Why Authors Should Enter Book Awards

by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga

By entering contests authors gain an edge in a competitive market. These contests not only provide well-deserved recognition but also open doors for expanded readership, increased book sales, and greater visibility in Christian publishing.

Two prestigious awards—the Christian Indie Awards and the Christian Authors Network (CAN) Excellence in Marketing Awards—honor excellence in writing and book promotion, providing incredible opportunities for independent authors.

If you’re a Christian author or small publisher, don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your work through awards. Mark your calendars and prepare to submit your book for a chance to be honored for your writing and marketing excellence!

Christian Indie Awards: Recognizing Exceptional Christian Books

Since 2008, the Christian Indie Awards have celebrated the outstanding contributions of Christian books from independent authors and small publishers. These awards highlight books that positively impact Christian life, giving authors the recognition they deserve. The 2025 winners include:

2025 Christian Indie Award Winners 

ChristianAward.com

Category	Place	Title	Author/Publisher
Anthology	1st	God’s Good Work: Stories to Treasure and Tales to Ponder	Lorilyn Roberts / Rear Guard Publishing
Bible Study	1st	Enough: Finding Contentment in a World of Wanting and Wandering	Lisa Lewis Koster / Credo House Publishers
Bible Study	2nd	Creation and the Flood:  A DEEP Study of Genesis 1–11	Samantha Mero
Bible Study	3rd	The Bible Companion Book 2: Leviticus-Deuteronomy	Karen Westbrook Moderow / Jordanwest Publications
Business Finance	1st	Thank God It’s Monday (?)	Tom C. Petersen / Morgan James Publishing
Children’s Picture Books	Tied 1st	The Dachshund Dash	Michelle Medlock Adams / End Game Press
Children’s Picture Books	Tied 1st	The Best Trophy	Jennifer Noel Wilson / Redemption Press
Children’s Picture Books	2nd	Twinkle, the Littlest Star	Leslie Colburn / Cross My Heart Press
Children’s Picture Books	3rd	The Tale of the Little Black Cloud	Karen Brough / Heart Hope Publishing
Children’s 8-12	1st	Fingerprint Devotions: 40 Devotions to Help You Realize You Are a Kid Uniquely Created by God	Sandra Kay Chambers
Children’s 8-12	2nd	The Forgotten Islands	Bryan Webb
Children’s 8-12	3rd	Jar of Tears: Moms Aren’t Supposed to Die	Kathleen Templeton / Lemons & Sunshine Press
Christian Education	1st	Redemptive Botany of the Bible	J. Christopher McMichael / Petra Press Publishing
Christian Education	2nd	Genocide Prophecy: Autism, the church and a New (American) Reich	Brian Haack
Christian Education	3rd	Creating Dynamic Podcasts & Audiobooks	Linda Goldfarb / Bold Vision Books
Christian Living	Tied 1st	The Higher Faith	Paul Balius / Hakodesh Publishing
Christian Living	Tied 1st	Only by Divine Design	Dorene Stark / Stellar Studio
Christian Living	2nd	Take Heart: The Overcomer’s Path Through Conflict	Gary Wooden / Covenant Books
Christian Living	3rd	No Other Gods	Marja Verschoor-Meijers  / Frisse Kijk
Devotional	1st	Farmhouse Devotions: God’s Glory in the Ordinary	Cheryl Schuermann
Devotional	2nd	Focus: 45 Devotionals to Keep Jesus in the Picture	Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes (Author), Ms. Arianna Dunn (Author), Ms. Vonyee Carrington (Author), Mrs. Evelyn Collins (Author), Mrs. Monica Hopper (Author), Mr. Andy Hollifield (Author), Ms Michelle Davis (Author), Mrs. Kelly Anne Evans (Author), Dr. Rodney Combs (Author), Mrs. DiAnn Mills (Author) / Dressed in Love Press
Devotional	3rd	Joined by God: Unconventional Devotions for Christian Couples	Shellie Arnold / Kaleidoscope Publishing
General Fiction	Tied 1st	Fall Back and Find Me	Sarah Hanks
General Fiction	Tied 1st	Driving Timmy’s Car	Barbara Tucker Ketchum
General Fiction	2nd	Fallen Graces	Jim Sano
General Fiction	3rd	Ride A Summer Wind	Ann Cavera / Elk Lake Publishing
Gift	1st	5 Minutes of Gratitude	Gail Scoates
Gift	2nd	He Chose Me	Diamante Lavendar
Historical Fiction	1st	Winds of Ruach	D.M. Griffin
Historical Fiction	2nd	Petra: An Unbroken Legacy	Lisa L. Dorsey
Historical Fiction	3rd	But, Even Now	Jennifer Thomas and Denae Jones / Woodsong Publishing
Memoir / Biography	Tied 1st	God Had a Hand on Me, a Memoir About Pain, Healing, and Victory	Kim Dotson
Memoir / Biography	Tied 1st	Overlooked	Bridgette Cameron Ridenour
Memoir / Biography	2nd	Walking Mama Home: A Caregiver’s Journey	Aileen A. Gronewold / Blue Sage Press
Memoir / Biography	Tied 3rd	Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging	Cherie Denna / Bold Vision Books
Memoir / Biography	Tied 3rd	Travels of a Wimpy Mum: Finding courage through the Book of James	Vanessa Foran / 598 Press
Mystery / Suspense	Tied 1st	A Fifth Of The Story	Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes / End Game Press
Mystery / Suspense	Tied 1st	Sweet Deceit	Sally Jo Pitts
Mystery / Suspense	Tied 2nd	Tangled Secrets: A Suspense Thriller	S.F. Baumgartner / F.B. Publishing
Mystery / Suspense	Tied 2nd	Dead Weight: An Abbi Kincaid Suspense Novel	Kathy Cassel
Mystery / Suspense	3rd	The Lost Letter	Steve Feazel
Novella	1st	Who Will Rescue Us? A Love Story	Judy DuCharme / Ambassador International
Personal Growth	1st	The Making of a BraveHearted Woman: Courage, Confidence and Vision in Midlife	Dawn Damon / Bold Vision Books
Personal Growth	2nd	Praying the Word of Grace	Jonah Priour / Lovebuilt Press
Personal Growth	3rd	Slaying the Onion: Unveil the Layers of your Story to Reveal Your Highest Potential	April Ballestero / Kaleidoscope Publishing
Poetry	1st	Tales of the Captain	Christopher A. Hostettler
Relationships / Family	1st	Walking Mama Home: A Caregiver’s Journey	Aileen A Gronewold / Blue Sage Press
Relationships / Family	2nd	Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God	Lee Ann Mancini / Whitaker House
Romance	1st	Christmas in the Castle Library	Ann Swindell / WhiteCrown
Romance	2nd	Blind Date with a Book Nerd	Erica Dansereau & Britt Howard
Romance	3rd	Elizabeth’s Cross	Londa Hayden / Lighthouse Christian Publishing
Speculative	Tied 1st	Kill Shot	Angela L Gold
Speculative	Tied 1st	Eve of Chaos	D.I. Telbat
Speculative	2nd	Bright Eternity: A Novel	Daniel Zeigler
Theology	1st	Dear Saints: Catechesis on Sacraments	Jacob Huether
Young Adult	1st	Rise of the Y	Angela D. Shelton / Two Oaks Publishing
Young Adult	2nd	Fences Left Broken	Kristen Terrette / Elk Lake Publishing

The 2026 Christian Indie Awards will open for submissions on April 1, 2025 at https://christianaward.com/ for books published in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Winners of the Christian Indie Awards receive numerous key benefits:

• An awards ceremony at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.

• Media exposure with publicity sent to 400 Christian media outlets.

• Retailer placement opportunities, as winning books are included in a retailer book basket drawing at the Christian Product Expo trade show.

• The ability to display the award emblem on the book cover.

• Enhanced visibility through social media promotion and marketing opportunities.

Winning this award can significantly boost an author’s reputation, drawing more readers and increasing book sales. The added credibility also makes it easier to secure media interviews.

Christian Authors Network (CAN) Marketing Awards: Honoring Excellence in Book Promotion

While writing a great book is essential, marketing plays a crucial role in reaching readers. The CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards recognize superior marketing and promotional skills among Christian authors. The 2025 winners include:

Christian Authors Network

2025 Excellence in Marketing Award Winners

Category	Place	Book or Ministry Title	Author
NONFICTION
Broadcast Media	1st	#NoFilter: Unmasking The Woman God Created You to Be	Jodi Hendricks
Physical Media	1st	I Am Not the King	Allen Taylor
Online Presence	1st	Praying Personalities: Finding Your Natural Prayer Style	Janet McHenry
Online Presence	2nd	Psalms in Rhyme for Little Hearts	Donna Wyland
FICTION
Online Presence	1st	A Fifth of the Story	Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Online Presence	2nd	A Gingerbread House	Julie Lavender
Physical Media	1st	The Dance of Easter	Sally Cressman
Broadcast Media	1st	The Sharing Sisters	Carissa Lovvorn

Authors who enter this contest not only compete for awards but also receive valuable feedback on their marketing campaigns, providing insight into ways to enhance their promotional efforts. Winners receive extensive publicity, including:

• An announcement to 400 Christian media outlets, including several TV networks.

• Press releases sent to Publishers Weekly and ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association), expanding their reach within the publishing industry.

• A publicity packet featuring their book cover, description, and buy link sent to:

• 20,000 Christian readers
• 1,400 Christian retailers
• 400 book review bloggers

• Features on the Christian Authors Network blog and various member blogs.

• Trophies and certificates presented at an upcoming conference.

For Christian authors looking to grow their audience and establish themselves as serious contenders in the publishing industry, entering the CAN Marketing Awards provides an incredible opportunity for visibility and credibility. The awards open every September through November. So mark your calendars to enter at https://christianauthorsnetwork.com/marketing-award/.

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Susan U. Neal, RN, MBA, MHS: Susan’s mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health science. She is a CERTIFIED HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHwith the American Association of Christian Counselors. She published five books, the Selah award winner 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, CHRISTIAN STUDY GUIDE FOR 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, HEALTHY LIVING JOURNAL, SCRIPTURE YOGAa #1 Amazon best-selling yoga book, and YOGA FOR BEGINNERSwhich ranked #3. She published two sets of Christian Yoga Card Decks and two Christian Yoga DVDs that are available at CHRISTINAYOGA.COM. Her digital product HOW TO PREVENT, IMPROVE, AND REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA is a great resource. To learn more about Susan visit her website SUSANUNEAL.COM You can also connect with Susan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.