2008 Speakers
FRANCINE RIVERS
Novelist Francine Rivers, though raised in a religious home, did not truly encounter Christ until later in life. Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian, Rivers wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. Redeeming Love, a retelling of a biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush, continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association's top-selling titles and has held a spot on the Christian bestseller list for nearly a decade. Her most recent book, The Scribe, is the fifth and final book in the Sons of Encouragement series. The Scribe tells the story of Silas, the man behind the spotlight who recorded most of the New Testament scriptures. Rivers has published numerous novels with Christian themes—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous accolades, including the Rita Award, Christy Award, ECPA Gold Medallion, and Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. Rivers's novels have been translated into over twenty different languages. She and her husband live in Northern California.