The 2022 program will award in four categories, and invite art directors from submitting publishers to participate in judging panel.

Submission period opens April 15 through August 15 with winners announced at ECPA PubU in Nashville this Fall

APRIL 4, 2022, TEMPE, ARIZ. – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) will celebrate the 10^th year anniversary of the industry’s premier award program for book design, the Top Shelf Book Cover Award – with special program features and events this year.

The 2022 program will now award designs in four categories: Non-Fiction, Fiction, Bibles, and Children’s.  In the past, judges chose the top designs, regardless of category.  Last year, the Top Shelf Award was presented to a record number 30 covers.  Of those, three were Children’s books, two were Bibles, and the rest were Non-Fiction.  This change will allow judges to highlight the best designs in each genre.

In addition, this year’s judging process will feature top designers from each submitting publisher, who will be invited to cast a ballot in each of the four categories (though votes cannot be cast for their own designs).  Thus, each submitting publisher is asked to appoint a designer to participate in the judging process.

“This special anniversary year of the Top Shelf Awards gives us an opportunity to have the industry celebrate the industry,” explained Jeff Crosby, ECPA president. “We wanted to invite the designers who work all year in Christian publishing designing works of excellence to be part of the process.” As in the previous ten years, the judging criteria will focus on the appropriateness for the market, level of conceptual thinking, and quality of execution.

The submission period will be open April 15 through August 15 for titles published from June 2021 to August 2022.

Torrey Sharp, principal of Faceout Studios and program advisor, suggests this key strategy for determining what covers to submit:

“The biggest advice I can give is to curate a submission list during the year as books release. Then when the submission period opens, run each possible submission through the award criteria: appropriateness for the market, level of conceptual thinking, and quality of execution.”

A unique aspect of Top Shelf is that each selection is accompanied by a judge’s comment. This helps inform everybody why certain winners rise to the top.  Winners will be announced in a special session at ECPA PubU on November 16 at Lipscomb University in Nashville.  ECPA is already working on how to showcase the award’s history within the context of larger design trends over the years.  In addition, ECPA PubU will feature a Design track of six sessions for industry designers – to network, learn, and discuss together the latest topics in design.

Reflecting on the award and ECPA’s commitment to showcasing beautiful and effective design, Torrey expressed:

“I’m grateful to be part of an ECPA community that is striving to produce meaningful and beautiful books. The Top Shelf Award program has given ECPA a vehicle for celebrating beauty, validating the work of artists and designers and encouraging excellence in every facet of what we do.”

PROGRAM LINKS:

• For more information on the Top Shelf Book Cover Award program, visit TopShelfAward.org.
• For Top Shelf submission information, visit ECPA.org/page/bookcovercriteria
• To receive news and updates on the award program, sign up here.

The ECPA Top Shelf Award program is managed by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in order to recognize design excellence in the Christian publishing industry. Through programs, events, communications, recognition and research, ECPA strengthens publishing communities within the industry.  The ECPA Design E-Community, PubU Design training sessions, and Top Shelf Awards are among several ECPA-driven opportunities that designers have to network, stay informed, and be recognized within the industry. For more information on the Top Shelf Book Cover Design Award program, visit TopShelfAward.org.

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. ECPA.org

Media contacts:
Jeff Crosby, ECPA President and CEO, ECPA, 480-966-3998, jcrosby@ecpa.org
Cindy Carter, ECPA Recognition Manager, 480-966-3998, ccarter@ecpa.org

CHICAGO, IL – Effective February 1, 2022, Moody Publishers is pleased to announce the promotions of Randall Payleitner and Trillia Newbell.

Randall Payleitner has been appointed to Publisher at Moody Publishers. Randall started at Moody Publishers in 2005 after studying Creative Writing and World Religions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Over the years, he has done some marketing/copywriting work, developmental editing, acquisitions, and most recently he has served as the Editorial Director and Associate Publisher. He is also a graduate of the Moody Theological Seminary.

“Randall is an extraordinary leader and strategist. He brings the perfect blend of wisdom, vision, and publishing expertise to the house, while prioritizing both mission and performance,” says Paul Santhouse, VP of Publishing at Moody Publishers. “I’ve seen Randall investing whole-heartedly in team members, authors, and industry partners alike. It’s truly a privilege to learn from and serve with him on behalf of our readers.”

Trillia Newbell now serves as the Director of Acquisitions at Moody Publishers. Trillia published her first book United with Moody Publishers in 2014 followed by Fear and Faith in 2015. Since then, Trillia has continued to publish with Moody including two Bible studies (If God Is For Us and A Great Cloud of Witnesses), a kids’ chapter book, Creative God, Colorful Us, and the upcoming 52 Weeks In the Word (Nov 2022). After eight years at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC serving as the Director of Community Outreach, Trillia joined the Moody team as an acquisitions editor in 2022. For Trillia, joining the team at Moody was like coming home to a place where her words have been handled with care and enthusiasm.  She is honored to serve and lead the team of capable acquirers into the future of publishing.

“It’s a true privilege to have Trillia Newbell leading our acquisitions team. She brings spiritual wisdom, a deep understanding of church and culture, and a great respect for our authors. Trillia’s commitment to serving our readers well is noteworthy. I’ve learned much from her and am delighted to have her leading this crucial team,” says Paul Santhouse, VP of Publishing at Moody Publishers.

For more information about Moody Publishers, please visit www.moodypublishers.com or call 800-678-8812.

About Moody Bible Institute:  Moody Bible Institute is a higher education and media ministry that exists to equip people with the truth of God’s Word to be maturing followers of Christ who are making disciples around the world.  Moody is best known for its education branch, which includes a fully-accredited undergraduate school and seminary, as well as distance learning.  Other primary ministries include Moody Radio and Moody Publishers.

CONTACT:  Kathryn Eastham, Kathryn.eastham@moody.edu

 

CLC International has a presence in 43 countries with bookshops and publishing houses, including Hungary, Poland, and Romania. With the influx of Ukrainian refugees to these countries, CLC felt led to minister to the refugees with books. Their heart is to get excellent quality books and Bibles into the hands of the refugees, including the children. They began consulting with their licensing partners, like Riggins Rights Management and Josh McDowell Ministries, for suitable titles.

Nadiyka Gerbish, European and Nordic Rights Director for Riggins Rights Management, provided a list of several Ukrainian books licensed as potential ministry projects for CLC. Nadiyka lives in Ukraine and has fled to Poland, so she understands the refugee situation and publishing.

Blotch, a Tale of Forgiveness and Grace by Andy Addis and Illustrated by Tatio Viana (B&H Publishing Group) was on the list. CLC had already licensed a few languages of this delightful parable for children that teaches the gospel story. It was selected as one of the first titles to print. B&H agreed to waive all royalties for the book to be distributed free for ministry purposes to the refugees. In cooperation with Levit Publishers, the Ukrainian licensee of the book, CLC became a co-edition partner and will print 15,000 copies.

Their other priorities for CLC are to print 100,000 copies of the Gospel of John, 60,000 copies of More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell, and 10,000 copies of a bilingual Ukrainian-Polish Bible for Children.  CLC was also able to bring more than 5,400 children’s Bibles for different ages across the border into Poland to distribute through partnering churches and Christian organizations.

They also plan to publish My Name is Miriam by Nadiyka Gerbish (Vivat Publishers), as Nadiyka is also a best-selling Ukrainian author. It’s a book about a Middle Eastern girl, Miriam, who becomes a refugee in a European country. At Christmastime, she learns a story of another refugee child, Isa, whose mother’s name is just like her own, Miriam. (Isa in Middle Eastern pronunciation stands for Jesus, and Miriam – for Mary).

Riggins Rights Management is also working with another publisher to provide New Growth Press counseling mini-books in Ukrainian and Polish on grief, suffering, anxiety, and other emotional and spiritual issues.

Will you join us in this vital ministry?

Since all these projects are ministry-driven, not commercial, CLC receives donations through their USA office. All gifts are tax-deductible. There are two ways to donate to CLC’s efforts:

1. Send a check to “CLC Ministries International” and include a note saying, “for Ukrainian Publishing Project.” Mail the check to CLC Ministries International, Box 1449, Fort Washington, PA 19034.
2. Make the payment online for the Ukraine Project at: https://clcusa.org/urgent-need-for-ukrainian-refugees/

Riggins Rights Management continues its GoFundMe campaign for the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of Ukrainian refugees.  Some of the funds collected will support these publishing projects in cooperation with CLC and other publishers. https://www.gofundme.com/manage/Help-Ukraine-Refugees-in-Ukraine.

For further information, contact:
Gary Chamberlin, International Director, CLC International, gbchamberlin@gmail.com
Cindy Riggins, President, Riggins Rights Management, cindy@rigginsrights.com

THE VIRAL TIKTOK CREATOR BEHIND @GREYANDMAMA TO RELEASE THANK YOU, MAMA—ALREADY A #1 NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK ON AMAZON–ON APRIL 19, IN TIME FOR “EVERY KID HEALTHY WEEK” AND MOTHER’S DAY

Seattle-based Vietnamese mother and social media influencer Linda Meeker, known by her handle @Greyandmama, takes children on a culinary journey with her son, Grey, as he excitedly explores different foods to discover his favorite. As young hearts learn gratitude, manners and openness to cuisines and cultures, this playful picture book also gives adults a new and fun way to share the love of food and family with their kids.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 24, 2022) – When the nature of today’s news is often negative, it’s particularly refreshing to come across content that brings a smile to people’s faces. On Mother’s Day 2020, Linda Meeker (“Mama”) and her young son, Grey, won the Internet’s heart with their viral TikTok compilation video “Thank You, Mama.”

Grey, who was two-and-a-half years old at the time, charmed audiences as he politely and enthusiastically thanked his mother every time she handed him a meal or snack. Pancakes and pineapple? Thank you, Mama! Chestnuts and cheese? Thank you, Mama! Edamame and egg rolls? Thank you, Mama. Since young children tend to be such picky eaters, parents everywhere were astonished and delighted at Grey’s outright gratitude, not to mention intrigued at the variety of foods he was eating.

His joy was nothing short of contagious. And what was created as a loving mom’s personal video quickly went viral, growing Meeker’s TikTok audience to 6 million followers and counting. Now, almost two years later, this dynamic duo is moving to print with Meeker’s debut children’s book, Thank You, Mama (Thomas Nelson, ISBN: 9781400231454, April 19, 2022).

Thank You, Mama is a fun, beautifully illustrated picture book for children ages 3-7 that features Grey and his family (including his dog Rambo) moving through their day and eating delicious meals and snacks. Meanwhile, the young boy is trying to choose which is his favorite.

Throughout the book, Grey’s parents, aunt and grandmother, take him on his “culinary quest,” exposing him (and all of Grey’s fans) to foods from different cultures. The book even opens with an adorable note from “Rambo” about how Grey can thank his grandmother in the family’s native language: “Cảm ơn is Vietnamese for thank you. Say it like this: cahm-un. Ngoại is Vietnamese for grandmother. Say it like this: n-gwai.”

Parents and grandparents trying to instill joy, gratitude, manners—and encourage a creative palate—in their children will thoroughly enjoy Thank You, Mama. Its cheerful story about an adorable, curious and kind child will have boys and girls everywhere saying “thank you” . . . and maybe even giving those peas a chance!

With its wholesome, relatable message, Thank You, Mama is a great addition to every child’s library. Besides being the perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays or for little ones who are scared to try new foods, this book would make a fun Mother’s Day gift. It’s also being released in time for Every Child Healthy Week (April 25-29).

This playful picture book:

• follows a little boy as he explores different foods—from vegetables to sushi—and tries to pick his favorite
• encourages children to try new foods and become happy, healthy eaters with an expansive palate
• honors the bond between parent and child
• models respect, manners, good eating habits and thankfulness from an early age
• builds vocabulary and pre-reading skills with colorful food illustrations that are accompanied by words for each item

While Grey’s gratitude is a central theme in Thank You, Mama, Meeker also aims to remind adults to intentionally practice gratitude themselves. “I knew exactly how I wanted the book to end even before I wrote it, which is me saying ‘Thank you, Grey.’ A lot of the time,” explains Meeker, “we talk about gratitude from the perspective that a child should be thankful to their parents, but we often forget that parents should also be thankful to their children.”

Thank You, Mama is available April 19, 2022 everywhere books are sold.

About the Author, Linda Meeker: Linda Meeker of @Greyandmama stumbled upon social media popularity as this toddler mom shared sweet videos of her son, Grey, learning to say thank you. Expressing gratitude was a value instilled in Linda as a child raised in a Vietnamese family, so she was delighted that the simple act of her two-year-old saying “thank you” received such an overwhelming reaction on TikTok and Instagram. Linda, her husband, and Grey live in Seattle, Washington. Learn more about Linda and her new book at greyandmama.com/thank-you-mama-book, and follow @greyandmama on TikTok and Instagram.

About Tommy Nelson: Tommy Nelson® is the children’s division of Thomas Nelson. As a leading provider of Christian content, Tommy Nelson publishes a wide variety of high-quality, enjoyable products that are consistent with the teachings found in the Bible. Tommy Nelson’s award-winning products are designed to expand children’s imaginations and nurture their faith while inspiring them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. For more information, visit tommynelson.com.

Media contacts:
Natividad Lewis, natividad.lewis@harpercollins.com
Jen Roberts, jen.roberts@harpercollins.com

 

Ada, Mich., March 24, 2022— Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce the acquisition of four devotions and one children’s book from bestselling author and host of LIFE Today, Sheila Walsh.

Walsh is an award-winning author known for her inspirational Christian books, including Holding On When You Want to Let Go, Praying Women, and It’s Okay Not to Be Okay. Walsh has sold over 5 million books. Her new line of devotionals will include an Advent devotional, releasing in fall 2023. “I am honored and excited to broaden and expand my publishing relationship with Baker publishing, sharing their vision to build up the Body of Christ,” says Walsh.

“Sheila Walsh has been a flagship author at Baker Books for five years, and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership and offer a more robust publishing program,” says Rebekah Guzman, Editorial Director of Baker Books. “Sheila writes transformative content that meets readers where they’re at and her books continue to reach a broad audience and change lives around the world. We look forward to building on our success together by adding new devotional and children’s products in the future.”

Sheila Walsh is represented by Shannon Marven, Dupree/Miller & Associates.

Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. Learn more at www.BakerBooks.com.

Sheila Walsh is a powerful communicator, Bible teacher, and bestselling author with more than 5 million books sold. She is the author of It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, Praying Women, and the award-winning Praying Girls Devotional. She is cohost of LIFE Today with James and Betty Robison, with more than 100 million potential viewers each day. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Barry, and their two pups, Tink and Maggie. They have one son, Christian, who is in graduate school.

Contact: Holly Scheevel, hmaxwell@bakerpublishinggroup.com

The Inkwell Chronicles series debut scheduled for September 2022

(Nashville, TN) – WorthyKids, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, is excited to announce a new partnership with debut author J.D. Peabody to release an exciting fast-paced middle grade fantasy series, The Inkwell Chronicles. Book 1 of the series, The Ink of Elspet, is set to release in September 2022, with book 2 following in 2023.

“I began this project as a labor of love,” says Peabody. “It’s been my way of paying tribute to the books that captured my imagination when I was young. Hopefully, another generation will have as much fun reading this series as I have had writing it.”

In the first book of the series, siblings Everett and Bea discover a curious pen with magical Ink that opens their eyes to impossible magic, formidable allies, and dangerous villains who are determined to destroy everything they hold dear. It’s a knock-your-socks-off debut tied together with a moving message—that powerful change can be achieved by just one creative mind, one open heart.

“When I first read the manuscript for The Ink of Elspet, I was struck by the richly imaginative world J.D. Peabody had built,” says Melinda Rathjen, senior editor at WorthyKids. “The story read like a movie script and was bursting with action, humor, and heart. I felt the same way I had reading A Wrinkle in Time for the first time—utterly captivated.”

Perfect for fans of The Silver Arrow and the Bookwanderers, as well as fans of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, this classic battle of good and evil can be enjoyed by ages 8–12—and anyone who loves fantasy. The series debut will be supported with a national publicity campaign, trade and consumer advertising, bookstagram tour and influencer outreach, and school & library promotions. Follow along with the Inkwell Chronicles on social media at #FindTheInkwells.

Author J.D. Peabody has been honing his storytelling skills since childhood, in contexts as varied as advertising, song lyrics, screenplays and sermons. He and his wife live in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest. J.D. is also the author of the upcoming book for grown-ups entitled, Perfectly Suited.

WorthyKids is an imprint of Hachette Nashville, creating colorful and engaging books from board books to middle grade for ages 1 to 12.

Ada, Mich. (March 25, 2022)— Foreword Reviews magazine recently announced the finalists for the 2021 INDIES Book of the Year Awards. Three Brazos Press titles were chosen as finalists, all in the Adult Nonfiction Religion category. The titles are Heavy Burdens by Bridget Eileen Rivera, Reparations by Duke L. Kwon and Gregory Thompson, and The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr.

As part of its mission to discover, review, and share the best books from university and independent publishers, Foreword Reviews hosts an annual awards program. Teams of librarian and bookseller judges from across the country are currently deciding the winners. Winners in each genre will be announced on June 16, 2022.

Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church
by Bridget Eileen Rivera
(Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587434839, Ebook ISBN 9781493432677, $19.99p)
Provides an honest account of the ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in the church, helping Christians grapple with hard realities and empowering churches across the theological spectrum to navigate better paths forward.

Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair
by Duke L. Kwon and Gregory Thompson
(Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587434501, Ebook ISBN 9781493429578, $24.99c)
This book articulates the church’s responsibility for the deep racial brokenness at the heart of American culture, investigates the Bible’s call to repair it, and offers a vision for the work of reparation at the local level.

The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
by Beth Allison Barr
(Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587434709, Ebook ISBN 9781493429639, $19.99p)
A trusted historian shows that “biblical womanhood” isn’t biblical but arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments, and presents a better way forward for the contemporary church.

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

Contact: Shelly MacNaughton, (616) 450-5560, smacnaughton@bakerpublishinggroup.com

The author of bestselling Christian living book Gentle and Lowly is back to help us plough even further into the depths of Jesus’s grace. This time his target audience is surprising: obedient Christians.

In Surprised by Jesus (April 1, 2022), Ortlund argues that we all have “law-marinated hearts.” That deep down we want to resist God’s grace, instead conforming our lives to a moral framework, playing by the rules, meeting a minimum standard.

We rightly recognize our inadequacy and feel safer this way. But it’s exhausting and Jesus has so much more for us.

Written in Ortlund’s signature pastoral tone, he helps us to see our need to be surprised by Jesus and for him to defy all our expectations. “Left in neutral, all of us tend to slide away from the wonder of the gospel,” Ortlund says. “My aim in this book is to help us cherish the gospel.”

Dane Ortlund is senior pastor of Naperville Presbyterian Church in Naperville, Illinois. He is the author of the bestselling book, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. Dane and his wife, Stacey, have five children.

Evangelical Press is an imprint of 10Publishing, a division of 10ofthose.com. Our passion at 10Publishing is to publish quality Christian resources that are biblical, accessible, affordable and point to Jesus.

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Quotes from the book:

“Like a bad back that needs to return repeatedly to the chiropractor for straightening out, our understanding of Jesus needs to be straightened out over and over again as our poor spiritual posture throws our perception of him out of line — domesticating him and conforming him to our image, rather than transforming us into his image.”

“However much we may pay tribute to grace with our lips, our hearts are so thoroughly marinated in law that the Christian life must be, at core, one of continually bathing our hearts and minds in gospel grace.”

“This book is a call to embrace the flooding liberations of the gospel all the way down — not the decaffeinated grace that pats us on the hand, ignores our deepest rebellions, and doesn’t change us, but the high-octane grace that takes our conscience by the scruff of the neck and breathes new life into us with a pardon so scandalous that we cannot help but be changed.”

“Jesus doesn’t crowbar us into change. He surprises us into change. Keeping the rules no more extinguishes the sin in our hearts than buckets of gasoline extinguish the flames in our fireplace.”

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5-star reader reviews

“Life shattering” • “See afresh the amazing grace of Jesus Christ” • “You’ll love the real Jesus more by the end of this book.” • “Had me leaping for joy”

 

NEW IMPRINT WILL FOCUS ON NONFICTION TITLES BY AND FOR COURAGEOUS WOMEN

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (March 25, 2022) – David C Cook has announced a new imprint, Esther Press, which will publish diverse voices that encourage and equip women to walk courageously in the light of God’s truth. A portion of Esther Press sales will be invested in women’s ministry partnerships around the globe. Susan McPherson, who leads the new imprint, has already acquired three titles set to release in 2022 with nine more titles lined up for 2023.

David C Cook CEO John Aden says: “David C Cook wants to empower women to flourish as confident disciples of Jesus and leaders in their communities. I am so excited to introduce Esther Press, which will amplify women’s voices while offering a foundation of faith deeply rooted in God’s Word.”

“For years, I have dreamed of establishing a line of books and resources laser-focused on encouraging and equipping women to be committed disciples of Jesus who are eager to serve others in their homes, churches, and communities.” says Susan McPherson, Acqusitions Editor and Women’s Community Lead for David C Cook. “Esther Press is that dream realized.”

Esther Press has announced three new titles for release in fall 2022:

Stand in Confidence by Amanda Pittman (September)

Amanda is is a proud wife and mother of two, author, ministry leader, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is founder of Confident Woman Co., a ministry that uses online challenges, groups, live events, & more to equip women to stand confidently upon the finished work of Jesus. Amanda will keynote at 2022 She Speaks Conference. ConfidentWomanCo.com  IG: @amandapittman  Podcast: Confident Woman

Take Back Your Joy by Nicole Jacobsmeyer (October)

Nicole has a passion for helping women walk in victory, joy, and faith in the face of trials, sorrow, and suffering. Nicole and her husband have four children and reside in North Carolina. Nicole spends her spare time sharing her faith and encouraging women on her blog, podcast and lifestyle website.

NicoleJacobsmeyer.com  IG: @nicole.jacobsmeyer  Podcast: Embracing Chaos

Follow God’s Will by Brittany Ann (October)

Brittany is a bestselling author, speaker, and founder of a popular Christian living website which has been featured by CBN, Christian Post, Crosswalk, and more. Brittany is married to a godly husband, and together they have three adorably energetic children. EquippingGodlyWomen.com  IG: equippinggodlywomen    Podcast: Equipping Godly Women

In 2023, Esther Press will publish new works from popular speakers and authors including:

• Lisa Whittle
• Lina Abujamra
• Rebecca Dotson George
• Rachael Gilbert
• Laura Krokos
• Erica Renaud
• Katy McCown
• Natalie Runion
• Cynthia Yanof

Esther Press is an imprint of David C Cook which publishes biblical resources by and for courageous women. With a focus on transformation, Esther Press encourages and equips women to walk courageously in the light of God’s truth for such a time as this. Esther Press partners with ministries around the world to equip, encourage, and disciple women. Esther Press – David C Cook

David C Cook is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping the global church with leadership, discipleship, and worship resources to help Christians grow in faith and pass it along to the next generation. To find out more about David C Cook and global ministry outreach, please visit www.davidccook.org.

Ada, Mich. (March 28, 2022)— Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce it recently signed a book deal with Sibil Fox and Robert Richardson, known as Fox and Rob, a popular New Orleans based couple with an Oscar-nominated Amazon Original documentary about their lives and love as an incarcerated family.

“Fox and Rob are a living testament to radical love,” said Stephanie Smith, senior editor, Baker. “The more our team learns about their unforgettable story, the more we are blown away—and readers are next. Baker Books is honored to partner with them in bringing the fullness of their story—in their own alternating voices, in striking detail—to readers everywhere.”

Their first book, scheduled for a February 2023 release, is tentatively titled TIME: The Untold Story of the Love That Held Us Together When Incarceration Kept Us Apart.

Fox and Rob are represented by agent Caitlyn Hoyt of Creative Artist Agency.

“We are ecstatic about the opportunities that lie ahead in our partnership with Baker Books to bring our untold story behind the Oscar-nominated Amazon original documentary, TIME, to the world,” said Fox and Rob. “Like Baker Books, the cornerstone of our success for decades has been family. And when families unite, something extraordinary happens.”

Affectionately known among their peers as FoxandRob, Sibil Fox and Robert Richardson, endured and survived 21 years as an incarcerated family. FoxandRob have touched the lives of millions worldwide as the subjects of the Oscar nominated Amazon Original documentary, TIME. They believe that to be free is to free others. Through their social justice initiative, PDMNOLA (Participatory Defense Movement New Orleans), they have committed their lives and resources to bringing not only greater awareness but sustainable solutions to families suffering from the hardships associated with crime and punishment. These high school sweethearts are the proud parents of six sons and reside in New Orleans.

Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. We publish titles for lay Christians on topics such as discipleship, apologetics, spirituality, relationships, marriage, parenting, and the intersection of Christianity and culture. We also publish books and ministry resources for pastors and church leaders, concentrating on topics such as preaching, worship, pastoral ministries, counseling, biblical reference, and leadership. Learn more at www.BakerBooks.com.

Contact: Kelli B. Smith, (616) 676-9185 x394, ksmith@bakerpublishinggroup.com