Several Tampa Bay area authors are among the winners in the recently-announced 2022 Florida Book Awards. Coordinated by Florida State Universities Libraries, the book awards program celebrates the best in Florida literature.
St. Petersburg author and historian Gary Mormino's “Dreams in the New Century: Instant Cities, Shattered Hopes, and Florida’s Turning Point” is the Gold Medal winner for Florida Nonfiction. Former St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Bay Times columnist Bill Mawell is the winner of the Silver Medal in Florida Nonfiction for "Maximum Vantage: New Selected Columns," a collection of selected columns from over the years.
Andrew T. Huse, Bárbara C. Cruz and Jeff Houck of Tampa's “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers” wins the Gold in the Cooking category.
In Poetry, Kate Sweeney of Seminole wins the Gold for “Worrisome Creatures,” while Heather Sellers of St. Petersburg is the winner of the Bronze for "Field Notes From the Flood Zone.”
In Young Children's Literature, Jen Arena of Tampa's “Acorn Was a Little Wild” is the winner of the Silver Medal. Ana Siqueira of Palm Harbor wins the Bronze for "If Your Babysitter is a Bruja.”
In Older Children's Literature, Sandra Markle of Lakewood Ranch's “Secrets of the Lost City: A Scientific Adventure in the Honduran Rain Forest” is the winner of the Silver Medal.
In Popular Fiction, Sarasota's Jenna Kernan wins the Gold Medal for “The Ex-Wives”
FSU Libraries coordinate the annual Florida Book Awards with co-sponsors that include the State Library and Archives of Florida, Florida Humanities, Midtown Reader and Word of South.
For more information, go to Florida Book Awards.
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