CONTACT:

Angela Breidenbach

406.531.9501

(Palm Bay, FL) Honoring excellence in Christian fiction of all genres, American Christian Fiction Writers notes these finalists for their Carol Awards (formerly the Book of the Year Awards).

Debut Author

Bonnie Grove – Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook Publishing, Nicci Hubert – Editor)             

Liz Johnson – The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (Steeple Hill, Elizabeth Mazer – Editor)

Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)

Jill Eileen Smith – Michal (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont – Editor)

Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)

Contemporary Novella – 6 Finalists due to a tie

Barbara Cameron – One Child (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)

Barbara Cameron – When Winter Comes (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)

Debra Clopton – A Mule Hollow Match (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)

Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)

Beth Wiseman – A Change of Heart (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)

Beth Wiseman – A Choice to Forgive (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann- Editor)

Historical Novella

Victoria Bylin – Home Again (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)

Vickie McDonough – A Breed Apart (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)

Vickie McDonough – Beloved Enemy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)

Janet Tronstad – Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)             

Carrie Turansky – A Shelter in the Storm (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)             

Long Contemporary – 6 Finalists due to a tie

Christina Berry – The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers, Paul Santhouse – Editor)             

Mary Ellis – A Widow’s Hope (Harvest House Publishers, Betty Fletcher – Editor)

Joyce Magnin – The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Abingdon Press, Barbara Scott – Editor)             

Susan Meissner – White Picket Fences (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)             

Marlo Schalesky- If Tomorrow Never Comes (Multnomah – Julee Schwarzburg – Editor)             

Susan May Warren – Nothing But Trouble (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)  

Long Contemporary Romance

Candace Calvert – Critical Care (Tyndale House, Jan Stob/Lorie Popp – Editors)             

Denise Hunter – Seaside Letters (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell/Jessica Alvarez – Editors)             

Jenny B. Jones – Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez – Editors)

Beth Wiseman – Plain Promise (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)             

Cindy Woodsmall – The Hope of Refuge (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)             

Mystery

A.K. Arenz – The Case of the Mystified M.D. (Sheaf House, Joan M. Shoup – Editor)             

Mindy Starns Clark – Under the Cajun Moon (Harvest House Publishers, Kim Moore – Editor)             

Darlene Franklin – A String of Murders (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)

S. Dionne Moore – Polly Dent Loses Grip (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)             

Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Pushing up Daisies (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)

Long Historical

Deeanne Gist – A Bride in the Bargain (Bethany House, David Long/Julie Klassen – Editors)

Robin Lee Hatcher – Fit To Be Tied (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Leslie Peterson – Editors)             

Maureen Lang – Look to the East (Tyndale House, Stephanie Broene – Editor)

Siri Mitchell – Love’s Pursuit (Bethany House, Dave & Sarah Long – Editors)             

Allison Pittman – Stealing Home (Multnomah, Alice Crider – Editor)             

Long Historical Romance – 8 Finalists due to a tie

Amanda Cabot – Paper Roses (Revell, Vicki Crumpton – Editor)             

Mary Connealy – Cowboy Christmas (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)             

Mary Connealy – Montana Rose (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)             

Laura Frantz – The Frontiersman’s Daughter (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)             

Ann Gabhart – The Believer (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont – Editor)             

Julie Lessman – A Passion Denied (Revell, Lonnie Hall DuPont – Editor)             

Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas (Summerside Press, Rachel Meisel – Editor)

Kathleen Y’Barbo – The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper (Waterbrook Press, Jessica Barnes – Editor)

Short Contemporary

Debra Clopton – His Cowgirl Bride (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)

Myra Johnson – Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)             

Vickie McDonough – A Wagonload of Trouble (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)

Mae Nunn – A Texas Ranger’s Family (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)             

Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye – Dreaming of Home              (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)

Short Contemporary Suspense – 6 Finalists due to a tie

Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)

Sandra Robbins – Final Warning (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)             

Virginia Smith – Murder at Eagle Summit (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)             

Virginia Smith – Scent of Murder (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever/Tina James – Editors)             

Jenness Walker – Double Take (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)             

Lenora Worth – Code of Honor (Steeple Hill, Patience Smith/Tina James – Editors)

Short Historical

Lyn Cote – Her Patchwork Family              (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)

Laurie Alice Eakes – The Glassblower (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)             

Laurie Kingery – The Outlaw’s Lady (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)

Lynette Sowell – All That Glitters (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)

Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell, Andrea Doering)             

Speculative (includes Science Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory) – 6 Finalists due to a tie

Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)

Donita K. Paul – The Vanishing Sculptor (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)

Steve Rzasa – The Word Reclaimed (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)             

Stuart Vaughn Stockton – Starfire (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)             

Fred Warren – The Muse (Splashdown Books, Grace Bridges – Editor)

Jill Williamson – By Darkness Hid (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)             

Suspense/Thriller

Terri Blackstock – Intervention (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Dave Lambert – Editors)

Colleen Coble – Lonestar Secrets (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell – Editor)

Brandilyn Collins – Exposure (Zondervan, Rachelle Gardner/Sue Brower – Editors)             

Harry Kraus – Salty Like Blood (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert – Editor)

DiAnn Mills – Breach of Trust (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)

Women’s Fiction – 7 Finalists due to a tie

Julie Carobini – Sweet Waters (B&H Publishing, Karen Ball – Editor)

Kathryn Cushman – Leaving Yesterday (Bethany House, Dave Long – Editor)             

Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck – Sweet By and By (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell – Editor)             

Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay – Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)

Deborah Raney – Yesterday’s Embers (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert – Editor)

Deborah Raney – Above All Things (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)

Lisa Wingate – The Summer Kitchen (New American Library/Penguin, Ellen Edwards – Editor)

Young Adult

Shelley Adina – Who Made You a Princess? (Hachette FaithWords, Anne Goldsmith Horsch – Editor)             

Brandilyn & Amberly Collins – Always Watching (Zondervan, Barbara Scott – Editor)

Jenny B. Jones – I’m So Sure (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez – Editors)             

Jenny B. Jones – So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic/Jamie Chavez – Editors)

Booker T. Mattison – Unsigned Hype (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)             

The Carol Awards evolved from ACFW’s Book of the Year Awards to honor the highest achievement for published authors of Christian fiction. “ACFW owes a great debt of gratitude to Christian fiction pioneers,” says ACFW president Cynthia Ruchti, “including editor and visionary Carol Johnson who played a key role in helping Christian fiction make a mark in the publishing world.” The 2010 Carol Award winners will be announced at ACFW’s annual conference in Indianapolis, September 17-20, 2010 during the Awards Banquet. Carol Johnson, the award’s namesake, and renowned author Janette Oke will serve as guest award presenters.