THOMPSON’S STATION, Tenn. — An inspirational book based on the cross-country bicycling adventures of a Houlton native and his wife has won a prestigious national literary award. “Wheels of Wisdom,” by Tim and Debbie Bishop of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., was recently awarded a 2017 National Indie Excellence Award in the inspiration category.
The 11th annual competition was open to recent English language books in print from small, medium, university and independent publishers, as well as self-published authors. Award winners and finalists were selected based on overall excellence of presentation — a synergy of form and content.
Book cover for “Wheels of Widsom” a winner of the 2017 National Indie Excellence Award in the inspiration category.
(Contributed)
NIEA’s founder Ellen Reid said, “We are proud to announce the winners and finalists whose books truly embody the excellence that this award was created to celebrate. We salute you all for your fine work.”
Released in 2016, “Wheels of Wisdom: Life Lessons for the Restless Spirit” is a seeker’s devotional based on the trans-America travels of the Bishops, midlife newlyweds who volunteer as Hope Coaches for Dawson McAllister’s “TheHopeLine.” Along the way, the Bishops reflect on adopting the right mindset, overcoming obstacles and relishing life’s journey.
“We feel honored to receive this award,” Debbie Bishop said. “Heartfelt thanks go to our contributors. We hope the award opens the door for more readers to discover the hope and inspiration that we share.”
Tim Bishop said, “We’ve tried to create unique content that matters and do it with high standards. The process can be difficult and costly, so recognition like this is gratifying. But we couldn’t have done it alone.”
The National Indie Excellence Awards began in 2007 to help establish independent publishing as a strong and proud facet of the publishing industry. Recognizing authors who put their heart and soul into their work, the NIEA is a champion of self-publishers and the small, independent presses that go the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Experts from all angles of the book industry — including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters — judge the NIEA competition.
The Bishops have coauthored four books, including “Two Are Better: Midlife Newlyweds Bicycle Coast to Coast” in 2013. Their books have received accolades from Publishers Weekly and the Midwest Book Review. Early in 2017, giant e-book promoter BookBub selected “Wheels of Wisdom” for a featured deal.
For more information, visit www.indieexcellence.com and www.openroadpress.com.
