Pittsburgh Author Wins Self-Publishing Best Books Award

PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2009



Independent Publishers Annual Report:

Economy is Down - Books and Reading are Up

June 24, 2009 - New York, NY -- Organizers of the 13th annual Independent Publisher Book Awards, conducted to honor the year's best independently published books, have announced the results for the 2009 competition. While much of the world economy is in a slump, books and reading are gaining ground on more expensive forms of entertainment, and the annual list of "IPPY" award winners represents the kind of alternative viewpoints today's readers crave.

This year's awards attracted 4,090 entries from throughout the U.S. and Canada, plus most English-speaking countries worldwide. Medal-winning books came from 44 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, eight Canadian provinces, and six countries overseas. The Independent Publisher Book Awards were conceived in 1996 as a broad-based, unaffiliated awards program open to all members of the independent publishing industry. The awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles produced each year, and reward those who exhibit the courage, innovation, and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing. Winners receive gold, silver and bronze medals and can place foil seals of the medal image on their book covers.

Peace, Love and Lemonade: A Recipe to Make Your Life Sweeter written by Nancy Stampahar, Pittsburgh, PA, won the bronze medal in the self-help category.

"Today's readers are seeking diverse perspectives on hot-button issues," said awards director Jim Barnes. "This year's list represents a mix of established independents and bold new voices, and their messages echo the call for change and a straightforward approach to dealing with the world's social, political and economic problems."

The IPPY Awards are presented by IndependentPublisher.com, the online "voice of independent publishing" operated by publishing services firm Jenkins Group of Traverse City, Michigan.

For more details about the IPPY Awards, please contact:

Jim Barnes, Managing Editor & Awards Director
Independent Publisher Online/Jenkins Group
www.IndependentPublisher.com
Ph: 1.231.933.4954 x1011
jimb@bookpublishing.com

Find Nancy Stampahar on the web at Peace Love and Lemonade.

About the Book:
Peace, Love and Lemonade: A Recipe to Make Your Life Sweeter (November 2007, ISBN: 9780980092707, $14.95) is distributed by Baker & Taylor, New-Leaf Distributing and is available online at Amazon.com, BN.com, Borders.com, and Peaceloveandlemonade.com.