Christian romance novelist Kristy Dykes, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last November, died Monday, July 21, at her home in Jacksonville, Fla. She was 56.

Dykes was an author whose published works include 10 inspirational novels-among them Florida Weddings and The Heart of the Matter (both Barbour Publishing)-and more than 600 articles. She enjoyed speaking at women's conferences and writers' events, and hosted a blog on which she assured readers that God had placed “a cloud of peace over her and a chair of strength under her.”

She won several awards for her writing, including second place in the 2007 Barclay Gold in the Lake Country Romance Writers contest, third place in the 2007 Inspirational Readers Choice Contest and third place in the American Christian Fiction Writers 2006 Book of the Year Contest. She also wrote a column for the ezine of the inspirational chapter of Romance Writers of America.

Dykes is survived by Milton, her husband of 37 years; two daughters, Julie Fernandez of Tampa, Fla., and Jennifer (Javier) Pascual of Puerto Rico; a brother; and four grandchildren.

Her husband was to officiate her funeral today at the church they led together, Southside Assembly of God in Jacksonville, Fla. The funeral proceedings will be shown on her, blog (http://www.christianlovestories.blogspot.com)

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