Photo Phun: It's A Winner!

SANCTUARY: Mississippi's Coastal Plain

Captures First Place In

International Self-Published Book Awards

Mississippi photographer Stephen Kirkpatrick’s latest book
tops 262 international entries

Madison, Mississippi – Sanctuary: Mississippi’s Coastal Plain, a coffee table book by husband and wife photography and writing team Stephen and Marlo Kirkpatrick, won first place in the nonfiction category of Writer’s Digest magazine’s 19^thAnnual International Self-Published Book Awards.

The international competition attracted 2,280 entries in nine categories, including 262 entries in the nonfiction category won by Sanctuary. Winners will be formally announced in the April 2012 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine and publicized on the magazine’s website, www.writersdigest.com.

Sanctuary focuses on the rare natural treasures of the Mississippi Coastal Plain, which extends from the Pascagoula watershed in Southeast Mississippi west toward the Pearl River and south into the Gulf of Mexico. In photographs and in words, Sanctuary reveals the fragile beauty and ecological importance of the area, and explains why it is so important to preserve the unique habitats and the rare, threatened, and endangered species that call the Mississippi Coastal Plain home.

The 128-page book showcases Kirkpatrick’s stunning wildlife and nature photos, all shot in southern Mississippi and in the Gulf of Mexico. Text for the book was written by award-winning author Marlo Kirkpatrick, with Bill Porch of Porch Creative handling design.

The Sanctuary project was sponsored by several companies and organizations committed to preserving the Mississippi Coastal Plain. Lead sponsors include the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service, Southern AgCredit, Mississippi Power, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, and the George County Soil and Water Conservation District.

“We are so honored that Sanctuary was selected for this prestigious award,” said Stephen Kirkpatrick. “It’s rewarding not only to have our book recognized, but also to know that this award will bring more attention to the Mississippi Coastal Plain. The goal of the Sanctuary project was to raise awareness of the tremendous ecological importance of this small area of our state. Hopefully, this international award will help put the Mississippi Coastal Plain in the international spotlight.”

The International Self-Published Book Award is the latest of many top publishing awards captured by Stephen and Marlo Kirkpatrick. Honors won for previous books include the National Outdoor Book Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, three Southeastern Outdoor Press Association Book of the Year Awards, and two honorable mentions in the International Self-Published Book Awards.

Below are a few photographs from Sanctuary