Christy Award Winners

So, I'm a little behind on posting this, but earlier this week, the Christy Awards took place and winners were crowned.


History of the Christy Awards

In the spring of 1999, nearly a dozen Christian publishers confirmed the need for establishing a Christian fiction award to recognize novelists and novels of excellence in several genres of Christian fiction. By late summer, ideas and planning had come together to launch The Christy Award, named in honor of Catherine Marshall’s novel and of her contribution to growth of the fiction Christians love to read.


The Christy Award is designed to:

* Nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview.
* Bring a new awareness of the breadth and depth of fiction choices available, helping to broaden the readership.
* Provide opportunity to recognize novelists whose work may not have reached bestseller status.

How the Awards Work

Every year publishers are invited to submit novels written from a Christian worldview and copyrighted in the year preceding the awards. Each novel is entered in one of several genre categories and/or the first novel category. Each category of novels is then read and evaluated against a ten-point criteria by a panel of seven judges composed of librarians, reviewers, academicians, literary critics, and other qualified readers, none of whom have a direct affiliation with a publishing company.
Catherine Marshall

Catherine Marshall, writer of more than two dozen books and the subject of at least one biography, is one of America's most notable and bestselling Christian writers. Her readers around the world know Catherine as "America's most inspirational author," as described in The New York Times. More than 25 million copies of her books are in print. Nine years in the making and perhaps Catherines's best-known work, the novel Christy has more than 10 million copies in print and is estimated to have been read by more than 30 million people.

The Christy Awards is proud to honor both the novelist and her novel through this annual award recognizing Christian novels of excellence.

Contemporary Romance

Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers) (Winner!)

How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus (Barbour Publishing)




Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas

Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson) (Winner!)

The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth (Zondervan)





Contemporary Standalone

June Bug by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson) (Winner!)

Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle (Tyndale House Publishers)





First Novel

The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry (Moody Publishers)

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent (Tyndale House Publishers) (Winner!)

Scared by Tom Davis (David C. Cook)




Historical
A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group) (Winner!)

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Revell Books: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)




Historical Romance*

Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander (Thomas Nelson)

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group) (Winner!! SQUEEEEEE! Read my review by clicking on the link!)




Suspense

Intervention by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)

Lost Mission by Athol Dickson (Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster) (Winner! Read my review by clicking on the link!)

The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)




Visionary

By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press) (Winner! Read my review by clicking on the link!)

The Enclave by Karen Hancock (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik (Tyndale House Publishers)




Young Adult

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma (Thomas Nelson)

The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason (David C. Cook)

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group) (Winner! Read my review by clicking on the link!)



*The Historical Romance Category includes four finalists due to a tie in scoring.

I will be adding these books to my perpetual Christy Reading Challenge list. Any links will take you to my review of the book.