SCWC Notable Book Awards honors authors

The Southern Christian Book Expo was held Jan. 21–22 via Facebook Live for the second year in a row, along with an in-person ceremony for winners of the annual Southern Christian Notable Book Awards.

TAB Media Group hosted the awards Jan. 22 at its building in Homewood, where conference members, nominees and their families gathered to celebrate.

Winners chosen

Out of more than 100 entries, six winners were chosen — one in each category:

• Fiction, traditionally published — “My Dear Miss Dupré” by Grace Hitchcock
• Fiction, self-published — “The Bachelorettes of the Bible” by Theresa V. Wilson
• Nonfiction, traditionally published — “Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well” by Candy Arrington
• Nonfiction, self-published — “Goodnight, Sweetheart: A Story of Faith, Hope, and Love” by Alan Johnston
• Devotional — “Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness” by Tracy Crump
• Children’s/young adult — “The Stars in April” by Peggy Wirgau.

The Southern Christian Writers Conference was founded in 1991 by David and Joanne Sloan. Four years ago, their daughter Cheryl Wray took the reins and expanded the conference to include the book expo.

“We try to do everything we can to promote books by our members,” Wray said. “It’s an important ministry of the Southern Christian Writers Conference to encourage writers in their craft.”

The 2022 Southern Christian Writers Conference will be held June 3–4 at Valley View Baptist Church in Leeds.

Seasonal workshops also are planned throughout the Southeast, including a one-day winter workshop Feb. 5 with an in-person option in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and a virtual option for those who want to tune in from home.

The theme for the winter workshop is “Write What You Love and Love What You Write.” The workshop will include four sessions and will cover multiple writing genres.

Listen to the SCWC podcast, “The Write Inspiration: A Southern Christian Writers Conference Podcast,” hosted by Wray, on Spotify.

For more information on upcoming events, email scwritersconference@gmail.com or visit the Southern Christian Writers Conference public Facebook group page.