It’s no secret that all human beings will someday die, lose people they love, and struggle to find their way through grief. In It All Belongs: Love, Loss & Learning to Live Again, Roy and Judy Smoot with Melinda Folse (SparkPoint Press, December 1, 2023) offer unique help for navigating this unavoidable journey—and three independent publishing awards now affirm that it’s hitting the mark.

SparkPoint Press is delighted to announce this exciting recognition for It All Belongs, including a silver medal in the Nautilus Book Awards, celebrating “better books for a better world,” in their Death & Dying/ Grief & Loss category. In the 2024 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards It All Belongs won a gold medal as Outstanding Book, Most Original Concept, and silver medal, Cover Design. “The efforts of these authors and publishers stood out for their originality and quality,” Awards Director Amy Shamroe said. “Our medalists show the creativity and strength of independently published books. They continue to be at the forefront of publishing, able to tackle current issues and push the limits with their storytelling.”

This exquisitely illustrated dual narrative from Roy and Judy Smoot begins with her work as a spiritual director and expressive artist—and then takes a dramatic turn into her unexpected journey with glioblastoma multiforme, the deadliest of brain cancers. Because Judy was also a former hospice worker, It All Belongs offers an in-depth chronicle of “walking the talk,” with Judy's guiding voice and original mandala art—and hands-on help for people approaching the end of their life. With Roy’s voice picking up the narrative shortly after Judy’s death, It All Belongs takes a new path, traveling with Roy through his unthinkable grief and inexplicable healing. By offering this rare window into death and dying, grief and loss, It All Belongs invites readers into raw vulnerability—with spiritual and secular practices that empower the slow but steady climb back to hope and new life.

To help Roy fulfill his promise to Judy to publish her work, SparkPoint Press, in conjunction with Jenkins Group, Inc., a custom book packager based in Traverse City, Michigan, collaborated for more than five years to provide professional services and guidance throughout the book’s concept development, writing, editing, design, production, and printing.

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