July 10, 2017 Edition

Industry News

Longtime editor, author, missiologist James Reapsome leaves rich publishing legacy 

James Reapsome, former editor of the Evangelical Missions Quarterly and longtime editor, author, professor, and pastor died June 26 at the age of 88 in Downer's Grove, IL. Reapsome's writing career began as a sports and news writer while in college, seminary, and the Armed Forces in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Texas. His foray into Christian publishing started with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Chicago, then the Sunday School Times in Philadelphia, and later Christianity Today in Wheaton, IL., where he served as managing editor.

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Kregel, Inc. announces major leadership transition

James (Jim) R. Kregel, President of Kregel, Inc., whose divisions include Kregel Publications, Editorial Portavoz, Kregel Parable Christian Stores, and Kregel Parable Ministry Resources, announces his retirement from day-to-day responsibilities with Kregel, Inc., effective June 30, 2017, and the appointment of Jerold (Jerry) W. Kregel as President and CEO of the company, effective July 1, 2017.

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Paraclete Press announces Jon M. Sweeney as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Paraclete Press, a publisher of books, recordings, and other media which represent a full expression of Christian belief and practice across denominations, cultures, and ages, is pleased to announce the hiring of Jon M. Sweeney as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief effective September 1, 2017.

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W Publishing promotes Kristi Smith to director of marketing

The W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, announced today the promotion of Kristi Smith to director of marketing. Since joining Thomas Nelson 18 years ago, Smith has managed numerous campaigns for major titles, including bestsellers 'The Magnolia Story' by Chip and Joanna Gaines, 'Is This The End?' by Dr. David Jeremiah, 'Through the Eyes of a Lion' by Levi Lusko, 'Where I Am' by Billy Graham, and 'Heaven is for Real' by Todd and Colton Burpo.

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IVP acquires Operation World resources from Global Mapping International

InterVarsity Press (IVP) and Global Mapping International (GMI) announce the acquisition by IVP of GMI’s Operation World product line. For the past five years IVP and GMI have been publishing partners serving the Operation World team in publishing the seventh edition of Operation World. With this acquisition, IVP is now the sole owner and publisher of the Operation World CD, DVD, ebook, and Prayer Map.

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Industry Rights leaders join forces to bring Rights program back to PubU

Ellen Hsu (senior rights & contracts manager at InterVarsity Press) and Cynthia Riggins (president of Riggins International Rights Services) have recently joined the PubU brain trust to lead the PubU Rights track with Brian Flagler with Flagler Law Group. “Both Cynthia and Ellen have impressive Rights credentials within our industry and experience with PubU,” states ECPA executive director Stan Jantz. “We are delighted to have them on board with Brian as we bring the Rights track back to PubU this year.” The Rights community has not met at PubU since 2014 as the timing of PubU conflicted with the Frankfurt Book Fair the last two years. PubU 2017 will be held in November so that the Rights community can again connect and learn together at PubU through a series of seven deep-dive sessions that Brian, Ellen, and Cindy will develop. Over 40 sessions for Christian publishing practitioners will be offered in the following publishing topics: marketing/publicity, editorial, design, data/delivery/workflow, reader engagement, rights.

Learn more and Register at early-bird rate…

ECPA releases Christian Bestsellers for July

Karen Kingsbury’s newest novel and a book about a little dog named Gobi are two debut books that made their mark on ECPA’s bestsellers lists for July, reflecting sales data collected by NPD. There were 6 books released in June that made the Top 50 general list, including two books by established bestselling authors. Coming in at #2 on the Top 50 and #1 on the Fiction list was Kingsbury’s latest novel, Love Story (Howard Books).  Kingsbury has three books on the this month’s Top 25 fiction list. International news and an upcoming movie fuels the immediate success of the remarkable story Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard (Thomas Nelson). Finding Gobi debuted at #12 on the Top 50 general list, and #9 on the Top 25 nonfiction list.

View July’s Bestsellers…

Milestones

‘The Biggest Story’ surpasses 100,000 units in print with Crossway

Crossway is pleased to announce that 'The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden' (Crossway, August 2015), written by best-selling author Kevin DeYoung and illustrated by award-winning artist Don Clark, has surpassed 100,000 units in print sales.

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Thomas Nelson, Zondervan authors win 2017 INSPY Awards 

HarperCollins Christian Publishing is pleased to announce authors Denise Hunter, Sara Ella and Terri Blackstock were among this year’s INSPY Awards winners. The INSPY Awards were created by bloggers to highlight the very best in fictional literature that grapples with expressions of the Christian faith.

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B&H Publishing leads industry at the 2017 Christian Retailing's Best Awards

B&H Publishing Group won eleven awards in the 2017 Christian Retailing’s Best awards, the most among Christian publishers. The awards were presented June 28 at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among the B&H award winners were 'Unashamed' by Lecrae, 'Tell Someone' by Greg Laurie, 'She Reads Truth' by Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams, and 'Fervent' and 'The Prince Warriors and the Unseen Invasion,' both by Priscilla Shirer. The 'Unashamed' audiobook, recorded by Lecrae and produced by christianaudio, won in the “Audio” category.

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HarperCollins Christian Publishing wins 12 awards at CBA’s UNITE 2017

HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) was honored with numerous awards for its impact on the industry last week at CBA’s Unite 2017, including CBA’s Industry Champion Award, which “recognizes a business whose outstanding contribution has benefitted the entire industry while demonstrating Christian mission and values,” according to Christian MARKET Weekly.

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Baker Publishing Group wins five Christian Retailing’s Best Awards  

Winners of Christian Retailing’s Best Awards were announced Wednesday morning, June 28, at CBA’s UNITE convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. Two nonfiction titles and three fiction titles from Baker Publishing Group won awards. 'The Healing Breakthrough' by Randy Clark won in the Charismatic category, and 'Think and Eat Yourself Smart' by Dr. Caroline Leaf won in the Health and Fitness category. The three winning novels were 'The Atonement' by Beverly Lewis in the Amish category, 'Always Watching' by Lynette Eason in the Contemporary category, and 'Risen' by Angela Hunt in the Historical category.

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IVP titles named finalists for 2017 Dallas Willard Center Book Awards

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that three books were chosen as finalists for the 2017 Dallas Willard Center Book Awards. The Book and Research Awards initiative is one way that the Dallas Willard Center works to promote and recognize exemplary scholarship that addresses Dallas Willard’s primary concerns for the Christian spiritual formation movement and the broader academic and church communities. The IVP titles that received this honor are the following:

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Lynette Eason wins two AWSA awards

The Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) announced the winners of the 2017 Golden Scroll Awards at their annual banquet on Tuesday, June 27, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lynette Eason won two awards—a Golden Scroll Merit Award for 'Without Warning,' and a Silver Scroll Merit Award for 'Moving Target.' The AWSA is composed of over 450 women in Christian publishing and speaking, and the Golden Scroll Awards recognize superior authors, publishers, and editors.

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Media Announcements

Bible Gateway interviews Dr. Laurel Shaler, author of 'Reclaiming Sanity'

How does the Bible help you find freedom from stress and trauma? What’s the biblical antidote for nagging worry and sleepless nights? What are the ways to achieve peace and build confidence? Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Laurel Shaler @DrLaurelShaler about her book, Reclaiming Sanity: Hope and Healing for Trauma, Stress, and Overwhelming Life Events (David C Cook, 2017).

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Bible Gateway interviews Shauna Shanks, author of 'A Fierce Love'

In marriage, love is easy to give when you’re getting it back. Are we still called to God’s plan of how to love when we’re getting one in return? What’s the outcome when we dare to follow God’s audacious outline for love as described in 1 Corinthians even in the face of adultery and divorce? What happens if we take God at his word and assume the love chapter was really meant to be followed literally word by word? Bible Gateway interviewed Shauna Shanks about her book, A Fierce Love: One Woman’s Courageous Journey to Save Her Marriage (Zondervan, 2017).

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National speaker and author Kelly Balarie living honestly and fearlessly in Christ

Kelly Balarie is a passionate national speaker who has spent nearly ten years leading groups of women in spiritual growth, marriage building, and general Bible studies.  Kelly joins the Jesus Calling podcast to talk about the difficult and fearful circumstances she’s been through, that ultimately revealed the beauty of God’s plans for her life.  Kelly’s latest book, Fear Fighting: Awakening Courage to Overcome Your Fear” (Baker Books) is now available.

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International speaker and writer on millennials and faith, Esther Fleece joins Jesus Calling podcast

Esther Fleece transparently shares the story of her traumatic upbringing, and how she adopted the practice of ‘faking fine’ until she couldn’t anymore — and how God brought emotional healing when she learned to stop pretending.  Esther’s latest book, No More Faking Fine; Ending the Pretending (Zondervan) is now available.

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Product News

B&H to release Steal Away Home: How a slave-turned-preacher changed Charles Spurgeon's life

B&H Publishing Group is set to release Steal Away Home: Charles Spurgeon & Thomas Johnson: Unlikely Friends on the Passage to Freedom (August 1, 2017) by Austin, Texas-based pastors Matt Carter and Aaron Ivey. Steal Away Home, written in narrative form, is the previously untold story of the unlikely friendship between the world’s most famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon, and Thomas Johnson, who spent 28 years as a slave in the United States before training at Spurgeon’s college and being commissioned to Africa as a missionary.

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Biblion Magazine launches interactive edition, bolsters venture on digital platforms

Biblion, the Portuguese-based online magazine dedicated to Christian literature, reaches a new milestone with the release of its Interactive Edition: a new format developed to take full advantage of digital platforms and provide a richer, more intuitive experience to its readers.

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