Inspy-150x195The INSPY Awards committee has announced the 2017 INSPY longlists. The categories are: Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense, Debut Novel, General Fiction, Historical Romance, Literature for Young Adults, Mystery/Thriller, and Speculative Fiction.

Congratulations to all the authors who made the list! Now the members of the INPY Awards team are rolling up their sleeves to start narrowing down the list to the top five in each category…

Here are the titles that were nominated:

Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense

  • A Twist of Faith (Firefly Southern Fiction) by Pepper Basham
  • Silence in the Dark (Revell) by Patricia Bradley
  • Step by Step (Tyndale House) by Candace Calvert
  • The Wedding Shop (Zondervan) by Rachel Hauck
  • Just a Kiss (Thomas Nelson) by Denise Hunter
  • Can’t Help Falling (Howard Books) by Kara Isaac
  • Tell me Lies (Brown Girls Faith) by Michelle Lindo-Rice
  • First Crush (Bling! Romance) by Ashley Elizabeth Ludwig
  • Finders Keepers (Radiant Publications) by Sarah Monzon
  • How to Charm a Beekeeper’s Heart (White Rose Publishing) by Candice Sue Patterson
  • Christmas Conspiracy (Love Inspired) by Susan Sleeman
  • The Heart’s Hostage (Sheaf House Publishers) by Jen Stephens
  • Like Never Before (Bethany House) by Melissa Tagg
  • Her One and Only (Bethany House) by Becky Wade
  • You’re the One that I Want (Tyndale House) by Susan May Warren

Debut Novel

  • Forgiven (Cerrillo Press) by Carol Ashby
  • Counted with the Stars (Bethany House) by Connilyn Cossette
  • Slender Reeds: Jochebed’s Hope (Shiloh Run Press) by Texie Susan Gregory
  • The Lost Generation (Elk Lake Publishing) by Erica Marie Hogan
  • Close to You (Howard Books) by Kara Isaac
  • The Secret to Hummingbird Cake (Thomas Nelson) by Celeste Fletcher McHale
  • The Undoing of Saint Silvanus (Tyndale House) by Beth Moore
  • Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations (WhiteFire) by V. Joy Palmer
  • Leaving Independence (Waterfall Press) by Leanne W. Smith

General Fiction

  • Land of Silence (Tyndale House) by Tessa Afshar
  • Weighed Down (Elk Lake Publishing) by Laurie Bolden
  • The Feathered Bone (Thomas Nelson) by Julie Cantrell
  • Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Thomas Nelson) by Colleen Coble
  • The Promise of Jesse Woods (Tyndale House) by Chris Fabry
  • Forest Child (Woodhaven Press) by Heather Day Gilbert
  • Long Way Gone (Thomas Nelson) by Charles Martin
  • The Secret to Hummingbird Cake (Thomas Nelson) by Celeste Fletcher McHale
  • The Alliance (Tyndale House) by Jolina Petersheim
  • Of Stillness and Storm (Thomas Nelson) by Michèle Phoenix
  • Nor Forsake (Presley Publishing) by Julie Presley
  • A Portrait of Emily Price (Thomas Nelson) by Katherine Reay
  • Song of Silence (Abingdon Press) by Cynthia Ruchti
  • Lead Me Home (Tyndale House) by Amy K. Sorrells
  • The Things We Knew (Thomas Nelson) by Catherine West

Historical Romance

  • The Thorn Keeper (Vinspire Publishing) by Pepper D. Basham
  • A Flight of Arrows (WaterBrook) by Lori Benton
  • The Lady and the Lionheart (Mason Jar Books) by Joanne Bischof
  • The Ringmaster’s Wife (Thomas Nelson) by Kristy Cambron
  • The Cautious Maiden (Whitaker House) by Dawn Crandall
  • The Captive Heart (Shiloh Run Press) by Michelle Griep
  • Newton and Polly (WaterBrook) by Jody Hedlund
  • An Elegant Facade (Bethany House) by Kristi Ann Hunter
  • A Heart Most Certain (Bethany House) by Melissa Jagears
  • Aboard Providence (CrossRiver Media) by Keely Brooke Keith
  • The Sound of Emeralds (WhiteFire) by Rachelle Rea
  • She Walks in Power (Ransom Press) by MaryLu Tyndall
  • A Lady Unrivaled (Bethany House) by Roseanna M. White
  • The Confessions of X (Thomas Nelson) by Suzanne M. Wolfe

Literature for Young Adults

  • Unblemished (Thomas Nelson) by Sara Ella
  • The Beautiful Pretender (Thomas Nelson) by Melanie Dickerson
  • The Silent Songbird (Thomas Nelson) by Melanie Dickerson
  • A Daring Sacrifice (Zondervan) by Jody Hedlund
  • I’ll Be Yours (Sweet Pea Productions) by Jenny B. Jones
  • Forever Doon (Blink) by Lorie Langdon and Carey Corp
  • Gilt Hollow (Blink) by Lorie Langdon
  • The Glass Castle (Shiloh Run Press) by Trisha White Priebe
  • One Paris Summer (Blink) by Denise Grover Swank
  • Siren’s Song (Thomas Nelson) by Mary Weber

Mystery/Thriller

  • If I Run (Zondervan) by Terri Blackstock
  • The Domino Effect (Bethany House) by Davis Bunn
  • Deep Shadows (Harvest House) by Vanetta Chapman
  • Dressed for Death (Bethany House) by Julianna Deering
  • Always Watching (Revell) by Lynette Eason
  • The Waves Break Gray (Running Girl Productions) by Sibella Giorello
  • Tangled Webs (Revell) by Irene Hannon
  • Missing (Revell) by Lisa Harris
  • Conspiracy of Silence (Bethany House) by Ronie Kendig
  • The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder (Harvest House) by Rachel McMillan
  • A Lesson in Love and Murder (Harvest House) by Rachel McMillan
  • Fatal Frost (Bethany House) by Nancy Mehl
  • When Death Draws Near (Thomas Nelson) by Carrie Stuart Parks
  • Cold Shot (Bethany House) by Dani Pettrey
  • The Progeny (Howard Books) by Tosca Lee

Speculative Fiction

  • Seasons of Glory (Blink) by Lisa T. Bergren
  • Light of the Last (Multnomah) by Chuck Black
  • The Shattered Vigil (Bethany House) by Patrick W. Carr
  • The Calling (Tyndale House) by Rachelle Dekker
  • Accelerant (Enclave) by Ronie Kendig
  • Merchant of Alyss (Revell) by Thomas Locke
  • Rebirth (Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing) by Amy Brock McNew
  • The Long Journey to Jake Palmer (Thomas Nelson) by James L. Rubart
  • Beast (Enclave) by Chawna Schroeder
  • A Branch of Silver, A Branch of Gold (Rooglewood Press) by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
  • Far and Near (David C. Cook) by Amanda G. Stevens
  • King’s Folly (Bethany House) by Jill Williamson 

The INSPYs is awarded by bloggers to the best literature that grapples with the Christian faith. The program is organized and judged by book bloggers with considerable experience and knowledge of books published for both the CBA markets and the general market.

Find out more about how they came up with this year’s nominations here.

Check out more great articles

About The Author

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full-time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband, pets, and a herd of deer.