The 2016 INSPYs Longlists

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Good afternoon, readers and friends. Last Saturday the INSPY Awards closed the 2016 nomination form after nearly a month of receiving nominations from readers and bloggers alike. We so enjoyed seeing all of your nominations pouring in, but once we clicked that form over to “off,” some serious work needed to begin in order to find our 2016 INSPYs longlists.

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As we tabulated the top 15 in each category and slowly began to construct the lists, we grew a little more excited to share the lists with you as we edged closer and closer to revealing what YOU nominated. Today, that task is done and we can unveil what you chose as the “top reads of 2015.”

Our next step (and the REAL work) will begin as we spend the next three months deciding which of these novels should comprise the short lists (top five in each category). Following this process, we’ll be looking for enthusiastic judges (panels of 3-5 people per category) to decide which book will ultimately win each category. For more information on that, please feel free to ask me, contact inspyawards[at]gmail[dot]com.

Below you’ll find our announcement post from INSPYs.com or you can click over there and read the list if you like. Either way, grab a cup of your favorite warm drink and browse through the 2015 reads that are moving on to “phase two” of the INSPY Awards 2016.

The Advisory Board Announces the 2016 INSPYs Longlists

For the INSPY Awards, change was the word as we began 2016.

To help simplify our nomination process, we made some adjustments to our awards program. To that end, instead of publicizing our long list of nominations as they poured in, the Advisory Board kept the list private since the method of nomination involved a process of popular vote. The number of books that received the most nominations (the top 15 from each category) came out as the winners, which then determined the long lists.  

After some behind-the-scene delays, today we are thrilled to announce the results from those votes. From the lists below, the Advisory Board will be narrowing these respective lists down to five books per category which will become our 2016 short lists. From there, the same judging process and practices will follow.

Grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy browsing through the books that YOU nominated, propelling them into “phase two.”

Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense:

1. Pesto and Potholes by Susan M. Baganz (Prism Book Group)
2. Moments of Truth by Sandra D. Bricker (Bling! Romance)
3. Together with You by Victoria Bylin (Bethany House)
4. Anna’s Healing by Vannetta Chapman (Harvest House)
5. Legitimate Lies by Julie B. Cosgrove (Prism Book Group)
6. The End Begins by Sara Davison (Ashberry La​ne​)
7. No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason (Revell)
8. London Tides by Carla Laureano (David. C. Cook)
9. To Dance with Dolphins by Bonnie Leon (Ashb​erry​ Lane)
10. Rising Darkness by Nancy Mehl (Bethany House)
11. The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer (Zondervan)
12. Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth ​K. ​Vogt (Howard)
13. A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade (Bethany House)
14. The Wonder of You by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House)
15. Her Brother’s Keeper by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson)

Debut Fiction Longlist:

1. A Light in Bailey’s Harbor by Bethany Baker (Mantle Rock Publishing)
2. The Thorn Bearer by Pepper D. Basham (Vinspire Publishing)
3. Whitewashed by Amy Blake (Mantle Rock)
4. To Soar on Eagle’s Wings by Renee Blare (Prism Book Group)
5. Angelhood by A.J. Cattapan (Vinspire Publishing)
6. Jaded by Varina Denman (David C. Cook)
7. The Memoir of Johnny Devine by Cam​il​le Eide (Ashberry Lane)
8. Blood of a Stone by Jeanne Gassman (Tuscany Press)
9. A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter (Bethany House)
10. Love’s Rescue by Christine Johnson (Bethany House)
11. Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason (Bethany House)
12. Cavernous by Monica Mynk (Mantle Rock)
13. Broken Dolls ​by ​Tyrolin Puxty (Curiosity Quills)
14. The Sound of Diamonds by Rachelle Rea (Whitefire Publishing)
15. Finding Mia by Dianne J. Wilson (Harbourlight)

General Fiction Longlist:

1. Hidden Storms by Nancy Shew Bolton (Prism Book Group)
2. A Sparrow in Ter​ezi​n by Kristy Cambron (Thomas Nelson)
3. A Cup of Dust by Susie Finkbeiner (Kregel)
4. The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert (WaterBrook Press)
5. Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke (Tyndale House Publishers)
6. Spy of Richmond by Jocelyn Green (River North)
7. Tea & Crumples by Summer Kinard (Light Messages Publishing)
8. The Dog that Saved Stewart Coolidge by Jim Kraus (FaithWords)
9. The Tomb by Stephanie Landsem (Howard Books)
10. To Dance with Dolphins by Bonnie Leon (Ash​berry ​Lane)
11. Water From My Heart by Charles Martin (Center Street)
12. Chapel Springs Survival by Ane Mulligan (Light​house Publishing​ of the Carolinas​)
13. The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay (Thomas Nelson)
14. The Five Times I Met Myself by James ​L. ​Rubart (Thomas Nelson)
15. Final Grace for Reverend G by RJ Thesman (CrossRiver Media)

Historical Romance Longlist:

1. A Light in Bailey’s Harbor by Bethany Baker (Mantle Rock)
2. The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton (Waterbrook Press)
3. A Thousand Shall Fall by Andrea Boeshaar (Kregel)
4. Not by Sight by Kate Breslin (Bethany House)
5. The Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall (Whitaker House)
6. The Memoir of Johnny Devine by Cam​i​lle Eide (Ashberry Lane)
7. The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz (Revell)
8. Brentwood’s Ward by Michelle Griep (Shiloh Run Press)
9. Where Two Rivers Meet by Londa Hayden (Tate Publishing)
10. Luther ​and​ Katharina by Jody Hedlund (Waterbrook Press)
11. A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter (Bethany House)
12. Guardians of the Heart by Loree Lough (Whitaker House)
13. The Sound of Silver by Rachelle Rea (Whitefire Publishers)
14. Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin (Revell)
15. Promise to Keep by Elizabeth ​Byler ​Younts (Howard Books)

Literature for Young Adults Longlist:

1. Season of Fire by Lisa T. Bergren (Blink)
2. Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black (WaterBrook Press)
3. A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes (Enclave Publishing)
4. Lightning by Bonnie S. Calhoun (Revell)
5. Shades of Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon (Blink)
6. The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker (Tyndale)
7. The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson (Thomas Nelson)
8. The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson (Thomas Nelson)
9. See No Evil by Mary Hamilton (Hope Springs)
10. The Sound of the Stones by Beth Hammond (eLectio Publishing)
11. An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund (Zondervan)
12. Chivalrous by Dina L. Sleiman (Bethany House)
13. Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman (Bethany House)
14. 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status by Cynthia Toney (Write Integrity Press)
15. Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber (Thomas Nelson)

Mystery / Thriller Longlist:

1. The Last Con by Zachary Bartels (Thomas Nelson)
2. Whitewashed by Amy Blake (Mantle Rock)
3. Gone without a Trace by Patricia Bradley (Revell)
4. Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman (Zondervan)
5. Deadly Doll by Brooke Cox (Mantle Rock Publishing)
6. A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker (Center Street)
7. Honor at Stake by Declan Finn (Eternal Press)
8. Vendetta by Lisa Harris (Revell)
9. Taken by Dee Henderson (Bethany House)
10. Falcon by Ronie Kendig (Shiloh Run Press)
11. Where Hope Dwells by Elizabeth Ludwig (Guideposts)
12. Desperate Measures by Sandra Orchard (Revell)
13. The Bones will Speak by Carr​ie Stuart Parks (Thomas Nelson)
14. Shattered Trust by Chris Richards (Prism Book Group)
15. Ashes to Ashes by Mel Starr (Kregel)

Speculative Fiction Longlist:

1. The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry (Kregel)
2. Heir of Hope by Morgan ​L. Busse (​Enclave Publishing​)
3. The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr (Bethany House)
4. Angelhood by A.J. Cattapan (Vinspire)
5. The Curse of Crow Hollow by Billy Coffey (Thomas Nelson)
6. Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry (Howard Books)
7. The Sound of Stones by Beth Hammond (eLectio Publishing)
8. Embers by Ronie Kendig (Enclave​ Publishing)
9. The King’s Scrolls by Jaye L Knight (Living Sword Publishers)
10. The Sword and the Song by C.E. Laureano (Nav Press)
11. The Road to Terminus by Catherine Leggitt (Mountainview Books)
12. Waking Beauty by Sarah E. Morin (Enclave)
13. Cavernous by Monica Mynk (Mantle Rock)
14. Found and Lost by Amanda Stevens (David C. Cook)
15. Take and Give by Amanda Stevens (David C. Cook)

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…and there you have the 2016 INSPYs longlists.

We’d like to congratulate all of the nominated authors and thank all of the bloggers and readers who put forth their favorite reads of 2015.

We’re ready to get to work and find the top five in each of these categories.