The Parable Group, a leading retail and marketing services provider, and WestBow Press, the self-publishing division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, today announced William Thorton as the Grand Prize winner of the 2015 Aspiring Authors Writing Contest. Thorton’s manuscript, Set Your Fields on Fire, was selected from several hundred entrants. His winning novel will be self-published through WestBow Press and reviewed for possible traditional publication by Thomas Nelson and Zondervan.

In addition, upon publication, Thorton will receive a free marketing package from The Parable Group to promote the prize-winning book in catalogs and in bookstores across the nation.

A newspaper reporter living in Southside, Alabama, Thorton entered the contest after seeing a promotional tweet. Set Your Fields on Fire is a humorous novel about a group of "mystery worshippers," a firm hired to evaluate a church's services and ministries, and the lengths to which they will go to do their jobs.

“We are very pleased with the quality of the finalists for this year’s Aspiring Authors Writing Contest,” said Pete Nikolai, publisher of WestBow Press and director of publishing services for HarperCollins Christian Publishing, WestBow's parent company. “The reach of The Parable Group and their partner stores provided a great opportunity for hundreds of writers to make their dream come true. We congratulate William Thorton for writing such a great story and encourage all the entrants to keep writing and sharing their stories with the world.”

Additional winners included first-place winner, Gretchen Rodriguez, who will receive a free Pro Format publishing package for her book, Aegis. Second-place winner Rhonda Brunea will receive a free Essential Access publishing package for her book, In the Dim of Grimmelings. Click here to see the complete list of finalists.

The contest was open to authors who were at least 18 years of age and had written an unpublished manuscript.

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