Spencer Hatton's COUNTING CROWS Wins 'Wild Card' Award at 2013 Beach Book Festival

"Counting Crows: Stories of Love, Laughter and Loss" has garnered its second national book award this summer. The 2013 Beach Book Festival awarded first place in the "Wild Card" category to the independently published book by Spencer Hatton, former Yakima Herald-Republic editor and columnist. The contest honors what promoters call the "summer's hottest reads."

"Counting Crows" and other winners in the competition will be honored in a private ceremony on June 21 at the Grolier Club in Manhattan.

Beach Book Festival is sponsored by JM Northern Media LLC, a company that produces annual events and reports on people who are involved in the world of digital media. Its productions include The DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books; The DIY Music Festival; The DIY Film Festival; and The DIY Book Festival.

In late May, the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards selected "Counting Crows: Stories of Love, Laughter and Loss" as a finalist in its non-fiction category.National Indie Excellence Book Awards is in its 7th year. Experts from all aspects of the indie book industry - publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters - judge the competition and award winners and finalists based on overall excellence of presentation in addition to the writing.

For more information and a complete list of the winners and finalists for both contests, visit www.beachbookfestival.com and www.indieexcellence.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK: What do basketball legend Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, the Queen Mother of England, actor Al Pacino, writer Kurt Vonnegut, blues great B.B. King and Lady Bird Johnson have in common? They have crossed paths with Spencer Hatton during his nearly four decades as a journalist and award-winning columnist.

Ever walk down the aisle at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas holding onto the arm of an Elvis impersonator? The author has and describes in detail what happened during his hilarious marriage ceremony.

You will also get to meet a group of courageous fathers who, like the author, have raised children with special needs.

And then there are the long, painful steps the writer takes following the death of his wife, and two years later, the tragic death of his 18-year-old son, Jed. It's a journey of deep sorrow, fresh discoveries and renewed hope, making "Counting Crows" a reading experience not to be missed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Spencer Hatton has spent nearly four decades working as a newspaper columnist, reporter and editor. His columns in the Yakima Herald-Republic have earned numerous state and regional awards along with national recognition from the Autism Society of America.

SCHOLARSHIP FUND: Proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Bronwen Hatton Scholarship Fund at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. Named in honor of Spencer's late wife who received a degree in special education from CWU, the endowed fund provides scholarships to future special education teachers. So far more than $5,000 have been raised.

HOW TO BUY A COPY: An autographed copy of "Counting Crows" can be purchased at www.SpencerHatton.com or at Inklings Bookshop in Yakima. A Kindle-ready version is also available at Amazon.com.

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