genre: Fiction - Mystery - General - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: ICABOD  Press
Joy Prescriptions By: Dr. Tiffany Moon - For Genre: Nonfiction - Memoir - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Legacy Lit
The Romantic Ideal?The Highest Standard of Romance for a Man By: Gregory Diehl - For Genre: Nonfiction - Relationships - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Identity Publications
Real Spies Don't Use Rowboats By: Jeffrey Hope - For Genre: Children - Preteen - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Half Tide Media
Toby's Travels By: Jenifer Freedman - For Genre: Children - 4th-6th - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Jennifer Freedman Books
I Was Playing Checkers While God Was Playing Chess By: James Bass - For Genre: Christian - Nonfiction - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Clarice Jefferies Publishing
Savant By: Jason Cameron - For Genre: Young Adult - Coming of Age - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published.
Summer of Sunsets By: J. Collette Smith - For Genre: Romance - Contemporary - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Indie Girl Press
A Fine Madness By: Jeffrey Feingold - For Genre: Fiction - Short Stories/Anthologies - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
A Sukkah for Bella By: Jodie Sadowsky - For Genre: Children - Early Childhood Education - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Lovevery
Success Against the Odds By: June Raleigh - For Genre: Nonfiction - Historical/Cultural - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
My One-Eyed, Three Legged Therapist By: Kathy Finley - For Genre: Nonfiction - Animals - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Purdue University Press
Blame it on the Moon By: Louis Pugliese - For Genre: Fiction - Paranormal - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Louis Pugliese
Final Cut By: Marjorie McCown - For Genre: Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Bones is Back: A Family Tradition for Halloween By: Marc Fetscherin - For Genre: Children - Fantasy & Magic - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Falling Star     By: Michele Kwasniewski - For Genre: Young Adult - General - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Rand-Smith LLC
Born From War By: Patrick Naughton - For Genre: Nonfiction - War - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Casemate
Eternal Hearts: A Journey Across Time By: PAMELA JONAS - For Genre: Romance - Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
My Favorite Superhero By: Stephanie Unale - For Genre: Children - Christian Books - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: True Light Books
New Jump Swing Healthy Aging and Athletic Nutrition program By: Donald Thomas - For Genre: Nonfiction - Health - Fitness - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Xlibris
Penny Pangolin and the Missing Ant Cake By: Wayne D. Kramer - For Genre: Children - Animals Books - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Heroes of Time Productions, LLC.
The Rocket Balloon By: Sarah John - For Genre: Children - Mystery & Wonders - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Forever  & Ever Always By: Sue C. Dugan - For Genre: Fiction - Chick Lit - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Wild Rose Press
The Shutdown List By: Sharon Dukett - For Genre: Fiction - Thriller - General - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: SharKen Publishing
Own Your Color By: Shikha Bajaj - For Genre: Nonfiction - Self Help - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Notion Press
Tales of Witches and Wyverns By: S. Ramsey - For Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Stones Of Wrath By: SJ Ratcliffe - For Genre: Christian - Historical Fiction - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Star Journey Home By: Greg Martins - For Genre: Nonfiction - Religion/Phil. - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Star Journey Home LLC
Gods of Glenhaven By: Stephen Statler - For Genre: Fiction - Humor - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Koehler Books
The Price of Passion By: Artemios John Korkidis - For Genre: Fiction - Drama - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Dorrance Publishing Co.
Miss del Rio By: Barbara Mujica - For Genre: Fiction - Historical - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Graydon House
Songs For the Deaf By: Kenneth Alan Silver - For Genre: Fiction - Intrigue - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: MindStir Media
The Underdogs By: Isaac Kan - For Genre: Fiction - Realistic - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Seacoast Press
Journey Back Into The Vault By: Mario Cartaya - For Genre: Nonfiction - Autobiography - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Morgan James Publishing
Wings By: Kathy Wright - For Genre: Nonfiction - Biography - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Balboa Press
Inside Impeachment - Diary of a Congressman By: Honorable Clifford B. Stearns - For Genre: Nonfiction - Gov/Politics - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Archway Pub
Vermilion Harvest By: Reenita M Hora - For Genre: Romance - Suspense - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Indignor House, Inc.
One Night Stand By: The Director - For Genre: Poetry/Music - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
The Blackened Yonder By: J. Gibson - For Genre: Fiction - Fantasy - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: The Lost PressCONVOLUTED: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide By: Terry Harmon - For Genre: Nonfiction - General - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Independently published
Travels and Tribulations By: Tyrel Nelson - For Genre: Nonfiction - Short Stories/Anthologies - 2ND Place Winner - Published by: Tyrel Nelson

The PenCraft Book Awards is an inclusive literary contest that celebrates all authors. Our mission is to inspire, entertain, and give every writer a fair chance at recognition. With hundreds of nominations, only the best receive the PenCraft Book Award. As Editor-In-Chief David Hearne explains, "Our awards help struggling authors get noticed and sell their books. Our goal is to showcase talented new authors and their extraordinary stories."

PenCraft Book Awards were created to counter the unfairness of excluding authors based on their publisher or high entry fees. We leveled the playing field, allowing all authors to compete on equal terms. Since our inception, PenCraft has been committed to supporting authors worldwide by acknowledging and promoting their creative work.

 More On Starmediaplanet ::

•   New Book Offers Groundbreaking Metabolic Path to Recovery for Long COVID Sufferers
•   Vigilshore: The Bedrock of Capital – Strategy, Finance and Risk Management
•   Visiting Singapore for a Meniscus Injury? Here’s How to Get Trusted, Non-Surgical Relief – Fast
•   Montana L. Brelsford: Transforming Patient Care in Polo, Missouri
•   Join LiveGood Worldwide: Boost Your Wellness - Income with Natural Products and a Powerful Affiliate Program