The PenCraft Seasonal Book Awards for Winter 2026 have announced 63 winning books across fiction and nonfiction categories, recognizing authors for their dedication and storytelling. The awards highlight a diverse collection spanning genres from children's literature to adult fiction and nonfiction, with several winners in business and leadership categories that may interest technology and business leaders.
Editor-in-Chief David Hearne stated that the awards help authors gain recognition in a crowded market, with the goal of introducing talented writers to the world. The competition judges all submissions equally based on literary merit, creativity, storytelling strength, and ability to engage readers, regardless of publishing method.
Notable winners in business and nonfiction categories include The Golden Age of Bull$hit by Mario Tufano, published by GABS Media, LLC, which addresses business and finance topics. Other significant business-related winners are The Science of Leadership by Margaret Moore and Jeffrey Hull, The Price of Nice by Amira Barger, and Compassionate Accountability by Nate Regier, all published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. These works explore leadership principles, organizational culture, and professional development.
Additional business-focused winners include The Other Birds & Bees by Scott and Victoria Kyle, published through selfpublishing.com, and The Pursuit of Badasserie by Lynn Howard and Amanda Furgiuele. Expositions & World's Fairs: In the Beginning by Bob Mcglincy, published by Monponsett Press, examines historical business events.
Other nonfiction winners with potential relevance to business leaders include I'm Not Dead Yet: How I Turned My Misfortunes into Strengths by Dr. Joshua Caraballo, published by PublishDrive, and Your Time to Rise by Arivee Vargas from Greenleaf Book Group Press. Focused Mind by Ossama Khalaf and The 7 Universal Laws: The Hidden Rules Behind the Mind, Emotions, and the Architecture of the Universe by Stefan Irimia and Monica Ion, published by Inspired Life Circle LLC, offer perspectives on productivity and mindset.
The awards also recognized notable fiction winners including former football star Todd Marinovich's biography Marinovich, published by Matt Holt Books, and Enemy at the Helm by Mark Dickson, published by River Grove Books, which addresses contemporary political themes. Allen Wolf's The Sound of Violet, 10th Anniversary Edition, published by Morning Star Publishing, was previously adapted into a film.
For business and technology leaders, these award-winning books provide access to emerging thought leadership and diverse perspectives on management, organizational behavior, and professional development. The recognition of self-published and independently published works alongside traditionally published books reflects evolving publishing landscapes that may influence how business knowledge is disseminated. The awards' focus on literary merit over author reputation ensures recognition of innovative ideas that could inform leadership approaches and business strategies.
The PenCraft Book Awards, founded in 2016, aims to create a fair platform for all authors, judging submissions based on creativity, storytelling, and literary quality. The organization supports authors worldwide and seeks new methods to acknowledge creative work across genres.
