The 2009 Christy Awards nominees have been announced, and the winners will receive their awards during the International Christian Retail Show in Denver this July. I don’t pretend to know the criteria for judging the nominated novels, but I do believe the publishers pay a fee to submit them to compete. In a distant post after the awards were announced a couple of years ago, you can read my feelings about this and other competitions. It is generally understood that the novels vying for the Christy Award are considered to be those known for a more literary tone which translates to “lovely prose” or “great writing”. If you want to learn more about the Christy Award, you can visit their website (www.christyawards.com) or join them on Facebook under the Official Christy Awards Group.
Most of you know I’ve read a lot of CBA fiction, but I think it’s telling to say that in the past I had read very few of the Christy nominees or winners. It isn’t because I read drivel. On the contrary, but it’s telling to note that the publisher has to nominate the entries. The criteria for each category must also tell the tale of why some novels are picked over others. It’s an uncelebrated fact that winning a Christy Award does little or nothing for sales, but it’s still considered an honor to win it probably because it’s a competition with several judges and if you win it, you’re generally considered to be a good writer.
This year I’ve read more of the nominees than ever. Here they are:
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE:
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
Finding Stephanie by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)
Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney (David C. Cook)**
CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn (Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
Summer Snow by Nicole Bart (Tyndale House Publishers)
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman (Faith Words)
CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)**
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas (Moody Publishers)
FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake (David C. Cook)
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler (Bethany House Publishers)
Safe at Home by Richard Doster (David C. Cook)
HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T. L. Higley (B&H Publishing Group)
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers)
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser (Bethany House Publishers)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishers)
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers)
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen (B&H Publishing)
SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer (Tyndale House Publishers)**
The Rook by Steven James (Revell)**
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson (Bethany House Publishers)**
VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka (Harvest House Publishers)
Shade by John B. Olson (B&H Publishing Group)
Vanish by Tom Pawlik (Tyndale House Publishers)
YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina (Faith Words)
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Publishers)
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
**I have read these novels, and they are all reviewed on this blog.
Noticeably absent from the nominees are books published by Zondervan. No surprise that the majority of nominees in the historical categories are from Bethany House.
This year in the Suspense category the nominees are truer to “suspense” than in the past, although The Rook is more of a thriller than suspense just as when Robert Liparulo’s Comes A Horseman was included with Athol Dickson’s River Rising—totally opposite kinds of novels. The three suspense novels all deserve to be read as does Zora and Nicky which is far more complex than simple “romance”.
The topic of the Christy Awards is just an interesting side note in the world of publishing—a coveted and prestigious honor but limited in its true scope.
Father, thank you for those who dare to write, who spend the necessary hours with the pen or keyboard to create. To exercise a gift given by you is by far the noblest of deeds, for to gaze at it without action is to disobey the intent. You are generous to give, we need to use that which you’ve given us for your glory. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.