Christian Retailing

Christy Awards speaker among 2010 winners Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Monday, 28 June 2010 12:36 PM America/New_York

Christian novelists laughed as they heard themselves described as the "Rodney Dangerfields of the publishing world" on their gala night.

Author Lisa Samson said that men and women who write Christian fiction shared the late comedian's famous lament of not being respected, in her keynote address at the 11th annual Christy Awards, Saturday night.

Many Christians said they did not read fiction because they felt it did not provide opportunities for spiritual growth, while "out in the world, when you say you write for people of faith, what people hear is, ‘I can't get a contract with a real publisher,' " Samson said.

But Christian fiction was one of the few categories that had seen growth in the last year, she said, and as the category continued to grow and broaden, "there's something to what we do that keeps people coming back for more," she added, encouraging attendees to pursue their calling. They might be Rodney Dangerfields, but they were "God's gift to (people), too."

Following her address, Samson returned to the podium at the event-held on the eve of ICRS-to receive one of the nine 2010 Christys honoring the best in Christian fiction. Her The Passion of Mary-Margaret (Thomas Nelson) was voted best in the Contemporary Standalone category.

Other winners: Contemporary Romance: Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers); Contemporary Series: Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson); First Novel: Fireflies in December by Jennifer Brin Valent (Tyndale House Publishers); Historical: Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); Historical Romance: The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); Suspense: Lost Mission by Athol Dickson (Howard Books); Visionary: By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press); and Young Adult: North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group).

A total of 165 novels from 26 publishers were submitted for this year's competition. Around 160 attended the events, including writers, publishers and agents.