AWSA Announces 2023 Golden Scroll Award Winners
AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) announced the winners of the 2023 Golden Scroll Awards at the Golden Scroll Banquet, Sunday, August 6, at the Central Bank Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Awards were presented by bestselling author Linda Evans Shepherd, founder and CEO of AWSA, and award-winning author Karen Porter, owner of Bold Vision Books and AWSA President. This is the 15th year that AWSA has presented the Golden Scroll Awards which is open to the nearly 900 members of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.
Michelle Bengtson, who was named AWSA of the Year, has a passion for sharing hope with hurting hearts. Her books, speaking, work as a neuropsychologist, as well as her personal experiences of weathering the storms of life, speaks the message that “life is not always easy, but God is always faithful.”
The Jennifer Kennedy Dean Award went to Carol Kent, a bestselling author, an influential speaker, and the visionary behind the successful Speak Up Conference, which empowers aspiring speakers and writers.
Elaine Helms was awarded the Impact Award for making a lifetime of impact in prayer for a variety of organizations including the Billy Graham Association, My Hope for America, and Prayerlink.
Lee Strobel was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lee, a former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and a New York Times bestselling author of over 40 books, selling 14 million copies, serves as Founding Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. In 2017, his spiritual journey was portrayed in the award-winning film The Case for Christ.
The Golden Scroll Book of the Year was awarded to Eva Marie Everson for The Third Path: Finding Intimacy with God on the Path of Questioning (Bold Vision Books).
The Nonfiction Book of the Year Award went to Laine Lawson Craft for The Parent’s Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal (Chosen). The Novel of the Year Award went to Lynette Eason for Crossfire (Revell).
The Children’s Book of the Year was awarded to Sally Metzger, illustrated by Caroline Baker Mazure, for Jesus, Were You Little? (Our Sunday Visitor Kids).
The Youth Fiction Book of the Year was awarded to Lori Z Scott for Inside the Ten-Foot Line (End Game Press).
The Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year was awarded to Michelle Medlock Adams and Janet Johnson, illustrated by Beth Snider, for Fly High: Understanding Grief with God’s Help (End Game Press
Second place for Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year went to Michelle Medlock Adams and Cecil Stokes, illustrated by Jonathan Bouw, for I Love You to the Sun and Beyond (Sky Pony Press). Third place went to Crystal Bowman and Michelle S. Lazurek, illustrated by Sandra Eide, for Who God Wants Me to Be (WaterBrook).
The Children’s Fiction Book of the Year was awarded to MIchelle Medlock Adams and Eva Marie Everson, illustrated by Anna Jones, for Our God is Bigger Than That! (End Game Press).
Second place for Children’s Fiction Book of the Year went to Rhonda Robinson, illustrated by Dave O’Connell, for The Legend of Christmas: An Untold Story of the Real St. Nicholas (Living Parables). Third place went to Donna Arlynn Frisinger for Bye-Bye Earthsuit: Hello Heavensuit (Good News Express).
The Christian Education Book of the Year was awarded to Denise Wilson for 7 Words You Never Want to Hear: How to Be Sure You Won’t Study Guide (Redemption Press).
Second place for Christian Educational Book of the Year went to Dr. Mel Tavares for 21 Days to Improved Mental Well-Being (Simply Right Press). Third place went to Annette Reeder for The Seven Foods of the Promised Land (Bold Vision Books).
The Christian Living Book of the Year went to Patty Mason for Experiencing Joy: Strategies for Living a Joy-Filled Life (Liberty in Christ Ministries). Second place for Christian Living Book of the Year went to Samantha Evans for You Are Not Alone Love Letters to Miscarriage Moms (Blackside Publishing). Third place went to Tina Yeager for Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose (Bold Vision Books)
The Bible Study Book of the Year was awarded to Patty Mason for Getting to Know God’s Voice: Recognizing When God Speaks Every Day (KP Press). Second place for Bible Study Book of the Year went to Kathy Howard for Deep Rooted: Growing Through the Book of Romans (Bold Vision Books). Third place went to Erica Wiggenhorn for An Unexpected Revival: Experiencing God’s Goodness Through Disappointment and Doubt (Moody)
The Memoir of the Year was awarded to Janet Perez Eckles for Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Turned Betrayal, Blindness, and Heartache to Shining Joy (JC Empowerment Ministries).
Second place for Memoir of the Year went to Carole Leathem for Are You Ready to Find Joy When Life Gets Messy? (Carole’s Journey). Third place went to Debbie Dufek for Holy Interruptions: When God Taps You on the Shoulder (Bold Vision Books).
The Inspirational Gift Book of the Year was awarded to Dr. Michelle Bengtson for Today is Going to Be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right (Revell).
Second place for Inspirational Gift Book of the Year went to Kim M. Clark for Deep Waters: Lift Your Gaze Prayer Book (Deep Water Books). Third place went to Jane Jenkins Herlong for Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep Fried South (Tyndale).
The Devotional Book of the Year went to Cindy K. Sproles for Meet Me Where I Am, Lord (Iron Stream). Second place for Devotional Book of the Year went to Becky Reeser Terry for Tie On Your Apron in the Kitchen of Prayer (Rebecca J Terry). Third place went to Karen Whiting and Sara DuBose Growing a Peaceful Heart: Devotions of Faith, Encouragement, and Forgiveness from Peacemakers Past, Present, and Future (AMG). The Mystery/ Suspense Novel of the Year was awarded to Mary Alford for Among the Innocent (Revell). Second place for the Mystery/Suspense Novel of the Year was a tie with DiAnn Mills for Concrete Evidence (Tyndale) and Carrie Stuart Parks for Fallout (Thomas Nelson). Third place went to Dani Pettrey for The Deadly Shallows (Bethany House).
The Contemporary Novel of the Year was awarded to Heather Norman Smith for Songs for a Sunday (Iron Stream).
Second place for Contemporary Novel of the Year went to Deborah Raney for Breath of Heaven (Raney Day Press). Third place was a tie that went to Carol Grace Stratton for Lake Surrender (Carol Stratton) and Kara Hunt for Kite: Paper Dolls (Winged Publications).
The Historical Novel of the Year was awarded to Kimberley Woodhouse for Mark of Grace (Bethany House).
Second place for Historical Novel of the Year went to Cindy K. Sproles for This is Where it Ends (Revell). Third place went to Marilynn Turk for The Escape Game (Barbour).
The Romance Novel of the Year was awarded to Loretta Eidson for Pursued in the Wilderness (Love Inspired) Second place for Romance Novel of the Year was a tie with J. C. Lafler formLove—What’s God Got to Do With It? (Redemption Press) and Kim Williams for A LifemUnopened (Kim Williams). Third place went to Jill Kemerer for Guarding His Secretm(Love Inspired).
The Novella of the Year was awarded to Deborah Raney for The Wondrous Gift (in O
Little Town: A Romance Christmas Collection) (Kregel). Second place for Novella of the Year went to Melissa Henderson for Second Time Lighthouse Love (Charleston LIght: Stories Inspired by Sullivan Island Lighthouse) (Random Moon Books). Third place went to Susan G. Mathis for Rachel’s Reunion (smWordWorks llc).
The Arise Daily Writer of the Year was awarded to Crystal Bowman.
AWSA’s official magazine, “Leading Hearts,” won the first-place Award of Excellence from the Evangelical Press Association Merit after nine straight years of winning the Award of Merit. The Leading Hearts Contributor of the Year went to Saundra Dalton- Smith. Feature Article of the Year went to Lori Roeleveld for “All Words Are Not Created Equal.” The EPA Higher Goals Award went to Linda Evans Shepherd for her Leading Hearts column “Prayer Circle” and her Leading Hearts Evangelism Article “The Flashlight Revival.”
The 2023 graduating Certified Coaches were recognized: Pastor Jenn Dafoe-Turner, Debbie Dufek, Tracy Glass, Nancy Kay Grace, Teresa Janzen and Carol Grace Stratton.
New ASWA P.O.W.E.R. Speakers were recognized: Dr. Velma Bagby, Marilyn Bay, Debbie Dufek, Angel Dugas, Virginia Grounds, Zoe Hicks, Billie Jauss, Gail Porter, Darcie Stiener, Laurie Westlake and Carla Wicks.
This is the fourth year to present the Christian Market Book Awards. These awards are open to all authors who publish in the Christian market.
The Christian Market Book of the Year was awarded to Sharon Norris Elliott for Didn’t See That Coming: When How They’re Living Is Not How You Raised Them (Elk Lake).
The Christian Market Devotional of the Year was awarded to Becky Reeser Terry for Tie On Your Apron in the Kitchen of Prayer (Rebecca J Terry).
The Christian Market Christian Living Book of the Year was awarded to Mabel Ninan for Far from Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth (Harambee Press).
The Christian Market Bible Study of the Year was awarded to Kathy for Howard Deep Rooted: Growing Through the Book of Romans (Bold Vision Books).
The Christian Market Suspense Novel of the Year was awarded to Lynette Eason for Crossfire (Revell).
The Christian Market Romance Novel of the Year was awarded to Hope Toler Dougherty for Forever Home (Scrivenings Press). The Christian Market Historical Novel of the Year was awarded to Liz Tolsma for What I Would Tell You (Barbour). The Christian Market Contemporary Novel of the Year was awarded to Chris Posti for Falling Apart, Falling for You (Elk Lake).
The Christian Market Children’s Book of the Year was awarded to Crystal Bowman and Michelle S. Lazurek, illustrated by Sandra Eide, for Who God Wants Me to Be (Waterbrook). The Christian Market Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year was awarded to Michelle Medlock Adams, illustrated by Sandra Eide, for Love Connects Us All (Wren and Bear Books)
Second place for the Christian Market Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year went to Michelle Medlock Adams and Janet Johnson, illustrated by Beth Snider, for Fly High: Understanding Grief with God’s Help (End Game Press). Third place went to Linda S. Carter for Devotions from the Earth: Kids Edition—Reptiles and Small Animals (Cedar Ridge Books). The Christian Market Children’s Fiction Book of the Year was awarded to Sally Metzger, illustrated by Caroline Baker Mazure for Jesus, Were You Little? (Our Sunday Visitor Kids). Second place for the Christian Market Children’s Fiction Book of the Year went to Wendy Hinote Lanier, illustrated by Jieting Chen for The Dog That Gave My Brother Words (End Game Press). Third place went to Asheritah Ciuciu, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin, for Unwrapping the Names of Jesus for Kids (Moody).
The Christian Market Nonfiction Book of the Year was awarded to Cynthia Cavanaugh for The Godly Kings of Judah (Moody).
Second place for the Christian Market Nonfiction Book of the Year went to Andy Clapp for In the Eye of the Storm: Withstanding the Fury of Life’s Storms (End Game Press). Third place went to Amber Weigand-Buckley and Lisa Burris Burns for Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success (Bold Vision Books).
The Christian Market Novel of the Year was awarded to Tracy Higley for Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time (Stonewater Books LLC). Second place for the Christian Market Novel of the Year was awarded to Carrie Stuart Parks Fallout (Thomas Nelson). Third place went to Kimberley Woodhouse and Tracie Peterson The Heart’s Choice (Bethany House).
A parody, written by Martha Bolton, was performed by Sharon Tedford. Dr. Michelle Bengtson delivered the keynote address.
AWSA, the sponsor of the Golden Scroll Awards Banquet, is an outreach of Right to the Heart Ministries and consists of nearly 900 top women authors who both publish and speak nationally. See www.AWSA.com.
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