The 2014 Christy Awards were presented at the 15th annual Christy Awards dinner held on June 23rd at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia. Celebrated author Davis Bunn emceed the event and was himself inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame in honor of his having won four Christy Awards.

For the second time in as many years, the Christy for Book of the Year --- which debuted in 2013 and showcases the novel that had the greatest impact when placed against a set of criteria that includes literary quality, sales and life impact --- was awarded to a first-time author. The 2014 Christy Book of the Year is BURNING SKY by Lori Benton, who also received the Christy in the First Novel and Historical categories.

The Christy Award is designed to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview; bring a new awareness of the breadth and depth of fiction choices available, helping to broaden the readership; and provide opportunity to recognize novelists whose work may not have reached bestseller status.

For more information, go to ChristyAwards.com. The Christy Awards are also on Facebook and Twitter.

2014 Winners

Book of the Year
BURNING SKY by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Contemporary
STONES FOR BREAD by Christa Parrish (Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Contemporary/Romance/Suspense
DANGEROUS PASSAGE by Lisa Harris (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Contemporary Series
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)

First Novel
BURNING SKY by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Historical
BURNING SKY by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Historical Romance
HARVEST OF GOLD by Tessa Afshar (River North, from Moody Publishing)

Suspense
OUTLAW by Ted Dekker (FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group)

Visionary
DRAGONWATCH by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
 

2014 Nominees

Contemporary

• EVERY WAKING MOMENT by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)
• THE PRAYER BOX by Lisa Wingate (Tyndale House Publishers)
• STONES FOR BREAD by Christa Parrish (Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Contemporary/Romance/Suspense

• DANGEROUS PASSAGE by Lisa Harris (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• ONCE UPON A PRINCE by Rachel Hauck (Zondervan, HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
• ROSEMARY COTTAGE by Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
• VANISHED by Irene Hannon (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Contemporary Series

• FIREFLY ISLAND by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing)
• LOCK, STOCK, AND OVER A BARREL by Melody Carlson (B&H Publishing Group)
• TAKE A CHANCE ON ME by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)

First Novel

• BURNING SKY by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
• A CAST OF STONES by Patrick W. Carr (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing)
• DEAR MR. KNIGHTLEY by Katherine Reay (Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Historical

• ALL FOR A SONG by Allison Pittman (Tyndale House Publishers)
• BURNING SKY by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
• SWEET MERCY by Ann Tatlock (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance

• HARVEST OF GOLD by Tessa Afshar (River North, from Moody Publishing)
• STEALING THE PREACHER by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• UNDER A BLACKBERRY MOON by Serena B. Miller (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Suspense

• DARK JUSTICE by Brandilyn Collins (B&H Publishing Group)
• OUTLAW by Ted Dekker (FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group)
• SINGULARITY by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Visionary

• A CAST OF STONES by Patrick W. Carr (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• DRAGONWATCH by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
• NUMB by John W. Otte (Marcher Lord Press)

See last year's nominees and winners: 2013 Christy Awards