2007 Christy Award Winners

ATLANTA—The eighth annual CHRISTY AWARDS dinner, sponsored in part by Christianity Today International, was held Saturday evening, July 7, 2007 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, in advance of the International Christian Retail Show.








Lauren Winner, author and teacher at Duke Divinity School,
gave the keynote address, and Michelle McKinney Hammond, author and speaker, hosted the awards.

The CHRISTY AWARDS honor the best in Christian fiction in eight categories. The Christy Advisory Board is pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 CHRISTY AWARDS.

Winners awarded at the ceremony are:

CONTEMPORARY (STAND ALONE)



Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turner (Bethany House, a division of Baker)


After learning a dark secret about her husband and her marriage, Sophia moves into her nephew and his wife’s home. She watches their faith from a
distance, but eventually the powerful love they demonstrate draws her in.
Jamie Langston Turner is the author of six books, including the CHRISTY AWARD winner, A Garden to Keep. She teaches creative writing and literature at Bob Jones University, and she and her husband live in Greenville, South Carolina.


CONTEMPORARY (SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS)

The Brethren by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House , a division of Baker)
Amish preacher’s daughter, Annie Zook, is living with a shunned friend and torn by her desire for the art she’s been forbidden and the man her father ordered her not to see. As secrets come to light, she finds a new place of peace and fulfillment through faith.


Beverly Lewis grew up in Pennsylvania Amish country, a background she uses in her work. An award-winning author, she is also an accomplished musician. She and her husband live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.



HISTORICAL




Madman by Tracy Groot (Moody Press)



When Tallis, a philosopher’s servant, arrives at a Greek academy in Palestine
he discovers that it has disappeared. No one will tell him what happened, but he discovers that one of the former scholars is now a madman.



Tracy Groot and her husband are owners of a coffee shop and juice bar in
Holland, Michigan. She writes part time in addition to her full-time job of
raising their three sons.



LITS




Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn (Multnomah)
Sisters-in-law Jenna and Sue arrive in Venice to cook for a ministry retreat and find themselves ambushed by grace as they enter a new season of life.
When they show up to serve God, His goodness and mercy refresh them
through laughter, tears, and unforgettable adventures.

Robin Jones Gunn is a smiling storyteller with dozens of best-selling books and awards to her credit. She and her husband love to travel. They live near Portland, Oregon, and are the parents of a grown son and daughter.



ROMANCE



The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House, a division of Baker) Rachel Van Buren and her two younger siblings find themselves marooned in San Francisco when their father dies. With no other decent women in town, Rachel faces an uphill battle to protect her brother and sister and herself from the temptations that abound.



Deeanne Gist, a CHRISTY AWARD winner, is the author of three bestselling
novels. She and her husband have four children and live in Houston, Texas.




SUSPENSE



Plague Maker by Tim Downs (Thomas Nelson)






After discovering a terrorist plot to introduce plague-carrying fleas into New York through a fireworks display, FBI Special Agent Nathan Donovan faces a variety of challenges to prevent disaster, including working with his ex-wife.



Tim Downs’ cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred major
newspapers worldwide. In 2000, he won a Gold Medallion for Finding
Common Ground. He and his wife live in Cary, North Carolina, with their
three children.



FIRST NOVEL



Where Mercy Flows by Karen Harter (Center Street)



Samantha Dodd returns to her parents’ home with her young son only to
discover she has a life-threatening heart condition. Although she struggles with her strained relationship with her father while fighting for her life, a surprising twist brings peace in the end.




Karen Harter is a freelance writer who lives in northwest Washington State.
She and her husband, Jeff, have three grown sons.



YOUNG ADULT



William Henry Is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Press)


Thirteen-year-old Robert is torn between the views of his mother, who grew up with slavery as normal, and his abolitionist father. His best friend, William Henry, is black, adding to his confusion. Now he must decide for himself what he believes.



Cathy Gohlke’s writing has appeared in a variety of publications. Her work
background includes being a school librarian and a director of children’s and
education ministries. She lives with her husband in Elkton, Maryland.




The CHRISTY AWARDS are proud to honor both Catherine Marshall and her novel through the annual presentation of the CHRISTY AWARDS recognizing novels of excellence. The CHRISTY AWARDS were established in 1999 to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview; to bring a new awareness of the breadth and depth of fiction choices available, helping to broaden the readership; and, to provide
an opportunity to recognize novelists whose work may not have reached bestseller status.


Visit the CHRISTY AWARDS online at www.christyawards.com.