As a first-time author I was thrilled when I received notification that my book had received a Finalist Award in the National Indie Excellent 2008 Awards. That was in May '08. Now, one year later, the last of the awards programs for 2008 titles are wrapping up. I am so very proud to share that The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living has been honored to be the recipient of nine national awards. Each feels significant in its own way and each program involved the review of hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of titles to get to the small list of finalists.

I see it as a great start for The Woman's Field Guide series. Stay tuned!

Recipient of Nine National Awards

• Silver Winner 2009 Nautilus Book Awards: Small Press Category

• Finalist Foreword Magazine 2008 Best Book of the Year Award: Body / Mind / Spirit

• Silver Winner 2009 Mom’s Choice Awards: Women’s Issues

• Finalist National Best Books 2008 Awards: Women’s Issues

• Finalist National Best Books 2008 Awards: Self-Help / Motivation

• Finalist National Indie Excellence 2008 Awards: Women’s Issues

• Finalist Next Generation Indie Excellence 2009 Awards: 3 Category Winner: Women’s Issues, Self-Help, Inspiration

It is true to say that many of my favorite books and favorite people have one thing in common - they have been recognized as recipients of the Nautilus Book Awards. As its stated mission, the Nautilus Book Award program wants to Change the World One Book at a Time. When you look to the list of just a few of the past winning authors you know they are serious:

Angeles Arrien
Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Caroline Myss
Barbara Kingsolver
Frances Moore Lappe’
Thich Nnat Hanh
Jean Houston, PhD.
Eckhart Tolle
His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Yes, my beloved bookshelf has a title or two by each. In fact, when I am looking for a great read I frequently look to the Nautilus list and I am always more than pleased.

With this said, I am thrilled beyond words to share news that The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living has been honored as a Silver Recipient of the Nautilus Book Awards in the Small Press Category. Winners of the Gold Award will be chosen from Silver winners in late May 2009.

A dear friend recently called my book, deceptively simple, and one she'll go back to for a good second read. I love that description and perhaps it's just that formula that results in this being the fifth national award. I like to think that maybe my book offers something the world needs a bit more of!

Learn more about the Nautilus Book Award program here.

We are thrilled to share that The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living has been honored by being selected as a finalist in the Foreword 2008 Book of the Year Awards program. Previous awards include: Mom’s Choice Awards 2008 Silver Recipient, finalist in two categories of the Best Books Awards 2008, and finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards 2008. This title represents the first book in The Woman’s Field Guide series.

ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards program was designed to discover distinctive books across a number of genres. More than 1,400 books were entered in 61 categories for the 2008 program. These books represent some of the best work coming from today's independent press community. The winners will be determined by a panel of librarians and booksellers and announced at a special program at BookExpo America in New York City on May 29. A complete list of finalists is available at www.forewordmagazine.com.

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HONORING EXCELLENCE

  The Mom's Choice Awards® is an annual awards competition that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services.

Wow! What a great program and what a powerful source of information for families seeking quality products and resouces. Too, what fun to share news that The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living has been chosen as a Silver Recipient for this prestigious award.

This represents the third national award for this title and helps to set the stage and build the buzz for the next book in the Woman's Field Guide series. Stay tuned!

To learn more about the award here ...

LOS ANGELES – USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS” 2008 AWARDS (NBBA) on October 20, 2008. Awards were presented for titles published in 2008 and late 2007. Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com says of the awards, now in their fifth year, “The 2008 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States.

The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living: Practical Steps for Living a Big, Bold, Beautiful Life! was chosen as a finalist in two categories: Women’s Issues and Self-Help-Motivation. Previous awards and national recognition for this 2008 release by author Corrie Woods include: Finalist National Indie Excellence Awards 2008, Nominee for the Ethan Awards, Indie Bound Notable Pick May 2008, and frequent feature on the Morgan James Publisher top-ten best-seller list. This title represents the first book in The Woman’s Field Guide series.

Over a dozen reviews reflect the merits of this national recognition. Quite fitting is this highlight from the Midwest Book Reviews: "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living: Practical Steps for Living a Big, Bold, Beautiful Life!" is very highly recommended to women everywhere and for self-help and women's studies community library shelves.

Winners and finalists of The National “Best Books” Awards 2008 traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Tarcher/Penguin, HarperCollins, Hyperion, St. Martin’s Press, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Morgan James Publishing & hundreds of independent titles contributed to this year’s outstanding NBBA competition. Keen adds, “NBBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise."

A complete list of awards, reviews, author interviews, and more for this award-winning title can be found at http://www.womansfieldguide.com/learn-more-about-the-book

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Readers of The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living are encouraged to visit the site and rate the Nomination!

The Ethan Awards

The Ethan Award™ has quickly become the most coveted business author honor in America,” said David L. Hancock, founder and president of The Ethan Awards™.  “We began the Ethans in 2006 with the mission to generate recognition of deserving business authors among the business community, the press, and the general public.  Being selected as a Nominee is an important achievement, because it means that independent judges have agreed that the Nominee is worthy of national recognition.  We congratulate all of the Nominees on their achievement and wish them well in the competition.”

Sometimes a little nudge is all I need. I have had in the back of my mind (which actually means the front because it has been tugging at my attention) that attending BookExpoAmerica would be a very good idea this year. Given it is THE annual event in the book world in North America, I could learn tons, meet interesting people, and make great connections.

It seems obvious now that I have a plane ticket in hand, but I drug my heels and practiced the fine art of talking myself out of something. Ever do that? You have this compelling drive to go somewhere, call someone, buy something that may seem really random but the urge is insistent.

I love that I get dished up reminders to walk my talk EVERYDAY! The reminder this time - honor my gut.

The reality is that I just got word that my book has been chosen as a finalist in The National Indie Excellence 2008 Book Awards. The announcement will be made at BEA (the event mentioned above). No big fanfare but it was just the nudge I needed to get out of "oh, I could go next year" and into action. I knew all along I wanted to go!

I'll be headed to LA at the end of the month for the event and love that at the end of the day, one way or another, my gut wins out!

Oh,  winning the award was pretty fun as well!

Each month Independent Booksellers make it known what books they love and what new books have caught their eye. In the May issue of BookSense Picks - available for free at Independent Booksellers nationwide, The Woman's Field Guide made the Notables List. Having just passed its official publication date, you might imagine I am thrilled!

Everyone who knows me has heard me say, "Support your local book store." Whether it is The Book Shelf in Tryon, Malaprops in Asheville, Osandu in Weaverville, NC or Darvill's on Orcas Island. They are all glorious, as is every Indy in between!

This month I hope readers of my blog will march themselves into their favorite Independent Bookstore, pick up a copy of the BookSense Picks and suggest to the smiling face behind the counter that they order up some copies of The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living! And while you are there, you might like to pick up a copy of The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife by Marianne Williamson. It is on my "next book to read list" and I hear great things!