rush-to-press
The Week's News in Christian Publishing
  • Industry News
  • Milestones
  • Media Announcements
  • Product News
  • Other News

For Immediate Release — October 8, 2020

ecpa logo
https://www.christyawards.com/finalists-winners.html

ECPA NAMES THE 2020 FINALISTS FOR THE CHRISTY AWARD®

28 Christian fiction titles announced as top contenders for the year’s best novels in 9 categories in online webcast

Winners to be revealed at The Christy Award Gala webcast on November 12th featuring bestselling authors LISA WINGATE, CHRIS FABRY, TAMERA ALEXANDER, STEVEN JAMES

The Art of Writing webinar series kicks off tonight with online conversation between two New York Times bestselling novelists LISA WINGATE and WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER

The Christy Award®October 8, 2020, Tempe, AZ – Today, the ECPA announced 28 Finalists in nine categories for the THE CHRISTY AWARD® program in an online webcast hosted by radio host and Christy Hall of Fame author, Chris Fabry.  The Christy Award® exists to celebrate excellence in the art of Christian Fiction and to honor the power of faith in story.

Two debut novels that were finalists in the First Novel category also placed in other categories: Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) placed in General Fiction and First Novel; and The Means That Make Us Strangers by Christine Kindberg (Bellflower Press) placed in Young Adult and First Novel.  (Only First Novel entries can be nominated for more than one category.)  In addition, four finalists were announced in the Historical category due to a tie.

The winners in each category – plus the Christy Book of the Year — will be announced via live webcast on November 12 at 7 pm central time.  The Online Gala – normally a semi-formal dinner event — will feature a keynote by New York Times bestselling author LISA WINGATE, along with the induction of Christy Award winning authors TAMERA ALEXANDER and STEVEN JAMES into the Christy Hall of Fame.  The evening’s emcee will be the winsome award-winning novelist CHRIS FABRY.

Registration is open for the free Winners Gala webcast, along with the Art of Writing webinar series kicking off tonight with Lisa Wingate and William Kent Krueger. (Recordings are available to those who register.)

“The judge’s comments this year impressed on us what an excellent class of literature we are presenting this year,” stated ECPA’s president Stan Jantz.  “We are so honored to announce these 28 novels as the top contenders for the year’s best!”

The 2020 CHRISTY AWARD® FINALISTS in nine fiction categories are:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Just One Kiss, Courtney Walsh
Courtney Walsh Writes, 9781080912322

Now and Then and Always, Melissa Tagg
Larkspur Press, 9780997964233

Sweet On You, Becky Wade
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764219382

 


FIRST NOVEL

A Long Time Comin’, Robin W. Pearson
Tyndale House Publishers, 9781496441881

The Means That Make Us Strangers, Christine Kindberg
Bellflower Press, 9781797761350

Whose Waves These Are, Amanda Dykes
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764232664

 


GENERAL FICTION 

All Manner of Things, Susie Finkbeiner
Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800735692

Whose Waves These Are, Amanda Dykes
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764232664

The Words Between Us, Erin Bartels
Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800734923

 


HISTORICAL (tie)

The Bright Unknown, Elizabeth Byler Younts
Thomas Nelson, 9780718075682

The Medallion, Cathy Gohlke
Tyndale House Publishers, 9781496429667

Memories of Glass, Melanie Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers, 9781496434180

My Dearest Dietrich, Amanda Barratt
Kregel Publications, 9780825446054

 


HISTORICAL ROMANCE

The Land Beneath Us, Sarah Sundin
Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800727994

The Number of Love, Roseanna M. White
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764231810

The Painted Castle, Kristy Cambron
Thomas Nelson, 9780718095529

 


MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER

Echoes Among the Stones, Jaime Jo Wright
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764233883 

The Girl behind the Red Rope, Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker
Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800736538 

Smoke Screen, Terri Blackstock
Thomas Nelson, 9780310332596

 


SHORT FORM

A Christmas Haven, Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall
WaterBrook, 9780525653295

A Flood of Love, Tracie Peterson
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9781493417117

Intrigue a la Mode, Regina Jennings
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9781493417131

 


VISIONARY

Cry of the Raven, Morgan L. Busse
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764232244 

Hidden Current, Sharon Hinck
Enclave Publishing, 9781621840992

The Story Raider, Lindsay A. Franklin
Enclave Publishing, 9781621840787

 


YOUNG ADULT

The Means That Make Us Strangers, Christine Kindberg
Bellflower Press, 9781797761350

The Piper’s Pursuit, Melanie Dickerson
Thomas Nelson, 9780785228141

The Winter King, Christine Cohen
Canonball Books, 9781947644946

 

For the fourth year, ECPA will also host The Art of Writing Conference, held via weekly webcasts each Thursday, October 8 through November 5 at 7 pm central – and featuring five intensive seminars for writers and publishers.  They are:

Oct. 8: The Power of Story to Change Hearts and Minds with New York Timesbestselling authors LISA WINGATE (Before We Were Yours, The Book Of Lost Friends) and WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER (Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land).

Oct. 15: The Essence of Story: The Pathway to Transformation with author and writing coach STEVEN JAMES with a devotional by novelist TRACIE PETERSON.

Oct. 22: Authors Helping Authors: Tips for Cross-Promotional Strategies with author RACHEL MACMILLAN, marketing expert THOMAS UMSTATTD, and fiction buyer CHRIS  JAGER.  Devotional by author TESSA AFSHAR.

Oct. 29: Conversations on Diversity & Inclusion in Christian Fiction with literary agent JEVON BOLDEN, WaterBrook’s senior marketing manager JAMIE LAPEYROLERIE, and writer TASHA JUN and devotional intro by award-winning author CYNTHIA RUCHTI.

Nov. 5: Learning from Fresh Voices: Editors Share What Made Debut Novels Shine from a panel of publishers of the Christy Award First Novel finalists, with devotional by bestselling author TERRI BLACKSTOCK.

The Art of Writing online conference series is available for a special bundle price of only $79. Register at ChristyAwards.com.

The Finalists are posted at christyawards.com/finalists-winners.html and will soon be featured in an e-blast for CT Women as part of Christianity Today’s media support. For more information about the program, visit ChristyAwards.com or contact thechristyaward@ecpa.org.

###

About The Christy Award®
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.
ChristyAwards.com  @ChristyAward  facebook.com/ChristyAward  IG: thechristyaward

About ECPA
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  @ECPA  facebook.com/ECPA.org

Media contacts:
Stan Jantz, ECPA Executive Director, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 101
Cindy Carter, ECPA Awards & Recognition Manager, 
ccarter@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 103

Sign Up To Receive Industry News Each Week

Subscribe

This Month’s Bestsellers

VIEW BY GENRE
1 THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
GARY CHAPMAN
2 JESUS CALLING
SARAH YOUNG
3 GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD
JENNIE ALLEN
4 JESUS LISTENS
SARAH YOUNG
5 FORGIVING WHAT YOU CAN'T FORGET
LYSA TERKEURST
6 FIND YOUR PEOPLE
JENNIE ALLEN
7 TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER CLASSIC EDITION
DAVE RAMSEY
8 BOUNDARIES UPDATED AND EXPANDED EDITION
HENRY CLOUD AND JOHN TOWNSEND
9 NEW MORNING MERCIES
PAUL DAVID TRIPP
10 GENTLE AND LOWLY
DANE C. ORTLUND
View All
1 REVEALING REVELATION
AMIR TSARFATI WITH DR RICK YOHN
2 GLAD YOU'RE HERE
WALKER HAYES AND CRAIG ALLEN COOPER
3 REVEALING REVELATION WORKBOOK
AMIR TSARFATI WITH DR RICK YOHN
4 NOT IN IT TO WIN IT
ANDY STANLEY
5 BE JOYFUL
JOYCE MEYER
6 SOUL CURE
GREGORY DICKOW
7 FIERCELY LOVED
LISA BEVERE
8 LENNON, DYLAN, ALICE, AND JESUS
GREG LAURIE
9 HOLLYWOOD HEROES
FRANK TUREK and ZACH TUREK
10 BLESSED
NANCY GUTHRIE
View All
1 THE RECORD KEEPER
CHARLES MARTIN
2 REDEEMING LOVE
FRANCINE RIVERS
3 UNDER THE MAGNOLIAS
T. I. LOWE
4 MATCHED AND MARRIED
KATHLEEN FULLER
5 THE LADY'S MINE
FRANCINE RIVERS
6 EDGE OF DUSK
COLLEEN COBLE
7 THE SHACK
WILLIAM PAUL YOUNG
8 THE HARBINGER
JONATHAN CAHN
9 THE DEADLY SHALLOWS
DANI PETTREY
10 THE HARBINGER II: THE RETURN
JONATHAN CAHN
View All
1 THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
GARY CHAPMAN
2 JESUS CALLING
SARAH YOUNG
3 GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD
JENNIE ALLEN
4 JESUS LISTENS
SARAH YOUNG
5 FORGIVING WHAT YOU CAN'T FORGET
LYSA TERKEURST
6 FIND YOUR PEOPLE
JENNIE ALLEN
7 TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER CLASSIC EDITION
DAVE RAMSEY
8 BOUNDARIES UPDATED AND EXPANDED EDITION
HENRY CLOUD AND JOHN TOWNSEND
9 NEW MORNING MERCIES
PAUL DAVID TRIPP
10 GENTLE AND LOWLY
DANE C. ORTLUND
View All
1 THE BEGINNER'S BIBLE
THE BEGINNER'S BIBLE
2 THE WORLD NEEDS WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
JOANNA GAINES
3 THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE
SALLY LLOYD-JONES
4 THE ACTION BIBLE
SERGIO CARIELLO
5 THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BIBLE
JANICE EMMERSON
6 YOU'RE ALWAYS ENOUGH
EMILY LEY
7 HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
LOUIE GIGLIO
8 5-MINUTE BEDTIME STORIES
PAMELA KENNEDY AND ANNE KENNEDY BRADY
9 DUDE PERFECT 101 TRICKS, TIPS, AND COOL STUFF
DUDE PERFECT
10 THE BIGGEST STORY BIBLE STORYBOOK
KEVIN DEYOUNG
View All
1 WHAT WILL THEY THINK?
GRACE VALENTINE
2 LIVE ON PURPOSE
SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF WITH BETH CLARK AND TAMA FORTNER
3 LIVE
SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF WITH BETH CLARK
4 OUTDATED
JONATHAN JP POKLUDA AND KEVIN MCCONAGHY
5 DO HARD THINGS
ALEX HARRIS AND BRETT HARRIS
6 THE CASE FOR CHRIST STUDENT EDITION
LEE STROBEL WITH JANE VOGEL
7 BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND FOR TEENS
JOYCE MEYER
8 SINGLE, DATING, ENGAGED, MARRIED
BEN STUART
9 TEEN TO TEEN: 365 DAILY DEVOTIONS BY TEEN GIRLS FOR TEEN GIRLS
PATTI M. HUMMEL
10 WELCOME TO ADULTING
JONATHAN JP POKLUDA AND KEVIN MCCONAGHY
View All
1 WORRY LESS, PRAY MORE
DONNA K. MALTESE
2 WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?
RICK WARREN
3 LOTS OF KNOCK-KNOCK JOKES FOR KIDS
WHEE WINN
4 KNOW YOUR BIBLE
PAUL KENT
5 THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK - NLV
BARBOUR PUBLISHING
6 GOD'S PROMISES FOR YOUR EVERY NEED, NKJV
THOMAS NELSON
7 PRAYING CIRCLES AROUND YOUR CHILDREN
MARK BATTERSON
8 BIBLE PROMISES FOR MOMS
HEIDI ST JOHN
9 GOD WILL USE THIS FOR GOOD
MAX LUCADO
10 FREEDOM OF SELF FORGETFULNESS
TIMOTHY J. KELLER
View All
1 NIV ADVENTURE BIBLE
ZONDERVAN
2 CSB PEW BIBLE
CSB BIBLES BY HOLMAN
3 NKJV SUPER GIANT PRINT BIBLE
NELSON BIBLES
4 NLT PREMIUM GIFT BIBLE
TYNDALE
5 KJV PERSONAL SIZE GIANT PRINT REFERENCE BIBLE
THOMAS NELSON
6 ESV STUDY BIBLE
WITH T. DESMOND ALEXANDER, JOHN D. CURRID AND KENNETH LAING HARRIS
7 NIV VALUE THINLINE BIBLE
ZONDERVAN
8 NIV THE WOMAN'S STUDY BIBLE
THOMAS NELSON
9 NIRV ADVENTURE BIBLE FOR EARLY READERS
ZONDERVAN
10 NLT PERSONAL SIZE LIFE RECOVERY BIBLE
STEPHEN ARTERBURN AND DAVID STOOP
View All
1 ESV ECONOMY BIBLE
CROSSWAY
2 NIV HOLY BIBLE FOR KIDS ECONOMY EDITION
ZONDERVAN
3 ESV HOLY BIBLE FOR KIDS ECONOMY
CROSSWAY
4 NIV ECONOMY BIBLE
ZONDERVAN
5 KJV ECONOMY BIBLE
THOMAS NELSON
6 NLT ECONOMY BIBLE
TYNDALE
7 NIV OUTREACH BIBLE STUDENT EDITION
ZONDERVAN
8 NIV HOLY BIBLE ECONOMY EDITION
ZONDERVAN
9 NIV LARGER PRINT BIBLE
ZONDERVAN
10 ESV LARGE PRINT ECONOMY BIBLE
CROSSWAY
View All
1 New International Version
2 English Standard Version
3 New Living Translation
4 King James Version
5 Christian Standard Bible
6 New King James Version
7 Reina Valera
8 New International Reader's Version
9 New American Standard Bible
10 The Message
View All
1 JESUS TE LLAMA
SARAH YOUNG
2 GANA LA GUERRA EN TU MENTE
CRAIG GROESCHEL
3 EL PODER DE LA GRATITUD
JOYCE MEYER
4 ERES MAS FUERTE DE LO QUE PIENSAS
JOEL OSTEEN
5 365 DIAS DE ORACION PARA LAS MUJERES
BROADSTREET PUBLISHING GROUP
6 UNA VIDA CON PROPOSITO
RICK WARREN
7 PERFIL DE TRES MONARCAS
GENE EDWARDS
8 DICCIONARIO BIBLICO ILUSTRADO HOLMAN
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
9 PERDONA LO QUE NO PUEDES OLVIDAR
LYSA TERKEURST
10 THELOGIA BIBLICA Y SISTEMATICA
MYER PEARLMAN
View All
1 RVR1960 SAMS LETRA GRANDE BIBLE
RVR 1960- REINA VALERA 1960
2 RVR1960 BIBLIA LETRA GRANDE TAMANO MANUAL CON INDICE
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
3 RVR1960 BIBLIA PARA REGALOS Y PREMIOS
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
4 RVR1960 BIBLIA LETRA GRANDE TAMANO MANUAL EDICION TIERRA SANTA
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
5 RVR1960/NKJV BIBLIA BILINGUE
RVR 1960- REINA VALERA 1960
6 RVR1960 BIBLIA DE ESTUDIO ARCO IRIS
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
7 NVI/NIV BILINGUAL BIBLE
ZONDERVAN
8 RVR1960/ESV SPANISH ENGLISH PARALLEL BIBLE
CROSSWAY BIBLES
9 RVR1960 BIBLIA PARA REGALOS Y PREMIOS, Negro/Plata
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
10 RVR1960 BIBLIA LETRA SUPER GIGANTE
B&H ESPANOL EDITORIAL
View All
1 LOS 5 LENGUAJES DEL AMOR (REVISADO)
GARY CHAPMAN
2 PREOCUPATE MENOS Y ORA MAS
DONNA K. MALTESE
3 EL SECRETO DE LA PAZ PERSONAL
BILLY GRAHAM
4 365 HISTORIAS BIBLICAS PARA LA HORA DE DORMIR
COMPILED BY BARBOUR STAFF
5 EL PODER DE LA ESPOSA QUE ORA
STORMIE OMARTIAN
6 180 DEVOCIONALES PARA CUANDO LA VIDA ES DIFICIL: ANIMO PARA EL CORAZON DE LA MUJER
RENAE BRUMBAUGH GREEN AND COMPILED BY BARBOUR STAFF
7 UNA MUJER CONFORME AL CORAZON DE DIOS
ELIZABETH GEORGE
8 Y AHORA QUE?
RALPH HARRIS
9 DONES DEL ESPIRITU
YIYE AVILA
10 EL AYUNO DEL SENOR
YIYE AVILA
View All

Upcoming Events

FOCUS webinar >> Pursuing Multiethnicity: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Talent
Friday, August 19 | 10 am central
FOCUS webinar >> Intellectual Property Piracy: Proactive and Reactive Measures to Protect Yourself
Friday, August 26 | 10 am central
ECPA C-Suite Symposium
September 25-27 | Savannah, Georgia
ECPA PubU & Children's Book Summit
November 16-17, 2022 | Lipscomb University, Nashville
The Art of Writing Conference & Christy Award Gala
November 17, 2022 | Lipscomb University, Nashville

Career Center

Book Designer
Faceout Studio, Sisters, Oregon
PT Product Graphic Designer
Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois
Editorial Director
The Upper Room/Discipleship Ministries, Remote
Vice President of Sales
Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois
Marketing Intern, Brazos Press
Baker Publishing Group, Ada, Michigan
ECPA LOGO
submit icon

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.

announce icon

Career Posts

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

subscribe icon

Subscribe

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 icon

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 icon

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.

More news at RushtoPress.org. #RushtoPress @ECPA @ChristianBkExpo
This is a publication of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. For more information about ECPA, contact info@ecpa.org or visit ECPA.org.
Copyright © 2022 · ECPA