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.