Mark S. Porro is set to captivate the heart of NYC's Times Square with his NYC Big Book Award & INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD.

Mark Steven Porro's "A Cup of Tea on the Commode" will be showcased in NYC after receiving international recognition through the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD®!

PéZENAS, FRANCE, February 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD, one of the most prestigious book award globally programs for independent authors, publishers, and illustrators, recognized "A Cup of Tea on the Commode: My Multi-Tasking Adventures of Caring for Mom. And How I Survived to Tell the Tale" by Mark Steven Porro as a category winner in its 2025 award program.

The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters. Selected IPA Award Winners and Distinguished Favorites are based on overall excellence.

During this upcoming Valentine's Day Weekend, award-winning author Mark Steven Porro will take center stage in NYC's Times Square all day on Broadway in the theatre district on February 15th. A sneak peak at the billboard creative can be seen here: https://youtu.be/ghqo89xqK00, and is included in this release.

The billboard program, curated by publisher Ted Olczak of the "INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD and NYC BIG BOOK AWARD" magazine, is a celebration of book excellence that promotes a select group of key book titles. Porro's "A Cup of Tea on the Commode: My Multi-Tasking Adventures of Caring for Mom. And How I Survived to Tell the Tale" was awarded as the 2025 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD Winner in the Caregiving category, just as it was the winner in the recent NYC Big Book Award.

Mark enjoyed his carefree bachelor’s life in Los Angeles. He had no steady girlfriend, no children, few responsibilities outside of work. But that all changed when “The Call” came. Genevieve, his eighty-nine-year-old mother, was on her deathbed. He rushed back to New Jersey to be by her side. Hours became days, days became weeks, then she woke up. So, he moved back into his childhood home and took over her care. His first task was to remove all hazards, which included the current caregivers.

After, Mark asked his mother, “Do you trust me?” She whispered, “Yes.” “Do you understand I will do everything in my power to keep you healthy and safe?” She smiled and nodded. “That means I’m in charge, and that means now you must obey me.” Her mood shifted in an instant. She looked him dead in the eye, then puckered up her lips. He wasn’t sure if this was a sign of surrender or one wishing him luck. He kissed her and hoped for the best.

The parent/child role reversal may not have been unique to Mark, but how he dealt with it was. One day, hoping to make Genevieve’s time on the commode a tad more pleasant, he offered her a cup of her favorite beverage. It was a hit, and a cup of tea on the commode became a staple on the morning menu, and the clear choice for the title of this intimate, funny, and heartwarming memoir of how eldercare can be done.

"A Cup of Tea on the Commode" chronicles Mark’s multitasking adventures of filling his mother’s last years with love, laughter, and joy.

In 2025, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD saw participation from journalists, well established authors, and small, medium and large publishers across the globe, including those residing in Australia, Canada, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Winners were chosen from publishers such as Amplify Publishing Group, Black Rose Writing, Blackstone Publishing, BookBaby, Calumet Editions, Globe Pequot, Finishing Line Press, Gatekeepers Press, Hachette Go (Blanco of Grand Central Publishing), HarperCollins Leadership, Ideapress Publishing, IVP Kids, Koehler Books, Mad Cave Studios, North Dakota State University Press, Oceanview Publishing, Old Stone Press, Pegasus Books, Post Hill Press, Red T Kid's Media, Rowman & Littlefield, She Writes Press, University of California Press, and University of Georgia Press.

“The 2025 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD awardees included the excellence and diversity of global independent publishing,” said Gabrielle Olczak, IPA President and Award Sponsor. "There is no stopping independent publishing. It provides unparalleled content and quality to consumers worldwide and we are excited to showcase this year's honorees to the world.”

For more information please visit independentpressaward.com; and to see this year's list of IPA Winners, please visit the website page: https://www.independentpressaward.com/2025winners

To learn more about Mark Steven Porro and his award-winning book, please visit: https://acupofteaonthecommode.org

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The Independent Press Award is announced every spring and is open to independent authors and publishers.

The fall book competition, NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/ allows all authors, publishers, and includes submissions from the big five publishers.

Join us for the Awards Dinner on May 3rd, and at the BookCAMP event, May 2 - 4, 2025, https://www.independentpressaward.com/ipabookcamp

Gabby Olczak
Independent Press Award
+1 973-969-1899
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