For those of you who love discovering new authors and those who love a modern-day read, our Christys Celebration Giveaway Prize Package #1 is for you!
Entering the 2014 Christys Celebration Giveaway is easy!
All you will have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Within the form, follow the easy links to like the Christy Awards Facebook page and the authors’ Facebook pages and you are in the drawing.
Extra entries can be earned by signing up to the 2014 Christy Awards Ceremony Live Blog within the Rafflecopter form.
Looking forward to joining you all, along with Tyson Wynn and a “soon to be advised” guest commentator, to chat it up at the Live Blog on Monday 23rd June, 2014!
Prize Package #1 Finalists
Dear Mr. Knightley: A Novel by Katherine Reay
Thomas Nelson
Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite literary characters. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.
Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, she has lived on a diet of Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.
But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.
As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.
Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.
Burning Sky: A Novel of the American Frontier by Lori Benton
Waterbrook Multnomah
Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, she quickly finds – as does the Scotsman – much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage–the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?
Cast of Stones, A (The Staff and the Sword) by Patrick W. Carr
Bethany House
In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone’s search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
Tyndale House
When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola’s rambling Victorian house.
Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola’s walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola’s youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper—the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.
Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish
Thomas Nelson
A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.
Liesl McNamara’s life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.
But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits Liesl’s recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour—a single father with strange culinary habits—seems determined to win Liesl’s affection.
When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family’s past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.
Every Waking Moment by Chris Fabry
Tyndale House
Treha Langsam is a mysterious young woman who has fallen through the cracks, much like many of the elderly people she works with at Desert Gardens Retirement Home. But Miriam Howard, director of the facility, sees Treha’s extraordinary gift and untapped potential. Treha is a whisperer of sorts, calling those who have slipped into dementia back to a life of vibrant, if only temporary, clarity.
When Treha’s and Miriam’s stories intertwine with a documentary team looking for stories of the elderly, Treha’s gift is uncovered, and the search begins for answers to the mysteries of her past. As their paths converge, each person is forced to face the same difficult question: What if this is as good as my life gets?
The Christy Awards
A recap on this premier award…
The Christy Awards—named in honor of the novelist Catherine Marshall and her best-selling novel Christy–were inaugurated in 2000 to recognize novelists and novels of excellence in several genres of Christian fiction. Each year, publishers enter novels in several categories, and a panel of judges per category read and evaluate the novel against the Christy criteria of excellence. The top three novels in each category are named finalists, and the novelist whose novel has the highest score is awarded a Christy at an annual awards dinner.
This year marks the 15th Annual Christy Awards Ceremony, to be emceed by beloved author Davis Bunn, with industry expert Marcia Z. Nelson of Publishers Weekly as the keynote speaker.
Thanks to the Christy Awards and Wynn~Wynn Media for the 2014 Christys Celebration Giveaway
June 4, 2014 at 9:45 pm
A lot of the authors are new to me, so I would love the change to read their books. Thanks for the great giveaway. And lots of luck to all.
June 4, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Isn’t it a wonderful giveaway, Lynn? Thanks for your kind comments. Wishing you the very best in the draw 🙂
June 4, 2014 at 10:08 pm
I LOVED Dear Mr. Knightley and REALLY dug Stones for Bread.
Good luck all!
June 4, 2014 at 10:58 pm
That’s great, Juju – there’s still some others there you would love, too, I’m sure!
June 4, 2014 at 10:10 pm
I’m always looking for new books to read. And then I pass them on to my Dad who is 90. He loves to read Christian fiction also. Thank you so much for sharing this giveaway!
June 4, 2014 at 11:00 pm
Well, you’ve come to the right giveaway, Linda! How wonderful that your Dad is still reading at that age. My Grandma was the same, still reading when she passed away at 93. She is responsible for introducing me to my first Christian fiction novel, Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly!
June 5, 2014 at 1:53 pm
I am an avid reader, my “first book” of my own that I can remember is Janette Oke’s Love Come Softly. It has brought me into the love of reading. My family teases me that I don’t mind bed rest for my back because I can do two things I love, reading and the computer. 🙂
June 6, 2014 at 10:01 am
We are so blessed to have Christian examples like my Dad and your Grandmother!
June 4, 2014 at 11:34 pm
This is so AWESOME!! I LOVED both Burning Sky and Dear Mr. Knightly. Would love to read the others in this week’s giveaway.
June 5, 2014 at 8:56 am
They are both terrific reads, I agree, Staci! All the best.
June 4, 2014 at 11:42 pm
What an awesome giveaway! I would be thrilled to win even one of the books listed. They all sound very interesting.
June 5, 2014 at 8:57 am
Glad you are excited, Kandi – it’s a great way to increase your TBR pile!
June 4, 2014 at 11:53 pm
I love reading books by new novelists. It expands my horizons and gives them a chance at finding new readership.
June 5, 2014 at 8:58 am
You are spot on, Jackie!
June 4, 2014 at 11:56 pm
Thank you for the opportunity to receive 6 free books. I am anxious to read books from authors new to me.
June 5, 2014 at 8:58 am
Discovering new authors is the best, Carla!
June 5, 2014 at 12:36 am
A great group of books! Thank you for this opportunity. 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 8:59 am
You are most welcome, Cheryl 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 1:05 am
Lots of new authors to me. I would love to win some great books! Thanks for this wonderful giveaway!
Blessings!
Judy B
June 5, 2014 at 9:00 am
All these talented authors are well worth discovering, Judy!
June 5, 2014 at 1:21 am
Many are new to me! Yeah love an opportunity to win!
June 5, 2014 at 9:00 am
I love introducing readers to new authors, Kimberly 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 1:36 am
I love Christa Parrish. She is definitely one of my favorite authors! The other authors are new to me, I can’t wait to check hem out.
June 5, 2014 at 9:01 am
Christa’s books are fabulous, I agree, Loni. Do you have a favourite of hers?
June 5, 2014 at 10:32 am
That’s a hard one. Christa creates these characters that everyone can relate to. I think maybe “The Air We Breathe” or “Home Another Way”. Now, if “Stones for Bread” was about making gluten free bread it would have had my vote……just kidding. That book made me so hungry. Her writing just about had me smelling and tasting the bread. The message she weaves into the stories these books tell is very profound.
June 5, 2014 at 1:39 am
These are all new authors to me. I would love to win.
June 5, 2014 at 1:46 am
These would all be new authors to me and I would absolutely love the chance to read them. I have been financially unable to get new books so this would be awesome. I also could loan them to a friend who is in the nursing home.
June 5, 2014 at 9:03 am
It’s tough, Joni, I know. Wishing you the very best in the giveaway. Thanks for stopping by!
June 5, 2014 at 9:02 am
Even if you don’t win, Dorothy, these authors are all worthy of being on your wishlist!
June 5, 2014 at 1:46 am
I agree w/everyone that this is indeed a wonderful giveaway pkg! I only knew of one author Lisa Wingate but the rest are all new to me as well. Thank you so much!
June 5, 2014 at 9:05 am
Lisa’s great, Denise. If you love her stories, I’m sure you will enjoy the rest, even though they are all quite different. Good quality writing is the best!
June 5, 2014 at 2:07 am
Thank you so much for offering such a fun and generous giveaway. I’m also very happy that you will be able to remind me of the live ceremony.
June 5, 2014 at 9:06 am
That’s great, Connie! I’ve loved chatting it up at the Christy Awards live blog – so much fun and a way to be a part of it even though I live across the ocean!
June 5, 2014 at 2:26 am
I love to read inspirational faith based books. As long as books are printed I will read them.
June 5, 2014 at 9:06 am
Great to hear, Jessica!
June 5, 2014 at 2:46 am
Great summer reading!
June 5, 2014 at 3:16 am
I am very excited to say that all these would be new authors to read and just as excited to say that I’ve recently (past 4-6 months) really gotten back into reading. Loving the new adventures the books are bringing to my life.
What a great give-away to introduce others to these authors.
June 5, 2014 at 9:07 am
I’m delighted to hear you are back into reading LouAnn, given it’s my favourite thing to do, I love it when others share my enthusiasm!
June 5, 2014 at 5:02 am
Great giveaway! LOVED Dear Mr. Knightley!!! Have heard good things about the others!
June 5, 2014 at 9:07 am
Yes, Cyndi, can’t wait to read Katherine’s Lizzy & Jane. You will love the others, too!
June 5, 2014 at 5:51 am
What a great giveaway!! Thanks!!
June 5, 2014 at 9:07 am
Welcome 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 5:53 am
Love your site, and love this opportunity to win several books I want to read!
June 5, 2014 at 9:08 am
Thanks for your lovely encouragement, Sherrey 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 9:02 am
Fantastic giveaway.
June 5, 2014 at 9:08 am
Isn’t it the best, Rhonda?!
June 5, 2014 at 11:03 am
Many new authors plus one I love to read-Lisa WIngate!
June 5, 2014 at 11:16 am
Looks like some wonderful authors/books. Thank you for the chance to win!
June 5, 2014 at 11:38 am
Amazing books! 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 11:40 am
I would love to win these
June 5, 2014 at 1:55 pm
I have read The Prayer box on my Kindle, my son has read A cast of Stone, also on my Kindle. But even in this technological age, I still love to pick up a good book and turn the pages.
June 5, 2014 at 2:47 pm
Thank you for this chance to read some new authors. I’m reading The Prayer Box a second time on Kindle, but I still love “flipping pages,” too. I want to read these even if I don’t win them here. 🙂
June 5, 2014 at 10:52 pm
What a great giveaway!!!
June 5, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Fun and I could use some new books.
June 6, 2014 at 1:14 pm
What a fantastic giveaway! Thank you so much!!