High Five Friday!!

There’s much to celebrate this month in the world of Christian fiction:

Jennifer Hallmark is doing a “snoopy dance” because her short story, The Purse, was published this month in Christian Fiction Online Magazine. Jennifer says this is one of her favorites among the stories she’s written. She also found out a fifty-word “short funny” she sent to Thriving Family Magazine about her granddaughter will make their December issue.

Heather Burch is thrilled because her novel Halflings spent several weeks on the best seller list for teen interest at Family Christian Bookstores. It was the only fiction title in the top five for part of that time.

Michelle Sutton is a busy woman. She’s “booked” until January 2016 when her last scheduled (and 29th) book releases. She has five books releasing this year, five in 2013, four in 2014, two in 2015, and one in 2016. (See the full list on her website.) She says, “that leaves me some room for expansion.”

Vannetta Chapman is celebrating an upcoming review of her novel. A Perfect Square will be reviewed in the August issue of First for Women, which appears in stores on July 31. This publication only reviews five or six books a month, and they don’t always review a book from the inspirational market.

Dianna Benson is joyful at receiving a contract from Ellechor House for nine novels–three series of three books each! Jump-for-joy news in and of itself, but this is the second publishing house that showed an interest in these novels after having the proposal for less than a handful of days. In fact, Ellechor House asked for the proposal and offered the contract the day after receiving it. Her first book, The Hidden Son, will release March 2013 in bookstores in the USA, Canada, and other select countries.

Martha Rogers announced she has signed a contract with B & H Publishing for a Christmas novella called Between the Pages. Martha, Trish Perry and Debby Mayne will write novellas for the book A Bloomfield Christmas to be released for Christmas 2014.

Mona Hodgson is excited to announce a new blog to celebrate the May release of The Bride Wore Blue and the upcoming October release of Twice a Bride, Books 3 & 4 in The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series. Hindsight by Mona Hodgson ~ A Historical Novelist Muses. “I’d love it if folks would check it out.”

Alice Wisler looks forward to the August 1 release of her fifth novel. The publisher is River North/Moody. Still Life in Shadows is an ex-Amish tale, set in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Alice says, “Due to writing my ex-Amish novel, I’m now Facebook friends with Mose Gingerich and have met other ex-Amish folk. I’m excited about the new friendships I’ve formed!” Join her at her author page for giveaways: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-J-Wisler/333751835453

Patricia PacJac Carroll is pleased to have successfully navigated Kindle Select to get her first book, a historical romance called Liberty Belle, up and running on Amazon.

As for me, I was delighted to learn my current project A Lady Unveiled (almost complete and the second in my series) took second place in the Historical Category of the 2012 Touched by Love Contest.

A hearty High Five to everyone!! What writing accomplishments are you celebrating this month?

I have received no compensation for this post and have no material connection with any product(s) mentioned. Embedded links are strictly for the convenience of my readers.

 

High Five Friday!!

We have a number of authors to congratulate this month. So let’s give them all a cyber High Five!!.

Lena Nelson Dooley’s novel, Maggie’s Journey, received the Selah Award for historical fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May. As one of six winners for fiction, she celebrates with the other winners: Richard Mabry, Tracie Peterson, Christa Allen, Susan May Warren, and Linda Rondeau.

Sherrie Hansen Decker is pleased to see the release of her first inspirational novel Love Notes. Though she’s previously published five books, she wanted to write for the Christian market because  her characters told her she had to. “Hope’s faith was so much a part of her, and so strong, even though she’d lost everything dear to her, that it couldn’t be any other way. Faith was the only thing that would heal Tommy Love’s heart, a man who has everything he could want – except hope, joy, peace and love.”

Vannetta Chapman enjoyed her visits to Wisconsin one-room schoolhouses while researching her first novel for Harvest House. Research for A Promise for Miriam, which releases July 1 and is about a woman who teaches in such a schoolhouse, gave her the opportunity to ”compare their type of education to what I had worked in, teaching as a public school teacher the last 15 years (grades 7 – college). Needless to say, I was impressed! Add a widow from Indiana who brings a daughter with very special needs, stir in a dash of romance and you have a story that is all about second chances and how God never gives up on us.”

Deanna Klingel rejoices that her book Bread Upon the Water finally releases today. “The book was scheduled to release before Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then Valentine Day, then “spring” now finally!!!” Does that make her extra special happy? You betcha!

Jill Elizabeth Nelson is delighted that Mistletoe Mayhem, her novella in the collection Season of Danger, won the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference 2012 Selah Award in the Novella Category.

Mary Anslee Urban celebrates finaling in the Write Integrity Books of Hope Contest for series books. The first book of her entry for the series Faithful Counsel Chronicles is due November 30.

Marie Coutu is also busy preparing her manuscript for a November 30 deadline. She, too, finaled in the Write Integrity Books of Hope Contest for her Mended Vessels Series.

June Foster is pleased to announce that she has signed a contract with WhiteFire Publishing for her novel Ryan’s Father which is expected to release in 2013. “Ryan’s Father, a story so dear to my heart, deals with a difficult topic from a Christian worldview. I am so pleased that this awsome publishing company is willing to take a stand with me. Thank you, WhiteFire.” 

Wow! What a great time these authors have had in the last month. High Five!! everybody!

What writing accomplishments have you had that will allow us to celebrate with you?

 

High Five Friday!!

Wow! May has been an wonderful month for a number of authors. Let’s give everyone a High Five!!

Jean C. Gordon is pleased to announce she has signed a contract for two more books for Love Inspired. The first is tentatively titled Trusting Eli. The second is still in the planning stages.

Phyllis Keels praised God when she learned her novel The Lady of Daldriada finaled in the Religious Fiction Category of the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Mary Urban is excited to have received a contract with White Rose Publishing for a second book. She Came to See the Snow, A Colorado Christmas Romance will be released this Christmas. Mary says, “God is good!”

Julie Arduini is pleased to be part of the family blogging team for Bella Women Network. It will be launching in June, managed by Michelle Borquez, former editor of Shine Magazine. Bella will have online Television programming and blog content in the areas of fashion, family, travel, and business. It will be “values lifestyle programming for women,” written from a Christian perspective but a little closer to a mainstream audience. Bella will have a soft launch in the beginning of June at www.bellawomennetwork.com and www.bellawomennetwork.tv. Until then, the links are not available.

Lisa Carter was surprised at the 2012 Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference by Abingdon Press editor Ramona Richards who presented her with a three-book contract for her romantic suspense novels which will release in 2014 and 2015. Her debut novel, a contemporary romance that is part of Abingdon’s Quilts of Love series, Aloha Rose releases September 2013.

Joanne Durgin has a Chrismas novella releasing in late November this year with White Rose Publishing. “It’s different because it’s my first release from White Rose, and it’s a short novel (25,000 words). It serves as proof to myself and others that I CAN write a shorter story!” Meet Me Under the Mistletoe will release at the same time (another first for her) as Book #4 in her series, Daydreams, from Torn Veil Books. The latter is not a Christmas book, as such, but the events in the story take place between early December and Valentines Day.

As for me…I’m thrilled to let you know that my entry was chosen as a finalist in the Faith, Hope and Love RWA Chapter’s 2012 Touched By Love Contest. Winners in the three categories will be announced later this summer.

              

So, if you’ve received good writing news, let us know here and we’ll celebrate with you!

 

 

High Five Friday!!

Spring is in the air with an occasional nip of frost, but there are some writers whose works are in full bloom. Expect a number of new releases in the future!

Jennifer Hallmark rejoices in the publication of her third short story The Game in the Spring 2012 edition of Harpstring Magazine. It’s a humorous look at the game of high school football in the deep south.

Lena Nelson Dooley was pleased to have the rights reverted to her for The Best Medicine, a novella, and discovered how to post it on Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. “I’d never done anything like that before.” She also received her author’s copies of The Prairie Romance Collection, which releases in May.

Rebecca DeMarino praises God for the contract she’s received from Revell for a three-book historical romance series, tentatively called The Blue Slate Series. The books are set in the 1600′s, Long Island and are based on her 8th great-grandparents. Her agent, Barbara Scott negotiated the deal for her and the first book is due to be released June, 2014.

Alice J. Wisler celebrates over a contract to write a devotional on grief and loss. How to Wake Up in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache will be published by Leafwood Publishers in the spring of 2013. “Since the death of my four-year-old Daniel, I’ve wanted to write a book like this, and now, it is happening!”

A big congratulations also goes to those who made the semi-final round of the ACFW Genesis Contest. This is a big one for unpublished writers and there’s a good bit of competition. From here, the entries will be winnowed down to three per category and move on to a final round. The winner of each category will be announced at the ACFW Conference in September. Click here to see who made it into the top twenty percent of entries. You’ll see some of these names on a book cover in the future.

            

Awesome job, everyone! High Five!!

 

High Five Friday!!

It’s been a hot, dry month, but not for a number of writers who have big announcements and good news to celebrate.

Debbie Archer celebrates finaling in The Fraser Contest with her Young Adult entry. This contest is sponsored by My Book Therapy, owned by Susan May Warren. The winner will be announced Friday evening at the ACFW Conference during The My Book Therapy Pizza Party.

Erynn Newman pushed hard to write “The End” in time to enter Novel Journey’s Out of the Slushpile Contest, the Mystery/Suspense category. And she won!

Lena Nelson Dooley was pleased to learn her novel, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, received the Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in western fiction.

James L. Rubart’s novel ROOMS has been chosen as a finalist in the Carol Award’s contest in two categories: Debut novelist and Speculative. The Carol Awards are for ACFW’s Book of the Year and will be announced at the ACFW Conference in September.

Edie Melson is excited to share that her new ebook, Social Media Marketing for Writers, reached number one in its category on Amazon! This book is published by Lighthouse of the Carolinas and can be downloaded to Kindle or Nook.  

Tina Pinson announces a new contract for the first three books in her Shadow Series. The story follows Matthew Cavanaugh and Rebekah St. James from Maryland and Virginia during the Civil War and travels with them on the Oregon Trail. The first book When Shadows Fall releases May 2012, Shadowed Dreams and To Catch a Shadow come out toward the end of 2012 and mid 2013. 

Vannetta Chapman is thrilled to be included in Zondervan and Harper Collins’ Amish Country Holiday Tour. Vannetta, Amy Clipston, and Shelley Shepard Gray will begin in Shipshewana, Indiana, on November 12, continue through Holmes County, and finish the tour in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on November 18th.

Max Anderson is pleased that his new novel, When the Lights Go Out, will be released August 1, in time for the tenth anniversary of the September 11th tragedy. Max’s tag line for this book, aimed at  readers 8-13, is “So we never forget 9/11.”

Congratulations to all these writers on their successes and good news! High Five, everyone!