We Have a Winner – In Both Contests

First, congratulations to Ryan Heart (posts include a terrific interview with both authors, an introduction of the Underground, and a review), winner of the November CSFF Top Tour Blogger Award. Ryan more than doubled the number of votes the closest competitor received. Consequently, despite the fact that she received just under fifty percent of the total vote, she was still the clear winner.

For some time we’ve had an online button the winner can display, but honestly I haven’t figured out my part. I’m turning over the job of sending the button to winners (and answering their questions) to our savvy CSFF Webmaster, Tina Kulesa. (Thank goodness for Tina!)

And now, to the bigger announcement. The votes for the first ever Readers’ Choice – Clive Staples Award for Christian Speculative Fiction are in and counted. We have a winner!

Some important pieces of business. Special thanks to each person who voted. Your participation made this award possible!

A few well-meaning folks filled out the survey, indicating in the first question that they had not read any of the books. Because the sole requirement for participation was reading at least one of the nominations, those ballots were discarded.

In addition, a number of ballots marked as a second and/or third choice the same title they marked as a first choice. We counted the first choice but ignored the vote for second and/or third (since it’s not possible to consider a book your second or third choice when you’ve already declared it your first).

Despite the fact that 15 books were nominated, our winning novel claimed over 35 percent of the total number of first place votes. What’s more, the winner finished with over 50 votes more than the second place book.

Taking into consideration selections as the second or third choice, our winner received votes on over 50 percent of the surveys.

Clearly, readers have spoken.

The winner of the 2009 Readers’ Choice – Clive Staples Award for Christian Speculative Fiction is

DragonLight
by Donita K. Paul
(WaterBrook)

I can’t help but think how fitting it is for Donita’s concluding book in the Dragon Keeper Chronicles to be the first winner of the CSACSF since one of her earlier volumes was the first book featured by CSFF Blog Tour.

Congratulations for this reader recognition, Donita!