I usually try to read as many debut authors as I can each year, so I can recommend great new authors to my friends and blog readers, and so I can see and understand the market trends.
I don’t know if it’s me or if I haven’t been looking, but I haven’t seen as many debut authors coming from major Christian publishers this year. Where I have seen them publishing books from new authors, they are authors who have already published independently, such as Courtney Walks or the amazing Toni Shiloh. I”m looking forward to reading her Bethany House debut next year, as I love her independently published contemporary Christian romances.
But I have still managed to read some new-to-me authors, even if I’m not reading them as debut authors.
(In some cases, I’m reading them after they’ve been publishing for years).
Twins for the Cowboy by Linda Goodnight is a fun cowboy romance that’s probably more clean than Christian (while both main characters are Christians, neither make a big deal about it and thebooko isn’t at all preachy).
Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee is a thought-provoking story of a white woman interviewing ex-slaves in the 1930s.
Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong is an excellent contemporary Christian romance with a healthy dose of funny. Click here to read my review.
A Flicker of Light by Katie Powner is a powerful family drama. Click here to read my review.
The Billionaire’s Secret by Meghann Whistler was a debut novel in a genre I don’t usually read – billionaire romance. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman is an oustanding novel about a mother’s struggle with grief after the death of her son.
Other new-to-me authors I read this year include:
- Kathleen Neely
- Ashtyn Newbold
- Valerie Howard
- Wendy Rich Stetson
- Melissa Crosby
- Mimi Matthews
- Tara K Ross
- Heidi Kimball
- Ava Mills
- Rae Walsh
- Shaenae Johnson
- Jamie Dearen
- Dora Hiers
- Vivi Holt
- Bree Livingston
- Janine Rosche
That’s the fiction authors – I won’t list the nonfiction authors (which is probably another five … being the authors of the five nonfiction book I read this year).
It’s actually a longer list that I’d thought, but most of them are books I downloaded free or bought on a Kindle 99 cent deal. Most of them were perfectly good novels, but few were exceptional enough to kick an existing must-read author off my to-read list. (I have hundreds of unread books. I need to read some of them before adding more books to the list).
