The Christy Awards 2011

I sooooo wanted to be in Atlanta for the Christy Awards (and ICRS!), but their live blog was the next best thing!

Nominees in the Young Adult category are:

The Charlatan’s Boy by Jonathan Rogers (WaterBrook Press)
The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)
Motorcycles, Sushi, and One Strange Book by Nancy Rue (Zondervan)

I was torn between Rogers and Rue. I loved both books! I was so surprised that The Healer's Apprentice was a finalist. I did not like that book at all (But congrats to Ms. Dickerson!). And the 2011 Christy Award in the Young Adult category is.......

Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book by Nancy Rue (Zondervan)!!!

Nominees in the First Novel category are:
Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes (Tyndale House Publishers)
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
A Season of Miracles by Rusty Whitener (Kregel Publications)

I was rooting for Heartless 100%! I haven't read Crossing Oceans or A Season of Miracles yet, but they look like great books. The 2011 Christy Award in the First Novel category goes to.......

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

(Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)!!!

Yay! Super excited for her! Veiled Rose (sequel to Heartless) will be out soon!

The nominees in the Contemporary Series, Sequels & Novellas category are:
The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue (David C Cook)
The Thorn by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

I'm not the biggest fan of Amish fiction (unless it's in the form of Operation Bonnet or Double Take), but I am HUGE fan of Nancy Rue. The Reluctant Prophet knocked off my socks - it was that good. The 2011 Christy Award in the Contemporary Series, Sequels & Novellas category is......

The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue (David C Cook)!!!

Here's what SusieMayWarren posted when Rue came up for her SECOND Christy Award:

Liz: The first time a person has one two different awards in two different categories for books released in one year, and she can wear a mini skirt at age 60! (about Nancy!)