History was made this week when Karen Kingsbury, America's No. 1 inspirational author was awarded the 2007 Christian Book of the Year Award for her bestselling novel, Ever After. The award, given out at this week's International Christian Retailing Show in Atlanta, GA, marks the first time ever that the Book of the Year was won by a novel. It was also the first time ever that the award was given to a woman. Previously, the Book of the Year has been awarded to pastors and scholars, such as Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life.

“It is exciting to see a novel win Christian Book of the Year,” says ECPA President Mark Kuyper. “Anyone and everyone can read this book and be profoundly impacted. Karen Kingsbury is a gifted story-teller, able to weave profound truth into a page-turner.”

Also this week, Kingsbury won Author-of-the-Year from the national Logos Book Group, and Best Novel in the Retailers Choice Awards for her book, Found. Kingsbury has been featured in Time Magazine and has had several titles on the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. There are more than 6 million copies of her books in print. Kingsbury currently holds the No. 1 spot on the CBA's Top 50 Books bestsellers list, as well as the No. 1 spot on the CBA fiction bestsellers list. Kingsbury has trademarked her work as "Life-Changing Fiction (TM)" because of the impact her work has had on the lives of countless readers. She currently receives between three hundred and five hundred emails from fans each week, many of them detailing heartrending stories of lives changed by her novels.

Ever After, a story of love and loss, faith and sacrifice, is set against the back drop of the war in Iraq. Kingsbury mentions in the front matter of her winning novel a memorial to Josh Dingler, an 18-year-old soldier who in August, 2005, lost his life serving in Iraq. Earlier this week, prior to winning the Book of the Year award, Kingsbury visited the Dinglers, who live in the Atlanta area.

"The Dinglers welcomed me into their home and shared precious photos and memories of their fallen son and brother. I've never felt more honored and indebted by the sacrifice of our military than during those precious hours in the living room of that special family."

Kingsbury says Ever After has stirred people across the nation to a deeper support for the troops. Because of the novel, earlier this year Kingsbury added two pages to her popular website - one or fallen military heroes, and one for active military heroes.

"People can come to my website, see the photos of soldiers sent in by their families and friends, and pray for them," Kingsbury said. "Political views may vary, but our gratitude for our troops must stay strong. Ever After is that kind of love story."

Kingsbury's novel was publicly commended at the Book of the Year ceremony for bringing healing and hope to the nation and in particular to the military community.