Into the Fire

Winners of the 2009 Christy Awards:

Contemporary Romance: Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky
(Finding Stephanie by Susan May Warren; Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney)

Contemporary Series, Sequels, Novellas: You Had Me At Goodbye by Tracey Bateman
(Sisterchicks Go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn; Summer Snow by Nicole Baart)

Contemporary Standalone: Dogwood by Chris Fabry
(Embrace Me by Lisa Samson; Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas)

First Novel: Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake
(Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler; Safe at Home by Richard Doster)

Historical: Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin
(Shadow of Colossus by T. L. Higley; Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser)

Historical Romance: From A Distance by Tamara Alexander
(Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy; The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen)

Suspense: The Rook by Steven James
(Winter Haven by Athol Dickson; By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer)

Visionary*: Vanish by Tom Pawlik *Seems to include “Speculative, Fantasy, and/or SciFi”
(The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka; Shade by John B. Olson)

Young Adult: I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke
(The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina; On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson)

I read Zora and Nicky* in the Contemporary Romance Category and thought it was an important novel. I didn’t read the winner or the third finalist in that category.

I was very pleased to see Dogwood* by Chris Fabry win this award because it was a beautifully written novel. Embrace Me by Lisa Samson is currently in my To Be Read pile, and I’ve heard good things about Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas.

This year I have read none of the First Novel nominees. Most of you know I almost never read historicals, so no familiarity with the nominees in those categories.

I did read all of the finalists’ novels in the Suspense category and am very pleased with the selection of The Rook*. Winter Haven* was an entertaining and well-written story, but I preferred the length and depth of The Rook. By Reason of Insanity* was not my favorite of Randy Singer’s wonderful collection of novels.

Visionary as noted above mostly encompasses fantasy, and I don’t read that genre. Neither do I read Young Adult unless written by Robert Liparulo.

* Indicates novels have been reviewed here.

Congratulations to all the authors who were nominated by their publishers and made it through the strict critieria to become nominees for this award.

Father, I pray for each one who’s labored over the stories you’ve given them to tell. I ask, Lord, that you would could continue to supply them with words and the desire to honor you in their writing. May they be grateful for their accomplishments and giftings, feel your pleasure, and give all the praise to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.