New Mexico Book Co-op

promoting the best in local books
2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards Finalists & Winners
This is the 16th annual book awards program featuring the best books from New Mexico and Arizona authors and publishers. This year, 64 winners have been selected in 48 categories. In addition, 83 finalists have been selected. There were just short of 800 entries this year; this is down a little less than 20% from last year, which appears to be mostly due to the COVID crisis which has caused fewer books to be released and distributed during this period. One-third of all the entries in 2020 were entered in fiction categories. Seven percent of the entries were in poetry categories.

ANIMAL/PETS
WINNER
CL Anderson The View from My Old Saddle Moonlight Mesa Associates
FINALIST
Judy Pearson The Dog Days of Dixon Happy Rat Studio


ANTHOLOGY/FICTION
WINNERS (tie)
Carmen Baca Cuentos del Cañón Clarendon House Publications
Susan Budavari and Merle McCann Beyond the Broken Door Twisted Vine
FINALISTS
Corrales Writing Group Kale is a Four-Letter Word Artemesia Publishing
Gloria O’Shields, ed. Into the West San Juan Writers
SinC Desert Sleuths SoWest: Ladykillers DS Publishing


ARTS
WINNERS (tie)
Steve Mulligan Prehistoric Suns Fresco Books
Devorah Romanek Hardship, Greed & Sorrow Univ of OK Press
FINALISTS
Hakim Bellamy We Are Neighbors
M. Chase-Daniel, J. Wellman, and J. Wheeler E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast Axle Contemporary


AUTOBIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
WINNERS (tie)
Elizabeth Bernays Six Legs Walking Raised Voice Press
Jim Kristofic Reservation Restless UNM Press
FINALISTS
Joan Brooks Baker The Magnolia Code Fresco Books
Jack Loeffler Headed into the Wind UNM Press


BILINGUAL CHILDREN'S
WINNER
Rudolfo Anaya No More Bullies Museum of NM Press


BIOGRAPHY AZ
WINNER
Chris Enss According to Kate Two Dot Books


BIOGRAPHY NM
WINNER
Jaima Chevalier Fringe Atomic City Lights Publishers


BODY, MIND & SPIRIT
WINNER
Janis Gonzales Lessons from a Gentle Life Heart Stone Press
FINALISTS
Roxanne Howe-Murphy Deep Living with the Enneagram Enneagram Press
Jim Linnell Take It Lying Down Paul Dry Press
Patricia Gottlieb Shapiro Yogini: Ageless Women, Timeless Tradition
Ross Van Dusen More Random Thoughts


BUSINESS
WINNER
RE Rokosz Masson's Laws GloryBound Publishing


CHILDREN'S PICTURE
WINNER
Whitney Spivey Goodnight, Los Alamos
FINALIST
Barbara Matthews Benge Robinette Redbreast and the PEPPER Flake Escape Wing and a Prayer Publishing


COFFEE TABLE
WINNER
Rosalyn Roembke Hurley The Life and Art of Wilson Hurley Fresco Books


COOKBOOK
WINNER
Lisa and Tom Perini w. Cheryl A. Jamison Perini Ranch Steakhouse Comanche Moon Publishing
FINALIST
Astrid Tuttle Winegar A Year of Comfy, Cozy Soups, Stews & Chilis Multitudes Press


CRAFTS
WINNER
Rose Kern Creating Microclimates for High Desert Gardening RMK Publications
FINALISTS
Megan Baldrige Alterknitive Facts Jules Poetry Playhouse
Megan Baldrige Knitigating Circumstances Jules Poetry Playhouse


eBook FICTION
WINNER
Robert Kidera Midnight Blues Suspense Publishing
FINALIST
Joseph VanZutphen Child of Sonora


eBook NONFICTION
WINNER
Elizabeth Randolph Deep Down & Dirty Writing Secrets
FINALIST
Gary & Elaine Montague Victory from the Shadows ABQ Press


FICTION ADVENTURE/DRAMA
WINNERS (tie)
Joseph Badal Justice Suspense Publishing
Brinn Colenda Homeland Burning Southern Yellow Pine Publishing
FINALISTS
Dan Baldwin Sparky and the Beard Four Knights Press
Charlene Bell Dietz The Scientist, the Physic, and the Nut Quill Mark Press
W. Michael Farmer Blood-Soaked Earth Gale Cengage
Dennis Jung The Angel's Chair


FICTION COZY
WINNER
Vicky Ramakka The Cactus Plot Artemesia Publishing
FINALISTS
L. Mad Hildebrandt It's Marple, Dear Rose Quill Press
Patricia Smith Wood Murder at the Petrogylphs Aakenbaaken & Kent


FICTION CRIME
WINNERS (tie)
Peter Riva Kidnapped on Safari Skyhorse Publishing
Ross Van Dusen Follow the Money
FINALISTS
Leo Banks Champagne Cowboys Brash Books
Geoff Habiger & Coy Kissee Untouchable Artemesia Publishing
Jonathan Miller Navajo Repo Special Edition Nightstalker Press


FICTION HISTORICAL ARIZONA
WINNER
Bruce Wilson No Place That Far Artemesia Publishing
FINALISTS
P. Grady Cox Hellgate Five Star/Cengage
Jodi Stewart The Accidental Road Five Star Press


FICTION HISTORICAL NEW MEXICO
WINNER
Rosemary Zibart Beatrice On Her Own Artemesia Publishing
FINALISTS
W. Michael Farmer Blood-Soaked Earth Gale Cengage
W. Michael Farmer The Last Warrior Gale Cengage


FICTION HISTORICAL OTHER
WINNER
Kari Bovée Grace in the Wings Bosque Publishing
FINALISTS
Barbara Marriott Neptune's Daughters CATYMATT Productions
Amber Polo The Pharaoh & the Librarian Wordshaping Press


FICTION LITERARY
WINNER
Paul Semendinger Scattering the Ashes Artemesia Publishing
FINALISTS
Joseph Ferguson The Roads Around Perdido Sunstone Press
Mary Maurice The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe Silver Leaf Books
Barbara Patterson The Ranch Wife CE Productions


FICTION MYSTERY
WINNERS (tie)
J & D Burges Coyote Alibi Naaltsoos Press
Karen Odden A Trace of Deceit William Morrow
FINALISTS
Joseph Badal Natural Causes Suspense Publishing
Janet Greger A Pound of Flesh, Sorta Bug Press
Merle McCann The Parmeter File Twisted Vine


FICTION SCI FI
WINNERS (tie)
Scooter Duff Gut 4.0
Ross Van Dusen Space Junk
FINALISTS
Weston Ochse Dead Sky Solaris Books
Kayt Peck The Past and the Present Sapphire Books
Ricardo Victoria Tempest Blades Artemesia Publishing


FICTION OTHER
WINNERS (tie)
Dan Baldwin A Sack of Fried Okra Four Knights Press
Kris Neri Hopscotch Life Cherokee McGhee Publishing
FINALISTS
Sally Harper Bates It Only Takes One
Angella Cormier and Pierre Arseneault Oakwood Island: The Awakening Artemesia Publishing


FIRST BOOK AZ
WINNER
Myles Schrag, Julie Hammonds, ed. To Imogene, a Flagstaff Love Letter Soulstice Publishing
FINALIST
Nolon Savas Shadowdancer Pariah Press


FIRST BOOK NM
WINNER
Liddie Martinez The Chile Line Pajarito Press
FINALISTS
Kristina Caffrey The Carriers
Abbey Carpenter The Tortilla Star Black Rose Writing
Cathy Chavez Hold Every Moment Sacred


LGBTQ
WINNER
Charles Milhaupt And For All the Sins I Cannot Recall Merimee Moffitt
FINALIST
Stephen Van Dyck People I've Met From the Internet Richochet Editions


HISTORY ARIZONA
WINNER
Jim Kristofic Medicine Women UNM Press
FINALIST
Diana Hinojosa Delugan Terrenos: Otero Land Grant Arizonac Publishing


HISTORY NEW MEXICO
WINNER
Kris Thacher, ed. Timelines of the East Mountains East Mountain Historical Society
FINALIST
Moises Gonzales, Enrique LaMadrid, eds. Nación Genízara UNM Press


HISTORY OTHER
WINNER
Roberta Summers Fatal Winds
FINALISTS
John Bisney and JL Pickering The Space-Age Presidency UNM Press
Sherri Burr Complicated Lives Carolina Academic Press
W. Michael Farmer Geronimo, Prisoner of Lies Rowman & Littlefird Publishing
John Kincheloe Rediscovering Christanna Spirit Lines Press


JUVENILE
WINNER
Richard Melzer and John Taylor Heroes of the Rio Abajo Valencia County Historical Society
FINALIST
RJ Mirabal Trixie Finds Her People High Desert Libris



MULTICULTURAL
WINNER
Ann Dallman Cady and the Bear Necklace Henschel Haus Books
FINALISTS
Judy Garcia Abstracts of a South Valley Nuevomexicana Alderetegarcia Publishing
Ann Murdy On the Path of Marigolds George F Thompson Publishing


NATURE
WINNER
Philip Metcalf and Patricia Galagan Fire Ghosts George F Thompson Publishing
FINALISTS
Anne Taylor and Cynthia Lewiecki-Wilson The Legacy of La Luz Sunstone Press
George C. West Guide to the Plants of Arizona's White Mountains UNM Press


PARENTING/FAMILY
WINNER
Gary and Elaine Montague Victory from the Shadows ABQ Press


PHILOSOPHY
WINNER
John Jenkins Come Walk with Me Amber Polo


POETRY ARIZONA
WINNERS (tie)
Sarah Kortemeier Ganbatte Univ of Wisconsin Press
Jami Macarty The Minuses CSU--Colorado Review 
FINALIST
Sally Harper Bates Pencil Tracks


POETRY NEW MEXICO
WINNERS (tie)
Kyce Bello Refugia Uni of NV Press
Ioanna Carlsen Breather Grid Books
Gary Worth Moody The Burnings 3: A Taos Press
FINALISTS
Carol Alena Aronoff Tapestry of Secrets Finishing Line Press
Renny Golden The Music of Her Rivers: Poems UNM Press
Barbara Rockman to cleave:poems UNM Press
Catherine Strisik Insectum Gravitas Main Street Rag
Leslie Ullman The You That All Along Has Housed You Nine Mile Art Corp
SA Young At Her Nibs' Ends David Dunn


POETRY ANTHOLOGY
WINNER
Tina Carlson, Stella Reed,
Katherine DiBella Seluja We Are Meant to Carry Water 3Taos Press
FINALIST
Sally Harper Bates Facing West Vol Two


POLITICAL
WINNER
M. Otero, D. Meishen, S. Wiggerman, eds. 22 Poems & a Prayer for El Paso Dos Gatos Press


RELIGION
WINNERS (tie)
Harry James Fox and Lucia Mudgway A Fire in the West Foxware Publishing LLC 
Ron Duncan Hart Jews and the Arab World Institute for Tolerance Studies
FINALISTS
Anna Nogar Quill and Cross in the Borderlands Univ of Notre Dame Press

GUIDES
WINNER
Tamara Massong Sunday Drives Rio Grande Books
FINALISTS
Toby Heathcotte, ed. Women Wronged Mardel Books
Allegra Huston How to Edit and Be Edited Twice 5 Miles
James Navé and Allegra Huston How to Read for an Audience Twice 5 Miles


RECREATION
WINNER
Mike Coltrin Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide UNM Press
FINALIST
John C. Barnes Same Players, Different Game UNM Press


TRAVEL
WINNERS (tie)
Roger Naylor Arizona State Parks UNM Press
Sharon Niederman Backroads & Byways of New Mexico Countryman Press


YOUNG ADULT
WINNER
Jennifer Edelson Between Wild & Ruin Bad Apple Books
FINALIST
W. Michael Farmer Geronimo, Prisoner of Lies TwoDot/Rowman & Littlefield Publishing


COVER DESIGN <6x9
WINNERS (tie)
Sherri Burr Complicated Lives Carolina Academic Press
Ross Van Dusen Space Junk
FINALISTS
Corrales Writing Group Kale is a Four-Letter Word Artemesia Publishing
Amaris Ketcham A Poetic Inventory of the Sandia Mountains Finishing Line Press
Rhenna St Clair Getting New Mexico Pace Press


COVER DESIGN 6x9
WINNER
Patricia Smith Wood Murder at the Petrogylphs Aakenbaaken & Kent
FINALISTS
L. Mad Hildebrandt It's Marple, Dear Rose Quill Press
Miriam Sagan A Hundred Cups of Coffee Tres Chicas Books
SinC Desert Sleuths SoWest: Ladykillers DS Publishing
DE Williams Chaos Unleashed Williams Works Publishing
SA Young At Her Nibs' Ends David Dunn


COVER DESIGN >6x9
WINNER
Myles Schrag, Julie Hammonds, ed. To Imogene, a Flagstaff Love Letter Soulstice Publishing




BEST ARIZONA BOOK
J and D Burges Coyote Alibi Naaltsoos Press


BEST NEW MEXICO BOOK
Philip Metcalf and Patricia Galagan Fire Ghosts George F Thompson Publishing