Home Another Way in WORLD Magazine
Reviewed by Susan Olasky in the December 13th issue under Four Gospel-Related Books:
Several years ago WORLD sponsored a short story contest. Christa Parrish was one of the finalists. She received a book contract from Bethany House, and this is her first novel. It follows the story of Sarah Graham, a prickly, fast-living woman, who moves to a small mountain hamlet in order to receive an inheritance left to her by her estranged father. The one condition: She must stay for a year [Note from me: it's really six months!]. Despite her basic surliness and unpleasantness, people in the little town show her love—even when she betrays a trust. She and others in the town learn through many trials that God saves sinners not because they are good but because He loves them.
ECPA Christian Book Award Finalists Announced
Since 1978 the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association has recognized quality and encouraged excellence by presenting the ECPA Christian Book Awards (formerly known as Gold Medallion) each year. Here are the fiction finalists:
- Home Another Way, Christa Parrish, Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780764205231
- Less Than Dead, Tim Downs, Thomas Nelson, 9781595543073
- Riven, Jerry B. Jenkins, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414309040
- The Outsider, Ann H. Gabhart, Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800732394
- The Shape of Mercy, Susan Meissner, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, 9781400074563
John Updike (1932-2009)
I remember finding John Updike’s Rabbit novels in my local public library and reading them at an age younger than I probably should have.
NEW YORK – John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist…died Tuesday at age 76.
A literary writer who frequently appeared on best-seller lists, the tall, hawk-nosed Updike wrote novels, short stories, poems, criticism, the memoir “Self-Consciousness” and even a famous essay about baseball great Ted Williams. He was prolific, even compulsive, releasing more than 50 books in a career that started in the 1950s. Updike won virtually every literary prize, including two Pulitzers, Rabbit Is Rich and Rabbit at Rest, and two National Book Awards….(continued)
God Keeps Us Humble…
…if we ask Him to!
One of my most fervent prayers since I received my contract with Bethany House was to stay humble. Or, probably more appropriately, to stay focused on letting God keep me humble so He wouldn’t need to break my prideful attitude at some later date. (And in some uncomfortable manner!) Every day I ask God to focus my writing on Him, so I will use it for His glory only.
I learned about the ECPA award last Thursday, before the official announcement, from my editor. Literally five minutes after I hung up with her, Jacob comes shouting, “Mom, we have an issue!”
I couldn’t even imagine.
“There’s cat puke all over the bathroom floor,” he said.
And this is God’s sense of humor. What can be more humbling than cleaning vomit?
Home Another Way Nominated for ECPA Christian Book Award
Home Another Way has been nominated for the 2009 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Medallion of Excellence (previously known as the Gold Medallion) award.
From the ECPA website:
Since 1978 the Christian Book Awards have awarded excellence in six categories: Bibles, Bible Reference & Study, Children & Youth, Inspiration & Gift, Christian Life, and Fiction.
Five finalists are selected in each category following a stringent judging process by judging panels specially selected for each category. Each title is evaluated and scored based on category-specific criteria such as content, literary quality, design and impact. The top scoring book in each category is named the Christian Book Award Winner.
The award ceremony will be March 19th, at the Christian Book Expo in Dallas, Texas. I am so honored just to be among the finalists. The ECPA website stated today would be the announcement day, so as soon as I find out who the other finalists are (I can’t wait!), I’ll post them.
