2008 Christy Nominees Announced

Whew, chil'ren. I can finally announce the Christy nominees! I enjoyed reading the books this year. Congratulations. And here we go...

The Christy Advisory Board is pleased to announce nominees in nine categories for the 2008 Christy Awards honoring Christian fiction. The ChristyAwards dinner will be held Saturday evening, July 12, 2008, at The Rosen Centre in Orlando, Florida. Visit the Christy Awards online at www.christyawards.com for more information about the dinner and to make reservations.

The Christy Awards 2008 Nominees

CONTEMPORARY (STAND ALONE)

• Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson)
• In High Places by Tom Morrisey (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)

CONTEMPORARY (SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS)

• Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (Viking Penguin)
• A Time to Mend by Sally John and Gary Smalley (Thomas Nelson)
• What Lies Within by Karen Ball (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL

• Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• Tendering in the Storm by Jane Kirkpatrick (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

LITS (four nominees due to a tie)

• Doesn't She Look Natural by Angela Elwell Hunt (Tyndale House Publishers)
• Hallie's Heart by Shelly Beach (Kregel Publications)
• Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
• Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck (Avon Inspire, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)

ROMANCE

• Lightning and Lace by DiAnn Mills (Barbour Publishing)
• Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney (Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster)
• Remembered by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

SUSPENSE

• The Cure by Athol Dickson (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay (Moody Publishers)
• The Pawn by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

VISIONARY

• Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
• The Restorer by Sharon Hinck (NavPress Publishing Group)
• Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead (Thomas Nelson)

FIRST NOVEL

• Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
• Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee (NavPress Publishing Group)
• The Stones Cry Out by Sibella Giorello (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

YOUNG ADULT?

• Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson (NavPress Publishing Group)
• In Between by Jenny B.Jones (NavPress Publishing Group)
• Maggie Come Lately by Michelle Buckman (NavPress Publishing Group)

Review: Vanessa Davis Griggs' Strongholds

Inspirational, African American Romance

Strongholds

Vanessa Davis Griggs

3 Halleljah Handclaps, Mild

The congregation of Followers of Jesus Faith Church embark on a spiritual journey together as they tackle their personal strongholds(addictive behavior, traditions, anything that keeps a Christian from moving forward in spiritual maturity.) Fatima tackles adultery, Edwin: gambling, Desiree: overeating, Trinity: personality disorders, Bentley and Marcella: emotional infidelity, Arletha:self-righteousness, and Elaine: deception.(Dafina, 299 pp, $15) Read entire review on Romantic Times Magazine newstands now

The cover is churchtastic!

Reviewer,

Dee Stewart

Pat G'Orge Walker on Authors In Your Pocket

Check out my interview with Peggy Hicks of Second Life Podcast and AUTHORS IN YOUR POCKET... Make sure to pick up your copy of SOMEWHAT SAVED...it's sure to put some pep in your step... take the slack out of your back and somewhere along the line, ya just might get delivered!!!! - Pat


..
Watch Christian comedienne, speaker, & award winning author, Pat G'Orge-Walker talk about her latest novel SOMEWHAT SAVED and shedding some light on what the 'church ladies' are like.


What next?

• Review: Somewhat Saved
• Faith Fiction Lover's Weekend

10 Ways to Keep Your Inner Pulpit Out of Your Writing

Last night during the Ella Curry Radio Show we got into a discussion about Christian Fiction naysayers. Is Christian Fiction an oxymoron? Can you write Christian Fiction without sounding preachy? Great questions and great comments for the authors participating in the show, but I want to go a step further with this discussion. Christian writers create characters whot live within the world, but adjust to it, explores it, and loves it because of their Christian Worldview. Granted this worldview changes according to generation, denomination, culture adnd geography. These characters live according to it. WE all agree great storytellers infuse these worldviews into the character's story arc without taking away from the beauty of experiencing a great story. Writing becomes a form of worship between the Master Artist and His vessel. And the work is gracious expression of truth.

So how we do this? How do we write stories that invite our readers to the greatness of this world as we know it? By writing non-preachy stories.

Here are Tips to Taking Your Inner Pulpit out of Your Writing.

1. Save your scripture zeal for metaphor.

I am a huge Grisham fan. Have you noticed that many of his novels are titled after Biblical principles: "A Time to Kill",

2. Understand basic storytelling.

I know this sounds weird, but we all have read Christian novels that were really pulpit propaganda. Each chapter is a sermon. Each dialogue is a sermonette. Novels aren't that. Can't be that. Understand what a story is and how a plot is developed.

3. Remove the idea in your mind that your story has to have a scriptural reference in the beginning.

Some Christian Fiction editors and agents require that you submit a scriptural reference to buttress the theme thread of your story. I understand that. But when you're building your story you should put that out your mind and come up with a compelling, competitive story idea. Remember, you're Christian. Orthodoxy will emerge as you draft the story and especially during the rewriting process.

4. Stop naming your characters after Bible concepts and Characters.

We get the parable idea, but this kind of thing is like robbed or cheated metaphor. Change your character's names until you're final edit. These characters will become fleshy entities and then the best names for them will come. But if every story you write has a Jezebel, and Sheba, or Ezra in it I'll think twice before I read. Remember: your readers are smart.

5. Remove all sermons and sermonette dialogue scenes

Self explanatory. Redundancy does not prevail. Take a cue from the Preacher's Wife the Movie or Little House on the Prairie the series. The sermons are short, conclusive moments, reserved for the end, very end after the resolution...can we say epilogue.

Any others?

Photo courtesy of Gothelina

Christian Fiction News: Thomas Nelson/ Tyler Perry

Thomas Nelson's Title Drop
Oh boy, have we been talking about Thomas Nelson. (here, here, here, here , here, and here.) But for the few of you who are still out the loop. This is the gist of the story. The publishing house laid off 10% of its workforce and is cutting 50% of new titles published a year.

My favorite quote from Michael Hyatt...

As a heavy book reader myself, I contend that we need better books not more books. I can’t tell you how many books I started this past year and never finished. Why? Because, frankly, they weren’t worth finishing. Most of them left me underwhelmed. The authors would have done better to boil down the content and make it a magazine article.

I won't talk about the layoffs, because that's a hard and different thing I won't tackle. Cutting books I applaud. I've been complaining about shelf space since I started this blog. AA authors, particularly Christian authors get no space. My friends have to rely on prebook orders in order to hope to have one book on somebody's shelf. In the same regard, we're not writing our best. Let's be honest. And some of us really don't write in this market. I know of an author who moved over to Christian fiction because his agent told him about the market was still wide open for his demographic. Unfortunately, it is...if you're a reader who wants to read a good, soulful story.
Tyler Perry Stalker
When a grown woman makes a media mogul afraid to leave his home we have a problem, idol worship to the enth power. My galpal, Princess Dominque has Ann's response.

Let me just say we, women go off the deep end when we're rejected. I know I do...But Tyler Perry? Come on.

Wright the Black Church
What's wrong with being pro African-American? What's wrong with Black spiritualism which preaches race reconciliation? Or is it fear from other cultures who didn't know that we talk about the elephant room in our pews... I praythat all this media attention sparks more dialogue and real reconciiation.

Meet the Mann's
David and Tamela Mann{Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns] will headline the church's benefit concert for its Youth of the Future program, which assists with after-school tutoring, mentoring and gang preventio

Christian Fiction Showcase Tonight

My write-or-die chicks, Sherri Lewis, Rhonda McKnight and Tia McCollors will be chatting it up live on Black Authors Network Radio Show tonight at 8pm. Meet me there. If you figure out my alias I have a prize for you. Here's the call in number (646) 200-0402 or listen here. Other authors participating: Sherryle K. Jackson, Michelle Lark, Stephanie Worth, Dwan Abrams, Celeste Kelley,
Shelia Dansby Harvey, Delores King- Freeman, Nicole Rouse, Cecelia Dowdy, Shelia Lipsey.

Is Book Reviewing Ridiculous?

Just posting my response to a few blog entries on book reviewing Christian fiction. (Here and here)

I also agree that writing a review isn't as subjective as it seems to be among Christian authors. (I only here this rhetoric among Christian fiction authors for some odd reason...)

I am paid to review inspirational fiction for Romantic Times Magazine, paid to write literary anaylsis of African American literary titles for Mosaic Literary Journal, gospel fiction for Gospel Today Magazine and non-fiction AA titles for Spirit Led Woman magazines. And for free I am a Christys Book Awards Judge, reviewed for Romance in Color, Anointed Magazine, AALBC, You-name-it-I review it, and also on this blog.

I love reviews...reviewing

I began as an editor of my alma mater's literary journal[Agnes Scott College,] moved onto GSU Review, Carriage Review and some other literary journals. An editor friend got me hooked on doing commercial book reviews, and I have fallen in love with this penniless profession.:)

Needless to say, I have a discussion at Novel Journey on how to craft a decent Book Review. http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/2005/11/book-review-format-for-you-by-davidae.html

In my experience I have learned to build my book rating on a five point criteria(for RT we use a 4.5.) Each point fits an element of great storytelling: (1) character, (2) plot, (3) theme(big voice/little voice,) (4) style/flow and the last point or .5 I reserve for voice. Voice is the cherry on top for me.

When I write my reviews, however, I don't tell my readership how the book stacks based upon my point system. What I do is craft a review that a book reader can understand, then point out the flaws in a way that the book reader understands. For example. If the character's story arc falls flat. I know a reader won't understand what I mean. Instead I say that for me I couldn't get into this character. I wanted to put the book down because I didn't care if she had a happy ending. I didn't care about her at all. The reader understands that.

Now when I write a critical analysis I break those points down in detail and then show inside the book where the challenges I found are. As well as point out the best points to the book.
I wish our Christian literary circle encouraged more critical reviews and more honest book reviews. I say honest because I've heard on more than one occasion writers saying that they read a novel and didn't write the review because they didn't want to offend or hurt the Body of Christ.

That's ridiculous to me.

As I said in my response to Chip's Andrea's post about reviewing friends books reviewing and writing a novel are two different things. Writing reviews will not get you a book contract. A headache, a little pocket change, but not a novel. The only way to become a published novelist is to write a publishable novel.