Christian Fiction Winners

Recently a customer asked why we had run the list of Christy Award winners in our store newsletter in previous years, but had not done so last November. I didn’t realize that our customers were tracking these things so closely. So I included it on Monday, and having typed it all up, thought we’d run it here as well.

Although several of the winners were from the broad Baker Book Group imprints, they weren’t titles we’ve carried. (She ordered one of each, so the award carries some weight in her mind.) What it reinforces to me is that critic awards are not the same as sales rankings. Not at all. And some great books get missed because as buyers, we tend to focus on the “A list” titles.

How many of these do you carry? If you’re going to expand your fiction section, better to start with titles which have at least won critical acclaim.

Book of the Year – The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery – Amanda Cox – Revell

Amplify Award – In Search of a Prince – Toni Shiloh – Bethany House

Contemporary Romance – All That Really Matters – Nicole Deese – Bethany House

First Novel – All That Is Secret – Patricia Raybon – Tyndale

General Fiction – the winner in this category also won book of the year (above)

Historical – Drawn By the Current – Jocelyn Green – Bethany House

Historical Romance – Until Leaves Fall In Paris – Sarah Sundin – Revell 

Mystery/Suspense – Aftermath – Terri Blackstock – Thomas Nelson 

Short form – Under the Texas Mistletoe – Karen Witemeyer – Bethany House 

Speculative (science fiction) – Windward Shore – Shannon Hinck – Enclave Publishing

Young Adult – Shadow – Kara Swanson – Enclave Publishing

The awards are presented through the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA) and the full list, including nominees, and including cover images, can be seen at this link.

Ted Dekker Returns to Christian-Owned Publishing Imprint

After several years with Center Street and Faithwords, both divisions of mega publishing company Hachette Book Group, the third largest trade and educational publisher in the world, Christian suspense author Ted Dekker is back with a Christian owned company, Revell Books.

The genre is often referred to as speculative fiction, because the plot lines can include supernatural contrivances; elements which are not part of the natural world. In a recent article on Christian fiction, Revell told Publisher’s Weekly that The 49th Mystic “portrays characters who live in two worlds and must recover five ancient seals to save themselves from destruction;” adding that, “The author of more than 40 books and winner of many awards, Dekker has sold more than 10 million copies of his books worldwide.”

Indeed a look at the Revell catalog shows that they have continued to up their game in suspense publishing with a strong presence in the category including work by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, Lisa Harris, Irene Hannon and more; as well as science fiction titles by Frank Peretti, Bill Myers, Alton Gansky, Angela Hunt, Thomas Locke and more.

A press release discussed the new title:

“We love to publish a gripping suspense novel, and Ted Dekker sets the highest standard in that category,” said Dwight Baker, president of Baker Publishing Group. “Our Revell team has prepared for many years to address this exciting new challenge to represent Ted Dekker and serve his many readers.”

Andrea Doering, executive editor for Revell, stated, “Publishing Ted Dekker’s work has been a goal for our team at Revell, and we’re thrilled to partner with him; Ted’s talent for creating an intense, richly layered story that stays with readers is just incredible.”

Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Lewis, added, “We are very pleased to have reached an agreement to publish Ted Dekker’s novels. His many previous novels have thrilled, entertained and scared readers, who love his writing as do we. We look forward to continuing with his current fans and to finding new readers for his books.

The 49th Mystic releases in May.

Revell Signs Ted Dekker

We don’t normally report signings here, as many of you subscribe to various trade newsletters anyway. But this one from Publisher’s Weekly (PW) got our attention.

Ted Dekker, the author of over 40 novels including Thr3e, Obsessed, and the Circle Series, signed a multi-book deal with Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. The acquisition signals a growing interest in the suspense category, according to Andrea Doering, executive editor at Revell.

“We publish all genres, but we made a collective decision two years ago to ramp up all suspense acquisitions, including romantic suspense,” she told PW…

…Dekker, who has sold over 10 million copies of his mystery, thriller, and fantasy novels worldwide according to Revell, has been published by Worthy, Thomas Nelson, Center Street, and others over the past two decades. The world rights deal with Revell is for two books with the option of two more by Dekker…

Read the full article at Publisher’s Weekly.

HT: Tim Underwood

 

Heartsong Presents to Close

After being sold by Barbour to Harlequin, itself now owned by HarperCollins, the budget-priced fiction imprint Heartsong Presents is winding down.  The company produced 52 pocket-sized novels annually, and facilitated production through a company owned in part by author Tracie Peterson.

Author agent Steve Laube posted the news earlier today (11/13). Some readers commented that they were not surprised at the news, given the similarity between the imprint and Harlequin’s Love Inspired line.

The imprint was a launching pad for new authors, a favorite of price-conscious customers, and echoes back to the days when Barbour was exclusively a publisher of promotional price product.

Last week HarperCollins announced the closure of its Canadian warehouse, but indicated that Harlequin would continue to serve trade accounts from a Buffalo, New York warehouse, established when the company was a unit of TorStar Corporation, publisher of The Toronto Star.  That move indicates that the Love Inspired line will not be integrated into HarperCollins Christian Publications (HCCP) or available to trade bookstores to ship with other Harper product.

Canadian Christian Author Releases Tenth Title

With the release of Riptide: Idyllic Island, Deadly Peril Grafton, Ontario’s Eric Wright reaches the ten book milestone, with a title list consisting of several fiction and non-fiction genres and works issued through publishers in Canada, the US, and England.  Riptide is the retired pastor and missionary’s third suspense novel.  Here’s the book’s info from his website, CountryWindow.ca :

Ashlyn Forsyth believes she and her husband Craig have come to idyllic St. Simons Island to restore romance to their flagging marriage. Then, without warning, Craig hands Ashlyn, divorce papers. In shock, Ashlyn watches him drive off with a female colleague from his office. She soon discovers he is being pursued by the Russian mafia and investigated by the FBI for money-laundering.

Abandoned on St. Simons Island, Ashlyn faces not only emotional turmoil but financial ruin, the shipwreck of her career, harassment by the FBI, and pursuit by the Russian mafia. Even as her ordered life plunges into chaos, she finds herself increasingly attracted to Remy Jeandeau, a shrimp boat captain.

Will she find the spiritual resources needed to overcome adversity? Will attraction blossom into romance?

The 328-page paperback is available at $15.99 US to trade bookstores from Harbourlight Books through Ingram using ISBN 9781611163018 and also available through consumer websites in Canada and the US in print and eBook.

 

The Last Christian: David Gregory

No, David Gregory isn’t the last Christian, but he is the author of two very effective gift books which answer the questions many have about Christianity:  Dinner With A Perfect Stranger and A Day With A Perfect Stranger, both of which have been made into movies.

This time around, he authors a futuristic novel:

A.D. 2088.

Missionary daughter Abigail Caldwell emerges from the jungle for the first time in her thirty-four years, the sole survivor of a mysterious disease that killed her village. Abby goes to America, only to discover a nation where Christianity has completely died out. A curious message from her grandfather assigns her a surprising mission: re-introduce the Christian faith in America, no matter how insurmountable the odds.

Here’s a preview of The Last Christian: