Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

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Award Season (and a Giveaway!)

By

Applause.

It’s not the reason we write, but I have to admit, it can certainly uplift a weary spirit and invigorate a flagging confidence.

This week, the American Christian Fiction Writers organization announced the finalists for the 2018 Carol Award. I am thrilled and incredibly honored to be listed among the finalists. Even better, two other Inspired by Life and Fiction authors are DOUBLE FINALISTS!!! WooHoo!!! Way to go Tammy Alexander and Jody Hedlund! So excited for you.

You can see the full list of Carol Award finalists here.

I am particularly excited to have Heart on the Line final for this award, because this story is a special one to me — one that was inspired by my own husband and oldest son — bike-riding computer nerds who don’t fit the typical romance hero mold, but heroes who outshine any fictional men to my way of thinking.

In their honor, I created Amos Bledsoe, a 19th century technology nerd. He’s a telegraph operator and a man in Texas who prefers a bicycle to a horse. Anything but typical.

To celebrate Amos and Grace’s finalist nomination for the Carol Award, I thought I’d share one of my favorite scenes from the book. Grace and Amos had communicated over the telegraph wire, but they’d never met in person. And with Grace’s life being threatened she can take no chances with an unknown man who’s come to Harper’s Station. And there’s only one way for him to prove he is who he claims . . .

The tiny woman said nothing, just stared at him through the bars, taking his measure. Suddenly Amos recalled his sorry state of repair. The stench of mule manure from his boot, though faded now, seemed to strengthen and rise around him in a cloud. He’d dusted most of the dirt from his clothes, but he knew he still looked rumpled and unkempt. At least his hair was in decent shape. He’d just had it trimmed last week. Not much to recommend him in the appearance department, but then, he’d never expected to win a lady’s heart with his looks.

“So.” The marshal cleared his throat, reminding Amos of the man’s presence. “This the fella you’ve been corresponding with, Miss Grace?”

She took a step closer, and placed her face in an area that fell squarely between two bars, leaving his view of her completely unobstructed. She blinked, a slow fluttering of lashes that set his gut to tightening. Then, when his gaze met hers, a rosy glow spread across her cheeks. She ducked away from his regard, as if embarrassed, then slowly raised her head again, resuming her scrutiny.

Yep. Inner strength. She’d not be one to shy away from what needed to be done.

“Miss Grace?” the marshal repeated.

She tilted her head. “I won’t know until I talk to him.”

Amos tugged on his jacket and raised his chin, offering her the most winsome smile in his limited arsenal. “Miss Mallory. I’m Amos Bledsoe, Western Union operator from Denison, Texas. We spoke just yesterday—” She shook her head, cutting off his introduction.

“Not that kind of talking,” she said as she reached into her hair and extracted a curved, black pin.

Amos frowned, then immediately brightened as he saw her stretch the U-shaped wire over the first finger of her right hand.

Not only was his lady lovelier than he’d let himself imagine, she was clever as well.

*****

Grace willed her hand not to tremble as she fit the hairpin over her finger. A difficult task when her insides were jumping about as if she’d swallowed a family of crickets. . . But no matter. She wasn’t here for a social call. She was here to determine this stranger’s identity. So she peered up into the man’s face, past his spectacles, and into his eyes.

They were blue, his eyes. And earnest. And just a tad unsettling.

Breaking the contact, Grace straightened her shoulders and took a step forward, intent on tapping out a message on the cell’s crossbar. But a hand grabbed her arm and tugged her backward.

“Don’t get too close, Miss Grace,” the marshal instructed as he gently steered her away. “You can do your talkin’ from back here.”

Actually, she couldn’t, but Malachi obviously didn’t know that. And why would he? He wasn’t an operator. She glanced around the office, her gaze zeroing on the desk. And the tin cup resting on its surface. Yes. That would work nicely.

Smiling at the marshal, she stepped away from his hold and moved toward the desk. “May I?” she asked, indicating the chair.

Malachi looked at her oddly but nodded. “Be my guest.”

“Thank you.” Grace swept her skirt aside and settled herself on the seat before reaching for the coffee cup. She peered inside and frowned. Still half full. She glanced around for a place to dispose of the unwanted beverage, but there were no potted plants or conveniently located knotholes in any of the nearby floorboards.

Without giving herself time to think better of it, she lifted the cup to her lips and chugged down the cold, bitter brew in one long gulp. She grimaced and nearly choked on the awful stuff, but she got it down.

“You . . . ah . . . want a fresh cup?” Malachi asked, the shock on his face rather comical. “I got a pot on the stove in the corner.”

“No, thank you.” Her reply emerged more as a rasp than actual words, as if the horrid concoction had paralyzed her tongue and throat. How did the man drink that swill? It tasted like boiled shoe leather. “I just need the cup.”

She promptly turned the tin cup on its side and hovered her hairpin-covered finger above it. Grace glanced past the befuddled marshal to the man waiting expectantly in the jail cell. He was gripping the edge of the right side of his jacket and holding it away from his body. He’d fitted the bottom button between the first two fingers of his right hand, and held it an inch above the iron crossbar.

Grace turned away and bit the inside of her cheek to contain the smile that was trying to edge its way onto her face.

He knew exactly what she was about and was ready to respond.

Focusing on the silver cup in front of her, Grace began the test.

Call me like you would on the wire.

A series of dull raps came from across the room, the cloth-covered button muffling the sharpness of the reply. Dn calling Hs.The sound might be off, but the rhythm wasn’t. It only took the first few clicks for Grace to recognize the sender’s unique style. To an untrained ear, one tapping pattern might sound like any other, but to an operator, the rhythm, tempo, and phrasing combined to create an outcome as distinctive as a signature.

Mr. A’s signature.

*****

Because I’m so excited for Amos and Grace, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of their story – Heart on the Line.

Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.
(US winners only)
UPDATE: Congratulations to Chrystal Stallings – winner of Heart on the Line! I’ll be emailing you, Chrystal with instructions for claiming your prize.

  • Who are some of your favorite nerdy heroes?
  • Do author awards make any difference to you as a reader?
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Karen Witemeyer

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.
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Comments

  1. I like this different type of man in a romance story. Nerdy men can be attractive also.

  2. Congratulations for being a finalist for the Carol Award! I loved the excerpt from Heart on the Line and I would love to read this book soon. Personally, I’ve read more books with nerdy heroines than heroes. But I still think nerdy heroes are adorkable and endearing.

    • Thanks, Chanel. I think you’re right about books with nerdy heroines who get the studly man. I tired to make my nerdy hero studly in his on unique way, but it was fun to play him off of the villain who was incredibly handsome and charismatic. I think it’s important for young women not to be so focused on physical appearance when judging a man as hero-worthy.

  3. I like nerdy heroes too (since I was a computer programmer before retiring). Awards might entice me to try a new author but other than that they don’t mean a whole lot to me. People’s tastes are different. Some books that make me crazy just trying to finish them get rave reviews.

    • That is so true, Sherri. Judging is very subjective. My taste might not match that of the judges. I find that true with movies. Critics acclaim something, and I watch the trailer and have no interest in it whatsoever. Everyone has their own taste. I’m thankful we have such a wide range of stories to choose from.

  4. I will say that I have my favorite authors and I love to read their books. I also read new to me authors books too.
    Thanks for this awesome giveaway.

  5. An award is a great recognition for the writer but has never really swayed me to pick up a novel. Although not a novel, my favorite nerd hero would be the Absent Minded Professor. So totally absorbed in his experiments yet a watchman for good.

  6. First off, thank you for sharing how Amos came to be! When we had to evacuate FL due to Irma, we brought the tried and true Kindle with us. It’s hard for my book loving 16 yr old daughter to find Christian fiction that is not only appropriate for her, but that she enjoys.

    She read every single one of your books.

    Out of all the heroes you’ve created, Amos was her favorite. I just asked her why and her response was “because he’s a nerd of course! Not everyone needs muscles and brawn, you know🤣”

    So while Levi with his bulk and his lisp is my favorite, my daughter and I have agreed that Amos is a loveable geek 🤓 who would be the brains behind any next adventure!

    And no, an author winning tons of awards actually doesn’t get my attention for reading books. Word of mouth, tried and true stories…someone might have great stories but just not a lot of recognition. It’s not a popularity contest!

    • I love that your daughter connected with Amos, Jenn. And how wise of her to look beyond the physical. Good girl! My daughter is a nerd herself and definitely appreciates the geek factor. 🙂 I think our society is slowly growing to appreciate the brainy fellows, with all the technology in our daily lives, we’re more likely to need a tech rescue than a physical one. 🙂

  8. I usually find that many of my favorite authors are nominated for awards. Or they have been previously recommended by reader friends. But if I don’t know them, their books usually get added to my TBR. Congratulations!

  9. I like that you used a “nerdy” hero for your book. Not many people do that and it is refreshing! Thanks!

  10. Sherlock Holmes comes to my mind right away. Super observation skills and intelligence matched with scientific experiments on-the-fly make him a super nerdy hero.

    I also think of Dr. Michaela Quinn. She was way ahead of her time in knowledge and the application of that knowledge. It caused a lot of misunderstandings, but she came thru again and again to save lives and to help keep their town from getting out of balance. Plus, she ends up with the best looking man around who is so anti what most of the town is like. Their opposites create a healthy couple.

    I love seeing favorite authors win an award. You all work so hard to engage, challenge, inspire, and entertain readers! Yet, if I enjoy an author it doesn’t matter if they get an award. I will still read everything they write!

  11. I love nerdy heroes. I think of Sherlock Holmes, too. My husband and boys are computer nerds. They all tinker and repair and tweak things, too. The excerpt was intriguing. Fun stuff. Thanks for the post.

    • Thanks, Paula. My entire family is nerdy. Well, my youngest is more of a jock than a nerd (on the soccer team), but he spends most of his free time playing on the computer, so he still qualifies for the family nerd card. Ha!

  14. Can’t wait to read this new book. Always enjoy your stories.
    keep them coming.

  15. I don’t single authors out based on their awards but I do celebrate with them when they are nominated because hard work deserves to be recognized! I’d actually like a book awards show similar to the Emmy’s or Oscar’s!

    I consider Nora Bradford to be my favorite nerdy heroine!

    I enjoyed the sample you shared from your book!

    • Thanks, Joy! A big book awards show would be fun! Usually the conferences will live stream the award ceremony, but usually only family and superfans watch.

  16. Congratulations on being a finalist! I love unconventional heroes. My favorite pair, both individually and together, are Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester.

  17. Thanks for the opportunity to win. I don’t get a book just because it has won an award. However, a lot of times, the books up for awards are promoted on different authors’ Facebook pages. Then I see the cover or description and think it sounds interesting. If it is a new author to me, I will usually request the book from my library. Congratulations on being selected as a finalist!!

    • Great point, Nicole. Awards might not directly influence, but if people are talking about the book, it makes it more visible and people who might not have known about it might read the blurb and decide to give it a try.

  18. Congratulations!
    My favorite nerd is not from a book. He’s my 20-year-old grandson.

  19. A few years ago I wanted to discover the names of some good Christian authors. I didn’t really know where to look. Some book stores have a section for “Christian Fiction” and some do not. At the local library, all fiction titles are shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name, so you have to know who to look for it. And then you might see an author who has a lot of books on the shelf, but you don’t know which one to select–particularly if they are part of a series. So I started looking at the Carol Award winners as a place to start. I have discovered many great authors and many wonderful books. And I realize that many more could have been nominated. Congratulations on your finalist award. Amos Bledsoe sounds like a very likable hero.

    • Thanks for sharing your experience, Martha. Going to an award site is a great idea for trying to find new reads. I’m glad you found some great authors that way!

  20. I love this book!! Since I already own and have read it, if I would win this copy, I would gift it – either to a friend or one of my daughters! Thanks, Karen, for this opportunity and for your writing, which keeps us all waiting on pins and needles for the next one to come out! God bless you!!

  21. I always like a nerdy, bumbling hero…it makes them seem more real-life than the suave, sophisticated heroes. Do such men really exist?
    As far as awards, I don’t really follow that much, but it does make me happy when one of my favorite authors receives an award!

  22. First of all, huge congratulations on finaling.

    Second, my favorite nerdy character is probably the heroine (name currently escaping me) from Bookishly Ever After by Sarah Monzon.

    And yes, awards make a difference. They tell a reader that the writer is of a certain caliber. Best wishes for a Carol,
    Debbx

  23. Congratulations on being a final contestant for this award. I can’t say awards make much of a difference in what I read. A recommendation from a friend or blogger I trust goes a lot further with me in choosing a book. And once I’m hooked on an author, I’m pretty loyal.

    I’m thrilled to see a different type of hero featured in your story. I haven’t had the chance to read this one yet, but I just re-read my favorite recently, To Win Her Heart. I can’t wait to read about Amos and Grace and would love to win a copy!

  24. Reading “More than Meets the Eye” right now and am loving it!
    It’s so amazing! Great job, Karen! 🙂

  26. Author awards do not make a difference to me. When I like an author, I like the author. But, I’m always thrilled when an author I like wins awards. I always think my favorite authors deserve awards!
    My favorite nerdy/unique hero is Fox Mulder from the X-Files. He’s smart, passionate, and funny…a winning combination!!

  27. This book sounds great!! I love the nerdy guys since I am a bit of a nerdy person I can relate to them. I always give books that won awards or received high reviews a try to see what the story about. Sometimes I love it as well and a few times I dont. But I like to always try them 🙂

  29. I am so thrilled to see my favorite books and authors win awards on their superior work. However, I read what I’m interested in regardless of what awards or big time reviewers have said about it. I will annually check the finalists lists and make sure to read the reviews of all of those books to see if any of those appeal to me to read. Of course I have my list of favorite authors I automatically stick with and know I’m gong to love anything they write… YOU are one of them!

    • Awww. Thanks, Chrystal. 🙂 I’m the same way as a reader. I read what I like. I might branch out and try something new based on an award or strong review or recommendation, but an award on its own is not the main decision maker.

  30. Awards don’t make a huge impact on whether or not I read an author, but I love seeing authors I’ve enjoyed get them!
    And I really love reading bits of stories like the one you just shared; they help reorganize my TBR list so I can get to what I just read sooner! 🙂
    I don’t know that the type of hero is much of a big deal for me – I’m mostly looking for how they interact with other characters; that’s what sells me on them, or not. If they seem to have all the typical “perfect hero traits” but don’t really seem alive with real human hopes, fears and uncertainties, or don’t have any willingness to grow, (especially for the typical seemingly “perfect” heroes) I probably won’t care about their story or how the leading lady sees them.

    • Great point, Bree. All our heroes need to have those flaws, those inner fears and uncertainties that are needed for character growth. We want to cheer for the hero, and I love cheering for an underdog.

  33. My dad is the ultimate nerd so I have a great respect for nerds. Our world could not move forward without them! 😉
    I would love to read this story Karen, and what a lovely tribute to your family!
    Blessings,
    Heather G.

  34. This was one of my favorite stories. I loved both Grace and Amos, and I do think a nerdy hero can be attractive.

    Regarding author awards, I get excited for the author to be recognized for the hard work. I know the kind of books I like and will choose them regardless of awards, but am happy for the author.

    I have this selection as an ebook, so an autographed copy would be wonderful. Congratulations again!

  35. The romance of unsettling eyes and butterflies is especially appealing. It captures the “iffiness” of a new relationship. I’m looking forward to reading this!

  36. I love nerdy heroes. I have a couple of nerdy, fabulous sons. They can tell you more than you’d ever want to know about geology, computers, astrophysics, etc. Just get them talking and soon your eyes will begin to glaze over! 😀

    Congratulations on being a finalist! That’s wonderful! I haven’t read this book yet but hope to in the near future.

    • Your sons sound marvelous, Winnie. My oldest two are math and computer sciences geeks. 🙂 It’s crazy when they talk to me about their homework as if I know what they are talking about. Ha!

  37. I’m a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan, so the nerdy heroes are my fav! As a reader, author awards are like a stamp of approval from an author’s peers. Its like a recommendation from other respected minds, so sometimes it makes me want to read it more. Congrats on your recognition! You deserve it!

  39. My favorite nerdy hero is Jay Jarvis from Ray Blackston’s “Flabbergasted.” He’s a stock broker who moves to a new city and starts going to church for the sole reason of meeting women. He meets Jesus and his life is turned completely upside down!

    In real life I tend to be drawn to men who are more on the nerdy side.

    Author awards make me happy for my author friends when I see that they are nominated and/or have won. 🙂

  40. My favorite nerdy hero is my hubby! Gotta love the computer geek. Awards are fantastic and I congratulate you whole heartedly on the award but I don’t go by awards alone. My tried and true favorite authors are always my first pick but an award winning book may catch my eye for a new to me author. I am very happy for you and somehow have not read “Heart on the Line.” GASP! I must remedy that soon. Congratulations Karen!

  41. I don’t think there is such a thing as a nerdy hero – that hero is NOT a nerd in someone’s eyes. 😃 Awards make no difference to me in the books I read. If it looks good, I’ll pick it up.

  42. I absolutely MUST read Heart on the Line!🤗 If the excerpt that you shared is anything to go by I’m sure I won’t be able to put it down! Is it available to buy internationally yet? I haven’t seen it in any of my local bookstores but certainly hope to see it soon😋 (I LOVED No Other Will Do, and can’t wait to read the other books in this series). I usually pick my reads based on recommendations from friends, family, and authors I like rather than awards, but I think it’s great for authors to win awards (I guess it must feel like all your hard work has paid off?) I love your work and hope to read more of it soon😊 Thank you for being such an amazing author!

  43. I love the fact that you wrote about a nerdy hero; I’ve come across plenty of nerdy heroines, but not so many nerdy heroes, so that’s really cool.
    As for author awards…sometimes they influence me. Like, if I’m trying to narrow down my way-too-long to-read list, then I might leave on a book where the author read an award. Also, sometimes when I hear about an author winning an award, that person is actually a new-to-me author and so I’ll check out her book(s) to see if I’m interested.

  44. This sounds like a wonderful book! I’m adding it to my Bookmobile request list! 🙂

  45. Would love to read this! If a nerd is just a smart person that wears glasses, then they are very cool. 🤓🙂

  46. When I see an unknown to me author has received awards, I assume they are good!

  47. I love reading Christian fiction and I am so thankful our church has a well stocked library! What a blessing! I am very thankful too that our town library carries some Christian fiction also. THank you for writing! Yes…I too love nerdy heroes!

  48. Karen, Congratulations for being a finalist for the Carol Award!!!! I have a soft spot in my heart for nerdy heroes/heroines.

  49. Thanks for sharing the scene. It was enough to get my interest. Now I need to get the book and read the whole story

  50. I always think the awards are nice due to the fact that writers work hard to get their stories written, published and read….and then enjoyed! As far as choosing a book due to an award won, not so much…and I guess I am that nerd that reads the reviews, acknowledgements, thank yous, the foreword and the afterword….I always find them interesting and educational! I also love to read the blurbs about the authors….always fun to find one that just lives down the road from you…

  51. Congratulations!

    I absolutely follow awards and will try new authors just because they are nominees or winners. I recently tried two new authors I’d never heard of because they were on the INSPY Shortlist.

    I would love to read Heart on the Line.

  52. I love nerdy heroes. The most recent one has to be Peter Holstein from A Name Unknown (Roseanna White). Awards don’t necessarily make me want to read an author’s book but when my favorite authors do win awards, that makes me happy 🙂

  53. Congratulations! That’s very exciting!

    Tbh, I haven’t read a lot of nerdy heroes, but I love them and would like to see them more often. One that I can name, though, is Peter from “A Name Unknown” by Roseanna M. White. He was so sweet and bookish and I wanted him to be my book boyfriend. XD

    As for awards, they don’t matter much to me as a reader unless I’m happy that a writer I like got one. (Or if I happen to ever win one myself when I get published in the future. ;))Otherwise, either a story concept appeals to me or it doesn’t and no award is going to change that. I do think it’s good that there’s a way to honor those who have crafted an excellent story, though, as quality story telling is both an art and very hard work.

  54. All of my kids are self-proclaimed nerds, and proud of it! So, I guess I just think of nerds as normal everyday people. The excerpt of your book has me very intrigued. Is it available as a recorded book? I listen to books a lot more than read them because I can do it while in the car, in the garden, cleaning house, etc. I think awards are great (we all love a pat on the back) but I will read books I like, awards or no awards.

  56. My favorite heroes are my parents, Jesus Christ, and those that have served in the military for fighting for freedom. I wold be honored either way to follow authors and new authors, whether or NOT they have won awards!

  57. Congrats to all of you ladies! Awards don’t matter to me in picking out books, but all of you absolutely deserve the recognition for your beautiful stories!

    As for nerds, one of my favorites is the one who resembles Amos on your cover art. I loved Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate! His dry humor and his wittiness were so entertaining!

  58. Hurray for the slightly nerdy character. That’s my idea of a hero. What can I say, I love Clark Kent. I look forward to reading about Grace and Amos.

  59. Oh my goodness! Thats so wonderful! Congratulations! I absolutley loved that book! And Amos…I just completely fell in love with him and his different way of thinking! Such a great book. ❤ As for awards, I think they are nice, but I dont judge an author by how many awards they get. What truly matters to me is if they use the right Bible and stand for what is right. Not many authors write in a way I appreciate. But there are a few that I will read again and again and again!

  60. I love the nerdy guys! I’m married to one.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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