{"id":6107,"date":"2009-07-12T13:12:24","date_gmt":"2009-07-12T18:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.epictales.org\/treskillard\/2009\/07\/12\/tom_pawlik_s_vanish_wins_the_christy_vis\/"},"modified":"2017-01-16T14:13:30","modified_gmt":"2017-01-16T20:13:30","slug":"tom_pawlik_s_vanish_wins_the_christy_vis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.epictales.org\/treskillard\/2009\/07\/12\/tom_pawlik_s_vanish_wins_the_christy_vis\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Pawlik’s VANISH Wins The Christy Visionary Award!"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Yes, you heard it right, Tom Pawlik’s book VANISH<\/a> has won this year’s coveted Christy Award<\/a> in the Visionary category (Speculative Fiction).<\/strong> Congratulations, Tom! What a great win, especially considering this is Tom’s first book.<\/p>\n

This book was just reviewed by the CSFF Blog Tour<\/a> last month.<\/strong> The sad part is that when I wrote that review I hadn’t read his entire book, and that’s pretty clear from the way I wrote my review … just looking at the opening chapter (available free online), and the different Amazon reviews written by others.<\/p>\n

BUT… I really got hooked and wanted to read this book,<\/strong> so when my son, Leighton, wanted to buy a book and download it on my daughter’s new Kindle book reader (a high school graduation gift), I gave VANISH as one of two recommendations.<\/p>\n

Leighton, who is 14, read the sample chapters<\/strong> of VANISH and another book (not to be mentioned), and he chose VANISH, bought it with his own money, and downloaded it in less than a minute.<\/p>\n

When he had finished reading the book, he summed it up this way: “VANISH was the best book I have ever read.”<\/strong> Wow. If he had some more pocket change, he would have bought VALLEY OF THE SHADOW (book 2) right away.<\/p>\n

So, Tom, you have some rabid followers in this house, and when I can find the time, I’ll be picking up that, er, Kindle thingy and reading it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congrats, Tom!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"John<\/a><\/div>\n

On a side note, I wanted to point out one of the Finalists in the visionary category who did not win: John Olson, author of SHADE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This book was also reviewed by the CSFF Blog Tour in November of last year, <\/strong>and you can read my comments here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The interesting thing is that if John had<\/em> won the Christy award, it would have been an amazing triumph for him.<\/strong> Why? Because it took ten years for the Christian speculative fiction market to open up enough for him to get this book published. <\/p>\n

A win at the Christy would have been the ultimate vindication<\/strong> for writing what he was passionate about despite the current state of speculative fiction with Christian publishers.<\/p>\n

But even becoming a FINALIST is absolutely great. <\/strong>And from this, all of us authors should take heart who, against all odds, write Christian Fantasy, Science Fiction, Supernatural, or just plain odd stuff. <\/p>\n

It can be done!<\/strong> We can get published! Keep working. Keep making your characters, your prose, dialogue, and plots the best they can be. Keep writing!<\/p>\n

John tells his fascinating and hilarious route to publication, including his funny interactions with Steve Laube<\/a>, over at the Christian Fiction Online Magazine<\/a>, and you really have to read it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congrats, John!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Also, a heartfelt congrats to Andrew Peterson<\/a> for his FINALIST status in the Young Adult category.<\/strong> Way to go, Andrew!<\/p>\n

Views: 44<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\nYes, you heard it right, Tom Pawlik’s book VANISH has won this year’s coveted Christy Award in the Visionary category…\n<\/div>\n
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