The Christy Award is considered the most prestigious award for Christian fiction. Named in honor of Catherine Marshal’s groundbreaking novel, Christy, this award was established in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture.
Christy was published in 1967. An historical novel set in the fictional Appalachian village of Cutter Gap, Tennessee in 1912, the story interweaves threads of faith, romance, and history and was loosely based on the story of the author’s mother who taught impoverished children in the Appalachian region. Christianity Today ranked this novel 27th on a list of 50 books (post-WWII) that had most shaped the mindset of evangelicals. Only five novels made this list, and only Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time placed higher at number 20. Christy was made into a television series as well, and it aired in the mid-1990’s.
Not only did I long to win this award someday because of the excellence it represents, but more personally, because Christy was the first historical novel of faith that I read. I fell in love with this story as a teen-aged girl and fell in love with it all over again as a young adult when the television series released. It truly shaped me as a reader and as a writer.
In 2014, I was honored to have on of my books final in the Historical Romance category. Stealing the Preacher received the nomination, and while I didn’t win that year, I came home with a finalist’s medallion that I proudly display in my office.
Well, eight years later, I received another nomination, this time in the novella category for A Texas Christmas Carol. I was thrilled, as you can imagine, and in great company. Blogging partners Julie Klassen, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Angela Hunt have won this award in previous years. Deb Raney and Dani Pettrey have been finalists. Becky Wade and Tamera Alexander have both been inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame for having won four times! This just goes to show how amazing our authors are here at Inspired by Life and Fiction.
I wasn’t able to attend the ceremony in person this year, but I watched a live stream of the event, and when they read the first line of my novella, my heart nearly burst. I won the Christy!
Raela, our marketing director at Bethany House, accepted the award on my behalf. You can see her on the far right, juggling three statuettes. She also accepted on behalf of two of my dear friends, Toni Shiloh and Jocelyn Green.
Who knew that a western retelling of a classic Dickens Christmas story would resonate so well with readers and judges alike. This little story also won the ACFW Carol Award this year and was a finalist for the Holt Medallion.
The story first appeared in the Under the Texas Mistletoe collection, but it has recently re-released as an e-single with a new cover that harkens back to covers from the Dickens era.
Grab a copy for only $3.99!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook
What is your favorite film version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?
Muppets, Mickey Mouse, George C. Scott, Bill Murray, Patrick Stewart?
This isn’t a true version, but one of my favorites (especially as a writer) is The Man Who Invented Christmas. It tells the story of how Dickens wrote one of the greatest Christmas classics of all time.
Latest posts by Karen Witemeyer (see all)
- Karen’s Favorites - May 4, 2025
- Spring Reading Bouquet - May 1, 2025
- April in Texas = Bluebonnets - April 17, 2025
Congratulations! I’ve loved all of your books that I’ve read and have purchased this latest award-winning one to read this month! May God richly bless you for your wide-spread Christian influence!
Thank you so much, Suzanne. I hope you enjoy Evan and Felicity’s story this Christmas. 🙂
Congratulations to you, Karen!
I have loved every book of yours that I’ve read. You are one of my top authors. Looks like I’ll be getting the e-book of A Texas Christmas Carol!!! Oh, by the way, I’ve lived in Texas since 1983!
Joy to you this blessed season,
Debbie
How wonderful, Debbie. I’ve lived in Texas since 1989, so we are practically kinfolk. Ha! Hope you enjoy the story. 🙂
So thrilled for you, Karen! I’ve missed the last few Christy Awards ceremonies but I was in attendance at the very first ceremony in 2000 and got to cheer with our own Robin Lee Hatcher as she won one of the very first Christy Awards. Also, Lynn Austin, who used to blog for Inspired by Life and Fiction is a Christy Award Hall-of-Fame member (maybe the first ever?) So proud to know each of you!
I can’t believe I missed Robin! I’ve added her in. And Lynn is just amazing with her historicals. Thank you so much for mentioning them!
Congrats on the Christy win, and yes, your “little story” is in my Kindle for this season of Christmas novellas! My favorite film version of “Christmas Carol” is the George C. Scott version although my husband’s is the Alistair Sim version. We agree to disagree. “Christy” is still one of my favorite books. I have replaced I don’t know how many copies over the years because I would loan them out and not get them back. My mother passed along her copy to me as a teen given how many big books I was devouring at the time. Blessings to you all this Christmas season.
I love that you have shared Christy with so many reading friends, Janice. Such a special book.
So happy for you! Well-deserved! I honestly love almost every version of a Christmas Carol. The story never gets old.
Thanks, D’Ann. It definitely is a timeless story that never grows old. And its message is one we need to be regularly reminded of. 🙂
Bravo, Karen! I’m so happy for you. If you haven’t yet received the statue — you’ll soon find out that it’s big, beautiful, and HEAVY! 🙂
Thanks, Becky! I was expecting a medal, so the statue was a surprise. it’s gorgeous, though, and just yesterday I made room for it on my office shelf. 🙂
Huge congrats, Karen. It’s fun to be among all of these Christy winners and finalists.
Thanks so much, Robin!
Congratulations! What a lovely honor!
I love that story!
Thanks, Jen. 🙂
Congratulations on winning the Christy award! I love the new cover for the kindle version. It is beautiful!
This is gonna be my December Challenge reading. I’ve read it before, but hey… it’s Christmastime & it’s been awhile, so this is the perfect time to read it again. 😉
While not a film version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, my pick is gonna be the Broadway-style production performed at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. We live just under two hours away & have been season pass holders most every year for many years, so I’ve watched it many, many times. This year it is in its 19th season! It just never gets old! 🙂
Oooo – that version sounds like one I would really like. I need to try that one of these days. 🙂
Congratulations on your Christy Award! An early Christmas present. The Archers’ Christmas story was a lovely end to the series.
I’ve read and own “The Man Who Invented Christmas” by Les Standiford. I didn’t know Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” on a tight schedule. Standiford’s book is the basis for the 2017 movie adaptation. I watched the movie on Kanopy, courtesy of my local public library system.
How fun that you have access to the movies through your library. It’s a great film. I bet the book was wonderful.
Congratulations, Karen, and well deserved!I plan to read that one this month in my Christmas reading.
I enjoy almost every version of A Christmas Carol, but two favorites are the George C. Scott version and the musical with Albert Finney.
Thanks, Betty. I hope you enjoy the story this month!
Congratulations Karen Well Deserved!
We watch The Muppets’ Christmas Carol every year on Christmas Eve and have for years now. Love it!
Congratulations, Karen! What a wonderful honor!