Craving the Supernatural

Howdy, y'all! Well, I'm back--sorta resurfacing as things in my life came to a head and nearly sunk me. LOL I've moved to a new home, and this move brings my family back together after 5 months apart. I am thankful to God for all He's worked out for me and my family.

On top of that, I have had the extreme pleasure of coordinating the ACFW Book of the Year contest! It's a ton of work, but I will always treasure the six hours of phone calls I made--and hearing the joy and exuberance return to many, many voices as I informed them of their finaling in the contest. I've since returned the scoresheets to non-finaling entrants, and I've been humbled by their thankfulness to me in coordinating. Since it's my first year, I've wondered if I'm doing okay. With awesome "mentors" like Robin Caroll Miller and Cheryl Wyatt, not to mention grabbing an ear from Genesis coordinator Camy Tang, I've managed pretty well, I think. Of course, there will be entrants who aren't pleased with the outcome. I saw that in the Genesis contest too, but it's okay--we're writers, and we're passionate about what we write. :-D

So...without further ado, here are the finalists for this year in the ACFW 2008 Book of the Year Contest:

Debut Author
• Bayou Justice (Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll)
• In Between (Jenny B Jones)
• Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
• My Soul Cries Out (Sherri Lewis)
• Petticoat Ranch (Mary Connealy)

Contemporary Novella (*six finalists due to a tie)
• A Cloud Mountain Christmas (Robin Lee Hatcher)
• Finally Home (Deb Raney in Missouri Memories anthology)
• Mississippi Mud (DiAnn Mills in Sugar And Grits Anthology)
• Moonlight & Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky in Big Apple Christmas anthology)
• Remaking of Moe McKenna (Gloria Clover in the Race to the Altar anthology)
• Sweet Dreams Drive (Robin Lee Hatcher)

Historical Novella
• Beyond the Memories (DiAnn Mills in Mississippi Memories anthology)
• Finishing Touches (Kelly Hake in Missouri Memories anthology)
• Love Notes (Mary Davis in Love Letters anthology)
• The Spinster & The Cowboy (Lena Nelson Dooley in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)
• The Spinster & The Tycoon (Vickie McDonough in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)

Lits (*six finalists due to a tie)
• Around the World in 80 Dates (Christa Banister)
• One Little Secret (Allison Bottke)
• Renovating Becky Miller (Sharon Hinck)
• Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh)
• Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
• The Book of Jane (Dayton/Vanderbilt)

Long Contemporary
• Autumn Blue (Karen Harter)
• Like Always (Robert Elmer)
• Taming Rafe (Susan May Warren)
• When the Nile Runs Red (DiAnn Mills)
• Within This Circle (Deb Raney)


Long Historical (*seven finalists due to TWO ties)
• Courting Trouble (Deeanne Gist)
• Fancy Pants (Cathy Hake)
• Lady of Milkweed Manor (Julie Klassen)
• Remember Me (Maureen Lang)
• Then Came Hope (Louise Gouge)
• Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky)
• Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer)

Mystery• Days And Hours (Susan Meissner)
• Death of a Garage Sale Newbie (Sharon Dunn)
• Gone With The Groom (Janice Thompson)
• Sticks And Stones (Susan Meissner)
• Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney)

Short Contemporary
• Heart of the Family (Margaret Daley)
• The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight)
• The Perfect Blend (Allie Pleiter)
• Wedded Bliss (Kathleen Y’Barbo)
• When Love Comes Home (Arlene James)

Short Contemporary Suspense (*six finalists due to a tie)
• Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper)
• Her Christmas Protector (Terri Reed)
• Nowhere to Hide (Debby Giusti)
• Pursuit of Justice (Pamela Tracy)
• See No Evil (Gayle Roper)
• Vanished (Margaret Daley)

Short Historical (*six due to a tie)
• A Time to Keep (Kelly Hake)
• A Wealth Beyond Riches (Vickie McDonough)
• Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman)
• Corduroy Road to Love (Lynn Coleman)
• Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
• To Trust An Outlaw (Rhonda Gibson


Speculative
• Demon: A Memoir (Tosca Lee)
• DragonFire (Donita Paul)
• The Restorer (Sharon Hinck)
• The Restorer’s Son (Sharon Hinck)
• Isle of Swords (Wayne Thomas Batson)

Suspense
• Abomination (Colleen Coble)
• Black Ice (Linda Hall)
• Coral Moon (Brandilyn Collins)
• Crimson Eve (Brandilyn Collins)
• Ransomed Dreams (Amy Wallace)

Women’s Fiction
• A Promise To Remember (Katie Cushman)
• Bygones (Kim Vogel Sawyer)
• Remember to Forget (Deb Raney)
• The Oak Leaves (Maureen Lang)
• Watercolored Pearls (Stacy Hawkins Adams)

Young Adult
• In Between (Jenny B. Jones)
• On The Loose (Jenny B. Jones)
• Sara Jane: Liberty’s Torch (Eleanor Clark
• Sarah’s Long Ride (Susan P Davis)
• Saving Sailor (Renee Riva)


CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS!!! See you at the ACFW Conference in Minneapolis in September!