The 2007 Christy Awards for Christian fiction will feature two new categories. Awards honoring “excellence in fiction written from a Christian worldview” will be given for the best Young Adult work-written for the 12-17 age range-and in the “Lits” category.

“Light in tone, ('Lits') novels are colloquial in voice and culturally relevant, featuring characters struggling with ordinary issues of life,” the organization said in a statement. “Subgenres include chick lit, mom lit, lad lit, and lady lit.”

The other categories remain the same: General/Contemporary Fiction (Stand-alone, full-length novels); General/Contemporary Fiction (Sequels, novels in a series and novellas); Historical (including biblical, biographical and western); Romance; Suspense (including mystery); Visionary (including allegory, fantasy, futuristic and science fiction); and First Novel.

Submissions must be received by Dec. 11, 2006. Winners will be announced July 7 in Atlanta prior to the International Christian Retail Show. Guidelines and entry forms are available online at www.christyawards.com.