(Carol Stream, Illinois, USA)  Media Associates International is pleased to announce the LittWorld 2024 global publishing conference will take place November 3-8, 2024, in Puebla, Mexico.  More than 200 Christian publishing staff and writers from 40-plus countries are expected at this first LittWorld to be held in a Spanish-speaking country.

Some 40 international publishing professionals will lead plenary sessions, workshops, devotionals and one-on-one consultations giving fresh vision and skills for heightened effectiveness.  The schedule will include ample time for interaction and networking with global colleagues, as well as a half-day outing in historic Puebla, named a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Regarding the conference theme, “Publishing for Lasting Impact,” MAI President John Maust said, “Global Christian communicators have a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on lives and society with God’s help.  Our challenge is to penetrate the clutter of content and speak to hearts in profound ways that encourage and transform.”

Publishing staff and writers from more than 95 countries have participated in the triennial LittWorld conference since it began in 1986. Through LittWorld, MAI has seen publishing houses born, new print and digital publications conceived and publishing skills sharpened for heightened effectiveness.

“The conference was a time of encouragement and insights,” said Hussam Fakhoury of Jordan after attending LittWorld 2022 in Hungary. “Just four months earlier I became director of a publishing house, and LittWorld gave me the opportunity to get wisdom from the experts.”

The LittWorld 2024 venue will be El Presidente Intercontinental, a contemporary five-star hotel just minutes away from the historic center of Puebla, city of 3.3 million located a 90-minute drive southeast of Mexico City. Conference registration will open on December 1 at maiglobal.org.

“I’ve had the joy of attending previous LittWorld conferences in Asia, Africa and Europe, and now my dream of having one in Mexico will come true in 2024,” said Mexican artist and illustrator José Carlos Gutiérrez, MAI Board member and chair of the Conference Host Team.

“The conference will open infinite possibilities for the growth and strengthening of the Christian publishing community in Latin America and for the equipping of publishers and writers from around the world.  We welcome you to Mexico and LittWorld 2024!”

Watch for LittWorld 2024 program and registration details at www.maiglobal.org.  For information, email mai@littworld.org.

Authors and readers will gather at the inaugural JustRead Rendezvous in the St. Louis metro area on November 17, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST. The event will celebrate Christian fiction and sweet reads with food, games, giveaways, and books and will be held at the Holiday Inn St. Louis SW on Route 66.

Rendezvous will feature speaker sessions, author panels, small group discussions, and author signings. This event aims to sweeten reading and storytelling experiences with fellowship and encouragement. Keynote speakers are Jocelyn Green and Pepper Basham, 2022 finalists of The Christy Award. Additional participating authors include Amanda Cox, Ann Fryer, Ann H. Gabhart, Barbara M. Britton, Danielle Grandinetti, Elly Gilbert, Erica Vetsch, Heather Greer, Janine Rosche, Jenny Rae, Jerusha Agen, Kimberley Woodhouse, Kristi Ann Hunter, Lisa M. James, Lisa Phillips, Lorri Dudley, Megan Besing, Michelle Griep, Nancy Mehl, Peggy Trotter, Rebecca Hemlock, Regina Rudd Merrick, Sarah Hanks, Shaen Layle, Stephenia H. McGee, Suzie Waltner, Tabitha Bouldin, Tamara Leigh, and more.

The Christy Award Winners Gala Watch Party and preceding Meet and Greet event will be held at the same location on November 16 from 5:30 p.m. until the webcast conclusion. The evening’s activities will include snacks and giveaways. The Christy Award® honors and promotes excellence in Christian fiction and is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

The JustRead Rendezvous is open to registered attendees only. Author registration is open for $88 and Reader registration is open for $110 online at https://rendezvous.justreadtours.com. The meet-and-greet watch party is an optional add-on for $30. The 2023 event is sponsored by Baker Publishing Group fiction divisions (Bethany House Publishers and Revell Fiction), Kregel Publications, Ambassador International, and JustRead Publicity Tours.

Media Contact: Beth Erin, Event Coordinator

So God Made a Mother’s Story releases in April 2024

Carol Stream, IL (September 15, 2023)—Tyndale Momentum, a nonfiction imprint of Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse), will release So God Made a Mother’s Story, a keepsake journal to the bestselling So God Made a Mother, in April 2024. Upon its release in April 2023, So God Made a Mother became an instant national bestseller, hitting the Publishers Weekly Hardcover Frontlist Nonfiction, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Books, and ECPA Non-Fiction Bestsellers lists.

So God Made a Mother’s Story is an heirloom-quality guided journal filled with thoughtful questions and space for a mother or mother figure to write about life before, within, and beyond motherhood. It is an invitation to go deeper into a mother’s unique story and create a keepsake for families to cherish forever.

Commenting on this exciting keepsake companion, founder of Her View From Home and author of So God Made a Mother, Leslie Means shares, “The Her View From Home team and I are thrilled to offer this journal as a companion to So God Made a Mother. It gives women a chance to share their own stories in their own handwriting—and that’s a gift anyone who knows and loves a mom will cherish.”

Leslie Means is founder and owner of the popular website Her View From Home, which features heartfelt contributor stories on motherhood, marriage, faith, and grief. She is a former news anchor and a weekly columnist, and she has published several short stories. She is married to a very patient man named Kyle, and together they have three fantastic kids: Ella, Grace, and Keithan. When she’s not sharing too much personal information online or in the newspaper, you’ll find her somewhere in Nebraska spending time with family and friends.

Leslie is represented by Claudia Cross and Katherine Latshaw of Folio Literary Management, LLC.
For more information contact Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630-784-5125.

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a substantial portion of annual revenue—millions of dollars per year—through corporate donations and the work of Tyndale House Foundation. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630.784.5125

(Nashville, Tenn.) September 14, 2023 – Bestselling author, storyteller, and sought-after speaker, Tori Hope Petersen has signed a two-book deal with Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. The first book Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt will be released in February 2025.

The first of Petersen’s works will serve as a milestone in understanding codependent tendencies and the necessity of healing through Biblical truths and personal stories. Emphasizing the importance of acknowledging past wounds and will deliver groundbreaking solutions for improving relationships and comprehending the impact of childhood trauma. Petersen’s personal journey exposes her struggle with codependency and how her healing process can serve as a roadmap for others.

Her second book slated to release in 2026 will be based on her branded phrase, “I love you already,” the book will include vignettes about ordinary people who love in extraordinary ways.

“We are absolutely delighted to introduce Tori Hope Petersen as the newest addition to the Nelson Books family,” said Andrew Stoddard, VP & Publisher. “With a remarkable background and exceptionally bright future, Tori brings an unwavering passion for foster care reform, adoption advocacy, and serving vulnerable populations. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of God’s love in changing lives.”

Andrew Stoddard, VP and Publisher of Nelson Books, and Executive Editor Janet Talbert, secured world rights from agent Austin Wilson of Wolgemuth & Wilson.

About Tori Hope Petersen: Learn more at torihopepetersen.com

Tori Hope Petersen: Tori Hope Petersen is the bestselling author of Fostered and sought out national speaker, inspiring audiences to overcome, hold onto hope, and change the world with what they have, right where they are, by loving the people in front of them.  Petersen’s impact extends far beyond writing, as she captivates audiences nationwide with her powerful story and inspiring message at conferences, churches, and beyond.  In addition to her incredible work, Tori finds joy in her loving family. Alongside her husband, Jacob, she cherishes their precious children: Leyonder and Ezzeri, their biological son and daughter, and Sar, their adopted adult son, and the foster children they welcome into their home. https://www.instagram.com/torihopepetersen/

About Thomas Nelson: Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit ThomasNelson.com.

Contact: Lisa Beech, Director of Publicity, Lisa.beech@harpercollins.com, 719-439-9403

The Gift of the Outsider Celebrates the Blessings of Unbelonging

“My friends on the margin preach a whole sermon with their lives. May God use Alicia’s wisdom, experience, and words to reveal his heart for the outsider to you.”
—Jen Oshman, Author of Cultural Counterfeits and Speaker

EUGENE, OR —  In her second book, The Gift of the Outsider: What Living in the Margins Teaches Us About Faith, author Alicia J. Akins takes readers on a journey of what it means to be an outsider. Opening with a compelling foreword from author Jen Oshman, Akins herself leaves no stone unturned as she details the outsider experience, poignantly weaving in her own story along the way. The Gift of the Outsider celebrates the blessings found in unbelonging—and encourages Christians of all backgrounds to love and listen to their community’s outcasts.

In The Gift of the Outsider, Akins looks at four categories of gifts—sight, dependence, freedom, and suffering—that encapsulate the outsider’s experiences. Readers will find themselves understanding more clearly what it means to be discarded in the margins, and how Jesus calls us to grow in both understanding and help. As much as The Gift of the Outsider is a balm to those who are unseen and misunderstood, it is a blessed revelation to those who are squarely on the inside—heartening readers to truly see and embrace the outsiders in their midst, not as other, but as fellow brothers and sisters uniquely equipped by God.

Compassionate and biblically grounded, The Gift of the Outsider encourages and enriches broader conversations and is sure to challenge outsiders and insiders alike. Akins ends each chapter with Reflection Questions that help readers process what they have read. Perfect for individual study or small group study, The Gift of the Outsider will broaden perspectives, while exploring the Biblical truths so needed in our diverse world today.

The Gift of the Outsider
Harvest House Publishers
ISBN13:  978-0736984232
September 2023 ,  Softcover
224 pages, $17.99

Alicia J. Akins is an author who finds herself at home both nowhere and anywhere. Her interest in how differences can be our strengths has taken her across the globe and after living and working in Asia for five years, she considers it a second home. She is a master’s student at Reformed Theological Seminary, Washington D.C., and has previously published Invitations to Abundance, also with Harvest House. You can find more of her writing at FeetCryMercy.com​ and follow her on Twitter ​@FeetCryMercy.

Harvest House, a Christian publishing company based in Eugene, Oregon, publishes more than 100 books per year and carries a strong backlist offering more than 1,500 titles. Over 145 million Harvest House books have been sold worldwide through diverse distribution channels, and additional millions have sold in over 75 different languages.

Media Contact: Jeane Wynn,918-630-9695, Jeane@wynnwynnmedia.com

Ada, Mich. (August 28, 2023)—On Saturday, August 26, the American Christian Fiction Writers organization (ACFW) announced the 2023 Carol Award winners at a gala held at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

Five Baker Publishing Group authors were recipients of this prestigious award, including Sara Brunsvold, whose debut novel, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, came out on top in the Debut Author category. Additional Carol Award winners for Baker Publishing Group include The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano (Historical), Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgman (Romantic Suspense), Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden (Historical Romance), and Turn to Me by Becky Wade (Romance).

ACFW is a professional organization devoted to the craft of Christian fiction. Its mission is to help authors tell their stories by inspiring them to partner with God in the creative process, learn the craft, and find their audience. The Carol Awards were created by ACFW to recognize the best Christian fiction published in the previous calendar year. For the complete list of winners, please visit https://acfw.com/acfws-2023-christian-fiction-and-industry-awards/.

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DEBUT AUTHOR

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold
(Revell; ISBN 9780800740276; Ebook ISBN 9781493436354; $15.99)

Frustrated reporter Aidyn Kelley begrudgingly agrees to help a hospice patient prepare her obituary. But old Clara Kip has some incredible stories—and some surprises up her sleeve—that promise to make this seemingly throwaway assignment a life-changing one.

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HISTORICAL 

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano
(Revell; ISBN 9780800736910; Ebook ISBN 9781493438747; $17.99)

Concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s life is interrupted when she assumes responsibility for a patient at Hurstwell Asylum—a woman the asylum claims never existed. The woman’s portrait is shockingly familiar, compelling Vivienne to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

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ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgeman
(Revell; ISBN 9780800740214; Ebook ISBN 9781493438914; $17.99)

Former college sweethearts FBI Special Agent Lynda Cutler and Sergeant Bill Sanders of the Special Forces A-Team must team up to play husband and wife to stop an ecoterrorist organization in Istanbul. Can they put aside past hurts for the needs of their nation?

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HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden
(Bethany House; ISBN 9780764238444; Ebook ISBN 9781493437306; $16.99)

Natalia Blackstone relies on Count Dimitri Sokolov to oversee the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Dimitri loses everything after witnessing a deadly tragedy and its cover-up, but he has an asset the czar knows nothing about: Natalia. Together they fight to save the railroad while exposing the truth, but can their love survive the ordeal?

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ROMANCE

Turn to Me by Becky Wade
(Bethany House; ISBN 9780764235627; Ebook ISBN 9781493425235; $17.99)

When Luke Dempsey’s fellow inmate lay dying, Luke promised to protect the man’s daughter, Finley, and help her find the treasure he had hidden. Upon Luke’s release, he and Finley uncover the clues, and their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble. Luke will shield her from unseen threats, but who’s going to shield him from losing his heart?

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Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, publishes books that help bring the Christian faith to everyday life. Whether through fiction, Christian living, self-help, marriage, family, or youth books, each Revell publication reflects relevance, integrity, and excellence.

Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, seeks to uplift readers’ families, faith, and free time with our library of industry-leading fiction and bestselling, Christ-centered nonfiction.

Contact: Anne Van Solkema, (616) 676-9185 x152, avansolkema@bakerpublishinggroup.com

August 29, 2023, Chicago, Illinois—Dr. Michelle McKinney Hammond’s long-awaited transformational D.I.V.A. PRINCIPLE CONFERENCE (Divine Inspiration for Victorious Attitude) returns to Chicago, Illinois, on October 13th and 14th, 2023, with the theme: SHIFT.

If anyone knows how to SHIFT, it’s Michelle. Spanning continents and careers from an award-winning advertising creative to best-selling author, international speaker, Emmy-award winning tv cohost, actress, singer, and business entrepreneur she is ready to share her secrets of rebounding, reinvention, and success.

Built around the content in her September 12, 2023 release, When Shift Happens: Say Yes to Your Next!, Michelle will share powerful and practical information on:

• Reclaiming Your Identity
• Navigating Change
• The Power of Choice
• Mastering Emotional Intelligence (Relationship Talk)

A special guest panel and Q&A with neuropsychologist, Dr. Valencia Montgomery, author Dr. Jocelyn Jones, and author and radio host, Juni Felix, will discuss:

• Overcoming Trauma
• Finding Joy
• Shattering the Happiness Myth

A Friday evening concert and worship with Relevance, Michelle’s music ministry all the way from Ghana, West Africa, will close out the conference. This will be their American debut celebrating the release of a new project being released by Orchard/Sony Music. Relevance will also be performing at City Winery in Chicago on October 17th at 7 PM.

“I’ve come to learn through every season of shifting sands in my life that you can find purpose in the pressure that demands you make a change,” says Michelle. “I’m excited to share my journey with others and encourage and empower them to navigate through their own pivotal season—no matter what comes their way!”

Not your average women’s conference, the D.I.V.A. PRINCIPLE CONFERENCE will be a time of introspection, coaching, and redirection in an interactive workshop format that will guide attendees through unpacking issues and arriving at liberating solutions.

More information and registration can be found at thedivaprinciple.net

Contact: Karen Campbell, karen@karencampbellmedia.com

 

CHARLOTTE, NC– The Good Book Company is excited to announce the release of God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook (The Good Book Company, September 2023).

This collection of 92 Bible stories is written by Carl Laferton, author of the bestselling  The Garden, The Curtain and The Cross (The Good Book Company, February 2016), and illustrated by Jennifer Davison, the artist behind the beloved kids’ book series Very Best Bible Stories (The Good Book Company).

Designed for reading aloud to kids from their earliest days, God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook contains vibrant and historically accurate illustrations as well as simple, faithful, kid-friendly retellings of Bible stories. Included are both familiar stories such as Noah’s ark, David and Goliath, and Daniel and the lions’ den, along with lesser-known parts of the Bible like the golden calf, Joshua’s farewell, Isaiah, and Philip and the Ethiopian.

One of the unique features of the Bible Storybook are five themed paths to follow throughout, each one tracing one of God’s promises through Scripture. Readers can identify the promise being made and the promise being kept through memorable icons on the pages. This equips even very young readers to see that together, these 92 theologically faithful stories point to the one big story of the Bible: God making and keeping his promises to redeem his people.

Laferton, who serves as EVP Publishing at TGBC, says “From their youngest days, our kids need to hear the foundational stories of Scripture told faithfully as well as simply—and to see how they tell the big story of our promise-keeping God. My prayer is that young kids will grow up confident and excited that, through Jesus, God always keeps his promises.”

Reflecting on the decision to publish this new bible storybook, James Burstow, President of TGBC, says, “A passion for God’s word is at the heart of everything we do at The Good Book Company and so we are thrilled to be launching this new Bible Storybook for younger children. So much prayer and careful thought has gone into the writing and illustration and now we can’t wait for families and churches around the world to start reading it together and rejoicing in our faithful, promise-keeping God!”

In addition to the Bible Storybook, The Good Book Company is also publishing two related sticker books and an advent calendar with family devotions, with Easter resources coming in early 2024. There are free activities, crafts and more, which can be downloaded at godsbigpromises.com, as well as information regarding special pricing available to ministries and churches.

For media inquiries and access to promotional assets, contact: publicity@thegoodbook.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carl Laferton is EVP Publishing at TGBC. He is the bestselling author of the kids’ books The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross and The God Contest, and also serves as series editor of the God’s Word For You series. Before joining TGBC, he worked as a journalist, a teacher, and pastored a congregation in Hull. Carl is married to Lizzie and they have two children. He studied history at Oxford University.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Jennifer Davison is an illustrator from Northern Ireland. Having worked as a digital artist in the animation industry, Jennifer now pursues her passion for children’s picture books. She strives to have a deeper intimacy with God, while cultivating her spiritual gifts so that she can walk in the fullness of what God has called her to: a desire to reveal heaven’s culture through creativity, to illustrate visuals that tell stories which have the power to transform lives.

ABOUT THE GOOD BOOK COMPANY
Founded in 1991, The Good Book Company (TGBC) is an international Christian publisher. Their Bible studies, books, devotionals, videos, tracts, evangelistic courses, and training materials are used throughout the English-speaking world, and in translation in over 35 languages worldwide. Everyone at TGBC is passionate about the Lord Jesus, His word, His church, and His gospel of grace. They create and publish biblical, relevant, and accessible resources that will encourage Christians to keep going, keep growing, and keep sharing their faith.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – On August 29, 2023, Kregel Publications published Coming to Faith Through Dawkins: 12 Essays on the Pathway from New Atheism to Christianity by editors Alister McGrath and Denis Alexander. This book gathers testimonials from brilliant minds around the world, and despite their respect for the infamous atheist-writer Richard Dawkins and his studies, the authors discovered their Christian faiths through their analytical interaction with his writings.

An article from Publishers Weekly highlights the editors and their inspiration behind creating this book. Regarding expressions of faith, Alexander says, “In many cultures it is more common to talk about religion than in the secular UK, where generally religious beliefs are deemed to be personal and private. It was a surprise to start hearing from people that it was really New Atheism that had turned them away from their atheism as part of their journey to faith.”

Later in the interview, McGrath explains why he and Alexander thank Dawkins rather than rebuke him. He says, “Our writers asked us to. They felt he catalyzed their thinking and they would not have begun the journey of discovery that led them to Christianity and landed where they are now without him. We have sent him a copy and we hope he enjoys reading it.”

So far, Coming to Faith Through Dawkins has been sold to those in the United States, Australia, South Africa, and the UK, and other countries are being considered for future promotions.

This book aims to promote deep thinking and faith discussion, which builds on Kregel’s mission to be a trusted, biblically based, and independently owned publisher.

Kregel Publications is an evangelical Christian publisher that aims to develop and distribute—with integrity and excellence—trusted, biblically based resources that lead individuals to know and serve Jesus Christ.

Contact: Publicity Department,616-451-4775, publicity@kregel.com