LiFE Award Recipients

Publisher: Synergy Books
Format: Trade paperback.
ISBN: 13: 978-1-934454-25-1; 10: 1-934454-25-7

   By 2050, New York City has been encased in a massive terrorist proof shell, and no one can travel in or out. Protected as well from the rising sea, New Yorkers finally feel safe. Few seem to care that the Statue of Liberty has eroded to an unrecognizable stump or that Central Park is just a memory.

    Within this dark world, Noah, a psychotherapist who has plenty of problems of his own, discovers love in the entirely wrong place, with his brother’s wife, Margaret. When people in New York start dying for mysterious reasons, and the Liberty Party silences anyone who speaks out about it, Noah must find a way not only to save his relationship with Margaret, but to save their lives as well.

    Political satire and aching love story wrapped into one, this powerful, elegantly written novel is a poignant cry to wake up and save ourselves—from individual loneliness and collective environmental catastrophe—before it’s too late.

Publisher: Write Words, Inc. ebooksonthe.net, and cambridgebooks.us
Formats: Trade paperback, PDF, RTF, HTML, and Mobi
ISBN(s)1-59431-495-0 paper 1-59431-541-8 ebook

   A non-fictional account of clean-up efforts after the ecological disaster caused in New Orleans and surrounding areas by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This story puts a human face on an area that was raped by nature and then deceived by its government. Based upon the diary of a truck driver by the name of Stephen Burgoyne, we see a first hand account of the daily routine, the challenges and the bureaucratic ineptness that still plagues the residents of Louisiana. Steve tells a story in his diary entries that is far removed from the "official accounts" of government agencies and “spin doctors."

This positive and empowering pilot documentary was the first to present solutions to the many incredibly complex environmental problems facing humankind today. It focuses on solutions that address Greenhouse gas emissions presented by the world’s foremost authorities on Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency.
   Inspired by a life changing event in France, presenter John Benton sets out on a quest to find a practical way of living in harmony with the Earth. He asks “ Is there a better way to live without losing any creature comforts?” His Journey takes him throughout Australia and the Western World.
   The Documentary features guests Amory and Hunter Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Colorado, USA; and many other world renowned authorities, and looks at developments in energy efficient technology. It’s an essential guide for reducing Greenhouse gases at a household level.

This novel calls upon its readers to participate in the imaginatively told tale where a group of modern day teens are led by their hearts and history to make a stand against the destruction of the land. This story is designed to make the readers question their own global responsibility to the earth. Told in a way that allows the reader to see through the eyes of the characters within the yarn, Valley of the Raven illuminates the historical disrespect of not only the ecology but mankind as well, addressing issues of the past and promoting thought for the future.

This book explores the way in which the extraordinary bridge of understanding built between a Japanese and an American in the nineteenth century also served to transmit the industrial practices of animal exploitation. While a cautionary tale about globalization, the book also traces the international connections and concerted work that may lead us to saving our endangered planet.

This philosophical thriller demonstrates that humanity and indeed our planet is facing environmental ruin that can be traced back to the psyche of humanity itself. It is one thing to fix the direct problems before us of fossil fuel consumption and contamination of our atmosphere, but it is another to fix the human psyche itself; so bent on destroying our planet and everything else on it. This exciting story clearly demonstrates a definite link between environmental degradation and human violence, greed, over-population, religious and racial paranoia and economic and ecological vandalism, and concludes that a commitment has to be made now by all of humanity to avoid planet earth’s environmental collapse.

Hurtling to Oblivion was written once I realised that working as an environmental officer for the Northern Territory Government was a waste of time and public resources. Fact is, governments all over the world are motivated by political interests, not environmental ones. I decided the way to make my mark on environmental protection was to educate the people. The best way to educate is to tell an interesting story couched in fact. The story is a microcosm involving three protagonists—the government, the people and the environment. My intent was to interest, entertain and arouse the reader to the real issues.

Hollis Ball, an Eastern Shore journalist was briefly married to that the scion of "Old Blood and Old Money," Sam Wescott. She knew that decision would come back to haunt her, and it certainly did. As the story begins, Sam has been killed, claims to have been murdered, and wants Hollis to help find his killer. That's right, he's a ghost.
As a fisherman's daughter, Hollis knows that Chesapeake Bay is dying and one reason is all the "waterfront homes" communities and developments that are lining the shores. With every acre of marshland, drained, and turned into a sub-division, the bay gets sicker. Knowing first hand her former father-in-law's greed, she is not surprised to find him planning to develop White Marsh Island. An action that a group of environmental activists known as the Greenhead Army oppose.
Hollis is far more interested in the development story than in finding Sam's murderer, even though her editor wants to kill it, as the Wescott Real Estate is one of the paper's more reliable advertisers.
Conflict, clues, and off-beat humor run though this novel about a serious envionmental problem. Hollis, with Sam's help, finds all the answers.

To reintegrate humanity with the lifecycles of the earth, we must solve the environmental issues of our major cities. To transform mainstream city life, brave heroes must show the way.
This environmental story unfolds in a hotbed of what David Holmgren calls "the billion or so middle-class people across the planet whoÂ… consume the vast bulk of the planet's resources" -- the city of Los Angeles.
From our decadent present, into a "Transition Era" of interim technologies, Legacy offers a vision of society's journey toward Sustainability. The book renders the initial changes familiar, thus easier for mainstream people to embrace.

Written in the best tradition of the historical western, and following the positive environmental attitude demonstrated by the TV series Bonanza in its first year, Felling of the Sons portrays the efforts of one family to protect each other and the land they love from those men who've harbored a vengeance-filled hate for 18 years. Filled with historical fact that serves to increase the pace and tension, vengeance emerges in the form of cattle rustling, mining cave-ins and timber landsliding along with near successes against their lives. Even if you've never seen the series, you'll take the Cartwrights into your heart and cheer them on as they recognize the duty to save the land as much as to save each other, with the love and respect for family and the land that nurtures them that made this one of television's all-time favorites. Felling of the Sons, 2nd edition is an authorized Bonanza property, (c) Bonanza Ventures, Inc. 2005.

   A book of poetry that speaks to the soul of adults and children alike. The spirit moves with the flow of the written word. From the inspirational to the erotic love, nature's imagery is captured and shared. Memories of child hoods laughter's and pain are expressed, as well as family values.

   Truths in life are seldom sought after, but sometimes they can be found when a person least expects. I have written this book from my life's experience. Readers will find much of themselves in my writings. They might see love, family, nature in a whole new prospective. if this happens then they and I as a writer have increased their and my values. I will have contributed in my own small way to the world.

This novel chronicles the legal challenge to a specific industry that is using the environment for economic purposes instead of being a good environmental steward. Loosely based on a true story, this new book describes how local citizens can be empowered to stand up to a local industry, even one that fights dirty.

WolfPointe has, within its mystery and murder story, a cry for the exposure and clean up of many hidden toxic dumps sites that still exist. Evil of man to his fellow man is often punished by man. Man's evil done to nature may require the assistance of the supernatural. While fiction, the message is clear that we need to live with the land and keep it for future generations just as the Native Americans had centuries ago. The Windigo, a Native American legend, could be nature's vengeance.

I edited this book for the publisher. Read Rick's comments on my work.

   Kyllikki, a woman who, in the Teleod region of the Galaxy, is heir to a vast family fortune and the family's telepathic bonding trait, flees the unethical domination of the head of her family.
   Hiding in exile in the Metaji Empire, Kyllikki strives to blend in with the culture alien to her and ends up working as a telepath on a passenger liner, handling routine communications and suppressing her urgent desire for a mental match, a man of her dreams.
   Such a man is Elias, a modern singing sensation on the distant planet Earth, who has the physique of a star. Plotting war, unscrupulous agents kidnap Elias from Earth.
   His resourcefulness lets him survive in the Metaji Empire where nobody has even heard of Earth, hidden at a forgotten location far on the other side of the Galaxy. He has no hope of getting home - ever. Then a hostile attack leaves Elias adrift in a lifepod.
   Kyllikki and her closest friend, a vampire-like luren named Zuchmul, likewise are stranded in a lifepod by that attack.
   At considerable risk, Kyllikki rescues Elias, whom she regards as a mere passenger while she, as crew, is responsible for his safety. Together, they must decide what to do next -- how to survive a galactic war spurred by greed where the stakes are nothing less than the ecological substrata of reality.
   She doesn't count on falling in love with Elias. She doesn't count on finding him to be her true mental match or on his firmly entrenched opinions on the matter. She doesn't have a clue what the mental power of the luren, termed Influence, has to do with her own telepathic abilities or with her need for Bonding. She doesn't even know about the Bonding that will complicate her love as it forms between them and affect the course of galactic history forever.
   St. Martin's Press says of Dreamspy: "A moving tale of love and adventure set against a grand canopy, Dreamspy further enhances Jacqueline Lichtenberg's reputation as a writer of uniquely passionate science fiction."

   The coins Craig stole from the Vikings were either blessed or cursed. They brought him back to Nessie's lair. But what could he and Linda do to protect Nessie from the sound waves at Urquhart Castle?
   This book is the sequel to Nessie and the Living Stone (below).

A boy must choose between keeping a treasure and saving a monster.
   Craig's family, including his bratty little sister Linda, are on holiday at Loch Ness where Craig has plans to capture Nessie, the famed Loch Ness Monster. Instead, she captures him.
   Wickstrom and Lorrah have written a clear, compelling story of a child's moral choices, and learning to care about the world around him. The authors deftly handle the siblings' growing affection and developing independence as the story's events demand their strengths. When Craig faces his ultimate test at the door of Nessie's grotto the reader feels the difficulty of Craig's choice.
   As the story opens, Craig's goals are fame and fortune. He finds a fascinating blue stone that leads him to Nessie's grotto. There he finds everything he could want: a treasure chest of Viking gold and a magnificent stone carved by Merlin himself. Even Nessie does his bidding. It's all there for the taking. But the price would be Nessie's life; Nessie's and her children's.
   Linda's fondness for flowers adds humor and pathos to this affectionate tale. The mysterious landlady at the bed and breakfast provides hints in the form of chores. And a local fisherman seems to know where they are going before they know themselves. So does the bossy coast guard officer who wants to kill Nessie and stuff her and put her in a museum.
   On one level this is an adventure story with a satisfying ending. It's also a tale of a maturing sibling relationship and a growing awareness of the world. Mostly, it's a story about Nessie. As the landlady says, "Most of the folk around here think that we need Nessie-to give this place a bit of mystery. Truth is she needs us--to keep her house in order."

   In Wildflower, soldiers hunt down protesters, people drive creatures to extinction on planet after planet, and it gets harder and harder to define the boundaries between humans and machines.
   While the techno-lingo displays a fascination with humanity's future, it also betrays a deep mistrust as to where we might be heading, and at what costs to ourselves.

   Kate lives in an area close to a peregrine eyrie and the falcons actually hunt the songbirds that come to her feeders. They are absolutely magnificent. She first got the idea for the book after reading a National Geographic article about the black market in falcon eggs and young, and decided to incorporate the information into a romance. She learned through her seventeen years working with the American Mosquito Control Association (a worldwide vector control agency) doing public information that the best way to educate is to entertain.

   The Tail Of The Sea Witch focuses on the importance of the world's natural heritage, of preserving the places where creatures can live in freedom and safety. As one of the characters, Madame Witche says, "If only people realised how fragile the creatures of the world are. ... If the creatures of the land and the sea are driven to extinction, all the magic they bring to people will be lost forever." She also adds, "Don't you think all creatures should live together as friends, sharing their uniqueness and their wisdom?" Madame also teaches Marina about respect for all living things since "plants are people too."

   Catherine learns that nature sometimes needs help from man. Her father teaches her that sometimes humans need reminding of their role in nature, but when we cooperate, the outcome can be positive.

   Genetic Engineering is just now gearing up to change the world. Will it be used realistically and responsibly or used just any old way that takes our fancy? The Pet Plague explores one aspect of genetic engineering which could have very adverse consequences!
Read Bob's review of this book.

   The Sex Gates is set against a near future background where Global Warming and war over resources have devastated Africa, ruined America's coastlines and created a world wide population of "Fourth Worlders", those who have next to nothing and who no longer expect anything from governments because of global economic depression due partly to eroding coasts and changing climates.

Read about Kate