CAROL AWARD WINNERS

Winners of the 2012 Carol Awards for the best in Christian fiction were announced Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, in Dallas, TX, at the American Christian Fiction Writers’ conference gala. The Carol Award—formerly named ACFW’s Book of the Year Award—honors the highest achievement for published authors of Christian fiction.

Listed by category, the 2012 Carol Award winners are:

Debut Novel:
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson)

Long Contemporary:
The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell)

Long Contemporary Romance:
My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale)

Long Historical:
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson)

Long Historical Romance:
To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers)

Mystery:
Falling to Pieces: A Shipshewana Amish Mystery by Vannetta Chapman (Zondervan)

Novellas:
An Accidental Christmas from A Biltmore Christmas by Diane T. Ashley/Aaron McCarver (Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:
Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson)

Short Contemporary:
Lakeside Reunion by Lisa Jordan (Love Inspired)

Short Contemporary Suspense:
Nightwatch by Valerie Hansen (Love Inspired Suspense)

Short Historical:
The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh (Revell)

Speculative Fiction:
Broken Sight by Steve Rzasa (Marcher Lord Press)

Suspense/Thriller:
Fallen Angel by Major Jeff Struecker/Alton Gansky (B & H Fiction)

Women’s Fiction:
Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate (Penguin Praise/Berkley)

Young Adult:
The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)

Other awards presented during the gala include:

Editor of the Year – Julee Schwarzburg
Agent of the Year – Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency)
Mentor of the Year – Allison Pittman
Member Service Award – Jeanne Marie Leach
Lifetime Achievement Award – Allen Arnold

Attended by more than 700 conferees, industry guests, agents, editors, publicists, and other publishing professionals, ACFW’s 2012 Awards Gala capped the largest and most comprehensive conference focused exclusively on Christian fiction and its authors.

ACFW is devoted to training its writers, educating them in the market, and serving as an advocate in the traditional Christian fiction publishing industry. With more than 2600 members and 29 total chapters in 18 states, as well as a beyond-the-borders e-chapter, ACFW speaks as The Voice of Christian Fiction. For more information about ACFW and upcoming conferences, visit www.acfw.com or contact Allison Wilson, conference administrator, at ca@acfw.com.

EAST TX WRITERS CONFERENCE

The East Texas Christian Writers Conference seeks to encourage Christian writers by providing models of successful Christian writing, opportunities to develop the Christian writer's craft, and stimulation to join the growing ranks of Christian writers. The Conference will be held Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, 2012 on the campus of East Texas Baptist University. On Friday the event lasts from 2:00 pm to 9:30 pm, and on Saturday from 8:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The 2012 Christian Writer's Conference is sponsored by the ETBU School of Humanities. The Conference offers the following opportunities: - Contact, conversation, and exchange of ideas with other aspiring writers. - Resources, books, magazines,and bulletins for consideration. - Outstanding presentations and workshop experiences with established authors. - Potential publishing and writing opportunities. - Networking with other writers with related interests. - Promotion of both craft and faith. - Consulting with agents, editors and publishers To learn more about the conference or to register online, please click the appropriate button below! We look forward to seeing you this year!

NEW DIRECTOR AT KREGEL

Kregel Publications has announced Dr. Fred Mabie as its new Director of Kregel Academic and Ministry books. His experience includes teaching positions in Old Testament and Bible Exposition at Talbot Seminary and Multnomah Biblical Seminary as well as time as adjunct faculty at Golden Gate Theological Seminary and The Master's Seminary in Old Testament and Hebrew. 

CLOSE-OUT SPECIAL

I've been doing a little fall housecleaning and garage cleaning and realized I have a few copies of the 2011 Christian Writers' Market Guide still hanging around here. Would love to see them get into the hands of those who could use them--rather than hitting the recycle pile. A good deal of the information is still pertinent. So--I will sell them for $5, including the postage, to anyone who wants one for himself or to encourage a new writer. I'm not set up to handle this on the Website, so you will need to call or e-mail me with your order and credit card info. 503-642-9844 or stuartcwmg@aol.com

4 OUTSTANDING CHRISTIAN COLLEGES FOR WRITERS

Whether you're a young writer exploring your college options or a writer with a significant amount of life experience who wishes to go back to school and learn additional writing strategies, you may be trying to decide which Christian college to attend. It's a tough choice because there are actually quite a few Christian liberal arts colleges and universities that boast prestigious writing programs. To help you sort through all the possible choices, here are four of the top Christian schools you may want to consider:

1. Judson University

This Evangelical Christian liberal arts university in Elgin, Illinois is the perfect fit for the aspiring writer who wants to be challenged by his or her academic community. Judson University offers a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in writing. Writers enrolled at the university are exposed to relevant Christian and secular literature and are offered numerous creative, professional, and academic writing courses to explore.

2. Belhaven University

This Christian liberal arts institution in Jackson, Mississippi is an ideal choice if you're chiefly interested in pursuing creative writing in school. In fact, it's the only college in the U.S. that offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in creative writing. (Other schools offer Bachelor of Arts degrees in creative writing without the fine arts distinction). Belhaven professors use the bible and biblical theory to help writers learn how to write in a manner that is inspired by God and fueled by the creative gifts he bestows upon us. If you want to learn how to become a more inspired Christian writer, definitely consider this program.

3. Biola University

Located in beautiful Mirada, California, Biola University is a liberal arts oasis for Christian writers who wish to sharpen their skills. Biola offers a major in writing that allows students to take rhetoric, professional writing, academic writing, and creative writing classes. Biola is an excellent choice for conservative Christians who wish to be guided as writers by both the Bible and traditional evangelical teachings.

4. Perelandra College

If moving to a new place to attend college is out of the question, you may want to consider Perelandra College, an accredited online college for Christian writers. This online school offers Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Creative Writing and is run by Christian writers with a plethora of professional experience in the creative writing world and impressive academic credentials from top creative writing schools like the University of Iowa.

Choosing the right program based on your particular needs as a writer is essential. So, consider the outstanding schools above and trust that God will lead you on the right academic path to becoming a better Christian writer!

Caroline Ross is a guest blogger, freelance writer, and novelist who helps high school students and adults find the right college programs for their needs. When she's not writing for accreditedonlineuniversities.com, Caroline leads a Christian book club, spends time with her family, and researches trends in online education. Please feel free to leave comments and questions for Caroline below!

CHRISTIAN BOOK AWARDS

ECPA is accepting entries for the 2013 Christian Book Award program until September 30 for books published by ECPA members from October 2011 to October 2012. Since 1978 the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association has recognized quality and encouraged excellence by presenting the ECPA Christian Book Awards (formerly known as Gold Medallion) each year.  After a rigorous judging process, five finalists are selected in each of seven categories:  Bibles, Fiction, Children,Inspiration, Bible Reference, Non-Fiction and New Author. The Christian Book Awards recognize the highest quality in Christian books and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards program in Christian publishing.  Retail and media promotion of the Christian Book Award finalists and winners continue to be a pivotal piece of the Christian Book Award program.  ECPA works diligently throughout the year to resource retailers and media with the information they need to raise awareness among consumers about quality Christian content produced by ECPA members

BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award honors books produced by small publishers each year for outstanding contribution to Christian life. This year, nominations are being accepted in 12 categories.

Any small publisher can nominate books for the award. Nominations are accepted in the following categories: General Fiction, Romance, Bible Study/Theology, Biography, Christian Living, Devotional, Relationships/Family, Children�s Book 4-8 years, Children�s Book 8-12 years, Young Adult (12+ years), Gift Books, and eBook Exclusive.

Books must be published in 2011 or 2012 by a publisher with annual revenues of $400,000 or less. Nominated books must be Christian in nature and intended for the Christian marketplace. All nominated books must be printed in English and for sale in the United States. Nominations must be received by November 15, 2012.

Christian retailers and book readers will be invited to vote on the nominated titles in February and March 2013. The winners of the award will be the books that receive the most votes. Christian retailers are encouraged to highlight the books they vote for in their stores during Small Press Month of March.

Complete guidelines, eligibility, and the nomination form can be found on the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award�s website at http://www.christianbookaward.com.

Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award was established in 2007 by Christian Small Publishers Association (CSPA) to bring recognition to quality Christian books by small publishers. Publishers do not need to be a member of CSPA to nominate a title for the award.

About Christian Small Publishers Association

Christian Small Publishers Association exists to represent, promote, and strength publishers in the Christian marketplace. The association represents over 125 member publishers producing materials for the Christian marketplace and is a supplier member of CBA. Christian Small Publishers Association can be found online atwww.christianpublishers.net.

LAUNCH OF "THE BREAKTHROUGH"

The good news is that the
free on-line launch of my new novel The Breakthrough proved wildly popular.

The bad news is that the number of attendees overwhelmed the Shindig system and knocked us out
of cyberspace.

The great solution, with Shindig's and my deepest apologies and a commitment to make it work this time: the free event has been rescheduled to this Tuesday, September 18, at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

Shindig assures me they have fixed the problem and can handle the capacity, so once again we'll be hosting a free virtual online launch of my new novel The Breakthrough. I will read from the book, talk about what went into it (and why Tyndale is so excited about it), and will host an interactive Q&A. 

Register by clicking this link, and you'll be reminded when to log in to the event.

Thanks for your support, and I look forward to seeing you online!

HARPER COLLINS NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM

HarperCollins Christian Publishing, comprised of both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, today announced the division’s new Leadership Team. The new team will work together to preserve the two publishing group’s unique editorial focus, while pursuing mutually beneficial collaborative opportunities, for the new division.

The new Leadership Team will report to Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing Division. The team is as follows:

Stuart Bitting, SVP & Chief Financial Officer; Annette Bourland, SVP Zondervan Book Publishing; David Moberg, SVP Thomas Nelson Book Publishing; Chip Brown, SVP Bible Publishing; Paul Engle, SVP Church, Academic and Reference Resources; Stan Gundry, Zondervan Editor-in-Chief; Eric Shanfelt, SVP eMedia; Tod Shuttleworth, SVP Spanish and International Publishing; Carol Nygren Managing Director Live Events Management; Tom Knight, SVP Sales; Rachel Barach, General Manager Bible Gateway; Al Kerkstra, SVP Support Operations and Human Resources; Casey Harrell Director of Corporate Communications

“As we move forward in the process of building the HarperCollins Christian Publishing Division, I am pleased with the progress we have made over the last few weeks,” said Schoenwald. “I am confident in this team’s ability to lead the company through decisions that will be crucial for driving growth and fulfilling the publishing groups’ missions. We will continue to work through every aspect of the business to build an organization focused on innovation and execution, committed to honoring God and serving our partners.”

HarperCollins Christian Publishing will continue to release information, as it becomes available.

NEW FORMAT FOR CLASSeminar

A brand new format for the basic CLASSeminar was introduced in Albuquerque in July. This new format focuses heavily on coaching. Attendees now bring presentations with them. These can be existing presentations that they want critiqued and refined or new presentations they want to test and have evaluated.

Participants spend the morning in general session learning the basic fundamentals of public speaking. Our new focus is teaching as Jesus taught. What better example than Jesus to help us put power in our presentations.

Following lunch students go directly to small coaching groups where they will spend the entire afternoon working on the presentations they brought to be critiqued. Valuable input from the CLASS coaches and peers takes students to the next level with their presentations. Individuals apply the feedback and repeat their presentations so they can immediately see the improvement.

Alumni who attended the seminar in Albuquerque responded excitedly to all the changes.

"I love the coaching groups!"  "I got so much more out of it this time."

Another change includes the writing and marketing portions of the seminar. Wednesday will be devoted to these two topics, three hours of writing instruction and three hours of marketing instruction. This added investment will make stronger, more confident Christian communicators.

If you've been waiting to attend a CLASSeminar or need a refresher course, now may be the time. Watch for the 2013 seminar schedule coming September 18th along with special pricing for the 2013 events.

NEW AGENT

Steven Hutson

Literary Agent, Editor, Non-Conformist

 

Website  www.wordwisemedia.com

Blog  www.steve-soapbox.blogspot.com
Books  www.hutsonbooks.com
Writers' conference www.avwriters.com

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Lancaster, CA 93536

 

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