By Gail Hairston

Arts and Sciences Professor Emeritus Edward Stanton’s recently published book "Wide as the Wind" has been named by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2017.

Stanton, formerly a UK professor of Hispanic studies, based his young adult novel on the decade of research and traveling he did on Easter Island. The prophetic story of adventure he created reflects the Polynesian exploration of the Pacific Ocean in wooden, handcrafted canoes with no metal parts or instruments of navigation. The National Geographic has called the Polynesian exploration the greatest feat in human prehistory, as bold as modern space voyages.

Stanton’s book is the winner of the Young Adult Fiction category in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the world’s largest not-for-profit book awards program for independent publishers and self-published authors.

The awards are judged by leaders of the indie book publishing industry, including many with long careers at major publishing houses. Their love of a great read and experience in the publishing arena identify books deserving a wider audience.

Indie, a casual abbreviation for independent or independence, traditionally refers to independent art, music, film, literature or other cultural endeavors created outside of the mainstream and without corporate financing.

Independent book publishing companies are independent of the major conglomerates that dominate the book publishing industry. The indies include: small presses, larger independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers and self-published authors.

To help indie authors and publishers reach a wider audience, the top 70 books in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards will be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency or one of Allen’s co-agents for possible representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights and other rights.  

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