SANDY, UT: The winners of the Whitney Awards, a much-anticipated new program recognizing outstanding novels by LDS authors, were announced Saturday, March 22nd. Sponsored and endorsed by LDStorymakers, an LDS authors’ guild, the Whitney Awards offer national recognition and significant cash prizes to authors whose books win in one of seven categories.

To be eligible for consideration, a book must have received at least five nominations from readers, after which a panel of judges narrow the nominations down to five per category. Finally, the finalists are voted upon by an academy of 285 industry professionals, including publishers, retailers, authors, bloggers, and critics.

This year’s winners are listed below:

On Saturday the Whitney Committee also presented three lifetime achievement awards for authors who not only were prolific, well-respected writers, but who also paved the way for future LDS authors, and have contributed to the success of the LDS market. These awards were given to Jennie Hansen, Anita Stansfield, and Dean Hughes.

The Whitney Awards draw their name from Elder Orson F. Whitney, an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who declared in 1888: “We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own. God’s ammunition is not exhausted… In God’s name and by his help we will build up a literature whose top shall touch heaven, though its foundation may now be low in the earth.”

Other members of the Whitney Committee include Stephanie Black, Kerry Blair, James Dashner, Crystal Liechty, B.J. Rowley, and Julie Wright.

For more information on the Whitney Awards, visit www.whitneyawards.com.

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