Shown L to R: Bette Lee Crosby, Mark Wayne Adams FPA Executive Board Member, and Ellen Valladares, FPA Executive Board Member
Reprinted from Bent Pine Publishing
Sarasota, Saturday, November 5, 2011: At the Florida Publishers Conference, Chris Angerman, President of the Association announced that Bette Lee Crosby’s novel “Cracks in the Sidewalk” was the winner of the 2011 President’s Book Award for Adult Fiction. She was presented with an award certificate and Gold Medal commemorating the event.
In 2011 the President’s Book Award competition was open to all Florida writers, publishers and literary agents as well as Association Members so the number of participants was almost doubled and the competition fierce. The Adult Fiction category, included romance, mystery, and suspense along with the women’s fiction Crosby specializes in writing. The independent Judging Committee consisted of mostly librarians and industry professionals.
In Addition to the President’s Book Award, “Cracks in the Sidewalk” also took first place honors in the 2009FWA Royal Palm Literary Competition. In all, Crosby has won four awards for her published work which includes “Girl Child” and “Spare Change” in addition to “Cracks in the Sidewalk” in 2011 she won another Royal Palm Literary Award for the manuscript of “What Matters Most” a novel that is scheduled to be published in 2012.
A highly entertaining public speaker, Crosby is well-known throughout South Florida for her novels and guest appearances at women’s clubs and
charitable functions. She often regales the audience with stories of her Southern Mama’s way of looking at life. For those not yet familiar with her work, Crosby writes novels about women who could very easily be someone we know, not necessarily heroic women, but ordinary women who rise to heroic levels in the struggle of life. Her books are character-driven and she readily admits that these characters sometimes take her to places she hadn’t intended to go. “Writing a book of this nature can be considerably more difficult,” Crosby said, “but the work is worth it because my readers see these characters as
real people. They identify with them, laugh with them and yes, even cry with them.”
Crosby is a featured author on Amazon and Goodreads and her novels are also available through Barnes & Noble. In addition to the print versions, e-books for Kindle and Nook are now available. Crosby herself swears by her Kindle. “Although Kindle will never totally replace traditional books,” she says, “there is much to be said for the convenience and immediate gratification they offer the reader.” The award-winning “Cracks in the Sidewalk” and her newest novel “Spare Change” are currently on sale at Kindle books for the introductory cost of $2.99.
“The reason Bent Pine Publishing is offering them at such a low cost” Crosby states, “is so that readers can access more books and not have to choose between one book and another because of the expense.”
To schedule a speaking engagement at your club or event; or to learn more about Bette Lee Crosby and her novels, contact us at info@bentpinepublishing.com
