ECPA Announces 2012 Christian Book Award Winners New Author category

By Press Release

CONTACT: Mark Kuyper, President and CEO, ECPA, 480-966-3998 ext. 210, mkuyper@ecpa.org

Chicago IL, 04/30/12—The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced the winners for the 2012 Christian Book Awards in seven categories, including first-time category for New Author. Presented annually to the finest in Christian publishing since 1978, the Christian Book Awards honor the highest quality titles in Bibles, Bible Reference, Non-Fiction, Fiction, Children, Inspiration, and New Author.

One finalist title, Nearing Home by Billy Graham (Thomas Nelson), received the top honor by being named the 2012 Christian Book of the Year for its profound impact and high judging scores for excellence.

“Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life,” says Billy Graham, now in his nineties and known by many as God’s Ambassador. “I would have never guessed what God had in store for me, and I know that as I am nearing home, He will not forsake me the last mile of the way.” In Nearing Home, Graham explores the challenges of aging while gleaning foundational truths from Scripture. “When granted many years of life, growing old in age is natural, but growing old with grace is a choice,” says Graham.

Nearing Home is Billy Graham’s first Christian Book of the Year, though two of his titles have received Gold Medallion Awards (Approaching Hoofbeats, 1984 and Just As I Am, 1998) along with 15 Gold / Platinum Sales Awards from ECPA over the years. In addition, he also received the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990.

“We are delighted to honor Billy Graham’s work and his continued impact on so many lives,” said ECPA President and CEO Mark Kuyper. “We are also pleased to honor new authors in this year’s award program, and congratulate each Christian Book Award winning author and publisher for their good work and continued impact. Though content formats are changing, the desire for good Christian literature remains.” First time author Mesu Andrews won in the New Author category for her debut novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group).