Legendary authors Janette Oke and Davis Bunn will keynote Winners Gala on November 16
The Art of Writing webinar series presented Thursday evenings, October 19 to November 9
July 17, 2023, Tempe, AZ – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced the program for THE CHRISTY AWARD online fall events that include webcasts announcing the finalists and winners of the industry’s top award for Christian fiction – and a four-part ART OF WRITING series for writers, publishers, creatives, and fans.
To be more accessible, the events will return to a virtual format this year in order to extend the opportunity for more authors and fans to participate. The event will return to an in-person affair next year and will be held in Chicago following ECPA PubU.
The Christy Award finalists will be revealed in a free webcast on Thursday morning, October 12th at 11am CT with host, radio announcer, and award-winning author Chris Fabry.
Hosted by Christy Hall of Fame author Chris Fabry, The Christy Award Winners Gala will be held Thursday, November 16th at 7pm CT via free webcast to recognize the finalists and announce the winners of The Christy Award in nine categories, Book of the Year, and Amplify Award.
The event will feature two literary greats, Christian fiction legacy authors JANETTE OKE and DAVIS BUNN.
Award presenters will include Christy winning authors Amanda Cox, Toni Shiloh, Nicole Deese, Patricia Raybon, Jocelyn Green, Sarah Sundin, Terri Blackstock, Karen Witemeyer, Sharon Hinck, and Kara Swanson.
Leading up to the Gala, a series of weekly Thursday evening webinars on October 19, 26 and November 2 and 9, will be presented as the ART OF WRITING conference. The four-part series will bring together writers, creatives, and publishing curators for training and connection around these topics:
- Dispelling the Myths Around Christian Fiction
- Going Deep with Award-Winning Authors
- How Great Books Can Improve Your Novel and Your Life
- Publishing Doesn’t Have to Terrify You!
“It’s always a joy to host an event that both honors excellence in Christian fiction and offers the creative community practical instruction, encouragement, and light on the path of the writing life,” Jeff Crosby, ECPA president, said. “The Christy Gala and Art of Writing sessions will do that and more.”
For more information and to sign up to receive updates about these programs, visit TheChristyAward.com. Registration for all events will open next month.
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Janette Oke is the bestselling author celebrated for her significant contribution to the Christian book industry. Her novels have sold more than 30 million copies, and she is the recipient of the ECPA President’s Award, the CBA Life Impact Award, the Gold Medallion Award, and The Christy Award. Janette and her husband, Edward, live in Alberta, Canada.
Davis Bunn is the award-winning author of numerous national bestsellers, with sales totaling more than 8 million copies. His work has been published in 20 languages, and his critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction. He and his wife, Isabella, live in England. www.davisbunn.com
Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality. He has written more than 80 books for adults and children and is a member of the Christy Award Hall of Fame. He is host of the daily radio program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. His latest novel is Saving Grayson, to be released November 7. Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.
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The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. ECPA.org
The Christy Award® is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999, and is named for Catherine Marshall’s novel, Christy, which has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 1967. ECPA assumed ownership and administration of the award in 2017 to focus and grow the unique opportunity of fiction in Christian publishing. TheChristyAward.com FB ChristyAward TW @ChristyAward IG @thechristyaward
Media contacts:
Jeff Crosby, ECPA President and CEO, jcrosby@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 101
Cindy Carter, ECPA Awards & Recognition Manager, ccarter@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 103
