Ole Miss Author Secures Top 10 Spot in Global Author Academy Awards

By Kassidy Desnoyer
Hottytoddy.com Intern
kcdesnoy@go.olemiss.edu

Ole Miss lecturer in Sport and Recreation Administration, David Waddell has been nominated for a 2019 Author Academy Award for his second novel, “ Holiday Biblical Characters: Finding My Stories in the Stories of Christmas and Easter. “

The Author Academy Award is an honor bestowed for literary merit and publishing excellence in the writing and publishing industry. Waddell is one of many authors from around the world receiving a nomination for this year’s award. “Holiday Biblical Characters” earned a top-ten nomination in the General Non-Fiction category.

The nonfiction book finds correlations and similarities with experiences in Waddell’s life that match biblical characters in the Christmas and Easter stories. Most of the stories in the novel match up to stupidity, silliness, or sinful aspects of his life and how they compare to people in the Bible. The book is a sequel of sorts to his first book, “Characters of the Bible: Finding My Stories in Their Stories.”

David Waddell. Photo via Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management.

“I hope the stories will give people hope that, like Bible characters, they can’t do anything so bad that God can’t love them unconditionally or use them in service,” Waddell said.

Waddell had a 20-year career in ministry leadership with local churches. His faith has played a huge role in his life and he enjoys writing about the topic of grace, forgiveness, and second chances. He has successfully published three novels each centered around faith and the witness of God’s graces in his life and the lives of others. Waddell thrives off storytelling and wants to share his passion for the word of the gospel to others who share the same beliefs as him.

“I want to use experiences in my own life where I discovered grace and mercy and I hope others can find the same joy and peace in the midst of troubles. In one way, I hope the book expresses my faith in the fact that we are just as worthy of hope in God’s love as those that are mentioned in the bible,” Waddell said.

The Author Academy Awards highlights all kinds of authors as it has 16 different categories. Those who wish to be nominated can enter for their respective category and their novel will be reviewed and evaluated on popular vote, social contribution, and overall presentation. The Author Academy membership panel comprised of best-selling authors and industry leaders dictates those who will be selected to be the overall top-ten nominations in each category.

Waddell had previously submitted his first book in Memoir, and third book, “Worship Wars: The Kings Lead the Battle to Spirit and Truth” in the Religion category. However, “Holiday Biblical Characters” is his first to receive an overall top-ten nomination to be in the running for winning an Author Academy Award.

The book is a sequel of sorts to his first book, “Characters of the Bible: Finding My Stories in Their Stories.”

As a finalist in General Nonfiction, Waddell will be in attendance to present his book. He will read a synopsis of the novel at the Author Academy Awards Red Carpet Session on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio.

The Winners will be announced later that evening at the Author Academy Awards Ceremony where they will be invited to give an acceptance speech and share their inspiration behind the novel.

To support Waddell and participate in the popular vote portion of the award evaluation, visit “Vote Now” to find, “Holiday Biblical Characters: Finding My Stories in the Stories of Christmas and Easter” by David Waddell on page six.