ACFW recently announced that their Book of the Year award would be called the Carol Award. The award is named after Carol Johnson of Bethany House, who took a step of faith years ago and signed an unknown author named Janette Oke to write her prairie romance stories. Over this past weekend the finalists for this years contest were announced. Some of these authors are some of my all time favorite! Can’t wait to see who wins at the Awards banquet in September!

Talking to the Dead – Bonnie Grove (David C. Cook Publishing, Nicci Hubert – Editor)
The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn – Liz Johnson (Steeple Hill, Elizabeth Mazer – Editor)
Eternity Falls – Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)
Michal – Jill Eileen Smith (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont – Editor)
The Unfinished Gift – Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)

One Child – Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)
When Winter Comes – Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)
A Mule Hollow Match – Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)
The Great Christmas Bowl – Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)
A Change of Heart – Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)
A Choice to Forgive – Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann- Editor)

Home Again – Victoria Bylin (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)
A Breed Apart – Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
Beloved Enemy – Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek – Janet Tronstad (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)
A Shelter in the Storm – Carrie Turansky (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)

The Familiar Stranger – Christina Berry (Moody Publishers, Paul Santhouse – Editor)
A Widow’s Hope – Mary Ellis (Harvest House Publishers, Betty Fletcher – Editor)
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow – Joyce Magnin (Abingdon Press, Barbara Scott – Editor)
White Picket Fences – Susan Meissner (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)
If Tomorrow Never Comes – Marlo Schalesky (Multnomah, Julee Schwarzburg – Editor)
Nothing But Trouble – Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)

Critical Care – Candace Calvert (Tyndale House, Jan Stob/Lorie Popp – Editors)
Seaside Letters – Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell/Jessica Alvarez – Editors)
Just Between You and Me – Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez – Editors)
Plain Promise – Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann – Editor)
The Hope of Refuge – Cindy Woodsmall (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)

The Case of the Mystified M.D. – A.K. Arenz (Sheaf House, Joan M. Shoup – Editor)
Under the Cajun Moon – Mindy Starns Clark (Harvest House Publishers, Kim Moore – Editor)
A String of Murders – Darlene Franklin (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)
Polly Dent Loses Grip – S. Dionne Moore (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)
Pushing up Daisies – Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs – Editor)

A Bride in the Bargain – Deeanne Gist (Bethany House, David Long/Julie Klassen – Editors)
Fit To Be Tied – Robin Lee Hatcher (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Leslie Peterson – Editors)
Look to the East – Maureen Lang (Tyndale House, Stephanie Broene – Editor)
Love’s Pursuit – Siri Mitchell (Bethany House, Dave & Sarah Long – Editors)
Stealing Home – Allison Pittman (Multnomah, Alice Crider – Editor)

Paper Roses – Amanda Cabot (Revell, Vicki Crumpton – Editor)
Cowboy Christmas – Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)
Montana Rose – Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany – Editor)
The Frontiersman’s Daughter – Laura Frantz (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)
The Believer – Ann Gabhart (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont – Editor)
A Passion Denied – Julie Lessman (Revell, Lonnie Hall DuPont – Editor)
Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas – Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Summerside Press, Rachel Meisel – Editor)
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper – Kathleen Y’Barbo (Waterbrook Press, Jessica Barnes – Editor)

His Cowgirl Bride – Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)
Autumn Rains – Myra Johnson (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
A Wagonload of Trouble – Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
A Texas Ranger’s Family – Mae Nunn (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)
Dreaming of Home – Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)

Evidence of Murder – Jill Elizabeth Nelson (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)
Final Warning – Sandra Robbins (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)
Murder at Eagle Summit – Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)
Scent of Murder – Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever/Tina James – Editors)
Double Take – Jenness Walker (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)
Code of Honor – Lenora Worth (Steeple Hill, Patience Smith/Tina James – Editors)

Her Patchwork Family – Lyn Cote (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)
The Glassblower – Laurie Alice Eakes (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
The Outlaw’s Lady – Laurie Kingery (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)
All That Glitters – Lynette Sowell (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons – Editor)
The Unfinished Gift – Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering)

Eternity Falls – Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)
The Vanishing Sculptor – Donita K. Paul (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)
The Word Reclaimed – Steve Rzasa (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)
Starfire – Stuart Vaughn Stockton (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)
The Muse – Fred Warren (Splashdown Books, Grace Bridges – Editor)
By Darkness Hid – Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke – Editor)

Intervention – Terri Blackstock (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Dave Lambert – Editors)
Lonestar Secrets – Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell – Editor)
Exposure – Brandilyn Collins (Zondervan, Rachelle Gardner/Sue Brower – Editors)
Salty Like Blood – Harry Kraus (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert – Editor)
Breach of Trust – DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)

Sweet Waters – Julie Carobini (B&H Publishing, Karen Ball – Editor)
Leaving Yesterday – Kathryn Cushman (Bethany House, Dave Long – Editor)
Sweet By and By – Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell – Editor)
Never the Bride – Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese – Editor)
Yesterday’s Embers – Deborah Raney (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert – Editor)
Above All Things – Deborah Raney (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever – Editor)
The Summer Kitchen – Lisa Wingate (New American Library/Penguin, Ellen Edwards – Editor)

Who Made You a Princess? – Shelley Adina (Hachette FaithWords, Anne Goldsmith Horch – Editor)
Always Watching – Brandilyn & Amberly Collins (Zondervan, Barbara Scott – Editor)
I’m So Sure – Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez – Editors)
So Not Happening – Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic/Jamie Chavez – Editors)
Unsigned Hype – Booker T. Mattison (Revell, Andrea Doering – Editor)