TOP OF THE WORLD: A REPORT ON THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN
WRITERS CONFERENCE 2012
If you attended this year’s event, then you understand when I say
you laughed until you cried. Who will
forget Torrey Martin’s Torrey Stories event with his Alaska escapade involving
a can of pepper spray and a big bear. Steven
James encouraged us, hilariously so, until our eyes watered, with why life
foibles can become writing material.
This year offered a wonderful variety of classes, offerings from magazine
writing, poetry, and improving our fiction as well as marketing ideas. Yours
truly focused on the marketing classes, and found great helps to focus my time
and energy on more positive results.
As always, faculty members were of highest caliber, always
gracious and ready with an encouraging word.
If you’ve never attended a writers’ conference, I highly
recommend this one. Set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, the vista alone
will bring you closer to the Lord. The worship services gave us a little taste
of what heaven will be like as voices blended in harmonious thanksgiving to the
Author of Creativity.
Ridgecrest Lifeway Center bathes all its events in 24/7 prayer
vigils. I attended my first conference here in 2001. Since that time, God has
never failed to encourage me in my writing. And this year was no exception.
Below is the list of Selah Award winners. And I am humbled to be included in
this prestigious list of great writers.
The 2012 SELAH Awards are
presented to authors for works published in 2011 in twelve categories (or
subcategories) and judged by avid readers for the particular genre. The winners
are:
Children (Tie)
Michelle Medlock Adams
My Big Book of Prayers
Ideals Children's Books
and . . .
Crystal Bowman & Ava Pennington
Do You Love Me More?
Standard Publishing
Bible Studies
Mary Englund Murphy
Joseph; Beyond the Coat of Many Colors
AMG Publishers
Inspiration & Gift
Jocelyn Green
Faith Deployed ... Again
Moody Publishers
Christian Life (tie)
Linda Evans Shepherd
When You Can't Find God
Revell Books
and . . .
Dr. Betty Hassler
When Christ Sets You Free
Cross Books
Youth Nonfiction
Tanya Kilgore
The Grief Recovery Kit; A Young Persons' Guide Through
the Journey of Grief
Aepisaurus Publishing
Youth Fiction
April W. Gardner
Lizzie and the Guernsey Gang
Astraea Press
Adult fiction was categorized into six subcategories.
First Novel
Linda Wood Rondeau
The Other Side of Darkness
Harbourlight Books
Novella
Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Mistletoe Mayhem/From: Season
of Danger
Love Inspired
Historical Novel
Lena Nelson Dooley
Maggie's Journey
Realms
Suspense Fiction
Richard L. Mabry, MD
Lethal Remedy
Abingdon Press
Contemporary Novel (tie)
Christa Allan
The Edge of Grace
Abingdon Press
and . . .
Tracie Peterson
House of Secrets
Bethany House
Romance Novel
Susan May Warren
My Foolish Heart
Tyndale House Publishers
