As the list of books published by Cat & Mouse Press grows, so does its number of awards. When the 2017 Delaware Press Association (DPA) Communication Contest awards were announced, the small indie publisher based in Lewes, DE, had garnered eight awards, including first-place awards for three of the books it published in 2016. The entries will now be eligible for the national-level honors through the National Federation of Press Women.
Beach Nights, the anthology of winning stories from the popular Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest won first place awards for short story collection (multiple authors) and book editing, and two authors in the book placed in the category of single short story: Kathleen Martens (Rehoboth Beach, DE), who received a first-place award for her story “Flight of the Songbird,” and Rich Barnett (Washington, DC, and Rehoboth Beach, DE), who received second-place for “Cooking Lard and Candle Wax.” Other stories in this eclectic collection of beach reads involve a ghostly WWII tower, a couple with an unusual annual tradition, a boy who learns the snow cone king has a secret, an old lady who is inspired to get a tattoo, and a despondent man who is resurrected through the tango.
The Mermaid in Rehoboth Bay, a sumptuously illustrated children’s picture book, received two first-place awards, one for its author, Nancy Sakaduski (Chadds Ford, PA, and Lewes, DE), and one for the book’s design team, which included Marcella Harte (Bear, DE) and James Dissette (Chestertown, MD). The Mermaid in Rehoboth Bay is a story that celebrates the beauty of the sea and tidal areas, and depicts two strong female characters who confront their fears and achieve their goals on their own. The story is inspiring and addresses themes of friendship, girl-empowerment, respect for differences, love of nature, and overcoming fears to achieve your goals.
Fun with Dick and James, a raucous romp penned by Rich Barnett received a first-place award in the category of short story collection by a single author. The stories feature Dick Hunter, a Delaware blue blood who would be perfectly happy to spend his days writing obscure historical biographies, taking naps, and lying on the beach who seems to find himself in one jam after another. Fortunately, his young boyfriend, James Flores, is a natural problem-solver, even though his methods aren’t always by the book.
The Sea Sprite Inn by Lynnette Adair (Wilmington, DE) received a third-place award in the adult novel category. As the book opens, Jillian finds herself in the middle of a perfect storm of stressful situations: newly divorced, her daughter leaving for college, an ailing grandfather, and now responsibility for the run-down family home in Rehoboth. But with the help of some loyal friends and a newly discovered sense of purpose, Jillian turns lemons into The Sea Sprite Inn, a bed and breakfast that serves as the backdrop for stories within the story as the book progresses.
The awards will be presented May 4 at the DPA annual banquet at the University & Whist Club, 805 N. Broom Street, Wilmington, DE. The event is open to the public. A registration link will be posted at http://delawarepressassociatio
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