PURPLE LEAVES, RED CHERRIES
An award-winning gift book for new moms
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June 7, 2012
Growing Industry Praise for Purple Leaves, Red Cherries as Book Picks up Two More Book Awards
The Self-Published Gift Book is Announced Winner in the Gift and Non-Fiction Book Interior Design Categories of the National Indie Excellence Awards
Providence, RI, June 7, 2012 — The Sixth Annual National Indie Excellence Awards announced Purple Leaves, Red Cherries as the award winner in the Gift and Non-Fiction Book Interior Design Categories. Purple Leaves, Red Cherries, a beautiful and inspiring gift book for new moms, is co-authored by Tania Elfersy and Andrea Katzman, illustrated by Nomi Melul Ohad and is the first book to be published by Elfersy’s solopreneur firm, Flower Cap Press.
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries has won four book awards this season. Last month the book was awarded a Naulitus Silver Award and a Silver Medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
The National Indie Excellence Awards program, based in Los Angeles, CA, is open to all English language books including small presses, university presses, independent publishers and self-published authors. Works published in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were eligible for consideration.
The competition is judged by independent experts from all aspects of the indie book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters. They select award winners and finalists based on overall excellence of presentation.
“We appreciate you, we applaud you and thank you for your great work. You are contributing to make independent publishing a great sector in the literary community,” said Ellen Ried, President of the National Indie Excellence Book Awards.
For more information on the Indie Excellence Book Awards please visit: http://www.indieexcellence.com/index.html
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May 3, 2012
Self-Publishing Mom Joins Ranks of Top New York Publishing Firms by Winning Prestigious Nautilus Book Award
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries – an Inspiring Gift Book for New Moms, Self- Published by Tania Elfersy and her Solopreneur Firm, Flower Cap Press – Picks Up Two International Book Awards.
Providence, RI, May 3, 2012 — The critically-acclaimed book Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: A Gift for Mothers with Short Stories, Journal & Toolkit, which is co-authored by Tania Elfersy and Andrea Katzman, illustrated by Nomi Melul Ohad and published by Elfersy’s solopreneur firm, Flower Cap Press, has won two international book awards: a 2012 Nautilus Silver Award and a 2012 Silver Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
The beautifully illustrated, full color hardback book, Purple Leaves, Red Cherries, reveals how becoming a mother impacts women’s lives and provides tools to help women cope with the early years of motherhood. The book is designed to be an inspiring gift for new moms and mothers of young children – a book “to embrace new mothers” and help them feel “they are not alone,” explains Tania Elfersy in the book’s Preface.
Elfersy was a stay-at-home mom of three young children when in 2009, she developed the idea for Purple Leaves, Red Cherries. Without approaching a single publishing firm or agent, Elfersy held on tight to her vision of the book and hand-picked her winning book team. Maximizing her background in marketing, Elfersy self-published the book (her first) within 18 months of commencing the project.
Recent changes in the publishing industry (the introduction of eBooks, Print on Demand and online book stores) have meant that traditional publishing firms no longer act as gatekeepers of the industry.
“Today anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can start selling their own books online. That’s a revolution in of itself,” explains Elfersy. “And when self-published books, such as Purple Leaves, Red Cherries, win awards alongside the largest publishing houses in the world, it is evidence that this revolution is good for writers and readers alike.”
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries is available online and in baby boutiques in the US and Canada. In 2011, Elfersy also signed a strategic partnership agreement with Aerbook, an eBook and native app developer, for the development of a range of eBooks, the first of which are available on Amazon and iTunes.
The full list of this year’s Nautilus awards will be announced in late May, but last week Elfersy was informed that Purple Leaves, Red Cherries had won a 2012 Nautilus Silver Award in the Gift/Specialty category. Last year, the same award was won by the publisher Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin.
On the same day, Elfersy was also informed that her book had won a 2012 Silver Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the Gift/Specialty/Journal category.
“Self-publishing is an exciting opportunity for moms, dads or any entrepreneur who wants to work from home. However, self-publishing is not for the faint-hearted or for writers who don’t have an appetite for marketing and sales, and an absolute dedication to their project. I’ve started a long journey and even with these two wonderful awards, I feel I am still at the beginning. I have a lot more to accomplish with Purple Leaves, Red Cherries and these awards provide a tremendous boost to help me move forward,” Elfersy says.
Download two free chapters from Purple Leaves, Red Cherries
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About the Nautilus Book Awards
The Nautilus Awards recognizes books and audio books that promote spiritual growth, conscious living and positive social change, while at the same time stimulating the imagination and offering the reader new possibilities for a better life and a better world. Previous winners of the awards include Deepak Chopra, M.D., Caroline Myss, Thich Nhat Hanh and Eckhart Tolle. http://www.nautilusbookawards.com/
About the Independent Publisher Book (IPPY) Awards
The “IPPY” Awards were conceived as a broad-based, unaffiliated awards program open to all members of the independent publishing industry, and are open to authors and publishers worldwide who produce books written in English and intended for the North American market. “Independent” is defined as 1) independently owned and operated; 2) operated by a foundation or university; or 3) long-time independents that became incorporated but operate autonomously and publish fewer than 50 titles a year. http://www.independentpublisher.com
About Flower Cap Press
Flower Cap Press is a solopreneur publishing firm established by Tania Elfersy. Flower Cap Press is the publisher of the award-winning book “Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: A Gift for Mothers with Short Stories, Journal & Toolkit.” The symbol of Flower Cap Press is of a woman swimming in style – a hopeful image for women striving to maintain balance and happiness in their lives. http://www.flowercappress.com
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April 11, 2012
2011 Book of the Year Award Finalists Announced
ForeWord Reviews is pleased to announce the 2011 Book of the Year Awards list of finalists. Representing more than 700 publishers, the finalists were selected from 1200 entries in 60 genre categories. These books are examples of independent publishing at its finest.
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: A Gift for Mothers with Short Stories, Journal & Toolkit is a finalist for the 2011 Book of the Year Awards in the Parenting category.
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries, created and edited by Tania Elfersy and Andrea Katzman, and illustrated by Nomi Melul Ohad, reveals how becoming a mother impacts women’s lives and provides tools to help women cope with the early years of motherhood.
SheKnows wrote: “Purple Leaves, Red Cherries is a must-read for new mothers, an unparalleled gift that celebrates both the sacred beauty and the complex challenges of motherhood.”
The book is inspiring and beautifully illustrated, making it an ideal gift for new and expectant moms as well as mothers of young children.
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries is published by Flower Cap Press of Providence, Rhode Island, established by Tania Elfersy.
ForeWord Reviews‘ Book of the Year Awards program was established to help publishers shine an additional spotlight on their best titles and bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors. Award winners are chosen by librarians and booksellers who are on the front lines, working everyday with patrons and customers.
ForeWord is the only review trade journal devoted exclusively to books from independent houses. A list of the finalists in the Parenting category can be found at:
https://botya.forewordreviews.com/finalists/2011/parenting/
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June 15, 2011
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries – An Essential Gift For Moms
Women share their experiences of motherhood in a beautifully packaged book with short stories, personal journaling space and self-development exercises.
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND – Newly released Purple Leaves, Red Cherries offers a non-judgmental, up-front and diverse examination of how motherhood impacts women’s lives.
Mothers can learn from other women’s experiences, share their own stories and benefit from the book’s toolkit, which is designed to help women cope with the complexities of motherhood.
Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: A Gift for Mothers with Short Stories, Journal & Toolkit gives mothers the opportunity to:
• Discover how other moms are handling their relationships, work, expectations, sex lives and more with 48 inspiring and thought-provoking short stories.
• Document their unique experiences in the book’s beautiful and guided journaling space.
• Come to grips with the impact of motherhood in their life using the practical suggestions and activities in the Toolkit.
“No matter how many bazillions of women have gone through it, becoming a new mother – while thrilling – can be crazy-making and isolating. But having Purple Leaves, Red Cherries at your side is like being surrounded by women, women who don’t care if your house is a wreck, saying ‘We understand.’” — Lynn Harris, award-winning journalist and mother of two
“Purple Leaves, Red Cherries is a treasure… [it] will become a favorite, to give and to receive.” — Debra Gilbert Rosenberg, psychotherapist and author of The New Mom’s Companion and Motherhood Without Guilt
A shorter eBook containing the 48 short stories and connectivity to the book’s online Forum will also be available this month with the title Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: Short Stories on Motherhood. The eBook is ideal for mothers of all ages, book clubs and students of gender studies. Please contact us to receive a copy of the eBook for early review.
About the authors: Tania Elfersy (41, mother of 3) and Andrea Katzman (41, mother of 2) first became friends 15 years ago. Tania, a former hi-tech marketing manager, is currently an at-home mom and Andrea, a former at-home mom, is currently a pre-school teacher. Purple Leaves, Red Cherries is their first book. Learn more at www.purpleleavesredcherries.com.
Title: Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: A Gift for Mothers with Short Stories, Journal & Toolkit
Author: Tania Elfersy & Andrea Katzman
Genre: Parenting & Families/Self development
ISBN: 978-0-9829759-2-3
Publication Date: May 2011
Pages: 176
Price: $28.95
Publisher: Flower Cap Press