2014 Christy Awards Presented

Last night in Atlanta, the fifteenth annual Christy Awards ceremony honored and promoted books that reflect excellence in Christian fiction. I keep up with these because I've been a Christy judge and have a particular affection for Christian fiction.

In a fun "my worlds are colliding" event, the keynote address was given by my Publisher's Weekly editor Marcia Z. Nelson, who assigns me (and others) Christian fiction for review. Author Davis Bunn emceed the event and was himself inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame in honor of his having won four Christys over the years.

And the 2014 Christy Award winners are:

•Book of the Year: Burning Sky by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

•Contemporary: Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish (Thomas Nelson, a division of Harper Collins Christian Publishing)


•Contemporary Romance/Suspense: Dangerous Passage by Lisa Harris (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)


•Contemporary Series: Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)


•First Novel: Burning Sky by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)


•Historical: Burning Sky by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)


•Historical Romance: Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar (River North, an imprint of Moody Publishing)


•Suspense: Outlaw by Ted Dekker (Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group)


•Visionary: Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)


•Christy Award Hall of Fame Inductee: Davis Bunn (4 Christys)