This week, Lynn and I learned that The Third Target has been nominated for the 2016 Christian Book Award. It is one of 35 finalists for the honor bestowed annually by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

The Third Target, published in January 2015, was the first in a new series of political thrillers I’ve written about a horrific terror plot by the Islamic State, whose leaders are driven by an Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology to build the Caliphate and bring about the End of Days. The novel centers on J.B. Collins, a fictional New York Times foreign correspondent. Collins is pursuing rumors that ISIS has seized chemical weapons in Syria and is preparing to launch devastating attacks against the U.S., Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians; assassinate their leaders; and overthrow Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

The novel last year hit the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today best-sellers lists, and hit #1 on the ECPA list of best-selling Christian novels.

I am deeply honored to learn the book is a finalist for the Christian Book Award and thrilled to be in the company of such excellent authors. I can still remember how exciting it was a decade ago when my political thriller, The Ezekiel Option, won first place in what was then known as ECPA’s “Gold Medallion Award” in 2006.

“Our member publishers submitted more than 250 books in seven categories in this year’s Christian Book Award® program,” said Stan Jantz, ECPA executive director, in a press release. “These outstanding finalists, selected by 72 independent judges, showcase the variety and power of the books Christian publishers are producing.”

“Winners will be announced at the Industry’s Awards Celebration in Nashville, held the evening of May 3^rd during the ECPA Leadership Summit,” noted the ECPA press release. “The announcement that night will coincide with a ‘social media blitz’ through Thunderclap that announces the winners, and launches a social media campaign to #ReadGoodBooks and share #MyFavoriteGoodBook.  Last year’s campaign reached over half a million (520,909) with the news.”

————————–

• Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a chemical weapons attack against Israel, Jordan and the United States — is available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats.

——————-

• Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email.
• Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks.
• Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution before the end of the year.
• Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg