LOS ANGELES BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES ‘BANGIN’ THE MAKING OF A Y.G.’ FOR TOP HONORS


LOS ANGELES_ The story of a young man’s immersion in the gang culture of San Diego is the winner of the 2022 Los Angeles Book Festival, which honors the best works of the world publishing community

Author Jonas Royster’s Young Adult novel Bangin' The Making of a Y.G. (Paradise Publishing) illustrates the hardships of living day to day in the trenches of gang culture. Told through multiple lenses, the novel explores each character's unique experience in the gang lifestyle and the consequences they must face in the streets.

Royster’s vivid writing, authentic voice and unique storytelling made his work well worthy of top honors.

Other winners in the competition:

GENERAL NON-FICTION:

WINNER: The Hanford Plaintiffs – Trisha Pritikin

RUNNER-UP: Good Dogs, A Foolproof Guide – Mry Contreras

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Trust and Confidence – Jim Lichtman
  • To Make the Moment Last – William E. Thrasher
  • Liberty, Science and Wealth – Ralph L. Bevrer
  • Thunder Go North - Melissa Darby
  • Burn This City to the Ground – N. Daniel
  • Cyberjutsu: Cybersecurity for the Modern Ninja - Ben McCarty
  • Epidemics: Fear and the Dementia Connection - Nancy Dawson
  • From Student to Warrior – Wilford Kale
  • Get Rich in Real Estate - Elliot Bogod
  • The Harder I Fall, The Higher I Bounce – Max James
  • Midnight Flight to Nuremberg – Marcus A. Nannini
  • New York to New You – Manoi Gupta
  • Releasing the Pain – Michelle Moreno
  • Salt & Light: The Complete Jesus – Jonathan Geoffrey Dean
  • Thorns Beneath My Feet – Regina Sytobia Fleming


GENERAL FICTION:

WINNER: Drunk Talk – Thomas Mack

RUNNER-UP: That Darn Cat – Janos Toldy

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Delphic Oracle, U.S.A. – Steven Mayfield
  • The Investigation Officer’s File - Dallas Clark
  • Lawn Darts & Lemonade – Steven Manchester
  • Dark Cloud – Sandra Wolf
  • With Wanton Disregard – Gwen Banta
  • Operation Olive Tree and Refugee on a Pendulum – Jemil Metti
  • Curse of the Eagle – Michael Nathanson
  • The Chase – Mario Busacca and Hoyt A. Byrum
  • Operation Olive Tree – Jemil Mettie
  • The Train Jumper – Gwen Banta
  • An Honorable Place – Henry Taylor Millard
  • Two White Queens and the One-Eyed… - Heidi von Palleske
  • The Screw of the Tern – Thomas Blair
  • Gold Mountain Express – Gene Lassers
  • American Boy – Deane Mencher
  • Unbroken Bonds – D.W. Hogan
  • Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing – S. Cassadera
  • Prisionero de las Calles – Rene Santander
  • Toofer – Thomas Blair
  • In Light of Recent Events – Amy Klinger
  • Time and the Tree - Rσisνn Sorahan
  • Pure Innuendos – Loodie
  • The Reunion - Raj Velamoor
  • The Book of Mestophicus – Justin Medved
  • The Pony Hoof and the Moose Knuckle – Justin Medved


GENRE-BASED:

WINNER: Capone Island – Stephen G. Yanoff

RUNNER-UP: Prospects of a Woman – Wendy Vorsanger

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Epiphany’s Gift – Mallory M. OConnor
  • Rendezvous with Death – Sam Griffith
  • A Disturbing Nature – Brian Lebeau
  • Under Color of Law – Aaron Philip Clark
  • Needleneck – E.M. Schorb
  • No Names to be Given – Julia Brewer Daily
  • Grounded – Sarah Hualde
  • The Woods of Hitchcock – Ann W. Jarvie
  • Two Lumps of Sugar for Mr. Anxiety – Eli Wilde
  • A Final Call – Eliot Parker
  • Dharma. A Relja Rao Mystery – Vee Kumari
  • Birth Order – Audrey Miller
  • The Danger Game – Ian Bull
  • A Divine Wind – Norman Jacobs


COOKBOOKS

WINNER: Barbies 4 Blokes – Julianne McLean and Mark Lynch


BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WINNER: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – Darwin Porter/Danforth Prince

RUNNER-UP: Relentless – Natasha Miller

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Letters to my People – Anthony Torres
  • Paris Blue – Julie Scolnik
  • Black, White and Gray All Over – Frederick Douglass Reynolds
  • Colonels, Cads and Charmer – Miles Anderson with Bela Merlin
  • Wherever the Road Leads – K. Lang-Slattery
  • Coal Mine to Courtroom – W. Ron Adams with Fred Anderson
  • Surgeon & Lover – Fulfillment & Folly – Michael M. Meguid, MD
  • Very Far From Normal – Josie Allen
  • A Doorway to Heroism – W. Jack Romberg
  • From Army Regulations to Novels – Don Helin
  • Alabama Grandson – Cedrick Bridgeforth
  • Things That Crash, Things That Fly – Scott Gould
  • Grateful for it All – Colleen Kittrell
  • I Am Ruth Lichtenstein, Amstein… - Ruth Eda Dunkinson
  • Crow and a Red Feather – Chellie Kew


SCIENCE FICTION:

WINNER: War Bunny – Christopher St. John

RUNNER-UP: The Clone Paradox – J.W. Elliot

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Genesis 2 – Einer Fulsang
  • Light Harvesters – Arthur Sellers
  • The Covenant Protocol (The Ark Project) – J.W. Elliot
  • Dark Cloud – Sandra Wolf
  • True Teryn – S.G. Blaise
  • Cupid’s Arrow – Susan English
  • Project Earth: Vice or Virtue – Richard Pryor
  • Metamorphosis Man – Donahue B. Silvis
  • The Element Wielders – Paul Ellison
  • The Progenitor – Sara Wright
  • The Future is a Memory – Charles Ross
  • The Nine Orders – Q.J. Zephyr
  • Redemption Has No Limits – K.L. Ciprianna
  • Now Playing Black Panther – Dan Riley
  • Rostam’s Adventures – Col. Mahmoud Iranpanah


ROMANCE

WINNER: The Refusal – Eve M. Riley

RUNNER-UP: Here We Go Loop de Loop – William Jack Sibley

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Inside the Grey – Bobbi Groover
  • Glissando – Debbie Burke
  • Leon the Warrior Dog: Book 1 – Cy Sansum
  • Blood Thinners – Heather Novak
  • Embracing the Tide – Janice Williams
  • For Position Only – Adele Royce


CHILDREN’S BOOKS

WINNER: Make Room for Jasper – Joann Neve

RUNNER-UPS: Please Don’t Tell Cooper That Jack is a Rabbit - Michelle L. Feinberg

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Polly, Stubby & Al – Donahue B. Silvis
  • Mr. Mistake, Mind Your Manners in a Restaurant - Lisa Butowsky and Donna Bostany
  • It’s Okay to Ask – Temi Diaz
  • Bugs for Breakfast – Mary Boone
  • Five Mile Charlie – Kimberly Adams
  • A Brief History of Underpants – Christine Van Zandt
  • Caitlin’s Buddy – K. Lang-Slattery
  • A Chakra Star Journey – Sandy Fox
  • Koko & Stoney – Don Stansberry
  • Billy the Friendly Blue Bird and His Outer Space Adventure - Jay Fowler
  • VROOM! Barry, Kari and the Power Boost! – William G. Wilberforce III
  • Magellan the Magical – Krystal M. Harris
  • The Mirabal Sisters – Raynelda A. Calderson
  • The Night I Borrowed Santa’s Sleigh – R.B. Berkey
  • Nopalitos Para La Comida – Maria Luisa Barrera
  • Mr. Candy Bar Ahead with Big Ears… - A. Shelley
  • Flying with Finn – Joan Jenkinson
  • The Fairies Meet The Lions - MG
  • Big Love – Louie Flores
  • Jada’s Dance for Chicano Park – Vera Sanchez
  • The Story of Tree and Cloud – Daryl McCullough
  • Billy the Friendly Blue Bird – Jay Fowler
  • M Possible – Franklin Bateman


YOUNG ADULT

WINNER: Bangin’ – The Making of a Y.G. – Jonas Royster
RUNNER-UP: Heirs of Anarwyn: Torn – J.W. Elliot

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • he Misfits of Lima – Benjamin S. Rosenberg
  • Aline and the Blue Bottle – Carolina Ugaz-Moran
  • Never Say Never - Justine Manzano
  • One Golden Day – Charles D’Amico
  • A World of Blood and Magic – Saga Kytosaho
  • To The Monsters of My Past – Cameron Crews


WILD CARD

WINNER: You Will Forever Be My Always – Dan McCrory

RUNNER-UP: Life, I Swear – Chloe Dulce Louvouezo

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Hanford Plaintiffs – Trisha Pritikin
  • Dark Cloud – Sandra Wolf
  • Predator/Nomad – Daniel Micko
  • Webb Wilder, Last of the Full Grown…. – Shane Caldwell & Steve Boyle
  • The Railwalkers – Ruth Hanson
  • 1,000 Nights – Eli Gardner
  • All Purpose – Apostolos Peter Kouroumalis
  • MacClinton – Sam Griffith
  • I Got You Mama – Kristen Cook
  • A Symphony of Logic from the Basket of Deplorables– Cornelius Van Blyderveen
  • The Regulars’ Table – Christina R. Griffin
  • Good Blood: A Journey of Healing – Irit Schaffer


COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES

WINNER: 1 Covid-19:: The Science vs. the Lockdowns - Michael G. Betrus

RUNNER-UP: Sex Death Rock N Roll 2 – Staci Layne Wilson, et. al.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Flying Saucers: From Venus They Come – Dr. Raymond A. Keller
  • A Day with Dori – Dori Marten


PHOTOGRAPHY/ART

WINNER: Curves and Angles – Charles E. Rawlings, MD

RUNNER-UP: Sally O. Lee’s Salon des Refusιs – Sally O. Lee


POETRY

WINNER: Small Sovereign – Michael Favala Goldman

RUNNER-UP: Flow Through Me – Natalie N. Williams


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • When Snow Walks In – Christine Candland
  • Harapos v. Cantares – Eriberto De La Fe
  • No Doubt I Will Return a Different Man – Tobias Wray
  • Salt Water – Carina Pellius
  • Peace in the Midst of the Storm – Kaleb Thompson
  • En pie La Tierra – Auri Ascencio Uriostegui
  • The Burning Moustache – Philip Wexler
  • Solita and the Purple Moon – Miriam Isabel Elliott
  • Lyric of Love – Elvin Blake Primm


FOREIGN LANGUAGE

WINNER: En Las Alas del Tiempo – Julie Pujol Karel

RUNNER-UP: Debe LLover Chocolates – Auri Ascencio Uriostegui


HOW-TO:

WINNER: A Fish Ate My Homework – Rick Robinson and Wade DeHate

RUNNER-UP: Twelve-Minute Risk Management – Ivy Walker

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Drive to Freedom – JT Hustlez, MPA
  • Black Butterfly – Carla A. Vincent

BUSINESS:

WINNER: Vultured – Adam Starks

RUNNER-UP: That’s It, I’m Fired – Jeff Finney

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Negotiate Like a CEO – Jotham S. Stein
  • Business Leadership in Turbulent Times – George Tsetsekos and Michael Lawrie
  • Harvard Can’t Teach What You Learn from the Streets – Sam Liebman
  • The DAP Strategy: A New Way – Raj Sundarason
  • Optimal Money Flow – Lawrence Marsh
     

REGIONAL LITERATURE:

WINNER: The Rise and Fall of Wapato Lake – Ken Bilderback and Kris Bilderbac

RUNNER-UP: Angelino Heights – Adam Bregman

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • I Love to Tell the Story – Rev. J. Harold McKeithen Jr.
  • Black, White and Gray All Over – Frederick Douglass Reynolds
  • The Lockhart Woman – Mary Camarillo
  • Strange Fire – Joel Burcat


SEQUELS:

WINNER: Blood Before Dawn – Daniel V. Meier, Jr.


SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS

WINNER: The Two Ruths – Martha Emily Bellinger

RUNNER-UP: Redemption - Jayde Wilson-Hickox

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • She Who Is Without Sin – Martha Emily Bellinger
  • Book of Books - James Mathew
  • Sappho in Shining Armor – M.E. Bellinger
  • Good Blood: A Journey of Healing – Irit Schaffer
  • Who is With Us? – Dr. Beatrix czeizel and Anikσ Greskσ