For Immediate Release — November 6, 2026

The Christy Award® Announces 2026 Winners, Honoring Excellence in Christian Fiction

South of Somewhere by T.I. Lowe named 2026 Christy Book of the Year® and General Fiction winner

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller receives The Amplify Award for Christian Fiction

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nov. 6, 2026 — The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announced the winners of the 2026 Christy Award® tonight during an in-person Gala at the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel, honoring excellence in Christian fiction published March 2025 to March 2026. Winners were recognized in nine fiction categories, along with The Christy Book of the Year® and The Amplify Award for Christian Fiction.

The evening’s highest honor, The Christy Book of the Year®, was presented to South of Somewhere by T.I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers), which also received the award in the General Fiction category.

The Amplify Award for Christian Fiction was presented to The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller (Thomas Nelson Fiction). Established in 2022 through the collaborative efforts of publishers, authors, and literary agents of color, the Amplify Award honors literary excellence and authentic storytelling informed by an author’s lived experience or cultural perspective, reflecting the breadth and beauty of God’s kingdom.

2026 Christy Award® Winners

CHRISTY BOOK OF THE YEAR®
South of Somewhere
T.I. Lowe
Tyndale House Publishers

THE AMPLIFY AWARD FOR CHRISTIAN FICTION
The Filling Station
Vanessa Miller
Thomas Nelson Fiction

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Kate Landry Has a Plan
Rebekah Millet
Bethany House / Baker Publishing Group

FIRST NOVEL
The Lawyer and the Laundress
Christine Hill Suntz
Tyndale House Publishers

GENERAL FICTION
South of Somewhere
T.I. Lowe
Tyndale House Publishers

HISTORICAL
Splendor of the Land
Connilyn Cossette
Bethany House / Baker Publishing Group

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Belle of Chatham
Laura Frantz
Revell / Baker Publishing Group

MYSTERY / SUSPENSE / THRILLER
Final Approach
Lynette Eason
Revell / Baker Publishing Group

SHORT FORM
A Very Merry Matchup
Becca Kinzer
Tyndale House Publishers

SPECULATIVE
Of Dawn and Embers
Gillian Bronte Adams
Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media

YOUNG ADULT
Illuminary
Chawna Schroeder
Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media

An Evening Celebrating the Power of Faith in Story

The Gala brought together Christian fiction authors, publishers, agents, and readers for an evening of recognition, inspiration, and community. The event was hosted by Chris Fabry, award-winning author, radio host, and member of The Christy Award Hall of Fame.

The evening featured a keynote address by Michelle Shocklee, recipient of the 2025 Christy Book of the Year for All We Thought We Knew (Tyndale House Publishers). Continuing Christy tradition, the category awards were presented by recent Christy Award-winning authors, including Amanda Cox, Nicole Deese, Amanda Dykes, J.J. Fischer, Jamie Ogle, Amanda Wright, Tamera Alexander, Johanna Vann and Jaime Jo Wright.

The program also included a special tribute to acclaimed American author Wendell Berry, recognizing his enduring literary contributions and his exploration of faith, community, place, and the human experience through story.

“Each year, The Christy Award reminds us of the extraordinary creativity and depth of Christian fiction,” said ECPA President Jeff Crosby. “These winning books represent the dedication of authors and publishers who understand the power of story to illuminate truth, deepen understanding, and inspire hope. It is especially meaningful to gather in person this year to honor their achievements and celebrate the community that makes this work possible.”

A Full Day for the Christian Fiction Community

The Gala concluded a full day of events designed to connect and equip Christian fiction authors, readers, and publishing professionals.

The morning began with Beyond the Book: Get to Know the Finalist Authors, an intimate gathering where readers connected with the 2026 finalists and heard the stories and inspiration behind their books.

The afternoon Art of Writing Seminar, curated by Laura Wheeler of Thomas Nelson Fiction, featured a diverse lineup of award-winning authors, editors, publishers, marketing leaders, and technology experts. Four sessions explored industry trends and sales, artificial intelligence and the Christian author, storytelling that reaches readers, and the author-editor relationship.

The November 6 gathering marked the program’s in-person celebration for 2026, with the next in-person Christy Award events planned for 2028 and virtual events planned for 2027.

The Christy Award is widely supported and promoted through a broad network of retailers and industry partners, including: Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, The Parable Group, Baker Book House, Logos, Mardel, More to Life, JustRead Rendezvous, JustRead Tours, Family Fiction, Crazy4Fiction, Christian Editors Association, Chris Fabry Live, Reading Is My Superpower, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Write to Publish, Life Is Story, Publishing in Color, Christian Retailers Association, NetGalley, and Christianity Today.

For more information and a complete list of winners, visit TheChristyAward.com.

Pictured from left: Jeff Crosby (ECPA), Steve Laube (Agent) for Chawna Schroeder, Gillian Bronte Adams, Christine Hill Suntz, Rebekah Millet, Becca Kinzer, T.I. Lowe, Lynette Eason, Connilyn Cossette, Kelsey Bowen (Baker) for Laura Frantz, Chris Fabry, Cindy Carter (ECPA). Not pictured: Vanessa Miller. Photo Credit: Spirit & Hand

ABOUT THE CHRISTY AWARD® AND ECPA

The Christy Award® has honored and promoted excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. Named after Christy by Catherine Marshall—which has sold over 10 million copies since its 1967 release—this prestigious program became part of ECPA in 2017 to further elevate the role of fiction in Christian publishing. TheChristyAward.com

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization made up of member companies involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities for members to more effectively deliver transformational content. ECPA.org

Media Contacts:
Jeff Crosby, ECPA President — jcrosby@ecpa.org, 630-989-0222
Cindy Carter, Awards & Recognition Manager — ccarter@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 x806

Submit a News Item

Submit industry related news releases to rushtopress @ecpa .org for consideration. Rush to Press is sent every Monday and eligible releases must be received by end of day Friday prior to the Monday’s publication.

Career Posts

To announce a job opening in Rush to Press, post it first at the ECPA Career Center and your announcement will appear in the next issue.

To receive Rush to Press, along with other industry updates from ECPA, please follow the instructions here to create or modify your ECPA community profile. To subscribe to Rush to Press without using a profile, subscribe here.

Unsubscribe

If you would like to be removed from the Rush to Press distribution list, please edit your ECPA profile preferences or email info @ecpa .org.

Advertise

If you would like to reach over 3,300 industry subscribers and media contacts each week, consider advertising in Rush to Press. Contact sponsorship @ecpa .org for more information.