The INSPY Advisory Board is pleased to announce the shortlists for the 2011 INSPY Awards.

Creative Nonfiction
Little Princes by Conor Grennan, William Morrow, January, 2011. Semicolon review here.
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, Zondervan, January, 2011. Anne Voskamp started a list of 1000 reasons to be grateful to God. She ended up with a life full of gratitude and blessing, even in the hard times.
Passport Through Darkness by Kimberly L. Smith, David C Cook, January, 2011.
The Waiting Place by Eileen Button, Thomas Nelson, June, 2011.
The World is Bigger Now by Euna Lee & Lisa Dickey, Broadway, September, 2010. I also read this story of a journalist’s captivity in North Korea.

General Fiction
City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell, Henry Holt & Co, September, 2010. Seriously good book. Semicolon review here.
The Blackberry Bush by David Housholder, Summerside Press, June, 2011.
The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue, David C Cook, October, 2010.
Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett, David C Cook, April, 2011.
Words by Ginny Yttrup, B&H Publishing, February, 2011.

Mystery/Thriller
Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand, Bethany House, July, 2010.
Darkness Follows by Mark Dellosso, Realms, May, 2011.
Digitalis by Ronie Kendig, Barbour, January, 2011.
Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins, B&H Publishing, May, 2011.
The Bishop by Steven James, Revell, August, 2010.

Romance
A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell, Bethany House, March, 2011.
A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman, Revell, September, 2010.
The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund, Bethany House, October, 2010.
Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander, Bethany House, September, 2010.
Yesterday’s Tomorrow by Catherine West, Oak Tara, March, 2011.

Speculative Fiction
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Bethany House, July, 2010
The Charlatan’s Boy by Jonathan Rogers, Waterbrook Press, October, 2010
The Falling Away by T. L. Hines, Thomas Nelson, September, 2010
The Resurrection by Mike Duran, Realms, February, 2011
The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead, Thomas Nelson, August, 2010. CLIFFHANGER warning: Do not read this book unless you are prepared to wait however long it takes to have published however many books (5) Mr. Lawhead is planning to write to complete this series. The story is quite unfinished in this first volume. The second volume of a planned five book series, The Bone House, came out on September 6, 2011.

Young Adult
A Girl Named Mister by Nikki Grimes, Zondervan, August, 2010.
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden, Simon Pulse, September, 2010.
Saint Training by Elizabeth Fixmer, Zondervan, August, 2010.
The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson, Scholastic, September, 2010. Semicolon review here.
The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan, Thomas Nelson, September, 2010.

I get to be a judge in the Young Adult category, and I’m looking forward to working with fellow judges to choose winner from among the wonderful list of nominees.