Christian novelist Karen Harter, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer nearly four years ago, died Aug. 19, at a hospital in Mount Vernon, Wash. She was 55.

Harter's Where Mercy Flows (Center Street) won a First Novel Christy Award in 2007 and her novel, Autumn Blue (Center Street), was a finalist in the Best Inspirational Romance category of the RITA awards this year. Autumn Blue was also a finalist in the Long Contemporary category of the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year awards.

"The doctors gave her three months to live four years ago, so the only thing for her to do was write a couple of award-winning novels, help me plant a church and love everyone around her like nothing mattered," Jeff Harter, her husband of 26 years, told Christian Retailing. "It's pretty much the richest four years of my life."

The couple was founding pastors of The Valley Church in Mount Vernon. Besides her husband, Harter is survived by her three sons. For more information about Harter, visit www.KarenHarter.com

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