Several Christian authors have been nominated for the 2011 Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards.

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group) and Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Steeple Hill) are finalists in the Best First Book category.

The finalists in the Inspirational Romance category are A Convenient Wife by Anna Schmidt, The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight and Finding Her Way Home by Linda Goodnight (all Steeple Hill); Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing); In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon (Revell/Baker Publishing Group); Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist and Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander (both Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); Shades of Morning by Marlo Schalesky (Multnomah Books); and Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House Publishers).

Additionally, Cheryl St. John's "Mountain Rose" is a finalist in the Romance Novella category. It appears in the book To Be a Mother (Steeple Hill).

Winners for the 2011 RITA Awards will be announced July 1 during the Romance Writers of America's (RWA) 31st annual conference in New York City. Regarded as the highest award of excellence in the genre of romance fiction, the RITA Award is named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada.

Click here for a complete list of finalists.

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