Archive for the ‘Awards’ Category

House of Honor: The BookFest Fall Award Winner

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The 2024 Fall BookFest award winners were just announced, and House of Honor: The Heist of Caravaggio’s Nativity by Margaret Ann Philbrick was the winner in the Christian historical fiction category!

The Godfather meets The Da Vinci Code, but with a redemptive twist.” —TARYN R. HUTCHISON, award-winning author of The Cold War Trilogy

House of Honor by Margaret Ann Philbrick, Limited Color edition, Historical Christian fictionTwo Italian sons, one woman, linked by a masterpiece painting, are put to a test of loyalty and honor. At the heart of this gripping tale is Orazio Bordoni, the wayward son of a construction magnate, living a reckless life like that of his artistic hero Caravaggio. He finds himself befriended by Nicolo Giotto, the devoted son of a powerful Sicilian mafia clan, who wants to uphold the honor of his family. As the dark underbelly of the art world and the Vatican expose their true character, Orazio finds himself in a high stakes game where his loyalty is tested, honor is redefined, and the boundaries between life, love and art blur. He and Nicolo discover how far they’re willing to push those boundaries, even if it means sacrificing everything.

Learn more about House of Honor here.

Winners Announced for the American Writing Awards

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The 2024 American Writing Awards celebrated an unprecedented year, with a record number of submissions across 82 diverse categories, marking a remarkable testament to the vitality of modern literature. Shared the American Writing Awards team, “The AWAs are quickly becoming one of the nation’s most sought-after literary contests. This growing popularity is a testament to the recognition it offers, the excellent value for participants, and the consistently exceptional quality of submitted works. Each year, the competition becomes fiercer, and 2024 was no exception with another record-breaking number of entries. We’re eagerly anticipating an even larger turnout next year. It’s a privilege to read and celebrate these incredible books. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to all the Winners, Finalists, and participants who make this competition extraordinary.”

Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel by Terry Overtonby Terry Overton was named a finalist in the religion, Christian category.

 

American Book Fest Announces Winners and Finalists of the 21st Annual Best Book Awards

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AMERICAN BOOK FEST™ ANNOUNCES
WINNERS AND FINALISTS OF
THE 21st ANNUAL BEST BOOK AWARDS Mainstream & Independent Titles Score Top Honors
in the 2024 Best Book AwardsPenguin Random House, St. Martin’s Press, HarperCollins, Wiley, Rowman & Littlefield, American Bar Association, Princeton University Press, Oxford University Press, The White House Historical Association, Hay House, Inner Traditions/Bear & Co., Llewellyn Worldwide, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson and hundreds of national and international Independent Houses contribute to this year’s Outstanding Competition!

American Book Fest announced the winners and finalists of THE 21st ANNUAL BEST BOOK AWARDS (BBA), one of the world’s largest international book award programs for mainstream, indie, and self-published titles. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 100 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2020-2024.American Book Fest Best Book Awards 2024

Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest, said this year’s contest yielded thousands of entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

Keen says of the awards, “Over our 21-year history, thousands of self-published and indie authors have leveraged the promotional power of their Best Book Award to increase online recognition, enhance their title’s credibility, and garner more attention in the crowded book buying marketplace.”

Full results for the 21st Annual Best Book Awards.

Winners and finalists of this year’s contest join a prestigious group of past laureates, including Pope Francis, Amy Tan, Anne Lamott, George Sanders, Julie Andrews, Clive Barker, Vanessa Williams, Shark Tank’s Daymon John, Brad Thor, Kitty Kelley, and many others. Visit the Award Laureate page for an expanded list.

American Book Fest covers books from all sections of the publishing industry—mainstream, independent, & self-published. A 21-year timeline and award archives can be found here.

American Book Fest sponsors four separate award programs throughout the year. Each program has its own judging panel and announcement timeline. Many authors and publishers enter one or more contests, depending on their publication and marketing timeline. Visit our 2025 Submission Schedule.

American Book Fest has an active social media presence, with over 132,000 current Facebook fans.


Congratulations to the Following Ambassador International Award-Winning Titles: (Full Results are Available Here)

House of Honor by Margaret Ann Philbrick, Limited Color edition, Historical Christian fictionFiction: Historical
House of Honor: The Heist of Caravaggio’s Nativity by Margaret Ann Philbrick
Ambassador International

Fiction: NovellaI Have Lived by Doug Lanzo, Christian romantic suspense novella
I Have Lived by Douglas Lanzo
Ambassador International

Carol Award Semi-Finalist: Addy of the Door Islands!

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The Carol Award Semi-Finalists were announced this week, and we’re thrilled that Addy of the Door Islands by Judy DuCharme has been listed as a semi-finalist in the young adult category!

Addy of the Door Islands is the story of Addy, a little girl who arrived on an orphan train with her sister, desperate for a home, love, and acceptance. Lainey and her husband Clifford find themselves on the verge of parenthood—both adoptive and biological—and find that their adventures on Door Island are only beginning.

Learn more about this long-awaited sequel to Lainey of the Door Islands HERE and add it to your Goodreads HERE.

2021 Indie Book Awards WINNER – Judy DuCharme

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We have a winner!
While it is a high honor, it is not a surprising one to those of us at Ambassador International.
Check out Judy DuCharme’s books on Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, or your local library!
Celebrate!
In honor of this award, each one of Judy’s books is on sale for $4.99 or less in the Kindle Store!
To learn more about this talented author, mother, grandmother, and Door County native, watch this fun author interview with Judy and Ambassador International’s own Susanna Maurer, as they discuss motherhood, writing, and finding your creative passion.
Success and parenthood.
Judy’s success is a reminder to parents everywhere to never give up their hopes, dreams, and passions, even if they must put them aside for a season. While Judy attributes her success to God and a supportive family, her creativity and dedication to letting a story germinate have allowed her to become the award-winning author she is today.
Read more about this incredible, award-winning author on her website, and discover which one of her books is right for you!

Another Award-Winning Author

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Ambassador International is thrilled to announce that March release author, Terry Overton, has won a 2021 Firebird Book Award for her book, Both Sides of The Border. The novel placed in three categories: Cross-Genre, Socio-Political Fiction, and Women’s Fiction. Terry will also be interviewed on Speak Up Talk Radio on May 12th at 10 AM EST to discuss her book. Stay alert for updates on this interview and what podcasts to tune into to learn more about this fascinating novel!

Both Sides of The Border takes the reader on a physical journey, up through Central America to Texas, but also a journey of perspectives and experiences. One woman heads north, escaping her old life, in search of a better one. A second woman heads south, escaping the mundane, all while searching for greater opportunities. While the content and societal relevance make this book a must-read novel for 2021, it is especially fitting for young adults looking to understand more about current events. Readers can find Both Sides of The Border here.

About the author:

Terry Overton obtained her Ph.D. in Psychology and her Ed.D. in special education. She taught in public schools and was a school psychologist and a professor before retiring in 2016. Her university experiences included teaching at Longwood University in Virginia, the University of Texas-Brownsville, The University of Texas-Pan American, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Stephen F. Austin State University. She held positions as Dean and Department Chair during her tenure in higher education. Her areas of research
included behavior disorders, learning disorders, autism, and research in higher
education. She currently resides in Laguna Vista, Texas. She enjoys Biblical history and general Bible studies, writing, blogging, and playing golf.

 

Illumination Awards Bronze Medalists

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Ambassador International is thrilled to announce that Chris Paxon and Rose Spiller won a bronze medal in Theology at the Illumination Awards for their book, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding The Complete Gospel Message.

Well done, ladies. We are so excited by this prestigious accomplishment, and more importantly, grateful for the kingdom-work you are doing through your ministry.

If you haven’t already read No Half-Truths Allowed, now is the time to pick up this elucidating, engaging discussion of the Gospel. 

For fans of the book, this comes as no surprise. With its clear theology and the authors’ understanding of the global implications of the Gospel message, No Half-Truths Allowed gives its readers the gift of going back to Sunday School – this time as adults. Gone are the weak, palatable clippings of Scripture, and present is the solid, true meat of the Word. In a time where truth is subjective and words lose their meaning, this book directs people back to the Gospel and the Bible, teaching them to understand and truly know of the Word of God.

For those who want to dig in more, No Half-Truths Allowed also has a study guide, allowing readers to read and study the Bible with this book as a guide. Buy them in a pair here!

As always, Ambassador International thanks our authors and readers for their support. But today, a round of applause for these hard-working authors!

 

Independent Press Award-Winning Middle Grade Book Teaches Forgiveness and Unexpected Blessings

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In Unwanted by Mary E. Sandford, Debbie is a lot like most twelve-year-olds in the fifties. She puts others first, she loves to laugh, and she’s not afraid to pray. Convinced her family is destroyed beyond repair, Debbie longs for a new one. She got dumped at an orphanage, even though she’s not an orphan. And she’s determined do something about it. But when her friends need her, she steps up putting her own goals aside. Debbie protects her friends, stands up for what she believes is right, knows that forgiveness is always the best choice and even figures out how to befriend a bully. Unwanted proves that while things aren’t always what they seem, you can always hope.

The INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD recognized Unwanted in the category of Juvenile Fiction as the 2020 Winner.