The first place winner will receive $100 and a
$50 Walmart gift card, plus free books from Christian authors Acacia Beumer,
Laura Davis, Lorilyn Roberts and Cheryl Rogers.
Entries will be accepted from June 1 though
July 15 at
contest.newchristianbooks@earthlink.net
All stories must be wail tales, or short stories between 1,000 and 3,000
words that teach the importance of obedience to God.
Wail tales are, in essence, exaggerated tales
of woe involving a youth who has made bad choices and lands in a whale of
trouble, just like Jonah in the Bible. In the end, the youth must call upon God
and be restored through his grace.
The contest is being held in conjunction with
the John 3:16 Marketing Network, a group of Christian writers who have bonded
to promote the gospel through their writing.
“I believe the contest is a fun way reinforce
the lesson of Jonah,” says Cheryl Rogers, publisher of New Christian Books Online Magazine. “It’s also a chance for
budding writers to practice their craft. And a chance for network writers to introduce their work to more readers.”
Rogers authored Just Like Jonah Wail Tales,
a storybook collection featuring modern Jonahs who make mistakes but turn to
God and receive his mercy.
Judges include:
* Acacia Beumer, who was awarded the Dove
Foundation’s “Family-Approved” Seal for ages 12 plus for her book Launch Out
Into the Deep! Beumer also is a
recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award Gold Medal for the Most
Outstanding Religion and Spirituality Book.
* Katherine Harms, author of Oceans of Love,
a book with 30 days of meditations on God’s love built on texts relating to
oceans and water;
* Lisa Lickel, author of First Children of
Farmington, six stories of settler children and their families, which is
illustrated by Brenda K. Hendricks, slated for release in time for Christmas
2012;
* Diane Tatum, author of the historical love
story Gold Earrings, who taught middle school Language Arts for 11 years
in Tullahoma City Schools; and
* Cheryl Rogers, publisher of New Christian
Books Online Magazine.
Junior judges are volunteers ages 9 through 17,
who will receive free copies of Just Like Jonah Wail Tales and the John
3:16 Marketing Network’s sampler book, Taste and See.
Here is a list of prizes:
First place: $100, $50 Walmart
gift card, a paperback and audiobook CD of Acacia Beumer’s Launch Out Into the Deep, a copy of Laura Davis’ novel Come to Me and the accompanying Bible
Study Guide Learning from the Master:
Living the Surrendered Life, a copy of Lorilyn Robert’s upcoming young
adult novel Seventh Dimension slated
for release later this year, an autographed paperback copy of Fast Track to Victory, A Christian
Guidebook, a devotions book by Cheryl Rogers; an e-copy of Just Like Jonah Wail Tales by Cheryl Rogers; and an e-copy of John 3:16
Marketing Networks’ sampler book Taste
and See.
Second prize: $75, $25 Walmart gift card, a
paperback and audiobook CD of Acacia Beumer’s Launch Out Into the Deep, a copy of Laura Davis’ novel Come to Me, a copy of Lorilyn Robert’s
upcoming young adult novel Seventh
Dimension slated for release later this year, an autographed copy of Fast Track to Victory, A Christian
Guidebook, a devotions book by Cheryl Rogers; an e-copy of Just Like Jonah Wail Tales by Cheryl
Rogers; and an e-copy of John 3:16 Marketing Networks’ sampler book Taste and See.
Third prize: $25, a paperback and audiobook CD
of Acacia Beumer’s Launch Out Into the
Deep, a copy of Laura Davis’ Bible Study Guide Learning from the Master: Living the Surrendered Life, a copy of
Lorilyn Robert’s upcoming young adult novel Seventh Dimension slated for release later this year, an autographed
copy of Fast Track to Victory, A
Christian Guidebook by Cheryl Rogers; an e-copy of Just Like Jonah Wail Tales by Cheryl Rogers; an 18” x 12” Scripture
poster quoting John 3:16; and an e-copy of John 3:16 Marketing Networks’
sampler book Taste and See.
Honorable Mention Awards will be given if the
judges choose to recognize one or more excellent wail tales not chosen for the
other awards. These award winners will receive e-copies of Just Like Jonah Wail Tales, the John 3:16 Marketing Network sampler
book Taste and See, and Finding God: Biblical Answers to Questions
about our Maker by Cheryl Rogers.
All of the award winners will have their wail
tales published in either the New
Christian Books Online Magazine, an ebook, or both.