Barbour/Heartsong Presents author Kristy Dykes passed away the day before yesterday after battling cancer. She was a wonderful author and we’ll all miss her.
Please visit her blog for further details:
If interested in seeing some titles authored by Kristy, see the link below:
~Cecelia Dowdy~
Huge congrats to the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Book Of The Year Contest! The winners will be announced at the 2008 ACFW Conference in Minneapolis!
ACFW’s 2008 Book of the Year Finalists:
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 Sawyer)
Remember to Forget (Deb Raney)
The Oak Leaves (Maureen Lang)
Watercolored Pearls (Stacy 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)
My posts over the next couple of weeks will be kind of spotty and sporadic since I’m on deadline again. Bittersweet Memories is due to my editor August 1. It’s coming along slowly but surely. Plus, I caught my son’s cold. I’ve been taking zinc, cold medicine, and vitamin C to get rid of this cold.
I read a nice Heartsong Presents historical called The Prisoner’s Wife by Susan Page Davis. I plan on blogging about that book soon.
Also, I’ve had another agent to show some interest in the story I blogged about here. I’d sent this agent a query, so, we’ll see what happens. Perhaps my story will get published after all…
~Cecelia Dowdy~
The first ACFW Conference I attended was back in 2006. I made a wealth of publishing contacts as well as new friends that year. The conference was truly awesome, and I looked forward to participating the following year.
The second ACFW Conference I attended was in 2007. That year, I made some key contacts with agents, and, hopefully, I’ll land the right agent soon. I also had a great dinner with my publisher, Barbour. Barbour is gracious enough to treat all of their authors to dinner on Friday night at the ACFW conference each year. This allows us to interact and mingle with other Barbour authors.
I’m looking forward to going to Minneapolis in September! This will be the first year that I’ll be participating in the booksigning!
If you’re curious about the entire ACFW Conference Blog Tour, I’ve copied and pasted the schedule for you below:
6/11/2008 Chip MacGregor http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/11/2008 Cara Putman http://carasmusings.blogspot.com
6/12/2008 Wanda Dyson http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/12/2008 Pamela James http://pammer.blogspot.com/
6/13/2008 Jennifer AlLee http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com
6/13/2008 Ane Mulligan http://anemulligan.blogspot.com
6/16/2008 Robin Miller http://robinswritingworld.blogspot.com/
6/16/2008 Christina Nelson http://christinanelson.blogspot.com
6/17/2008 Annette Irby www.annetteirby.blogspot.com
6/18/2008 Martha Rogers www.marthawrogers.com
6/18/2008 Sharon Hinck http://sharonwriting.blogspot.com
6/19/2008 Susan May Warren http://scribbles.susanmaywarren.com
6/20/2008 Camy Tang http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/
6/23/2008 Deb Raney www.deborahraney.com
6/23/2008 Ronie Kendig http://supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com
6/24/2008 Colleen Coble http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com
6/25/2008 Rachel Hauck http://www.rachelhauck.com/blog.htm
6/26/2008 Brandilyn Collins www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com
6/26/2008 Cathy West http://writersrest.blogspot.com
6/27/2008 Jill Elizabeth Nelson
http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/artisticblogger.shtml
6/28/2008 Eileen Watson http://eileenastels.blogspot.com/
6/30/2008 Lynette Sowell www.lynettesowell.com
6/30/2008 Sue Brower http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
7/1/2008 Gina Conroy http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress/
7/2/2008 Lena Nelson Dooley http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com-
7/2/2008 Rachelle Gardner http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
7/3/2008 Linda Fulkerson http://scrivenings.com
7/4/2008 Terry Burns http://www.terryburns.net/
7/4/2008 Rebeca Yeager http://acfwconference.blogspot.com
7/7/2008 Susan Downs http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/7/2008 Carla Stewart http://carlastewart.blogspot.com
7/9/2008 Rebecca Germany http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/9/2008 Leanna Ellis http://www.leannaellis.com/news.html
7/9/2008 Rose McCauley www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com
7/10/2008 Sharon Dunn
http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/faithchick/
7/11/2008 Pam Meyers http://pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com/
7/11/2008 JoAnne Simmons http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/14/2008 Celia Tomer www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com
7/14/2008 Janice Olson www.janiceolson.com
7/15/2008 Angie Bredenbach
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com
7/16/2008 Christina Berry http://authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com
7/17/2008 Roxanne Rustad http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com;
http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
7/22/2008 Pam Hillman
8/1/2008 Christa Allen www.cballan.wordpress.com
8/3/2008 Deborah Vogts http://www.deborahvogts.com
8/4/2008 Michelle Hutchinson
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
8/6/2008 Tiff Stockton http://www.ambermiller.com
8/28/2008 Gail Gaymer Martin www.gailmartin.blogspot.com 
The Christy Award winners were announced last night. Congrats to all the winners:
Contemp stand alone: CHASING FIREFLIES by Charles Martin
Contemp. series: HOME TO HOLLY SPRINGS by Jan Karon
Historical: A PROPER PURSUIT by Lynn Austin
Lits: HALLIE’S HEART by Shelly Beach
Romance: REMEMBERED by Tammy Alexander
Suspense: THE CURE by Athol Diickson
Visionary: SCARLET by Stephen Lawhead
YA: HOLLYWOOD NOBODY by Lisa Samson
1st novel: THE STONES CRY OUT by Sibella Giorello
After barbequing for most of the day, I took some time yesterday evening to watch the Twilight Zone Marathon on the Sci Fi Channel. I love watching this on the Fourth of July and on New Year’s Day. Each year, I’m able to catch an episode or two which I’ve never seen before! I do have episodes that are my favorites, also. I’ve even mentioned how much I like this show to a few acquaintances, and about how it’s good to be entertained with the show since a lot of the episodes are new to me. I’ve had people to say: “Don’t you remember when the Twilight Zone used to come on every week? You don’t remember that?”
Then I’ll reply, “No, I don’t remember that. I can honestly say this show ran before I was born.”
Do any of you enjoy this show? I’m not really into science fiction much, but I do like Twilight Zone. Also, it’s nice to watch because I’ll see stars that were famous in the seventies (I especially remember the seventies!) and eighties, who got their start on the Twilight Zone. One episode I was watching last night had Carol Burnett on it! She looked like she was in her twenties. This episode aired in 1962, I believe.
Wishing everybody a happy and safe Independence Day!
I was going to list most of the winners for my last book drawing, but I’m too tired! I have a women’s fiction manuscript that’s been requested by an agent, plus, I have a Heartsong Presents novel contracted, and it’s due August 1, so I’ve got to finish that! I’ve been getting up at five to make a dent in my workload!
I’ve also started reading a cute novella collection that Barbour released back in 2002 called As American As Apple Pie. What I like about this collection is that each novella ends with an apple pie recipe. Yum!
I’ll post about each novella and about the winners later!
A little over a year ago, I blogged about shelving African-American titles in bookstores. I notice from my Google analytics stats, that people stumble across that old blog entry from time to time when they’re researching that subject on the internet. Well, the new editor for Harlequin’s Kimani (AA) line, Kelli Martin, gave a great interview on Tracy Montoya’s blog. She discusses shelving AA books in stores, as well as gives her impressions about the world of publishing for multicultural authors. So here are the links to part one and part two of the interview. Enjoy!
