Grace Awards finalists here. Two of my books are among them!

I had four books published in 2010 and of the four, two finaled in this contest. The cool thing is it's reader drive so you don't even know who is voting for you or what they are saying. You can't vote for yourself or nominate yourself. So I had no idea until today that I'd finaled. Anyway, here is the info...


Grace Awards

The Grace Awards 2010 first round of readers choice voting for excellence in faith-based fiction has come to an end. Reader votes have been counted and we have our finalists. Readers who voted were required to give a reason why they voted for a particular novel. We've chosen from what readers had to say and you will see a sampling below.

Some of our judges are finalists. However no author, including judges, was allowed to cast a vote for his/her own novel. The Grace Awards made every effort to generate reader voting by reaching out to readers on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.



Women's Fiction: (serious women's issues, can have humor and suspense elements)

Never Without Hope ~ Michelle Sutton, Sword of the Spirit**

Rachel's Contrition ~ Michelle Buckman, Sophia Institute Press**

Sensible Shoes ~ Sharon Garlough Brown, Westbow**



Romance/Historical Romance: (the primary element is love, courtship, marriage, be it then or now)

Meander Scar ~ Lisa J. Lickel, Black Lyon Publishers**

No Other ~ Shawna K. Williams, Desert Breeze Publishing**

Road to Deer Run ~ Elaine Marie Cooper, iUniverse**



Suspense/Thriller/Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Detective Novel: (crime fiction, there's probably a body)

Back On Murder ~ J. Mark Bertrand, Bethany House**

In Plain Sight ~ Michelle Sutton, Desert Breeze Publishing**

K-I-L-L FM 100 ~ Teric Darken, Westbow**



Speculative Fiction: (science fiction, fantasy, horror, etc.)

Future Savior Book One: Conception ~ Jennifer Hartz, Desert Breeze Publishing**

Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider ~ Ellen C. Maze, Treasureline Publishing**

Seasons of the Mist ~ Deborah Kinnard, Sheaf House Publishers**



Action Adventure/Western/Historical Epic Fiction: (exploits/quest, a fee of wide open spaces, expansive)

Alpah Redemption ~ P.A. Baines, Splashdown Books**

The Manor of the Ghost ~ Tina Pinson, Desert Breeze Publishing

Wounded Spirits ~ April Gardner, Vinspire Publishing**



Young Adult Fiction: (appeals to ages 14 - 21ish)

Kestrel's Midnight Song ~ J. R. Parker, Flaming Pen Press**

Knight of Glory ~ Nicole Zoltack, Desert Breeze Publishing**

Secrets Under the Midnight Sun ~ Elisa Maria Crites, Westbow**

I feel well-read. Here is my list of the Carol Finalists' books that I reviewed last year.

They were all good books and some of these even made my favorites list last year. I will denote those books with an *

Bonnie Grove - Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook Publishing)*

Jill Eileen Smith - Michal (Revell)

Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House)

Christina Berry - The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers)*

Denise Hunter - Seaside Letters (Thomas Nelson)

Jenny B. Jones - Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson)*

Deeanne Gist - A Bride in the Bargain (Bethany House)

Robin Lee Hatcher - Fit To Be Tied (Zondervan)

Siri Mitchell - Love's Pursuit (Bethany House)

Laura Frantz - The Frontiersman's Daughter (Revell)

Julie Lessman - A Passion Denied (Revell)*

Dan Walsh - The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Jill Williamson - By Darkness Hid (Marcher Lord Press)

Harry Kraus - Salty Like Blood (Howard/Simon & Schuster)

Kathryn Cushman – Leaving Yesterday (Bethany House)

Shelley Adina - Who Made You a Princess? (Hachette FaithWords)

Brandilyn & Amberly Collins - Always Watching (Zondervan)

Jenny B. Jones - I'm So Sure (Thomas Nelson)

Jenny B. Jones - So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson)*

Booker T. Mattison - Unsigned Hype (Revell)

Here are the ACFW BOOK OF THE YEAR finalists!

ACFW's 2008 Book of the Year Finalists

Debut Author
Bayou Justice (Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll)
In Between (Jenny B Jones)
Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
My Soul Cries Out (Sherri Lewis)
Petticoat Ranch (Mary Connealy)

Contemporary Novella (*six finalists due to a tie)
A Cloud Mountain Christmas (Robin Lee Hatcher)
Finally Home (Deb Raney in Missouri Memories anthology)
Mississippi Mud (DiAnn Mills in Sugar And Grits Anthology)
Moonlight & Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky in Big Apple Christmas anthology)
Remaking of Moe McKenna (Gloria Clover in the Race to the Altar anthology)
Sweet Dreams Drive (Robin Lee Hatcher)

Historical Novella
Beyond the Memories (DiAnn Mills in Mississippi Memories anthology)
Finishing Touches (Kelly Hake in Missouri Memories anthology)
Love Notes (Mary Davis in Love Letters anthology)
The Spinster & The Cowboy (Lena Nelson Dooley in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)
The Spinster & The Tycoon (Vickie McDonough in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)

Lits (*six finalists due to a tie)
Around the World in 80 Dates (Christa Banister)
One Little Secret (Bottke, Allison)
Renovating Becky Miller (Sharon Hinck)
Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh)
Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
The Book of Jane (Dayton/Vanderbilt)

Long contemporary
Autumn Blue (Karen Harter)
Like Always (Robert Elmer)
Taming Rafe (Susan May Warren)
When the Nile Runs Red (DiAnn Mills)
Within This Circle (Deb Raney)

Long Historical (*seven finalists due to TWO ties)
Courting Trouble (Deeanne Gist)
Fancy Pants (Cathy Hake)
Lady of Milkweed Manor (Julie Klassen)
Remember Me (Maureen Lang)
Then Came Hope (Louise Gouge)
Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky)
Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer)

Mystery
Days And Hours (Susan Meissner)
Death of a Garage Sale Newbie (Sharon Dunn)
Gone With The Groom (Janice Thompson)
Sticks And Stones (Susan Meissner)
Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney)

Short Contemporary
Heart of the Family (Margaret Daley)
The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight)
The Perfect Blend (Allie Pleiter)
Wedded Bliss (Kathleen Y’Barbo)
When Love Comes Home (Arlene James)

Short Contemporary Suspense (*six finalists due to a tie)
Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper)
Her Christmas Protector (Terri Reed)
Nowhere to Hide (Debby Giusti)
Pursuit of Justice (Pamela Tracy)
See No Evil (Gayle Roper)
Vanished (Margaret Daley)

Short Historical (*six due to a tie)
A Time to Keep (Kelly Hake)
A Wealth Beyond Riches (Vickie McDonough)
Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman)
Corduroy Road to Love (Lynn Coleman)
Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
To Trust An Outlaw (Rhonda Gibson

Speculative
Demon: A Memoir (Tosca Lee)
DragonFire (Donita Paul)
The Restorer (Sharon Hinck)
The Restorer’s Son (Sharon Hinck)
Isle of Swords (Wayne Thomas Batson)

Suspense
Abomination (Colleen Coble)
Black Ice (Linda Hall)
Coral Moon (Brandilyn Collins)
Crimson Eve (Brandilyn Collins)
Ransomed Dreams (Amy Wallace)

Women’s Fiction
A Promise To Remember (Katie Cushman)
Bygones (Kim Sawyer)
Remember to Forget (Deb Raney)
The Oak Leaves (Maureen Lang)
Watercolored Pearls (Stacy Adams)

Young Adult
In Between (Jenny B. Jones)
On The Loose (Jenny B. Jones)
Sara Jane: Liberty’s Torch (Eleanor Clark
Sarah’s Long Ride (Susan P Davis)
Saving Sailor (Renee Riva)

**** The winners will be announced at the ACFW Banquet September 2008 in Minneapolis.