Best-selling author Karen Kingsbury announced Thursday the winners of her first annual “Make Karen Cry” contest. Readers submitted 1,000 entries in just 10 days for the competition, writing a short response stating how God used one of Kingsbury's books to change their lives.

Two winners were selected for the grand prize-passage on a Girls Get-Away Cruise, including roundtrip airfare, one night's hotel stay, transportation and port fees and taxes valued at more than $3,000 a piece-Laura McFarland and Ann Correll, both of Houston.

The Premier Christian cruise is scheduled to take place Nov. 9-13, and will stop at two ports in the Bahamas. Kingsbury is one of several speakers and artists on the cruise. She and her family and staff will share breakfast with the contest winners the morning of Nov. 9, before boarding the ship.

“The entries … made me realize the power in story all over again,” Kingsbury said. “God is using these Life-Changing Fiction novels in a way that is beyond my comprehension.” The winning entries are posted at www.KarenKingsbury.com.