2006 Christy Award Finalists Announced

I still can't talk about the books that I judged for this year's Awards, but I can announce the finalists.

2006 Finalists

Contemporary (Stand-Alones)

Grace at Low Tide by Beth Webb Hart (WestBow Press)

Levi's Will by W. Dale Cramer (Bethany House Publishers)

Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin (WestBow Press)

Contemporary (Series, Sequels and Novellas)

 Living With Fred by Brad Whittington (Broadman & Holman)

Moment of Truth by Sally John (Harvest House Publishers)

The Road to Home by Vanessa Del Fabbro (Steeple Hill)

Historical

Glimpses of Paradise by James Scott Bell (Bethany House Publishers)

The Noble Fugitive by T. Davis & Isabella Bunn (Bethany House Publishers)

Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Press)

Romance

A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers)

Chateau of Echoes by Siri L. Mitchell (NavPress)

In Sheep's Clothing by Susan May Warren (SteepleHill)

Suspense

Comes a Horseman by Robert Liparulo (WestBow Press)

Last Light by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)

River Rising by Athol Dickson (Bethany House Publishers) 

Visionary

Legend of the Emerald Rose by Linda Wichman (Kregel Publications)

The Presence by Bill Myers (Zondervan)

Shadow Over Kiriath by Karen Hancock (Bethany House Publishers)

First Novel

Like a Watered Garden by Patti Hill (Bethany House Publishers)

The Road to Home by Vanessa Del Fabbro (SteepleHill)

This Heavy Silence by Nicole Mazzarella (Paraclete Press)

Next year I'm hoping that the 2007 Christy's have more multicultural authors in the nominations and perhaps in 2008 a mutlicultural category, which also means that the Christy's would need more multicultural judges. Let's do the dadgum thang guys, you know who you are. :)

Related Articles:

• BOM: Wrapped in Rain
• Two Dees and a Tobacco Bride
• 3 Reasons River Rises To the Top
• Technorati Tags : christy

 

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Thriller Fiction & Teen Safety

Read the prologue of
Web of Lies
CLICK HERE

ISBN: 0-310-25106-0

If you are a newbie writer or an established writer, who wants to hone her craft, you must subscribe to Brandilyn Collins' Forensics and Faith Blog. She is quite gracious in providing not only writing tips, but writer's calls, this industry's behind the scenes sneak peaks, and one-on-one help with your WIP. And she does all this while writing bestselling thrillers. I call her a She-thriller. She writes stories with strong, but very feminine and faithful women lead characters and she speaks on things that horrify we, women: teenage girls' safety for one.

Web of Lies releases at an appropriate time since this past year teen dissappearances have made media buzz.  

Below are articles that discuss teenage girl safety and tips for parents:

• How Young Women Can Stay Safe on Spring Break
• Safety Tips on Preventing Teen Abduction
• Top 6 Teen Driving Facts to Fear
• Safe Blogging tips for Teens
• Team Amber Alert

Web of Lies  in a Nutshell

 After witnessing a shooting at a convenience store, forensic artist Annie Kingston must draw a composite of the suspect. But before she can begin, she hears that Chelsea Adams wants to meet with her-now. Chelsea Adams-the woman who made national headlines with her visions of murder. And this vision is by far the most chilling.

Chelsea and Annie soon find themselves snared in a terrifying battle against time, greed, and a deadly opponent. If they tell the police, will their story be believed? With the web of lies thickening . . . and lives at stake, who will know enough to save them?

This book is fast-paced and is a good Friday night read with your man at your side and your bible at the other. :)

Today is an Open Track Back Day.

For an explanation of a trackback, Go here. Leave a trackback of your best post for others to read. If you know of any other safety tips for teens leave a comment. And if you're a Brandilyn Collins Fan, let us know about it. 

OTA:  From Woman Honor Thyself...

Many of us find it disturbing to hear the sympathetic apologists defend the ACLU’s work to protect pedophiles over our children.

Don't forget to see Akeelah and the Bee this weekend.

 

 

Jayce Anthony McCollors

Congrats to Bestselling Christian fiction auth  or-my gal pal, Tia McCollors. Sunday, April 23, 2006 she gave birth to her firstborn...a son...Jayce Anthony McCollors!! Stay plugged into Gospel Fiction this summer we'll be buzzing about Tia's second novel, Zora's Cry.

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The Great Book Club Giveaway

If you are a member of a book club and have a say in how books are selected and you'd like a free copy of my first novel Watching the Tree Limbs", contact me. Please send me your snail mail address and your email address. I have a few spots left, so please be speedy!

-Mary Demuth

Book Description:

Nine-year-old Mara loves playing Nancy Drew with her best friend Camilla. With an attic chock-full of treasures, including a telescope, and a whole summer ahead of them, they’re set to find the home of the mysterious and controversial radio disc jockey Denim. But then there are mysteries that Mara’s afraid to share: Who is her mother? Her father? And how can she stop the biggest criminal of all, General?

Caught in a maelstrom of lies and deceit, Mara carefully picks her way through the wreckage of her lost childhood, until the day something magical happens under the pecan tree.

 

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BMH Editor's Blog: Christian Author Victim of Shark Attack

BMH Editor's Blog: Christian Author Victim of Shark Attack

Best-selling Christian suspense novelist and avid surfer T. Davis Bunn was seriously injured when a shark bit both his feet in an attack off the coast of Melbourne, FL, this past week.

Now that's something...

A Zillion Little ARCs

 Today I'm at the Master's Artist telling my story: 

 

A Zillion little ARCs:

Confessions of Dee Stewart, overread book reviewer

 

My index finger nipped the final page of  The Monet Memoirs, a christian thriller set in New York City, whereby an unsexy Sotheby's art assistant stumbled upon a series of Monets paintings in her grandfather's AME Church that carry the challis map of Hagia Sophia, a map that was seized by the Ottoman Turks then by the Spanish Moors then confiscated by the Catholics during the Spanish Inquisition and taken to America aboard slave ships and hidden until the mid 17th century when Prince Hall Masons, a secret Pan-African mason sect(comprised mostly of British-West Indian freeman) were formed, who later created the map, then hid it inside the Monets to fund the Underground Railroad ...more

A Zillion Little ARCs

 Today I'm at the Master's Artist telling my story: 

 

A Zillion little ARCs:

Confessions of Dee Stewart, overread book reviewer

 

My index finger nipped the final page of  The Monet Memoirs, a christian thriller set in New York City, whereby an unsexy Sotheby's art assistant stumbled upon a series of Monets paintings in her grandfather's AME Church that carry the challis map of Hagia Sophia, a map that was seized by the Ottoman Turks then by the Spanish Moors then confiscated by the Catholics during the Spanish Inquisition and taken to America aboard slave ships and hidden until the mid 17th century when Prince Hall Masons, a secret Pan-African mason sect(comprised mostly of British-West Indian freeman) were formed, who later created the map, then hid it inside the Monets to fund the Underground Railroad ...more

Spring Blog Crush Awards

Spring is in the air and I'm feeling all giddy. G is back, leaving french love notes on my voice mail,so I'm contemplating putting my engagement ring back on my finger.  I even got a new french inspired coif(I cut my hair) But I'm still perplexed. See. I'm crushing on something else--your blogs!! And before I tell you which blogs I'm feening over, I'll give you the chance to spout sonnets here at Gospel Fiction about your current Blog Crush. This pic is courtesy of aussie blogging phenom, Darren Rowse . You can pass this pic onto your 2006 blog fancy as a token of our love for their site. So, who are you blogcrushing? 

Gospel Fiction's First Contest

 

Dee's in full effect this morning. So much so that Gospel Fiction's hosting a contest for my registered readers(ergo you must have a Gospel Fiction registeration to enter. Check its sidebar. Where it says META: Register)

 

Contest Rules

 

 

Related articles:

Two Dees and a Tobacco Bride

October's Celebration of Christian Fiction: Stacy's Excerpt

April 06: Nothing but the Right Thing

 

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Review: More than Grace

More than Grace

Kendra Norman-Bellamy

Kimani Press

ISBN # 1-58314-551-6

 

3 stars

 

Dr. Gregory Dixon contemplates leaving his neurosurgeon position at Robinson Memorial in DC after he becomes attracted to his temporary stint at prestigious New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital. Although his wife, Jessica Grace accepts whatever decisions he makes, she hopes that these changes in Gregory’s career will not affect their marriage. She misses the time they once had together.

 

Although Greg’s love for Jessica has grown stronger, their best friends, Derrick and Sherri Madison have weakened. Derrick has been pushing Sherri to have another child, a son, while negating their daughter, Dee. When Derrick pushes Sherri to leave their home and live with the Dixon’s tensions mount between the two best friends. Grace wonders if Sherri has an eye for Gregory.

 

Bellamy ends the Grace trilogy with another sweet story. She creates loveable couples that readers want to root for.

 

However, too many subplots, back-story, passive voice, close attention to unimportant details takes away from the beauty and romance in this novel. And although romances have happy endings, too many loose ends wrap up too coincidentally at the end. Note this novel has various sensual scenes that may distract Christian readers from the illumination her novel provides—God’s providence manifested in fatherhood. Nonetheless, Bellamy’s fans will enjoy this spicy and sweet alternative to secular romance.  (April, 256 pp, $14.00)

 

Dee Y. Stewart,

Reviewer

 

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Review: Defining Moments

Defining Moments

Jacquelin Thomas

New American Library 

ISBN # 0-451-21775-6

 

 

Rating: 3 tambourines

 

New York businesswoman/bad girl Sheila Moore takes a leave of absence from her graphic design firm after she’s diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and decides to return home to Charleston, South Carolina to fight the disease. But before she returns home she bumps into Nicholas Washington, a man who knows all about the private shame that forced her to move from South Carolina in the first place. When he offers his friendship to help her through her battle she becomes suspicious. Is he in cahoots with his friend/her enemy, Tori Madison to ruin her life? She’s not sure, so to safeguard her heart from any further humiliation Sheila vows to keep her growing feelings for Nicholas a secret.

 

Charleston novelist, heartthrob Nicholas Washington hopes his decision to befriend Sheila Moore will not destroy his friendship with Tori Madison. Her dubious past nature still sits fresh on Tori and Jake Madison’s mind. He knows that Tori hadn’t forgiven Sherri for trying to steal her husband, Jake four years ago. And her moving back to Charleston only makes matters most. Yet, Nicholas sees something good in Sheila.  He prays to God to speak to Sheila’s heart. But since he’s still unsure of Sheila’s character, he vows to keep his feelings for her a secret.

 

Thomas’ long awaited sequel to the Prodigal Husband is a story of friendship, redemption and self-discovery. Unlike the prequel this novel isn’t filled with page turning conflict. Instead it is a slow study on faith and forgiveness that will delight Thomas’ loyal fans. Nicholas is almost angelic in his devotion to his prayer life and to Sheila. But he can speak a little too cliché when he counsels Sheila about faith and how it relates to her illness. Thomas’ Gullah references and discussions on MS are commendable. However, for new readers and fans of the Prodigal Husband, the slow pace, various subplots, overwriting and awkward chapter endings make this story a harder read than its prequel.(April, 256 pp, $22.95)

 

Dee Y. Stewart,

Reviewer

 

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Rock, Meth & Bad Boy Lovers

 

Remember when Michael Jackson showed up at an AME Church a few weeks before his trial? Or what about Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston getting baptised in the River Jordan by the African Israelites? Weird and over the top, huh?

Well imagine Everett Lester, front man for DeathStroke--the most popular alternative rockband in the world. Do you think anyone will believe that this satanistic stonehead would be sitting on Larry King Live spouting biblical scripture and Christianese?

Unimaginable unless God really does exist.

And if he does...who wouldn't shout the Gospel full effect live? Or in Creston Mape's second book to the Rock Stars Chronicles case-- who wouldn't rock God at Full Tilt?

 

Everett hopes he can, although the media and his new fans are starting to not believe his hype. Will his Living Water tour will revitalize Christ's image? Can he reach his old fans? More importantly can he reach his vengeful, meth-dealing nephew, who wants him dead?

 

Creston sat down with my writer's group last month and candidly wondered if Everett's plight resonates with our Christian counterculture. From what I read, I think he's dead on. In North Georgia and I'm sure in other parts of America, meth has become a demon, hell bent on taking out our little sisters and brothers. As a local christian reporter who is also an unmarried single mother, I completely understand what Everett is going through. People are always watching to see if you're what you say you are, and they are quick to alert the rest of the world when you slip. Sometimes I want to stay in the house and keep my novels under my bed. (Wait a minute. I still do that. :) )

 

Written very well, fast-paced, realistic, and eye-opening. Full Tilt is my April book pic for this month. For women you will find this novel and the entire series enjoyable, since Everett's conversion is credited to his wife--a woman who has prayed for his soul's deliverance since she was a teenager. Romantic and hopeful for us bad boy lovers.

 

Technorati Tags : creston, mapes, full, tilt, book

 

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2 Time Crunch Reads

Check me out at The Master's Artist today. I have two short reads to recommend to those of you who are like me this week- celebrating Spring Break with your child or just swamped with Easter egg hunts,  paying bills, and life. I love short stories. How about you?

 

Click here to see my picks. And come back this week I will have some more for your fancy. And if you are a short story writing phenom I have a writing opportunity for you. 

 

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