The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) announced this week (August 25) the winners of its 2014 Excellence in Publishing Awards. The Book of the Year award went to Meditations on Vatican Art by Mark Haydu (Liguori Publications). In the Biography category, Our Sunday Visitor took first place with Pope Francis by Matthew E. Bunson, as well as third place for Deathbed Conversions by Karen Edmisten. Julian’s Gospel by Veronica Mary Rolf from Orbis Books took second place in biographies. The bulk of the awards were presented at the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit this spring, but ACP had to appoint new judges for the Biography category, who only recently made their selections. Since ACP’s Book of the Year Award is selected from among the first-place winners, Biography winners had to be selected before that judging could be completed.
The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) also has announced scholarship opportunities for its 2015 Mid-Atlantic Congress. The organization will underwrite the registration fee for a limited number of participants in the Congress, which meets Feb. 12-14, 2015, in Baltimore. The application deadline for scholarships is November 15, 2014, and self-nominations will be accepted. See complete eligibility requirements on the Congress site; registrants who are related to members of MAC Steering Committee, Planning Committee, or Work Groups are not eligible for scholarships. Applicants will be notified of their status by November 21, 2014.
Abingdon Press author Karen Barnett has won a Cascade Award for her debut novel, Mistaken, it was announced at the Oregon Christian Writer’s Conference on August 6. Prizes were awarded in 19 categories; Mistaken won the award in Published Historical Fiction. Barnett had previously been recognized by OCW with the Writer of Promise Award. Abingdon authors have won a total of 19 awards this year. The press recently announced it has put acquisitions on hold as it reassesses its fiction and Christian living programs.
The Munce Group, a marketing consortium with more than 400 member Christian retailers, will hold its fall Christian Product Expo in Murfreesboro, Tenn., September 21-23. CPE is free to retailers, who also are reimbursed for expenses based on their buying at the show. Workshops, seminars, and special events are also offered; among the speakers are Philip Yancey and Tullian Tchividjian. Munce will host a one-day CPE at AmericasMart in Atlanta, Jan. 10, 2015.
The Christian Writers Guild will hold its Writing for the Soul Conference September 19-20, in conjunction with the Christian Product Expo, offering writers the opportunity to interact with the independent Christian retailers who attend the show. The conference is hosted by Jerry B. Jenkins (Left Behind), who owns the Guild. Three educational tracks are offered in writing, publishing, and marketing books. Keynote speakers include writing expert Dennis E. Hensley and New York Times bestselling author Cecil Murphey (90 Minutes in Heaven). Events include a Saturday screening of the movie version of Left Behind, starring Nicholas Cage.
