Wide as the Wind (Open Books Press, 2016) by Edward Stanton has been named by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2017.
Stanton's book is the winner of the Young Adult Fiction category in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the world's largest not-for-profit book awards program for independent publishers and self-published authors.
Wide as the Wind is the first novel to deal with the stunning, tragic history of Easter Island (Vaitéa). It could be described as quest fiction for all ages in the line of Tolkien's The Hobbit, but it is set in the real world, not Middle-earth. Wide as the Wind portrays Polynesian voyages across the Pacific Ocean in canoes with no metal parts or instruments: the greatest adventure in human prehistory, as bold as modern space voyages (National Geographic).
Hailed by School Library Journal as a must-read "for ambitious middle and high school readers who appreciate a depiction of a little-discussed but significant historical period and culture; for large historical fiction collections."
Midwest Book Review says, "Stanton has sculpted a modern parable that shows how mankind's hatred and violence sow the seeds of environmental devastation. . . . Wide as the Wind is an inspiring adventure about the bravery and courage of three young earth warriors who save the future."
To read more about the book and get a free bonus chapter from Wide as the Wind, visit http://openbookspress.com/books/wide-as-the-wind.php.
The awards are judged by leaders of the indie book publishing industry, including many with long careers at major publishing houses. Their love of a great read and experience in the publishing arena identify books deserving a wider audience.
Catherine Goulet, Co-Chair of the 2017 awards proudly said, "Our program has become known as the Sundance of the book publishing world." According to Goulet, "The indies must work harder to get their best books into the hands of readers."
To help Indie authors and publishers reach a wider audience, the top 70 books in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards will be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency or one of Ms. Allen's co-agents for possible representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights, and other rights.
The awards were presented on May 31 in a ceremony at the Harvard Club in New York City.
Other Winners
A complete list of 2017 winners and finalists is available at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards at www.indiebookawards.com.
About IBPPG
The aim of Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group is to promote professional standards in independent book publishing (also known as "indie" book publishing), and provide support and recognition for the independent book publishing profession.
About Edward Stanton
Edward Stanton's Wide as the Wind is based on ten years of travel and research on Easter Island, whose name he has changed in his novel in order to extend its imaginative reach to all of Polynesia. Born in Colorado and raised in California, he resides in Kentucky after having lived in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Spain. Stanton is the author of eleven books, some of which have been translated and published in Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. Road of Stars to Santiago, the story of his 500-mile walk on the ancient pilgrimage route to Compostela, was called one of the two best books on the subject by
The New York Times. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer James Michener said, "Edward Stanton recounts his adventures with stylish conviction." Stanton has also published fiction, poems, translations and essays in magazines, journals and newspapers in countries throughout the world. He has been a professor of literature at universities in the U.S., Europe and South America. The Fulbright Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities have awarded him grants for travel, research and writing. His students and colleagues recently published a volume of essays in his honor. At present he is completing a travel memoir titled VIDA: A Life.
About Open Books Press
Open Books Press is dedicated to publishing quality nonfiction for adults and fiction for all ages. Open Books Press, established in 2010, is an imprint of Pen & Publish, Inc., a small press founded in 2005 to serve schools and nonprofits.
Pen & Publish serves a variety of markets through its three imprints. Transformation Media Book is our body/mind/spirit imprint. Brick Mantel Books was added in 2015 to foster literacy by publishing literary fiction and poetry.
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