Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Carol Award Finalists!

2011 Carol Awards Finalists

Debut Novel:
The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund (Bethany House - Dave Long/Sharon Asmus, Editors)
Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes (Tyndale Publishers - Kathryn Olson, Editor)
Rooms by James L. Rubart (B&H Publishing - Julee Schwarzburg, Editor)

Long Contemporary:
The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell - Andrea Doering, Editor)
Red Ink by Kathi Macias (New Hope Publishers - Randy Bishop, Editor)
Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House - Dave Long, Editor)

Long Contemporary Romance:
Plain Jayne by Hilary Manton Lodge (Harvest House - Kim Moore, Editor)
Anna's Return by Marta Perry (Berkley - Ellen Edwards, Editor)
Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson - Natalie Hanemann, Editor)

Long Historical:
Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs (Waterbrook Press - Laura Barker, Editor)
Petra: City in Stone by T.L. Higley (B&H Publishing - Karen Ball, Editor)
Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren (Summerside Press – Susan Downs, Editor)

Long Historical Romance:
The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy (Barbour - Rebecca Germany, Editor)
Love Finds You In Homestead, Iowa by Melanie Dobson (Summerside - Rachel Meisel/Connie Troyer, Editors)
Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz (Revell - Andrea Doering, Editor)
Mystery:
Mirrored Image by Alice K. Arenz (Sheaf House - Joan M. Shoup, Editor)
Muslin Mystery by Vera Dodge (Guideposts - Beth Adams, Editor)
The Camera Never Lies by Elizabeth Goddard (Barbour – Rebecca Germany, Editor)

Novellas:
The Prodigal Groom by Vickie McDonough (Barbour – Rebecca Germany, Editor)
Ride With Me Into Christmas by Rachael Phillips (Barbour – Rebecca Germany, Editor)
A Trusting Heart by Carrie Turansky (Barbour – Rebecca Germany, Editor)

Romantic Suspense:
The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson (Summerside Press - Rachel Meisel/Susan Downs, Editors)
Don't Look Back by Lynette Eason (Revell - Andrea Doering, Editor)
Pursuit of Justice by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale Publishers - Karen Watson, Editor)

Short Contemporary:
The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight (Love Inspired - Allison Lyons)
A Father for Zach by Irene Hannon (Love Inspired - Melissa Endlich, Editor)
Winter's End by Ruth Logan Herne (Love Inspired - Melissa Endlich, Editor)

Short Contemporary Suspense:
Night Prey by Sharon Dunn (Love Inspired Suspense - Emily Rodmell, Editor)
Legacy of Lies by Jill Elizabeth Nelson (Love Inspired Suspense - Emily Rodmell, Editor)
Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Love Inspired Suspense - Tina James, Editor)

Short Historical:
Her Healing Ways by Lyn Cote (Love Inspired Historical - Tina James, Editor)
Promise of Tomorrow by S. Dionne Moore (Barbour - JoAnne Simmons, Editor)
The Columns of Cottonwood by Sandra Robbins (Barbour - JoAnne Simmons, Editor)

Speculative Fiction:
The Wolf of Tebron by C. S. Lakin (AMG Publishers - Rick Steele, Editor)
Rooms by James L. Rubart (B&H Publishing - Julee Schwarzburg, Editor)
König's Fire by Marc Schooley (Marcher Lord Press – Jeff Gerke, Editor)

Suspense/Thriller:
Predator by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan - Sue Brower/Dave Lambert, Editors)
Fear No Evil by Robin Caroll (B&H Publishing – Karen Ball, Editor)
Medical Error by Richard L. Mabry (Abingdon Press – Barbara Scott, Editor)

Women's Fiction:
Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett (Tyndale Publishers - Jan Stob/Lorie Popp, Editors)
They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti (Abingdon – Barbara Scott, Editor)
Beyond Summer by Lisa Wingate (NAL - Ellen Edwards, Editor)

Young Adult:
Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson (Revell - Lonnie Hull Dupont, Editor)
Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Zonderkidz - Jacque Alberta, Editor)
Katy's New World by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Zonderkidz - Jacque Alberta, Editor)

Monday, July 04, 2011

Welcome Sharon Dunn!



Just a little about Sharon:

BIO
Sharon Dunn is an award winning romance and mystery author. Her Guardian is her third romantic suspense for Love Inspired. When she is not writing, Sharon divides her time between three kids, her husband of twenty four years, a very nervous border collie and three cats. You can read more about Sharon and her books at www.sharondunnbooks.net.


I'm so thrilled to have Sharon Dunn as my guest today! First Happy Fourth of July! I was supposed to post this on the 2nd, but due to family stuff, weekend stuff and life in general, it just didn't get done for which I apologize. However, I think it's very appropriate to post about about this book today. Today is about FREEDOM, our freedom, bought and paid for by American lives. Sharon's book is about a girl whose freedom was taken away from her at the age of 13 and she doesn't get it back until the age of 20. And yes, this freedom comes at a cost. So, I hope you enjoy reading about this book and will enter the contest to win this fantastic book!


Inspiration for the Story

The inspiration for Her Guardian came from a number of news stories about kidnappings, the Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart cases, along with a case in Europe where a woman was kept locked away in her father’s house for years and the neighbors never knew. I didn’t want to explore the grittier elements of those cases like the rape and having children by your abductor. What was interesting to me was how a whole chunk of someone’s life could be lost. My heroine Julia is held captive from the time she is 13 to age 20. She has missed out on all the “normal” growing up stuff that happens during those years: graduation, learning to driving, starting to date, first kiss, prom, having friends, going to college. I wanted to explore how someone comes to terms with that loss. How do you find hope and not give into bitterness? Julia’s bodyguard and the hero of the story Gavin helps her with that process in addition to keeping her save from the cult leader Elijah True. Gavin is Julia’s guardian not only for her physical safety but also for her heart, for her emotional well being.






















Thank you so much, Sharon, for sharing about Her Guardian. I can't wait to get my own copy!

All right, readers, if you want to enter, just leave a post and tell us about your feelings on FREEDOM. Freedom as a country, freedom in Christ, just freedom in general.

Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL 4th of July!

God Bless!
Lynette