I recently learned that my latest novel, The Sisters of Sea View, is a semi-finalist in the Historical Romance category of American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Awards. Many other authors share this honor, so I do not expect to take home the prize. But if it is not vain to say it, someday I would really like to win a Carol Award. Why?
I have won other awards, and been a finalist in the Carol Awards, but have not yet won. The reason it would mean a lot to me is that I would love to have the opportunity to stand up and give a brief speech in honor of the woman the award is named for, Carol Johnson.
Carol Johnson, former VP of Editorial (Fiction) at Bethany House Publishers, is credited with pioneering and developing the Christian Fiction genre by acquiring novelist Janette Oke back in 1979.
Carol also took me under her wing during my years with Bethany House Publishers. She was a mentor to me when I worked there as a young editor who secretly longed to write a novel one day. Here’s hoping I will one day be able to thank her in an acceptance speech, but in the meantime, I will thank her here. Thanks, Carol!
Other Inspired By Life and Fiction authors on the semi-finalist list include our own Robin Lee Hatcher, Deborah Raney, and Becky Wade. Well done, ladies!
A few other semi-finalists I have read and enjoyed include: Mollie Rushmeyer’s The Bookshop of Secrets, Hannah Linder’s Beneath His Silence, Sarah Brunsvold’s The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, Jody Hedlund’s Never Leave Me, and Sarah Sundin’s Until Leaves Fall in Paris.
How many of these have you read? Thanks for stopping by the blog today, friend!
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I have read Sisters of Sea View and Ioved it! I thought it had all the things a reader wants in Christian fiction: a great story line, characters with courage and faith and kind hearts. In spite of tragedy, the family members, “sisters” and Mother, are able to rise above it. I didn’t want the novel to end and look forward to the next one in the series.
Thanks for the information about the Carol Award. I wondered who it was named for, and now I know.
Of the other finalists, I have read Until Leaves Fall in Paris and Never Leave Me, but I plan to read more on the list.
Thank you, Martha! I appreciate your comment. Glad you enjoyed The Sisters of Sea View.
Congrats, Julie!! I love that you know Carol personally and took this opportunity to thank her. 🙂
Congratulations Julie!! So happy for you!!
Let me say I’m so glad you left publishing to become a writer. I love everything you write and am always looking for your next book. I’ve read The extraordinary deaths of Mrs. Kip and Never leave Me.
I can’t wait to read it! And I’m delighted to learn about the Carol Award!! She absolutely deserves it. I was with her when she championed the Christy Award. Such good news!
I love this post, Julie! I will forever be grateful that Carol introduced the world to Janette Oke. I read her novels as a young woman and I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned from those books (and from my own mom) about being a good wife and mom. But I’m equally grateful for the doors Carol and Janette opened for the rest of us who write Christian fiction. The photo of Janette and Carol brought a smile to my face.
Congratulations, Julie, and to all the other Inspired authors. I loved Sisters of Seaview!
Well done, you, Julie! I thought the Sisters of Seaview was great and can’t wait to read the next book!