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Beaver's Pond Press, those Sauna Guys, clean up at awards gala

Blog Post by: Laurie Hertzel
May 12, 2011 - 10:54 AM

Aaron Hautala and Michael Nordskog

We are in the thick of awards season now, and last night it was MIPA--the Midwest Independent Publishers Association, which handed out awards in 35 categories.

Nominees came from the whole Upper Midwest, 12 states. Winners included a fair number from Minnesota, including Michael Nordskog and Aaron Hautala, authors of "The Opposite of Cold," that book that is pretty much known by its unofficial title, "The Sauna Book."

Their book, published by the University of Minnesota Press, took first place in the category of Midwest Regional Interest.

Other local winners included Beaver's Pond Press, which won no fewer than 15 prizes (both first prize, and runner up), Tristan Publishing of Golden Valley, and Bethany House.

Self-published authors, take heart; even iUniverse won a prize. A complete list of winners follows:

Arts:

First place (a tie): Friendship: The Art of the Practice, Tristan Publishing

and The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books, Liturgical Press

Finalist: The Prints of Warrington Colescott, University of Wisconsin Press

Biography/Memoir

First place: John Paul Stevens, Northern Illinois University Press

Finalists: A Lifetime Burning, Borderland Books, and Czechs Forever, Penfield Books

Business

First place: Sacred Ground, Beaver's Pond Press

Finalist: Selling It Softly, Grand Oaks Press

Children's Picture Book

First place: Looking for Lucy, Beaver's Pond Press

Finalists: Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition, Carl R. Sams II Photography, and Yafi's Family, Amharic Kids Press

Children's Fiction

First place: Ben and Lucy Play Pond Hockey, Beaver's Pond Press

Finalists: Henry! You're Late Again!, Beaver's Pond Press, and Military Life, Elva Resa Publishing

Children's Non-Fiction

First place: Be Fit, Be Strong, Be You, Free Spirit Publishing

Finalists: Frankie, the Rock 'n Roll Therapy Dog, Joyful Paws Prints Press, LLC, and

Pingpong Perry Experiences How a Book Is Made, Picture Window Books/Capstone

Young Adult Fiction

First place: Wilkinshire, iUniverse

Finalists: Siberia John & The Mystery of the Amazing Zoo, Three Towers Press, and

The Ugly Tree, Comfort Publishing

Coffee Table Books

First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Finalist: Like an Old Friend, Beaver's Pond Press

Cookbooks

First place: Let’s Cook, Appletree Press, Inc.

Finalists: Café Indiana Cookbook, University of Wisconsin Press, and Cooking Ala Heart, Appletree Press Inc.

Crafts/Hobbies

First place: Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions, Amy Barickman LLC

Finalists: Quilting: The Basics and Beyond, Landauer Publishing, and Threads: The Basics and Beyond, Landauer Publishing

Culture

First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom

Finalists: Paris from the Heart, Beaver's Pond Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Current Events

First place: Quick Cash, Northern Illinois University Press

Finalist: Men of a Single Book, World Wisdom

Family/Parenting

First place: Heading Home with Your Newborn, American Academy of Pediatrics

Finalists: First the Broccoli, then the Ice Cream, Two Fish Books, and Yafi's Family, Amharic Kids Press

General Fiction

First place: The Peculiar Boars of Malloy, Switchgrass Books (Northern Illinois University Press)

Finalists: Cranberry Red, University of Wisconsin Press, and Today's Special! Yes It Is, Tristan Publishing

Genre Fiction

First place: Girl in the Gatehouse, Bethany House

Finalists: Deadly Reunion, North Star Press, and Death's Imperfect Witness, North Star Press

Health

First place: Mental Health Naturally, American Academy of Pediatrics

Finalists: The Reluctant Donor, Beaver's Pond Press, and Yoga for Every Room in Your House, Great Bear Press

History

First place: Sierra Summer, 1874, Pineneedle Press

Finalists: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom, and Lost on the Lady Elgin, In-Depth Editions

How-To/Do-It-Yourself

First place: Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions, Amy Barickman LLC

Humor

First place: Hitchhiking After Dark, Gale Force Press

Finalists: Garage Logic, Beaver's Pond Press, and The Athletic Benchley, Glendower Media

Inspiration/Gift Book

First place: I'm New at Being Old, Temuna Press

Finalists: Bringing Jon Home, Beaver's Pond Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Midwest Regional Interest

First place: The Opposite of Cold, University of Minnesota Press

Finalists: H. H. Bennett, Photographer, University of Wisconsin Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Nature

First place: Nature’s Garden, Forager's Harvest Press

Finalists: Amazing Hummingbirds, Adventure Publications, and Common Dragonflies of Northern Door County, Stonehill Publishing

Poetry

First place: Beso the Donkey, Michigan State University

Finalists: Jackson, Jesse, and the Almost Free Lunch, Beaver's Pond Press, and The Wind Blows. The Ice Breaks, Nodin Press

Recreation/Sports

First place: A Grouse Hunter's Almanac, University of Wisconsin Press

Finalists: Live Happily Ever Active, Jabberwocky Books, and Raising Stanley: What It Takes to Claim Hockey's Ultimate Prize, Triumph Books

Reference

First place: A Handbook of Scandinavian Names, University of Wisconsin Press

Finalists: 2011 Saint Paul Almanac, Arcata Press, and MFA in a Box, Dream of Things

Religion/Philosophy

First place: The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books, Liturgical Press

Finalists: Circle of Catholic Women, Juloya, and Kierkegaard, Lutheran University Press

Self-Help

First place: Living with the Enemy, Beaver's Pond Press

Finalists: The Joyful Professor, MavenMark Books, and Yoga for Every Room in Your House, Great Bear Press

Social Science

First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Finalists: Spirits of Earth, University of Wisconsin Press, and Stalking Mary, Beaver's Pond Press

Travel

First place: Lake Superior: The Ultimate Guide, Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc.

Finalists: 2011 Saint Paul Almanac, Arcata Press, and Paris from the Heart, Beaver's Pond Press

Illustration

First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom, and Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition, Carl R. Sams II Photography

Interior Layout

First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom

Finalists: Live Happily Ever Active, Jabberwocky Books, and Sacred Ground, Beaver's Pond Press

1-2 Color Cover

First place: The Butterfly Key, Butterfly Publishing Press

Finalist: Legacy of Life, MavenMark Books

3 or More Color Cover

First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom

Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom, and Marilyn and Me, Augusta Wind Press

Total Book Design

First place: Wisconsin's Own, Wisconsin Historical Society Press

Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom

Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom

Publisher's Website

First place: Beaver's Pond Press

Finalists: Granny Girl Press and World Wisdom