July 17, 2017 Edition
Industry News
Barbour transitions to employee stock ownership plan
Barbour Publishing is pleased to announce its transition to an employee owned company effective June 30, 2017. “The incredibly talented Barbour team is responsible for the success of the company through the years,” says company President & CEO Timothy H. Martins. “The ESOP provides a long-term business succession path that ensures opportunity for all employees to benefit from continued success in the years to come.”
Read More...IVP-USA to Serve as North American Distributor of UK Titles for SPCK
InterVarsity Press (IVP-USA) is pleased to announce that through an expanded partnership with Inter-Varsity Press (IVP-UK) and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) it will soon be distributing a wealth of thoughtful Christian titles from the United Kingdom to readers throughout the United States and Canada.
Read More...Abingdon Press partners with CLC International as UK Trade Representative
Abingdon Press and CLC UK have forged a new partnership effective June 2017. Through this relationship, CLC will undertake sales and distribution of Abingdon Press trade catalog products to trade accounts in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and Europe.
Read More...Publishers, submit your entries for the 2017 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards before August 31
Publishers are asked to submit their nominations for the Top Shelf Book Cover Awards by August 31. Covers are judged by top designers who select the best covers of the year. Winners are officially announced and presented with an award at ECPA’s annual PubU held November 7-8 in Nashville.
Eerdmans appoints Tracy Danz as Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, an independent family-owned publisher since 1911, has hired Tracy Danz as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. As Vice President, he also joins the Eerdmans Board of Directors. Danz brings decades of experience to the role, having spent his whole career working in various aspects of the book industry.
Read More...The Steve Laube Agency hires Bob Hostetler
Steve Laube, president of The Steve Laube Agency, has announced the hiring of Bob Hostetler as a literary agent. Bob is a thirty-year veteran of the Christian publishing industry. His fifty books, which include Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (among a dozen he has co-authored with Josh McDowell) and The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional, have sold millions of copies. His writing has twice earned Christian publishing’s Gold Medallion award, four Ohio Associated Press awards for best broadcast writing, a Selah “Book of the Year” award, and an Amy Foundation Award.
Read More...Upcoming PubU conference to confront topics unique to Christian publishing
Among the 42 sessions within six publishing emphases offered at the upcoming PubU, held November 7-8 in Nashville, the following industry topics will be discussed among Christian publishing professionals and industry leaders:
- Issues with changing Christian culture
- How to lead in mobile working atmospheres
- Digital trends in content usage as well as how to leverage readers online
- Understanding the complexity of rights and data issues to maximize your content reach
- How to market and sell to customers utilizing digital outlets
- How the Bible influences all what we do whether we are an editor, designer, marketer, or lawyer
- Celebrating the beauty and effectiveness of good design through packaging and marketing
- Understanding how to tackle complex processes to make them simple for your own workflow
PubU brain trust lead Dave Schroeder (VP Marketing, B&H Publishing) states, “PubU is a time for us to come together as new and old friends to tackle some of our greatest challenges in evangelical publishing. The goal of PubU is to train, inform, connect, and inspire.” Schroeder is part of a team of 13 industry leaders who are developing the sessions in marketing/publicity, editorial, rights, design, reader engagement, and data, delivery & workflow. Q founder and author Gabe Lyons will keynote the event.
Milestones
Tyndale Kids titles named to Focus on the Family’s Top 10 family-friendly picture books of 2016 list
Three children’s titles from Tyndale House Publishers have been named to PluggedIn.com’s list of 10 Family-Friendly Picture Books from 2016 (formerly Thriving Family’s list). The award-winning titles include Be Still by Kathryn O’Brien and two Flipside Stories by Dandi Daley Mackall: 'Jonah and the Fish' and 'The Lost Lamb and the Good Shepherd.' The top-10 list will be published in the August/September 2017 issue of Focus on the Family magazine.
Read More...‘Barefoot’ and ‘Silence and Beauty’ receive Logos Bookstore Association Awards
Two InterVarsity Press titles were honored with 2017 Logos Bookstore Association Awards. 'Barefoot: A Story of Surrendering to God' by Sharon Garlough Brown received the 2017 Logos Award for Best Fiction. 'Barefoot' is the third book in the Sensible Shoes Series, which follows the journeys of Hannah, Meg, Mara, and Charissa as they gain a new understanding of friendship, spiritual truths, and a deeper life with God.
Read More...Media Announcements
Bible Gateway interviews Brian Hardin, author of ‘Sneezing Jesus: The Infectious Allure of the Human God’
The Bible says Jesus was fully human and fully divine. If sin caused humanity to become less than God originally created it to be, how does Jesus’ life demonstrate what normal humanity is supposed to look like? Bible Gateway interviewed Brian Hardin (@realbrianhardin) about his book, ‘Sneezing Jesus: The Infectious Allure of the Human God’ (NavPress, 2017).
Bible Gateway interviews K. Scott Oliphint, author of ‘Know Why You Believe’
Faith is the foundation upon which the Christian life depends. But what are the good reasons for that faith? And how does the Bible factor in to the basis of that faith? Bible Gateway interviewed K. Scott Oliphint (@ScottOliphint) about his book, ‘Know Why You Believe’ (Zondervan, 2017).
Product News
United States Congressmen sign book deal with Tyndale Momentum for memoir on reconciliation
Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) has announced that Tyndale Momentum has acquired U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy (R-South Carolina) and the two close friends and members of Congress are joining forces to release 'Indivisible: Overcoming Our Differences, One Friendship at a Time.' Tyndale has scheduled their joint memoir to release April 3, 2018. In addition, 'The Indivisible Challenge: A Six-Week Guide to True Reconciliation—One Friendship at a Time,' a small group guide for bridging racial, ethnic and other divides in a community, will release in April 2018 as well. The two-book deal was negotiated by Greg Johnson, President of WordServe Literary.
Read More...Shirer releases first devotional ‘Awaken’ following multiple bestselling books and Bible studies
New York Times bestselling author and Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer is set to release her first devotional for women, 'Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks' (August 15, 2017, B&H Publishing). Awaken is Shirer’s latest book release following the international success of the award-winning 'Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer' (October 2015, B&H Publishing).
Read More...Zondervan acquires book on the historical significance of the Bible by Museum of the Bible founders Steve & Jackie Green
Zondervan announced today a new contract with Hobby Lobby President Steve Green and his wife Jackie Green that will explore the history and impact of the Bible. As the founders and visionaries of the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., the Greens have a unique perspective on the Bible’s journey—from its ancient beginnings, to its effect on the moral fiber of nations, to its transformative influence in individual hearts.
Read More...Other News
INDUSTRY
- Eugene Peterson Issues Revised Statement Following Religion News Service Interview
- Association of Logos Bookstores awards presented
- Call for Nominations for the 2018 Christian Indie Awards
- Christian Comic Arts Society to Deliver the Best In Talent, Themes & Topical Discussions of Faith at Comic-Con International
- Fall 2017 Religion & Spirituality Announcements
- June Religion Bestsellers: A Guide to Self-Talk Takes #4, Karen Kingsbury Tops
- Barna: The Most Post-Christian Cities in America, 2017
PUBLISHING
- LSC Communications Launches Anti-Piracy Platform
- Children’s Books Exploring the Refugee Crisis
- North American Comics Market Hits $1.085 Billion in 2016
- Bertelsmann Ups PRH Stake to 75%
- Last chance to sign up for BISG free webinar tomorrow: Demystifying Amazon Keywords
- Firebrand offers Master Class on Sept. 19 in NYC