Today’s post is from Meredith Resce, Author and Publisher, and member of the Omega Writers Management Committee.
Back in 2010, I entered the CALEB awards for the first time. I even flew to Queensland for the gala dinner that, at that time, was a completely separate event to the Omega Conference. I was a finalist in the fiction category along with my good writing friends, Paula Vince, Amanda Deed and Mary Hawkins.
It was great to be with other writers celebrating writing achievements. That year, Amanda Deed won the award with her debut novel ‘The Game’.
From that time to this, CALEB has grown through some learning times, and some times when we didn’t know if the award would continue. But there has always been a handful of people who believe in the concept: Christian Authors Lifting up Each other’s Books.
The Omega Writers’ Management Committee strongly believe in the concept of encouragement and celebration. It is true you might win money with other competitions. It is also true that other competitions have a greater reach. But the central concept of CALEB awards is that we recognise other Australasian Christian authors, and celebrate achievements.
We have traditionally featured many Christian fiction works, which is a category that doesn’t receive much recognition in other Australian Christian writing awards. There are many fine Christian fiction authors in our networks.
There has also been a plethora of Children’s picture books published and celebrated in CALEB. These books have been a credit to the small publishing groups that work hard to produce and market these works.
Young adult fiction has been an emerging group in Australasian Christian writing, and I personally have noted the quality of books that have come through in this category. I’m looking forward to reading more.
Non-fiction has also been a feature in our awards, some fine biographies, memoirs, devotionals and inspirational works.
If you have a work published in 2019 or 2020 I encourage you to enter it into our CALEB awards. Your entry not only encourages you, it encourages us. It is a testament to Australian and New Zealand authors at work. We see you. We appreciate you. We celebrate your work.
I look forward to seeing your work soon.
Oh, and by the way, we do have a prize to the value of $400 for each category.
Entries for this years’ CALEB awards have been extended, and now close on 30 April 30 2021.
Thanks Meredith for sharing your experience of the CALEB awards. It sounds truly worthwhile. I hope to enter myself some day—you never know!
One day soon, Steph. Bless you.
I think the concept, Christian Authors Lifting up Each other’s Books, is a beautiful one, Meredith. It has helped me enormously, and I have so many foundation members to thank for it.
Yes we do have many foundational members to thank for this award. Two who come to mind who worked tirelessly to get it started and flowing are Anne Hamilton and Rochelle Manners-Stephens. They plowed the ground for many years and gave CALEB the start, and then it was Simon Kennedy and Judy Rogers who kept it going. Now we give thanks to Iola Goulton and the Omega Management Committee for keeping it as an important place for encouraging Australasian Christian authors.