The 2007 Hollywood Book Festival has named Will Clarke’s novel, “The Worthy: A Ghost Story,” as the grand prize winner of its annual competition honoring books worthy of greater attention from the film, TV and multimedia industries.

A riveting, sardonic and page-turning account of a fraternity pledge that dies in a hazing accident but returns for revenge, “The Worthy: A Ghost Story” was honored during awards that capped a day-long festival at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, CA. The event featured author readings, live music, book publishing panels and children’s storytelling.

Clarke’s victory earned him $1500, which he accepted before a packed house from awards presenter and author/actress Michele Dominguez Greene at the park’s Gallery Theatre.

Other winners and honorable mentions for the 2007 Hollywood Book Festival:

GRAND PRIZE: Will Clarke, “The Worthy: A Ghost Story”

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: Will Clarke, “The Worthy: A Ghost Story”

DESIGN OF THE YEAR: “Graffitecture,” Doug Fogelson

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR: Sourcebooks

CHILDREN’S BOOKS:

WINNER: “Benny’s Pets,” Mr. Whimsy

HONORABLE MENTION:

Saving Bluestone Belle – Strawberry Shakespeare Why The Dog Chases The Cat…. – K.L. Vaniko B’watchful – Kareen Ross Graham Crackers Nutcracker – Debbie Graham Ace Lacewing – Bug Detective – David Biedrzycki Kokopelli & The Butterfly – Michael Sterns 20 Umbrellas – M. Nathalie Pujari A Clue For You: Tail In The Teapot – Barbara A. Palmer The Chicken Cat – Stephanie Simpson McLellan The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun – Carol J. Amato The Journey of the Little Red Boat – George Smith
Curio: A Shetland Sheepdog – Jeanette A. Griver The Fabulous Song – Don Gillmor Out of Body, Into Mind – Stephen Hawley Martin Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – Gayle Martin Edgar Font’s Hunt For A House To Haunt – Patrick H.T. Doyle

TEENAGE:

WINNER: “Coloring Outside The Lines,” Aimee Cooper

HONORABLE MENTION:

Under The Radar – Blaine Readler
The Ghost Dancer – Jim Green
The Mask of Tamirella – Dana Davis

WILD CARD

WINNER: “Dear Sparkle,” Janiss Garza

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Street Life Series – Kevin M. Weeks Norwescon 29 – Judy Suryan Diary of A Disfunctional Flight Attendant – Ellen Simonetti The Last Day of Paradise – Kiki Denis Vigilante Virus – R. Leland Waldrip A Place Called The Bla-Bla Café – Sandy Ross The Ant and the Elephant – Vince Poscente Disciplinary Diversions – Lauryne Wright Inside A Haunted Mind – K. Patrick Malone

BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WINNER: “Alone In The Trenches,” Esera Tuaolo with John Rosengren

HONORABLE MENTION:

Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut – Paul Krassner Cary Grant – The Wizard of Beverly Grove – Bill Royce Looking Back To See: A Country Music Memoir – Maxine Brown Aging Artfully – Amy Gorman Hollywood Impressions – Melanie Onofrio Haug My Parents Went Through The Holocaust – S. Hanala Stadner The Place Beyond The Dust Bowl – Ron Hughart Doctor Hyde – Steven Locnikar Supreme Discomfort – The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas – Kevin Merica and Michael Fletcher Imgard’s Flute – Dr. Bernard Bail Tripping The Light Fantastic – Bud Mercer Color Me Butterfly – LY Marlow Never Give Up – Ted Jaleta’s Inspiring Story – Deana Driver Quadalajara – The Utopia That Once Was – Jack Tumidajski Nurses, Nomads and Warlords – Mary Lightfine with Kathy Craven Tiny Titan – Jodee Kulp

GENERAL FICTION

WINNER: “The Worthy: A Ghost Story,” Will Clarke

HONORABLE MENTION:

Promised Land – Bob Adamov
Cold Eyes – Romina Wilcox
Hard-Boiled Men – Guy Jacobs
Absaroka – Joan Bochmann
Papa Creigh Tells A Story – The Phat Phrogue – Wm. Alyn Saint Creigh Diamond Deception – Skinner Dreamtime – Robert Steiner Jill 9 – J.D. Tynan Ascent From Darkness – Steven Wilson Point Guard – Victor Pearn
Lightspeed: The Quest – E. Douglas Ward and Lonie Blackman Ward Wayfarers of Fate – John Steinbacher Sex, Guns and A Barber – Shadrach Linscomb Ciao! Miami – Fawzy Zablah Death’s Witness – Paul Batista Rogue Threat – Aiden Rocke Dreamweaver – Buddy Strickland Shaker Days – Don Terbush The Breezes of Inspire: The Remin Chronicles Book 2 – Nick Ruth The Cul-lud Sch-ool Teach-Ur – Sandra E. Bowen Tunnel Vision – W.K. Brown Chameleon – Richard Haines Swap – Sam Moffie Dancing Backward In Paradise – Vera Jane Cook M-Trait – Brandon Franklin Hurst Miss-Guided – Renee Daneild Flagler Christmasville – Michael Dutton The Ghost and the Ghetto – Seveer The Netroom Predator – Nicholas Bain Final Paradox – Mary E. Martin The Fabric of Night – Christoph Peters

NON-FICTION

WINNER: “Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry,” Holly George-Warren

HONORABLE MENTION:

Dead Bang – Robert Bailey
Uncommon Sound: The Left-Handed Guitar Players That Changed Music – John Engel Graffitecture – Doug Fogelson Missing Pages – Black Journalists of Modern America – Janice Terry Rock Me On The Water – Renny Russell

AUDIO/SPOKEN WORD

WINNER: “Healing Shine,” Michael Johnson

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Man With Three Fists – Gerald DiPego

HOW-TO

WINNER: “Planning The Low-Budget Film,” Robert Brown

HONORABLE MENTION:

Universal Studios Tour Guides Survival Book – written by Univesal Studios tour guides, edited by Max Nichts

GENRE-BASED

WINNER: “Voice of the Vanquished,” Helen Heightsmann Gordon

HONORABLE MENTION:

Strike At The Heart – Lawrence Berrie
Picture of Guilt – Helen Haddad
Nowhere – Cissy Hassell
The Search For The Perfect Whore – Raymond Archer The Mind-Keepers – Kenneth Maclean Vigil’s End – Book One of the Ninth Day of Man – Grant Macaw The Crossroads Café – Deborah Smith Walk Like A Man – Laurinda Brown

UNPUBLISHED:

WINNER: “Short, Sweet & Sour,” Jerry Blair

COMICS:

WINNER: “Eyewitness: Acts of the Spirit,” Sandy Luedke

E-BOOK

WINNER: “The Strange Odyssey of Peter Sampson,” Hal Schweig