2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winners Announced

2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Award GRAND PRIZE WINNER

2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Award FIRST PLACE DRAWING WINNER

CHANDLER, AZ (June 2017) – Winners of the 2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards have been announced and The Crystal Chronicles by Alessia Dickson has earned this year’s $500 Grand Prize as well as a First Place designation in the Youth Author Fiction category. Dickson has been writing novels since she was six years old. By the time she turned 10, she had completed the 50 novellas, and at age 16, her first book, The Crystal Chronicles, was published. The plot centers around a seemingly normal teenage girl who finds out that she’s an Elemental, a member of a supernatural race that controls the elements. With the future of humanity in danger, it’s up to her to save it.

Now 18, Dickson’s work has been compared to that of J.K. Rowling and Cassandra Clare, and the judges of the Purple Dragonfly Awards agree. “If this book had been written by an adult author, it would have been an impressive debut novel,” says Joe Murkette. “Given that it was written by a young woman in her teens, it is not only impressive, but inspirational. Alessia Dickson qualifies not only as a literary prodigy, but a potential literary star.”

The winner of this year’s $100 drawing is Meghan Colvin, author of Edison's Tackle Box. Colvin earned First Place in the Outdoor Recreation category. A complete list of winners is available on the Dragonfly Book Awards website.

"What impressed me most about this year’s entries is the pool of talent," says Linda F. Radke, president of Story Monsters LLC. “We had 63 entries earn First Place awards, which means the judges scored them with a minimum of 72 out of 80 points. This number speaks to the quality of writing that is competing in our book awards contest. I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of our winners.”

Now in its eighth year, the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest has grown by 33% in just the past two years alone. “We have seen an increase in entries from both traditional and independent publishers” says Radke. “I love that we offer a place for authors to be recognized.”

The next Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest is already underway. Final deadline for submissions is May 1, 2018. The deadline for the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes outstanding literature in all genres, is October 1, 2017. For complete rules and submission forms for these contests, visit www.DragonflyBookAwards.com and click on the contest of choice.

Story Monsters Approved!, part of the Story Monsters LLC family of programs, is aimed to highlight quality children's books and products. All entries are kid-tested and judge-certified, making it easier for buyers to choose exceptional books and products that parents will approve and youths will enthusiastically devour. There is no deadline to enter and books are judged as they are received.

Story Monsters LLC, formerly Five Star Publications, Inc., is dedicated to helping authors of all genres strive for excellence with book production, marketing and promotion. From publishing the award-winning Story Monsters Ink® magazine, to providing Publishers Support Services in areas such as editing, cover design and publicity, Story Monsters LLC is a place to tell your story. For more information, visit www.storymonsters.com,  email info@storymonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.

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Award-Winning Children’s Author and Story Monster Reading Ambassador Conrad J. Storad to Read to One Millionth Student

CHANDLER, AZ (March 13, 2017) – It’s been 23 years in the making. After more than 1,500 school and library visits in 17 different states, science writer, editor, national award-winning children’s author and master storyteller Conrad J. Storad is set to reach a personal goal. On Thursday, March 16, during author presentations for the more than 600 students at Kyrene de la Mariposa Elementary School in Chandler, Arizona, he will read to his one millionth student.

“It’s exciting! What a privilege it has been to be asked to visit so many schools and libraries over the years,” says Storad. “I’m honored that I’ve had the opportunity to make even a small impact on numerous young people.”

Storad, currently the science and nature editor for Story Monsters Ink® magazine, has written more than 50 science and nature books for children and young adults, including the USA Best Book winner Rattlesnake Rules, the ONEBOOKAZ for Kids 2012 selection Arizona Way Out West & Witty (co-authored with Lynda Exley), and Monster in the Rocks, the 2014 Arizona selection for the "52 Great Reads” program sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

“I believe a good nonfiction story should be more than just the facts,” says Storad. “Seeing kids’ faces light up when I talk to them about science or nature in a way that connects for them is what makes my job fun.”

A firm believer of instilling a love of reading at an early age, Storad has served as a Story Monster Reading Ambassador since Story Monster’s inception in 2014. Storad played an integral role in giving Story Monster a voice to share his message that “Reading is fun!” among students across the country.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better ambassador,” says Linda F. Radke, president of Story Monsters LLC. “Conrad’s enthusiasm and ability to captivate an audience is inspiring. It truly is an honor to have him out there sharing Story Monster’s message with young people. I want to congratulate Conrad on his great accomplishment of reading to one million students.”

Until his retirement in 2010, Storad spent over 24 years as executive editor for the nationally acclaimed ASU Research Magazine. Prior to that, he was a reporter, editor and general manager for The Barberton Herald newspaper in northeast Ohio. Storad holds an undergraduate degree in mass media communication from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in mass communication/science journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.

To learn more about Conrad J. Storad or to schedule an author visit, please visit www.ConradStoradBooks.com or email cstorad@cox.net.

Story Monsters LLC, formerly Five Star Publications, Inc., is dedicated to helping authors of all genres strive for excellence with book production, marketing and promotion. From publishing the award-winning Story Monsters Ink® magazine, to providing Publishers Support Services in areas such as editing, cover design and publicity, Story Monsters LLC is a place to tell your story. For more information, visit www.StoryMonsters.com, email info@storymonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.

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7th Annual Royal Dragonfly Book Award Winners Announced

Grand Prize Winner

CHANDLER, AZ (November, 2016) – Winners of the 2016 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards have been announced and Behind the Mask by Dana Ridenour has earned this year’s $300 Grand Prize as well as First Place designations in the Fiction Novel and First Time Author categories. Behind the Mask is the story of special agent Lexie Montgomery, who is just beginning to understand the FBI’s undercover division motto: “You build relationships to betray relationships.” Lexie's first assignment is infiltrating a radical cell of the Animal Liberation Front. Underground and operating in splinter groups throughout Los Angeles, the only way in is through Savannah Riley, a new recruit. Savannah left the safety of her small southern town for the bright lights of the city. Pulled into the animal rights movement by her college roommate and a gorgeous anarchist, she sinks deeper and deeper into the dark, paranoid world of ALF extremists. As the actions of her cell escalate beyond simple demonstrations and graffiti, Savannah turns to Lexie to keep her grounded. But as the two women grow closer and the FBI's case builds, Lexie is forced to decide what betrayal really means.

Additional first-place winners include Losing a Hero to Alzheimer's: The Story of Pearl by Patricia M. McClure; A Home for Abigail by S. Marriott Cook; The Amazing Journey of Solomon the Sockeye Salmon by Pamela Cannalte, illustrated by Steven Beutler, Designed by Jody Mattics; The Family Tree: The Night of the Storm by Laurie Copmann, illustrated by Laurie Copmann and Shirley Kraus; The Spirit of Villarosa: A Father's Extraordinary Adventures; A Son's Challenge by Horace Dade Ashton, Marc Ashton, Libby J. Atwater; If It Does Not Grow: Say No - Eatable Activities for Kids Kerry Alison Wekelo; Sir Pigglesworth's Adventures series by JoAnn Wagner, illustrated by David Darchicourt; Animal abc: Book to Look by Gabriela Rzepecka-Weiß; How the Bunny Learned to Fly by Sean David Maday; Dragons are Real by Valarie Budayr, illustrated by Michael Welply; Just Indian by Jackie Neypes, illustrated by Tyrelle Smith; The Tales of Reese: Finn's Wish by Rachel Mahan, illustrated by Gau Family Studio; The Seeds of Injustice by Micheal Jimerson; Stinky Blinky by Troy Kent, illustrated by Amanda Erb; Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems: The Crystal Cavern (Book 3) by Anthony Pardoe; A Trip to Remember by Michele Spry; The Accidental Vigilante by Robert Sterling Hecker; Am I Going to Be Okay? Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Grief by Debra Whittam, illustrated by Jeff Tift; The Reading Promise by Troy Kent, illustrated by Elisa Moriconi; Moon Full of Moons: Poetry of Transformation by Kat Lehmann; The Apocalyptic Gospel: Mystery, Revelation, and Common Sense by Justin Mark Staller; String by Timothy Bryant Spear; Forever Skating Forward by Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz; and Ascension by Hannah Rials.

"We had a very tight competition this year and our judges definitely had their work cut out for them," says Linda F. Radke, president of the Dragonfly Book Awards program. “I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of our winners.”

For a complete list of winners, visit www. DragonflyBookAwards.com and click on "Winners." The next Royal Dragonfly Book Awards contest is already underway. The final deadline for submissions is October 1, 2017.

In addition to the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, Story Monsters LLC also has two additional book contests: The Purple Dragonfly Book Awards and the Story Monsters Approved! program. The final deadline to enter the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes outstanding children's literature, is May 1, 2017. The Story Monsters Approved program identifies quality children's books that have been kid-tested and judge-certified, making it easier for buyers to choose exceptional fiction and nonfiction books that parents will approve and youths will enthusiastically devour. There is no deadline to enter and books are judged as they are received. For rules and submission forms for these contests, visit www.DragonflyBookAwards.com and click on the contest of choice.

For more information about the Dragonfly Book Awards and Story Monsters Approved! program, email info@storymonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.

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James Patterson, Marcus Samuelsson Featured in October issue of ‘Story Monsters Ink’

CHANDLER, AZ (September, 2015) – With over 300 million copies of his books sold worldwide, James Patterson is one of the most prolific and successful authors on the planet. While he continues to write the suspenseful thriller novels his devotees clamor for as well as the children’s books that have gained him a whole new fan base, he’s also become a major champion for literacy. He recently pledged to donate $1.75 million to school libraries through a grant program with Scholastic Reading Club. “I’m really passionate about getting kids reading,” said Patterson in a recent interview with Story Monsters Ink magazine. “If kids aren’t competent readers in middle school, they’re going to have a really hard time getting through high school and getting through life.” Patterson also discussed his career, his newest books and how he instilled a love of reading in his own son.

From his humble beginning in Ethiopia, restaurateur, chef, television food personality and author Marcus Samuelsson has risen to the highest culinary ranks. Samuelsson talks with Story Monsters Ink about his latest book, Make it Messy: My Perfectly Imperfect Life detailing his long, gastronomical journey to the top and highlighting those times when his future was muddled and uncertain. It is a must-read for any aspiring chef.

Also featured in the October issue, photographer Jonathan Diaz creates a treasury of modern-day fairy tales based on the lives of children who all have two things in common: they have very big dreams and they are all cancer patients. Child actor and philanthropist Gabe Eggerling talks about his mission to donate as many books as he can to underprivileged children, and award-winning author Gale Leach tells us about her road to writing.

Story Monsters Ink is a monthly, family magazine that gives kids, parents and educators the latest news on award-winning and debut books and products, reviews, recipes, activities, a Spanish language column and a science and nature column written by award-winning author Conrad J. Storad.

What began as a monthly newsletter has turned into a major magazine with subscribers across the globe, advertisers clamoring to get a spot in each issue and featured interviews with Rosemary Wells, Garcelle Beauvais, Claudine Pepin, NASA Astronaut Jerry L. Ross, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Arizona Cardinals wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Sesame Street’s Caroll Spinney.

“I wanted to publish a magazine for a very long time,” says Linda F. Radke, founder and president of Five Star Publications, Inc. “Story Monsters Ink is an exciting fulfillment of that dream. As a parent and former educator myself, I recognize the value of instilling a love of reading and writing in children, and I have a tremendous team to work with in developing this publication each month. We’ve definitely created a monster of a magazine.”

“Our ultimate goal is to promote children’s literacy, and we involve children in the production of Story Monsters Ink by asking them to write book reviews, poems, articles, etc., and we publish their work in each issue,” adds Cristy Bertini, the magazine’s editor-in-chief. “Children love seeing their work printed in the magazine, and we love encouraging them to read and write as much as possible.”

To subscribe to Story Monsters Ink, visit www.StoryMonsters.com. Digital subscriptions are free and 12-month print subscriptions are $39. New print subscribers receive a free Story Monster plush reading buddy. For more information, email info@storymonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.

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2016 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winners Announced

Grand Prize Winner

$100 Drawing First Place Winner

CHANDLER, AZ (June, 2016) – Winners of the 2016 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards have been announced by Five Star Publications, Inc. Fabulous Me, Piper Lee and the Peanut Butter Itch by Tolya L. Thompson and illustrated by Terence Gaylor has earned this year’s $300 Grand Prize as well as a First Place designation in the Best Illustrations and Health categories. Fabulous Me Piper Lee and the Peanut Butter Itch is the first release featuring Piper Lee in the existing line of Smarties Books. Guided by her inner voice, MeMe, Piper Lee struggles to resist the temptation of eating peanut butter even though she knows she is allergic to peanuts. The itch to taste, and the total body itch that follows, provide an unforgettable lesson on food allergies.

The winner of this year’s $100 drawing is Billie Holladay Skelley, author of Luella Agnes Owen: Going Where No Lady Had Gone Before. Skelley earned First Place awards in the Biography and Historical Nonfiction categories.

Additional first-place winners include: A Mommy's Promise by Connie Cabrina; Cody, The Teeny, Tiny Alpaca by Amber Isaac; The Day Dad Blew Up the Cowshed by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern; The Grumpy Unicorn by Jennifer Hodge; Daddy's Heart, My Heart, The Purple Heart by Angela Kohout, Madeline Murillo, and Elizabeth Sagi, illustrated by Michael Ryan; Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems by Anthony Pardoe; Liv on Life series by Elizabeth Gorcey, illustrated by Kajiah Jacobs; Don't Play With Your Food: Fu-Fu's Bistro by Giddy Gragert, illustrated by Christina Mattison Ebert; Sammie Street Adventures: Stormy Saturday by Jennifer Blyth, illustrated by Kathy Kerber; The Rabbit Rescuers by Cindy Howard, illustrated by Nancy Lane; Why Can't You Just Like Me? by Cathy A. Carroll; If You Love Honey by Martha Sullivan, illustrated by Cathy Morrison; Mighty Mole and Super Soil by Mary Quattlebaum, illustrated by Chad Wallace; One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Math! by Eric Yoder and Natalie Yoder; The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid by Janet Balletta, illustrated by Estella Mejia; Where is My Grandma? by Niyati Desai-Kadakia, illustrated by Deepa Shah-Chordia; "Why Did Grandma Put Her Underwear in the Refrigerator?" An Explanation of Alzheimer's Disease for Children by Max Wallack and Carolyn Given; Tales for Your Monkey's Mind by Steve Michael Reedy, illustrated by Tom Fee; Bee in the Sea by Adam Reed, illustrated by Izzy Bean; Green is Good by Elizabeth Gorcey, illustrated by Kajiah Jacobs; Grandma's Garden by Julie Ann Dolle', illustrated by Gaston Hauviller; Cole's Perfect Puppy - Perfect Puppies - Book One by Frances Crossno; Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems - Book Two: The Raging Torrent by Anthony Pardoe; The Rain of Blood by S.P. Kumar; Goodnight, Campsite by Loretta Sponsler, illustrated by Olga Shevchenko; Going to the Park by Elizabeth Gorcey, illustrated by Kajiah Jacobs; Max and Bear by Pam Saxelby, illustrated by Stephen Adams; Narla and the Hidden Treasure by Lisa Domeny; Beasties by Pat Hall, illustrated by Emmeline Hall Forrestal; Escape into the Mall by Donna LeBlanc, illustrated by Anton Servetnik; My Forgotten Self: A Story About a Girl, A Powerful Encounter, and a Universal Message by Lynyetta G. Willis, Ph.D; Mystery of the Giant Masks of Sanxingdui by Icy Smith, illustrated by Gayle Garner Roski; Somebody Cares: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Neglect by Susan Farber Straus, PhD, illustrated by Claire Keay; What a Bragger! by Lee Ann Mancini, illustrated by Dan Sharp; Dinosaurs Living in My Hair by Jayne M. Rose-Vallee, illustrated by Anni Matsick; Ms. Abrams' Everything Garden by Lisa and Samantha Colodny, illustrated by Ashley Scott; The Alien Logs of Super Jewels by BK Bradshaw, illustrated by Travis Hanson; Inside the Palisade by K.C. Maguire; Let's Change That! If Animals Can, We Can, Too! by Dr. Bashar Salame, illustrated by Rainer M. Osinger; Once Upon A Zombie Book One: The Color of Fear by Billy Phillips and Jenny Nissenson; and The Phantom of Faerie Mountain by E.M. McIntyre.                 

"We had a very tight competition this year and our judges definitely had their work cut out for them," says Linda F. Radke, president of Five Star Publications, Inc. “I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of our winners.”

The next Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest is already underway. The early bird deadline is March 1, 2017. Final deadline for submissions is May 1, 2017.

The early bird deadline for the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes outstanding literature in all genres, is August 1, 2016. The final deadline is October 1, 2016.

For complete rules and submission forms for these contests, visit DragonflyBookAwards.com and click on the contest of choice. For more information about the other programs Story Monsters LLC offers, please visit www.StoryMonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.

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6th Annual Royal Dragonfly Book Award Winners Announced

CHANDLER, AZ (November, 2015)—Winners of the 2015 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards have been announced by Five Star Publications, Inc. Slow Dancing with a Stranger by Meryl Comer has earned this year’s $300 Grand Prize as well as First Place designations in the Aging and General Nonfiction categories and Honorable Mention in the First-time Author category. An Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist and leading Alzheimer’s advocate, Comer has written a profoundly personal, unflinching account of her husband’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease that serves as a much-needed wake-up call to better understand and address a progressive and deadly affliction. When Comer’s husband Harvey Gralnick was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in 1996, she watched as the man who headed hematology and oncology research at the National Institutes of Health started to misplace important documents and forget clinical details that had once been cataloged encyclopedically in his mind. With harrowing honesty, she brings readers face to face with this devastating condition and its effects on its victims and those who care for them. Detailing the daily realities and overwhelming responsibilities of caregiving, Comer sheds intensive light on this national health crisis, using her personal experiences—the mistakes and the breakthroughs—to put a face to a misunderstood disease, while revealing the facts everyone needs to know.

Additional first-place winners include The Tiny Portrait by Heidi Carla, illustrated by Karla Cinquanta, which was also the $100 drawing winner; Bee in the Sea by Adam Reed, illustrated by Izzy Bean; American Mojo Lost and Found: Restoring Our Middle Class Before the World Blows by Peter D. Kiernan;   Ballerina Detective and the Missing Jeweled Tiara by Karen Rita Rautenberg; Numbers!: Take the Dog Out by Lynne Dempsey, illustrated by Mandy Newham-Cobb; Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle; Posie Pixie and the Pancakes by Sarah Hill, illustrated by Sarah Mauchline; Posie Pixie and the Snowstorm by Sarah Hill, illustrated by Sarah Mauchline; Hi My Name is Hanna and I'm Adopted by Angie Barton; Colors!: Take the Dog Out by Lynne Dempsey, illustrated by Mandy Newham-Cobb; Castle in Danger by Karen Rita Rautenberg; Simmer and Smoke: A Southern Tale of Grit and Spice by Peggy Lampman; Going to the Park by Elizabeth Gorcey, illustrated by Kajiah Jacobs; and Ashes and Asphalt by Trevor Halloway.

“We had a very tight competition this year and our judges definitely had their work cut out for them," says Linda F. Radke, president of Five Star Publications, Inc. “I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of our winners.”

For a complete list of winners, visit www.RoyalDragonflyBookAwards.com. The next Royal Dragonfly Book Awards contest is already underway. The early bird deadline is August 1, 2016. Final deadline for submissions is October 1, 2016.

The early bird deadline for the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes outstanding children's literature, is March 1, 2016. The final deadline is May 1, 2016. For complete rules and submission forms for these contests, visit www.FiveStarBookAwards.com and click on the contest of choice.

The Story Monster Approved! program identifies quality children's books that have been kid-tested and judge-certified, making it easier for buyers to choose exceptional fiction and nonfiction books that parents will approve and youths will enthusiastically devour. Authors interested in having their books considered for the Story Monster Approved! designation should visit www.StoryMonsters.com to download an entry form. There is no deadline to enter and books are judged as they are received.

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