Foreword INDIES finalists represent the best books published in 2016, and submitted to Foreword Reviews for award consideration, and were narrowed down by Foreword's editors from over 2,200 individual titles spread across 65 categories.

"Choosing finalists for the INDIES is always the highlight of our year, but the choice was more difficult this time around due to the high quality of submissions," said Victoria Sutherland, publisher of Foreword Reviews. "Each new book award season proves again how independent publishers are the real innovators in the industry."

"Knowing the high quality of the books entered for 2016, I am especially honored to have become a finalist. I have always been grateful for the opportunity to become a meaningful part of the lives of people who have sought my help as they grew and changed. It has been extraordinarily fulfilling to learn from so many readers how much value they found in the pages of my book and how easily they were able to apply some of the ideas and strategies in order to lead happier, healthier lives," Dr. Joelson continued.

INDIES finalists are moved on to final judging by an expert panel of librarians and booksellers curated specifically for each genre and who will determine the books that will be named Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award winners. Winners in each genre — along with Editor's Choice winners, and Foreword's INDIE Publisher of the Year — will be announced during the 2017 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago on June 24, 2017.

Visit Foreword Reviews' Help Me! Awards Page

About Dr. Richard B. Joelson:

Over the past 40 years, Dr. Joelson has treated patients ages 5 to 90 in his private practice in New York City. He received a Master's Degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and advanced to earn a Doctorate from Hunter College of the City University of New York. In an extensive career that has followed, Dr. Joelson assisted people in need in the aftermath of two of the greatest disasters in America in recent memory, 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Serving as an official Disaster Mental Health Volunteer with the American Red Cross, his trauma counseling skills helped to alleviate the pain felt by survivors. Dr. Joelson remains closely aligned with the New York State Society for Clinical Social Work, NYSSCSW, where he was awarded Diplomate status in 2014. Dr. Joelson blogs at "Moments That Matter" on Psychology Today. Visit Dr. Richard B. Joelson's website.

About Foreword:

Founded in 1998, Foreword Magazine, Inc., d.b.a. Foreword Reviews, is an independent media company featuring a Folio: Award-winning print magazine, stable of e-newsletters, and an online platform. Foreword exclusively covers small, university, and independent (non "Big 5") publishers, the books they publish, and the creators they work with. Foreword is based in Traverse City, Michigan, USA, and has employees and writers all over the world.