2024 NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES “ON THE ROCKS” FOR TOP HONORS


NEW YORK_The story of restaurateur Joseph Costanzo Jr.’s rise to success is the top selection of the 2024 New York Book Festival, which honors books worthy of further attention from the world’s publishing capital.

Authors Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins’ On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story (Koehler Books) chronicles the real-life journey of restaurateur Joseph Costanzo Jr. during his rise to success in the 1990s as the owner of the highly acclaimed Primadonna Restaurant, and his other roles as radio host, columnist, and aspiring politician.

Costanzo is a complex character, whom readers will admire for his confidence and rebuke for his arrogance, will love for his generosity and despise for his egotism, and will learn from in both his attention to detail and lack thereof.

This driven, not-your-average-Joe is an unforgettable character who achieves the seemingly impossible, but can't help getting in his own way. It is a page-turning story and well worthy of top honors.

Other winners in the competition:

POETRY:

WINNER: We Are What We Are - Lopa Banerjee and Priscilla Rice

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Ireland's Unparalleled Essence - Norbert G Gomes
  • The Gold Tooth in the Crooked Smile of God - ​​Douglas Cole
  • Sunrise Over South Africa - Joseph Kuhn Carey
  • Un Chant D'oiseau Dans La Paume - Adlyne Bonhomme


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Decades Book Of Poems - Christopher Fontes
  • for the Cracks and Potholes in our lives - August Irons
  • Un Printemps Qui Finit A Mes Pieds - Selmu Accilien
  • Say Their Names - Anonymous
  • Asteroides Fulgar Des Ants - Raynaldo Pierre Louis


CHILDREN’S BOOKS:

WINNER: It’s Not That Spicy! - Mei Powers and Kaili Powers

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Addie Ant Goes on an Adventure - Maren Morris, Karina Argow
  • Mira & the Magic Pond - Zahra Omar Shansab
  • Kindness Is - Kaitlin Johnstone
  • Andrew Conquers the Court - Antonietta Quinn
  • The Wonderful Attic of Dreams - Ebenezer O. Makinde


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Recipe For Adventure series - Steve Burt
  • A Grandpa Joe Day! - Bill Shea
  • Hugo's Adventure - Jeremy Ireland
  • Naptime with Imani and the Fox - Lena Bee
  • Why don't you just grow some fur? - Nick Moreland
  • Fly Butter - Tiffany V. Ricci
  • Exploring All I Can Do - Hockey - Nia Obotette
  • Belle And Chloe - Reflections In The Mirror - Isabela Sardas, Ph.D.
  • Summer Break With Vicky and Tweedle - Kris Benny
  • Exploring All I Can Do - Snowboarding & Skiing - Nia Obotette
  • Magic Pasta - Diana Pisher Walker
  • The Power of Consent - Lea Danielle Cook
  • Let's Count New York City - Adina Oberman
  • The Light of Your Eyes - Donna Lee Sonnenberg
  • Spectrum Fairies - Diana Atehortua
  • Flick Sends a Valentine - Alicia Mott-Comitto
  • Nishka's Golden Heart - Mel Kucenic
  • Sky - Mary McEwan
  • Tid and Tad - A Tale of True Friendship - Sally Reynolds
  • Lost but Found - Lauren Persons
  • Grouchy Bear - Elissa Bel Barber
  • Danny Loves Video Games - Mr. Luna
  • Playing Together in the Sandbox - Scott Pansky
  • She Who Walks Above The Trees - Jennifer Conklin
  • Goodnight Shadow - Kimberly J. Muller
  • Luca Meets Sonny - Roseanne Critelli
  • Kids Need a Day Off Too! - Shaniqua Mighty
  • Alex Axoloti's First Day of School - Angelrae Thompson
  • Ladybug In An Average Garden - Jill Anne Koehler
  • Calico Zebra - Julie Bray
  • Aurora's Race Car Brain - Jessica Iliana Silvestre-Marin
  • Bird, a Boy and a Big Adventure - Tanya Ney
  • The Beastly Baron of Beaux Bottom - Jeremy Hullah
  • Uncle Digit and the Truth About Magic - Jeremy Hullah
  • Pauly Panda - Penny Bellofatto
  • An Alien's Biography: Life on Earth - Reyaansh Joshi


BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY:

WINNER: On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story - Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Cuba, your children cry! - Otto H. Iglesias
  • I Am Worthy - Elisha Rose


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Near the Danube Bridge - Catherine Allen-Walters
  • A Touch of Light, - Ann Naimark


GENERAL NON-FICTION:

WINNER: Chasing Giants: - Zeb Hogan and Stefan Lovgren

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids - Janelle Molony
  • The Curious History of the Heart - Vincent M Figueredo
  • 1968: A Primer for Understanding Baby Boomers - Rick Robinson
  • Syrup Sandwiches Choose Not to Give Up! - Anthony Owens
  • Conscious Life-Purpose - Kashonia Carnegie PhD


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Livable Luxe - Brigette Romanek
  • Camo - Thandiwe Muriu
  • Delaware from Railways to Freeways: - Dave Tabler
  • Belonging Matters - Julie Ryan McGue
  • Killing Shore - K.A. Nelson
  • Women of Tarot - Cat Willett
  • Infinite Impact: - Amber Vilhauer
  • Small Changes BIG RESULTS - Jay Nesbit
  • Vote for You - Marnie Maton
  • Developing Practical Wisdom - Michael A. Surkes
  • Reparations 101 - K. Snyder
  • The Stress Book - D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
  • This is How We Heal from Painful Childhoods: - Ernest Ellender, PhD
  • The Music Therapy Studio: - Rick Soshensky
  • Fiascoes and Foibles - Paul Burton
  • In The Volume: My Life in Film and TV - Alex Hyde-White
  • An Unsuspecting Child - Marylee Martin
  • An Unknown Angels Gift - Cherie S. Blackwell
  • When The Bell Rings -A Firefighter’s Journey - Robert Gass
  • What Really Counts: The Story of Cara, A Very Preterm Birth Survivor - August Irons
  • The Fall from Lunathal - Christopher S. Carlone
  • Magic for Longevity - Antonina Duridanova
  • My broken road - Stacie Sherman
  • FiNDing Hope - Jocelyn Bystrom
  • The Miracle of Honesty - Daniel Loriston
  • Trauma: Survival Lessons for Black Children - Kimberly A DiPasquale
  • The Magnificence of the 3 - Timeout A. Taumua
  • The Eye of God - Aeternus Costin
  • Untouched: Miraculous Recovery - Joan E. Anderson
  • Finding A Soulful Love - Lucinda Johnson
  • The Beauty of Service - Ezinne Matilda Igbokwe


SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS

WINNER: Raging Fire of Love - Kelly James Clark

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Songs for the Spirit / Canciones para el Espiritu - Robert Giron
  • Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible, - Chris Morehouse
  • 20 Ways to Increase Your Psychic Abilities - John Russell
  • Sacred Psychiatry - Judy Suzanne Reis Tsafrir, M.D.
  • Highway To Your Happy Place - Gary Sprouse, MD


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Brighton Beach Bible - Joel Silverstein
  • From Tension to Transformation - Janet M. Harvey
  • Deeper Into Mindfulness - Lisa Langer, PhD
  • Reign of Freedom - Ebenezer O. Makinde
  • The Soul of Happiness: - Robert Rugel
  • Face of Deception - Victoria Quinn
  • Intercessor - Justin K. Kojokli
  • Awakening, A Journey from Medication to Meditation - Karina Cury
  • Moonlight Cruise - Yurie Kiri


MEMOIR:

WINNER: Getting Sauced - Karen S. Katz  

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Wonder of the West - Stephen G. Yanoff
  • Kicking Karma's Ass - Pat Miller
  • Mighty Joe Mui - Jeremy Durgana
  • Jungle Wild The Adventures of A Real Jungle Boy - Joseph M. Coe
  • Out From the Shadows - Willie Handler


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Road to Courage - Roy Taylor
  • Frying Pork Chops Naked - Eric V. Litsky
  • Syrup Sandwiches, Choose Not to Give Up! - Anthony Owens
  • Beauty on the Balcony - Tom Heste
  • (In) Sane - Memoir of a Manic Millennial - Michael J. Schiuma
  • The Invisible Girl - Yvonne Sandomir
  • Outside Voices: A Memoir.... - Joan Gelfand
  • Escape from England - Miranda Crimp
  • Morocco, A Remembrance of Childhood - James B. Farmer
  • Timmy's Wish: Lessons From Heaven - Richard Kirk
  • Half A Century Ago - Angela Arias
  • What the Heal - Tia Warrick
  • Ivy Lodge - Linda Murphy Marshall
  • Silencing the enemy within - Marsha Rene
  • My Stroke in the Fast Lane: - Bonni Brodnick
  • Turning pages of my life - Samuel Nisbett
  • American Airman: A memoir of a wounded veteran - Jonathon C Benjamin
  • The Time We Have - Michele Weldon
  • Backstory - The Many Lives of Granville Johnson - Granville Johnson
  • Elusive Jewels - Odelaisy Maceo Martinez


GENERAL FICTION:

WINNER: The Ledger - Steven Manchester

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Wylde Oates - Dell Brand
  • Not Far from the Ocean - Dennis Torres
  • Interview with Death - V. K. Pasanen
  • The Hollow - C.L. Thomas
  • True Grace - Karen E. Osborne


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Two Poppins Lane - Patricia Striar Rohner
  • 21 Tattoos - Monica Broussard
  • Searching for Happy - Venus Knight
  • 180 Days - Alfredo Botello
  • Frank's Shadow - Doug McIntyre
  • Buried Relics - Don Helin
  • Eyes on the Horizon - Carrie Lynn Fazzolari
  • Comes Around - C. D. "Tony" Hylton III
  • The White Field - Douglas Cole
  • Leaving Seattle - J.C. Cole
  • Songs For the Deaf - Kenneth Alan Silver
  • How Will I Know - Marc Renson
  • Careful What You Wish For…- Roger C Douglas
  • The Summer Before - Dianne C. Braley
  • Golden Dust - Igor Shchepetkin
  • The Tender Silver Stars - Pamela Stockwell
  • The Joy Divisions - Scott Dimovitz
  • Second Life - James Sniechowski
  • Where the Seams Meet - Patrick Holcomb
  • The Hollywood Backlash Moon - Carolyn Summer Quinn
  • The Gambler's Game - James Darnborough
  • In An Instant A Voice Only My Heart Hears - S.E. Shore
  • The Falcon and The Shaikhs - John Dragonetti
  • The Throne of Osiris - Peter Meissner
  • Silenced Whispers - Afarin O Bellisario
  • The Race Horse - Vicki Reess Kendall
  • Fiercely Loyal - Deborah Ettinger Tom Johnson
  • Inscription - Fiona Ballard
  • The Hermit - Katerina Grishakova
  • Toxic Sphere: Volume 3: Enemy Apparent - C N Sky
  • Regina of Warsaw: - Geri Spieler
  • Circuit Sweat - Rodney Hamright
  • Imelda's Secret - Liza Gino
  • Boomerang - S. Jennifer Paulson
  • One Last Swim - RL Monsheimer
  • Second Term - J.M. Adams
  • Kyd’s Game - Marc Rosenberg
  • The Eyes Have It - B. Lynn Carter
  • We Are Not Saints: The Acolyte - H. Les Brown
  • Driving for Justice - Justin K. Kojok
  • Captured by Their Past - Miguel Arrufat Millán
  • The Maredian - Susan B. Iris
  • Hollis and Gray - J.P. Zeigler
  • Spectrum Fairies - Diana Atehortua
  • The Future King | Return of the Once Monarch - Vishnul Jain
  • Whispers in the Vineyard - Justin Kojak
  • Death of a Mayfly - Ellie Leonard
  • The Water Factor - Marilynne Eichinger
  • Heart in the Jungle: Mountain City - Fred J. Lauver
  • Spectral Guidance - Laurie A. M. Ludtke
  • Golden Dust - Igor Shchepetkin



COMPILATIONS/ANTHOLOGIES:

WINNER: Hollywood Remembered - Darwin Porter with Danforth Prince

RUNNERS-UP:

  • CCNY Made: Profiles in Grit - Ronnyjane Goldsmith
  • We Were Warned - Cash Anthony, Editor
  • Temple Made: Profiles in Grit - Ronnyjane Goldsmith

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • A Fire for Christmas - William R. Hincy
  • Scars Of The Heart - Bob Van Laerhoven
  • I Dream I Wake I Write - Jane F. Ruby


HOW-TO:

WINNER: The Learned It In Queens Communications Playbook - Julienne B. Ryan

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Are You Ready? - Dr. Kimberly Harms
  • Retiring Right - Jake Falcon
  • Sell Your Business At The Right Time - Jane Johnson
  • How To Talk To Your Enemies - Alicia Dunams
  • What, Who, Why, Where, How, When, Plan - Yvonne Sandomir


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Stress Book - D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
  • Booked: A Strong Start For Your Child Actor - Gloria Iatridis and Olivia Kate Iatridis
  • Feng Shui Rx for Your Home - Anna Maria Prezio Ph.D.
  • Breathe. Write. Breathe. - Lisa Tener



WILD CARD:

WINNER: Vizard - Shari Marshall

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Misadventures of a Cryptid Hunter - Michael Kelso
  • Listening to Fish - Tim Tomlin
  • The Stress Book - D. Terrence Foster, M.D.
  • Loving Leopold - Diane Ramsay


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Highway To Your Happy Place - Gary Sprouse, MD
  • Sketches from a Sunlit Heaven - Sarah Law
  • Toxic Sphere: Volume 3: Enemy Apparent - C N Sky
  • Regina of Warsaw: - Geri Spieler
  • Caretaker (The Goodpasture Chronicles) - R.J. Halbert
  • The Real Resident Aliens - Dr. Raymond A. Keller
  • Butterfly in a Flame - Nadia Red
  • Climate Dragon: - S W Lawrence
  • Seeking Closure - Monsieur Serendipity



BUSINESS/TECHNOLOGY:

WINNER: How To Talk To Your Enemies - Alicia Dunams

RUNNERS-UP:

  • The 87-Day MBA - Vonne Williams
  • 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 4 - Ross Brand
  • WINX for Employees - Irma Parone
  • Sell Your Business at the Right Time - Jane Johnson
  • Rite Of Passage: - V. Michael Santoro


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • From Tension to Transformation - Janet M. Harvey
  • Purposeful Performance - Jonathan Stanley
  • Briefly Speaking: Deluxe Boxed Set - Deborah Shames and David Booth
  • The Future of Work is Human: - Lisa X. Walden and Hannah L. Ubl
  • The Power of Networking - Michael V. Morgan
  • Find The Ladder - Nadeem Lutfullah


YOUNG ADULT:

WINNER: Seaside Magic and The Binding Curse - Vianlix-Christine Schneider

RUNNERS-UP:


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor - Jana Klánová
  • Angelina's Opinions - Angelina Wang
  • Erift's Journeys, Book 1 - J.T. Tenera
  • JJ and Frijolito - Victoria Cepeda
  • The Eyes Have It - B. Lynn Carter
  • Fake Out - Felicia Farber
  • Captain Bacawly and the Breakaway Bandits - Jimmy Jungles
  • The Moon Tear - M.E. Royce
  • Children of Plains Estates - Claudette Milner
  • A Remarkable Marketable You: - Jes Petion
  • The Empath - Katelynn Simmons
  • Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper - Gary Natoli
  • Angelina's Choices - Angelina Wang


SCIENCE FICTION:

WINNER: Against the Machine: Evolution - Brian Van Norman

RUNNERS-UP:

  • PULSE - J Z York
  • In the Throes - Matthias Freese
  • I Am My Father’s Daughter: Winds of Time - B. G. Simpson
  • Artefactum - J.E. Tobal
  • Meddling Mages - S.G. Blaise


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Look Away - Paige DeFreece
  • eMortal - Steve Schafer
  • Juris Ex Machina - John W. Maly
  • Of Friction - S.J. Lee
  • The Pilgrim - Part I - A. Keith Carreiro
  • The 5 Moons of Tiiana - PT Harry
  • Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper - Gary Natoli
  • And The Sun Goeth Down - Terry Mark
  • Hounds of Gaia - Sean M. Tirman
  • Ominous Odyssey - J.T. Kelly
  • Sentience Hazard - Alexandru Czimbor


ROMANCE:

WINNER: The Secret - Eve M. Riley

RUNNERS-UP:

  • Written in the Water - Elf Ahearn
  • a perfect miracle: Jacobs Landing series Book One - Katrina Alexande
  • Lost in Wonderland - Jack Quill
  • For All of Us - Jillian Rose


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Love ad Lib -  Evie Alexander
  •  Currents of Blue - Sharon Brubaker
  • Whispers in the Vineyard - Justin K. Kojok
  • Anarchy at Almacks - Nola Saint James
  • In Silence Cries the Heart - Catherine Hughes
  • Ava Again: A sequel to "Ava" - Janet Perroni



UNPUBLISHED:

WINNER: Matilde's General - Robert S. Phillips

RUNNER-UP: Iron Dad - Paul Weigel

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • The Third Estate Secrets of the Manor - D. R. Berlin
  • Tooth Tales and Enchanted Smiles - Angelina and Cameron Huang



HORROR:

WINNER: Nightingale - D.K. Golden

RUNNER-UP: Interview with a Sinner - M.M. White

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Infliction Point - Mark Hacker
  • The Sundial Inn - Stephen John Ross


PHOTOGRAPHY/ART

WINNER: On the Road: Structures - John Custodio