Debut Author's Abuse Recovery Novel Nominated for 2008 Cybil Award

    MABANK, TX, October 10, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Courage in Patience, a story of hope for those who have endured abuse, has been nominated for a Cybil award in Young Adult Literature. Courage in Patience is the story of fifteen-year-old Ashley Nicole Asher, who is abused for six years by her stepfather. When she at last tells a trusted teacher what has been happening to her, Ashley is removed from her mother's home and reunited with her biological father, who has not been a part of Ashley's life since infancy. Through the summer school English class taught by her stepmother, Ashley learns to face her greatest fears and, along with other teens, discovers just how strong she is.

Beth Fehlbaum drew on her experiences as a long time English teacher and survivor of childhood sexual abuse to write Courage in Patience. She wrote the novel to give hope to anyone who has ever had to face what frightens them the most.

(From the Cybil's site):
"The internet's first literary awards are back. Like all revolutions, this one started small, with a single post on a blog devoted to children's literature. The Newbery Awards seemed too elitist and the Quills, well, not enough so. Was there a middle ground, an annual award that would recognize both a book's merits and popularity? The Cybils found that middle ground. The public nominates their favorite children's books from 2008 in seven categories: Picture Books; Non-fiction Picture Books; Middle Grade fiction; Poetry; Young Adult fiction; Non-fiction (YA/MG); and Graphic Novels. Nominations open on October 1. Anyone with an e-mail address may nominate one book per category. Then groups of bloggers get to work. First, a nominating committee reads ALL the titles in a given category. After nearly two arduous months, this committee winnows the nominees to five finalists. A second committee of bloggers considers the shortlist and, after much debate, chooses the best of the best for 2008. We are looking for a handful of the greatest teen novels of 2008. Historical, humorous, or contemporary, they must have literary merit AND a lasting effect on their readers; something teens will press into their friends' hands with fervor in their eyes and say, 'You HAVE to read this book.' "

For more information or to schedule an interview, please call 903 880 0282 or e-mail [email protected]

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