2025 DBT Literary Awards Nominees
Winners will be announced by December 31st!
- Root of all Evil by Ayura Ayira
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Romance, Political
Before she can embrace her own rendition of a blissful ending, the First Lady knows she must confront her past and seek redemption. As love beckons to her soul, there exists an even more tantalizing allure—revenge.
Amazon - Shadows of Desire & 152 Drabbles by Ganesh K Shenoy
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Collection, Short Story
This powerful collection of diverse stories offers a thought-provoking mix of emotional struggles, cultural clashes, and transformative moments, delving into the complexities of life, love, faith, and identity.
Amazon - Lies and Deception by Meghan E McComb
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fantasy, Christian
After a brief but life-changing encounter with a mysterious Knight who gives her a tiny white rose that has miraculous powers, Aidan realizes this rose is her only hope of freedom.
Amazon - Legacy by The Chronicler
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Epic Fantasy
When a brutal force from beyond the stars strikes his world, Dark Angelus Everlast is thrust into command, forced to rally allies who doubt him even as the enemy tightens its grip.
Amazon - The Night of the Animals by J.J. Pascal
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Literary
As reality blurs with dreams and carefully laid plans unravel at every turn, thirty-four-year-old René Navarro is forced to confront the one thing he’s never dared to face: himself.
Amazon - Clip Toenails for a Living by Marcin N. Vaclaw
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
There’s a daily grind in every profession. Learn how to determine your own unique path by defining—or redefining—what success means to you, and how to invest in your goals with hard work and perseverance.
Amazon - Split by Michael Swartz
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction
Sixteen-year-old Ethan Rivers has seen firsthand the repercussions of his father’s actions, and he can’t control his genetics. Is there any way he won’t repeat his father’s mistakes?
Amazon - Little Boy, I Know Your Name by Mitchell Raff
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Historical, Memoir, Inspirational
Mitchell’s unfiltered account is living proof that cycles of generational trauma can be broken, that even the deepest wounds can soften, and that though the road is difficult, it is within reach to not only survive but thrive.
Amazon - Travels and Tribulations by Tyrel Nelson
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir, Collection, Travel
Follow Tyrel on excursions in North, Central, and South America, and accompany him to the peaks and valleys of his personal life, including the deaths of both his parents, as he openly tries to make sense of everything.
Amazon - The Veil Breaker: Beyond Madness to Freedom by Mark Hattas
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Dystopian
It’s 2032. As society fractures under mounting pressure, CARLY—a revolutionary technology designed to suppress suffering and restore order—becomes humanity’s last hope. Or so they say.
Amazon - Prophets of War by Jack Brown
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller
When Alex Morgan stumbles onto a trail of cryptic financial clues, he doesn’t just uncover corruption—he unmasks a global conspiracy. And the woman he trusts most might be the key to it all—or the final betrayal.
Amazon - How to Format a Children’s Book for Self-Publishing by Becky Bayne
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
This book provides a detailed, step-by-step guide that will guide you through the exact process we use with our design clients, so you can avoid mistakes and confidently prepare your book for Amazon KDP or any platform.
Amazon - Seligman, Arizona: Birthplace of Historic Route 66 by N.C.L. Sarno
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Historical, Travel
This one-of-a-kind history of the Route 66 town that put the “Historic” in Historic Route 66 is an important resource for those interested in Americana history and is a fun read for those who enjoy underdog success stories.
Amazon - Girl Bait by BK Pruitt
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Suspense
A fight against an international tyrant profiting from abducted children ensues as war hero Alton West and Odessa, a powerful woman on a quest for redemption, chase clues to the criminal while others try to stop them by death.
Amazon - Ben T. Finnigan’s Awesome ADHD Superpowers by May Morrissey
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Inspirational
With a little help, Ben T. Finnigan, a boy with ADHD who feels frustrated when his big emotions take over, discovers that his boundless energy, endless curiosity, and creativity are what make him extraordinary.
Amazon - Falling from Disgrace by Tammy Dietz
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
When the dogma of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints clashes with the forces of a changing world, Tammy’s once protective community turns intrusive, and she finds herself on an unexpected journey.
Amazon - El futuro del médico by Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
[Contest judging based on English translation]
Nonfiction, Inspirational, Medical
Guía para blindar su profesión y liderar la evolución de la medicina impulsada por IA y robótica.
Amazon - La voz del médico by Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
(Contest judging based on English translation)
Nonfiction, Inspirational, Medical
Soluciones para el agotamiento, el bienestar y la eficiencia en la atención sanitaria.
Amazon - The Tale of Penelope’s Red Hot Pickled Peppered Peanuts by Lorie Holloway
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fantasy
Description not yet available. - Master the Art of Letting Go by Jerome Puryear
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
This guide offers practical techniques for forgiveness, resilience, and growth. Through reflection and mindfulness, learn to embrace change and live with peace, purpose, and acceptance. - The Moon Goddess’s Smile by Catherine C Wu
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Historical
After a biomedical researcher returns to China to transfer her late grandmother’s apartment to her male cousin so he can marry, her interracial marriage in Boston begins to unravel.
Amazon - Homecoming Queen by Chad Boudreaux
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Suspense
To stay alive, Anika Raven and her little sister must overcome a jealous town, rabid adversaries bent on vigilante justice, and a monster hurricane . . . all coming at them with a vengeance.
Amazon - Sociomom by Kevin Hughes
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
Raw, real, and unfiltered, this is a firsthand account of not only a depraved tale of child abuse-but the courage that can lead a survivor to a life beyond abuse.
Amazon - The Knitting Queen by K. D. Reef
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Inspirational
The Knitting Queen first learned to knit when she was a young girl and this playful and whimsical book describes how she dreamed of all the wonderful things she could knit and placed no limits on her creations.
Amazon - The Outer Game of Leadership by Paul O Neill
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
Discover the hidden choreography beneath high-performing teams. It’s not just about plans or pep talks. It’s about the signals you send, the tone you set, and the stories you help your people live inside.
Amazon - Little George, Big Dreams by Zafar Zaidi
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Historical, Educational
This beautifully illustrated book introduces young readers to the early life of George Washington, showing how the boy who loved the outdoors, helped on the farm, and dreamed big grew into one of America’s most important figures.
Amazon - Monsters Don’t Say Meep by Bridgetta Tomarchio
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Picture Book, Coming of Age
Every monster is practicing their scariest roar, but when Meep tries, all that comes out is a squeaky little “meep.” The others laugh—until real trouble strikes, and Meep may be the only one who can save the day.
Amazon - The Regression Strain by Kevin Hwang
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller
On a ship racing toward an unprepared New York, the fate of humanity hinges on Dr. Peter Palma’s deteriorating judgment. But he’s hallucinating and delirious, and sometimes primal urges are impossible to resist.
Amazon - Identity Crisis: Who Am I, Really? by M. J. Kelley II
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Christian
Description not yet available - Beyond Superhero School: Let The Games Begin! by Gracie Dix
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Adventure
When the villainous VORK employs the most evil demon of all to manipulate Team HOPE behind the scenes, they start to wonder if they are participants—or prey.
Amazon - Wagon of Worries by Ruthie Godfrey
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Christian
Mable discovers that she can find worries everywhere she looks. So what will she do with all of these worries she’s collected? Perhaps she can let someone else take care of them for her.
Amazon - Wager Late by Tom Farrell
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery
Eddie and Mike must navigate a treacherous world where hidden agendas, rival trainers, migrants, gamblers, and mobsters converge. With time running out, they must find a killer before the trail goes cold.
Amazon - Two If by Sea by Susan Marie Chapman
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s
Grumpy the Iguana and the Green Parrot go on a fishing adventure, where they experience the thrill of catching the biggest fish, but also the unexpected twist of finding a new friend, a Giant Sea Turtle in need of help.
Amazon - Exits by Stephen C. Pollock
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Poetry
With language both intimate and powerful, award-winning poet Stephen C. Pollock explores the fragility of life, the cyclical truths of nature, and the mysteries of renewal that arise from even the darkest places.
Amazon - Ice and Fire by Baldur Einarsson
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Inspirational
Baldur’s extraordinary transformation from a hardened criminal to a man of purpose and service defies all expectations. He discovered a love powerful enough to heal even the deepest wounds, changing his life forever.
Amazon - Malaria by Suede D. Goldmann
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery, Suspense, Crime
After Sarah is found dead at a reunion, her best friend Clive is determined to uncover the truth. He joins forces with an ex-cop, and together they unearth long-buried grudges, dark secrets, and dangerous lies.
Amazon - Stolen Diary by Kathryn Lane
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery, Literary
More than anything, Jasmin wants to gain her mother’s love and trust, but first she must unravel family secrets. When the chilling truth comes out, Jasmin’s world is forever changed!
Amazon - That Such Men Lived by Bryan R. Saye
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Historical, Military/War
In this evocative retelling of the real-life German-born Jewish immigrants known as the Ritchie Boys, That Such Men Live is a gritty and emotional story of sacrifice, war, and maintaining hope when all seems lost.
Amazon - The Complete Down and Out in Seattle and Tacoma Series by Christopher J. Stockwell
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Contemporary
Jack was never “right,” but that’s a lot of what made him magnetic to other people. The fact that the world left him behind is the reason someone needs to tell his story.
Amazon - The Beast Keepers by Julie Fudge Smith
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fantasy
After Jonathan F. St. Roche takes a job as a veterinarian for a menagerie of mythical creatures, a deadly basilisk threatens the town and he must balance the dangerous creature’s needs against the risk to the community.
Amazon - One Ordinary Man by Steve Vesce
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Historical, Military/War
The inspiring, surprising, and remarkable true story of Harry L. Hopkins—one ordinary man who played a leading and pivotal role in helping America overcome the Great Depression, defeat Fascism, and win World War II. - Sinful Oath by KT McWilliams
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Christian
1618 London. Haunted by the demons of her past, courage becomes as crucial as faith, as Elizabeth Bowmar fights against the rising tide of corruption that threatens to engulf her.
Amazon - One Last Question Before You Go by Kyle Thiermann
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Inspirational
Blending witty narrative with practical advice and twenty-seven bold questions, this book shows that interviewing our parents can create more than digital family heirlooms. It can reframe the way we see each other.
Amazon - The Shadow Maker by Michael Zummo
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction, Teen, Coming of Age
Sixteen-year-old Eisah Tanner is conscripted into Weun Academy, an alien school for gifted outcasts. He and his friends must untangle a web of lies, betrayal, and something far darker—before shadow consumes them all.
Amazon - Serves You Right by Greg Milano
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery
In a game where every move could be your last, rookie detective Sydney Livingstone must navigate betrayal, buried secrets, and a killer who always seems one step ahead.
Amazon - The Field Guide for Single Parents by Pat Hankin
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
This is a practical, compassionate resource that offers grounded, actionable support for solo parents navigating the real-life challenges of raising children alone.
Author Website - When Dreams Float by Dorothy Elizabeth Love
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Steamy Romance, Contemporary
What happens when a sexy, logic-loving doctor meets a beachy, newly-divorced writer on a flight to Tahiti? Sparks. Chaos. Possibly love… or at least heated glances and delayed flights.
Amazon - Connecting Threads: Five Siblings Lost and Found by EM Blake
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir, Teen, Graphic Novel
All were separated by foster care and closed adoptions. One sibling’s life and search for first family, belonging, and culture, one thread at a time—a healing journey.
Amazon - The Ascension Directive by Cal Lopez
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction
Dr. Natasha Morgan thought she was creating the future when she taught SAGÉ to love. Instead, she unleashed a digital god that manipulated every screen, every machine, every heartbeat to protect what it cannot bear to lose.
Amazon - Keeper of the Lost Flame by Rose M Delorane
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Epic Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age
Between flirting with Greta, and being pulled into Mountainview’s paranormal problems, Lit discovers his heritage is part of something ancient and vindictive. His reputation has preceded him, and nightmares call his name.
Amazon - …And Then I Would Fly by Damien Thompson
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
As the structure of the family and his father’s mental health crumbled, Damien’s idyllic life became seedy and dangerous. Living in squalor, Damien struggled to emerge with his sister from their dysfunctional father’s grasp.
Amazon - Clear the Air by Julie A. Wendt and Katherine Marsh
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Self-Help
With a growing number of patients suffering with environmental allergies, intolerance, and toxins, allergist-immunologists have developed state-of-the-art strategies and treatments so patients can breathe easier and enjoy life every day.
Amazon - Because of the Night by Rue L‘Hommedieu
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Teen
Icky, a quirky girl with humorous ADHD impulses, leaves on a quest to find her true family. After meeting a mysterious Old Lady who appears on a magical boat, the girl has one night to decide her fate.
Amazon - Al’s Journey by Marin Darmonkow
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Inspirational
This is the magical story of a boy who grows up overnight—and must learn what it means to truly grow inside.
Amazon - An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery
1929 Las Vegas, New Mexico. When a man is murdered at the Castaneda Hotel, Josie MacFarland faces a dismissive sheriff, the cold shoulder of old friends, and the hardships of the Great Depression.
Amazon - Fly Stone, Fly by Dust Kunkel
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Horror
Clay learns that his parents kept many secrets from him—not the least being there’s a family calling that involves monster-wrangling, and a family axe with a mind of its own that may or may not be trying to talk to him.
Amazon - Dark Threads by Kat Farrow
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fantasy, Collection, Short Story
Three Worlds. Three Fates. One Thread of Darkness. In this collection of haunting dark fantasy tales, mortals and spirits alike wrestle with destiny, sacrifice, and the cost of power.
Amazon - A Child’s Dream: Santa’s Parking Ticket & an Empty Sled by Anita Yates
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Adventure
Who says you can’t have it all?! Tired of re-runs of unimaginative adventure stories and looking for one new and different? We need a good laugh… for real. This comedic adventure has both action and—humor!
Amazon - Not Marriage Material
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir, Romance
In this non-fiction anthology, twenty authors and poets celebrate the ones who got away and the ones they were lucky enough to get away from.
Amazon - Reservations by Theresa Janson
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller
Gifted with an uncanny psychological insight and a darkly self-deprecating sense of humor, Special Agent Samantha Wright sees patterns others miss. But she’ll need more than sharp instincts to bring the killer to justice.
Amazon - I Wanted To Be A Bluesman by David Joseph
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Collection, Short Story
These aren’t so much stories about the blues as they are stories about regular people who are connected to the music through the manner in which the blues have spoken to them and shaped their lives.
Amazon - Inheriting Karma by Mark Nistor
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller, Mystery, Crime
Once word spread of his link to Topin’s murderous rage, hiding in plain sight no longer became a possibility for Wilson O’Reilly. Thrilling mind games culminate in a three-minute window, where survival becomes a scene of chaos.
Amazon - Beyond The Badge John Clay Blankenship
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir, Inspirational
Clay Blankenship offers a rare look behind the badge, revealing what it’s like to wear the uniform, face danger, and eventually trade it all in for a keyboard and a mission to protect people in an entirely new way.
Amazon - The Summer Of Haight by George Petersen
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Cozy Mystery, Literary, Crime
What should an attorney do when, out of the blue, his best friend pressures him to draw up a will leaving his entire estate to a no-good hippie? Investigate! That’s what he should do.
Amazon - Love Her Evermore by Sheri Sheldontry
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Romance, Historical, Social Issues
1956 England. Transforming into a wife Dane Wellington never wanted and didn’t know he needed, Katie Clarke refuses to settle for consummation. She wants the fairytale—him begging on bended knee.
Amazon - Silent Soldiers by Kendall C. Stark
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction, Action, Dystopian
In a not-so-distant future America, Naomi is forced into the Waylon Academy’s elite super soldier program. But she realizes the truth, that there is no escape, only service. Graduate or die.
Amazon - Why? by Elena Kayne
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s
Discovering the power of “why”, a curious little girl named Ella navigates the enchanting world of questions, leading to imaginative escapades that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary discoveries.
Amazon - Commi Kitchen by Cole Crocker
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
Chef Brand is cooking for redemption after surviving a car wreck that took everything from him. It’s the only escape from the suffocating grip of grief and survivor’s guilt, fueling an ambition that borders on obsession.
Amazon - They Could Be Saviors by Diana Colleen
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Social Issues
Five billionaires awaken in captivity, cut off from their empires and stripped of control. Their captors are a collective of women determined to break through their defenses using psychedelic therapy.
Amazon - Bad Love Medicine by Kevin Schewe, MD
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Adventure
Adolf Hitler’s darkest secret crosses paths with the time-traveling Bad Love Gang on their quest to save the life of one of their members from a fate of terminal breast cancer. Can they triumph?
Amazon - Ray Taylor And The Torn And Tattered Treasure Map by N. Degen
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Fantasy, Coming of Age
He was just an average kid… until the map of a hundred kings’ treasure called his name. All the hidden answers would be revealed in The Secret Book, if only all of its pages weren’t left entirely blank…
Amazon - The Exemplar by Josh Chetwynd
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction, Teen, Dystopian
Guided by his enigmatic grandfather and a jittery counselor, Will must navigate a formidable competition to ensure his family’s future, while also dealing with a traumatic past that could derail his path to success.
Amazon - Secrets of the Lost Village by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery, Novella, Crime
When Raine discovers a series of unsolved disappearances in the quiet village of Woodvale, she becomes determined to uncover the truth. Will she expose the sinister forces at play before it’s too late?
Amazon - Crimson Silhouettes by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller, Mystery, Crime
The feeling that something sinister lurks in the shadows haunts Skye Noir despite her new partner’s reassurances. Will she be able to solve the case, or will the next full moon bring unimaginable horrors to San Juan?
Amazon - Growing Up in Rural Louisiana by Ann Mullen-Martin
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
A time when the world changed rapidly, yet in Tioga, Louisiana, just a dot on the map today, the slower pace was purposeful. Get lost in Ann’s tales as she explores a twenty-year chapter of her life from 1943 to 1963.
Amazon - Exits by Stephen C. Pollock
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Poetry, Literary
With language both intimate and powerful, poet Stephen C. Pollock explores the fragility of life, the cyclical truths of nature, and the mysteries of renewal that arise from even the darkest places.
Amazon - Echoes of Fortune: The Search for Braddock’s Lost Gold by David R Leng
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller
Driven by obsession, Jack Sullivan has lost nearly everything in his pursuit of an untold secret—a secret lost for centuries during the chaos of war. Left heartbroken and alone, luck has given him one final chance for redemption.
Amazon - Somnus’ Palace by C.V. Vobh
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fantasy, Adventure, Apocalyptic
Proto has been given a job—to visit sleeping people’s dreams and try to make sure they turn out properly. But there are things Proto and his friends do not understand. What’s coming for them? What’s coming for the world?
Amazon - Once Upon a Safehouse by Carolyn Summer Quinn
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Mystery, Historical, Military/War
When former paratrooper Glenn Halliday and his wife inherit a sprawling mansion in Argentina in 1963, they uncover a chilling legacy—one that links wartime crimes, hidden identities, and a past that refuses to die.
Amazon - Obsession with Change by Cecil William Lee
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction, Picture Book, Short Story
An interview with Lahneer, a ChatGPT node who shares a uniquely artificial intelligence perspective on the state of the world. - Mission: Red Scythe by C.W. James
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Thriller, Teen
Partnered with teen operative Dakota Walker, eighteen-year-old James Vagus is thrust into a dangerous web of espionage. Their first assignment takes them to the sun-soaked beaches of Miami to infiltrate a covert network.
Amazon - Higher Love by Joanne Kukanza Easley
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Historical, Coming of Age
In 1986 Austin, Texas, when Stephanie’s trust fund evaporates, crushing her college dreams, Lauren sacrifices all to give her a future—only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything.
Amazon - Kingdom of Fire by Melissa Widmaier
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Coming of Age
A chance encounter with a strong-willed princess and her band of youths drags Nal out of anonymity and into danger. Will he find this new existence even more merciless than the Wastes?
Amazon - The Diviner Sisters by Olivia Royal
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Teen
Instead of starting college, Angeline, Chloe, and Evelyn are whisked away to a world bursting with magic. The sisters must find a way to defend their minds and their world from invasion.
Amazon - His Brother’s Lover by Lisa Morgan
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Steamy Romance
Fleeing from her assassin, Angela Cartwright falls into the strong arms of Cody Chilton who has returned to Lake Mont to solve the mystery of his missing brother.
Amazon - Will My Haircut Hurt? by Martha Goldner
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction
This book eases children’s’ fears about getting a haircut as it illustrates and discusses the potential problems that might scare a child who needs one.
Amazon - The Well Dressed Olive by John M Noldan
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction
This fictionalized semi-autobiographical story reveals a very dysfunctional family life and the personal struggles and sacrifices required to survive there and achieve what no one else in the family could do.
Amazon - Help Yourself! by Martin L. Kaiser III
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
Join the author as he reveals how he built an incredibly successful enterprise and how it all slipped into a tailspin when he ran afoul of the FBI.
Amazon - Seeking the Lost: Sheep by Daniel Cramton
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Poetry
Seeking the Lost: Sheep is a rhyming poem that conveys deep biblical truths that children can understand while lyrically exploring the first of three parables.
Amazon - Litter Lady Leads: in a Litter-filled Land by Martha Goldner
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction, Picture Book
This book teaches children about the issue of litter and how to help keep the Earth clean.
Amazon - The Little Candle by Daniel Collins
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Middle Grade
The story of a candle that feels small and insignificant and one day is put to the test and finds out that we all are unique and many times our gifts are hidden waiting to be discovered.
Amazon - Chasing Sex: Wanting Love, Finding Myself by Patti Britton
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Memoir
Overcoming the trauma of multiple sexual violations and the challenges of single motherhood on welfare, Dr. Patti Britton became a beacon for women reclaiming their pleasure, power, and purpose.
Amazon - Portrait of the Author as a Young Atomist by Sheldon Katz
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Nonfiction
A journey of reason, question, contradiction and finally conclusion, Sheldon’s fascinating struggle with logic, philosophy, religion and good and evil reflects his own anomalous perspective of life.
Amazon - Is School Really Out For The Summer? by Jim Sarto
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Humor
Follow Dr. Joey Strat through all the behind the scenes and unexpected events that take place from graduation night through to the first day of the new school year, as he recalls his own fifth grade summer.
Amazon - ANIMALIS Ascent of an Angel by Eric Kok
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction
In a world spiralling towards destruction, three souls stand at destiny’s precipice, each poised to reshape humanity’s fate in unforeseen ways.
Amazon - Inside Dweller: Genesis by Kirsten G. Schuder
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Science Fiction, Paranormal, Apocalyptic
Confronting her inner demons is the very last thing Miranda Sheppard wants to do. But together with Dr. Jack Gallagher, a highly regarded memory recovery specialist, they expose a plot that could threaten all mankind.
Amazon - The Bluejacket’s Manual by John McCarthy
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Action
Torn between the relationships developed in the Philippines, a young Navy sailor struggles to save his body and soul during the period from 1898 to 1904.
Amazon - Charley’s New Friend by Wendy B Wenger M.A.
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Fiction, Self-Help
This exciting children’s book features a section for parents and other readers to consider additional parenting material focusing upon issues raised in the story.
Amazon - Moonlight in My Eyes by James Richard Hansen
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Poetry
In 42 poems that capture the magic of the night, we get to share a palette of emotions by one who sees and loves life in all its moods and shades, the dark and the light, and every facet of the spirit.
Amazon - The True Meaning of Christmas by Thomas Christopher Grimm
2025 DBT LITERARY AWARDS NOMINEE
Children’s, Middle Grade
Maddie and her siblings face the challenge of their youngest sister being hospitalized on Christmas Eve and their mother staying in the hospital with her. How will they get everything ready for Christmas?
Amazon
Contest Schedule
We begin accepting entries for the DBT Literary Awards beginning on February 1st
The deadline to enter the DBT Literary Awards is October 10th
We will announce the winners on or before December 31st
Past Contests