The Readable Bible is Scripture the way it would look if the biblical writers had been sitting in front of a computer when God spoke through them.

There hasn’t been a cover-to-cover Bible formatting update in the last one hundred years! Just think of how much differently we format today than in the 1920s. The Readable Bible is primarily a word-for-word translation that arranges the text in the easy-to-read formats of today’s books. It’s the best of both worlds: accurate yet understandable.

One day in 2008, Rod Laughlin was standing in an airport bookstore looking for a book to read. He asked himself, Why am I looking for something to read when I have a Bible in my briefcase? The answer came quickly: The Bible is hard to read. He thought, You’re a seminary graduate, a pastor, a Bible teacher! Why is it so hard to read? He walked over to the how-to book section and started browsing. Unlike the Bible, all the books presented information in formats that made it easy to understand.

On the plane, Laughlin wondered, What would the Bible look like if God spoke through Moses, David, and Paul today? After arriving home, Laughlin went through the Bible and identified over two dozen categories of information, all presented in paragraph form. Now he had a new mission—to create a new Bible version that presents the original text and uses modern formatting to make it clear and easy to grasp.

Example of Exodus 6:14–27:

The Readable Bible released on November 1, 2022, as a full Bible, in 27 books, and as a 27-book set. A limited supply of giveaway copies is available for special events and interviews. Books can also be ordered through your distributor or through www.ironstreammedia.com.

Book Rod Laughlin as a guest speaker by contacting Kim McCulla at kim.mcculla@ironstreammedia.com.

WESTMONT, IL— InterVarsity Press is pleased to congratulate its creative director, David Fassett, for his work on four designs chosen for 2022 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The Top Shelf Book Cover Awards program is managed by ECPA to recognize design excellence in the Christian publishing industry.

“David Fassett’s designs are one of the best parts of getting to work at IVP,” said Justin Paul Lawrence, divisional vice president of marketing and sales at IVP. “His consistent eye and continued excellence are amazing. Plus he’s a joy to work with and is a positive presence on my team. Very well deserved!”

Fassett joined InterVarsity Press (IVP) as a marketing designer in 2009. He was promoted to senior graphic designer in 2014, to art director in May 2017, and now serves as IVP’s creative director.

Fassett’s four award-winning cover designs in the nonfiction category include:

• A Supreme Love: The Music of Jazz and the Hope of the Gospel by William Edgar
• Enjoying the Old Testament: A Creative Guide to Encountering Scripture by Eric A. Seibert
• The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism by Paul D. Miller
• When Thoughts and Prayers Aren’t Enough: A Shooting Survivor’s Journey into the Realities of Gun Violence by Taylor S. Schumann

ECPA announced the winners of this year’s awards on Wednesday, November 16, at Lipscomb University in Nashville during the opening session of ECPA PubU. Winning book covers are featured at TopShelfAward.org.

For a complete archived list of IVP’s Top Shelf Award–winning book covers visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Asking Better Questions of the Bible Releasing in February 2023

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (November 18, 2022) – NavPress is pleased to announce a book deal with Marty Solomon, creator and executive producer of The BEMA Podcast. Solomon’s first book, Asking Better Questions of the Bible: A Guide for the Wounded, Wary, and Longing for More, will release in February 2023.

With 5 million episode downloads and more than 96,000 engaged listeners, The BEMA Podcast is an Apple Top 30 Religion podcast that urges listeners to engage in a contextual study of Scripture. It has provided an anchor for curious Christians in an age of deconstruction. Asking Better Questions of the Bible will lead readers on a wonder-filled tour of Scripture, helping them consider the assumptions and contexts of the original writers in order to discover a more dynamic and life-giving relationship with the God who inspired the Text.

“From the first time we met Marty, we felt such a sense of shared mission: to bring Scripture to life in fresh ways and to approach discipleship with a posture of openhanded curiosity,” said David Zimmerman, Publisher, NavPress. “This book is more than just a thought exercise—it helps us rediscover what it means to be in awe of the God of the Word.”

In Asking Better Questions of the Bible, Solomon sets the stage with an examination of Eastern and Western thinking and how each gives us tools for studying the Bible. Using that framework, the book walks through each of the different genres of Scripture, introducing different lenses and questions from the original context that equip the reader to navigate the tensions of Scripture and encounter more of the mystery of God.

Marty Solomon is a theologian and the president and director of discipleship for Impact Campus Ministries (impacttheu.com). He and his wife, Rebekah, live in Cincinnati with their two children. Find out more about Marty at martysolomon.com.

Solomon is represented by Ingrid Beck of the Bindery. World rights were acquired by NavPress Senior Editor Caitlyn Carlson.

For more information or an advance reader copy of Asking Better Questions of the Bible, please contact Natalie Wierenga, nataliewierenga@tyndale.com, 630-784-5211.

NavPress is the book publishing arm of The Navigators. With a rich catalog of bestselling books, ministry resources, and The Message® Bible, NavPress supports readers as they know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same.®  Since 2014 NavPress has been in a publishing alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, one of the largest independently owned Christian publishers in the world. NavPress resources are sold, distributed, and marketed worldwide through Tyndale House Publishers.

Contact: Natalie Wierenga, nataliewierenga@tyndale.com

November 18, 2022, WHEATON, Ill.—Crossway is excited to announce that eleven books have been named winners of the 2022 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Top Shelf Book Cover Awards. This year, the ECPA awarded winners in four categories: non-fiction, fiction, children’s, and Bibles.

The ESV Student Study Bible, Artist Series Hardcover, designed by artist Joshua Noom, was named a winner in the Bible category.

Two Crossway titles won in the children’s category: The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung, designed by Don Clark, and The Sower by Scott James, designed by Stephen Crotts.

Eight Crossway titles won in the non-fiction category:

• A Better Encouragement by Lindsey Carlson, designed by Crystal Courtney
• A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (and Three Things He’ll Never Do) by Sam Storms, designed by Spencer Fuller, Faceout Studio
• (A)Typical Woman by Abigail Dodds, designed by Lindy Martin, Faceout Studio
• Blessed by Nancy Guthrie, designed by Crystal Courtney
• Cultural Counterfeits by Jen Oshman, designed by Crystal Courtney
• Do You Believe? by Paul David Tripp, designed by Ordinary Folk
• How to Find Yourself by Brian Rosner, designed by Spencer Fuller, Faceout Studio
• Overcoming Apathy by Uche Anizor, designed by Jordan Singer

“It’s a joy to see this talented group of designers and illustrators recognized by their peers for their good work,” says Dan Farrell, Crossway’s vice president of creative. “We are grateful to ECPA for facilitating connections amongst creatives in our industry and for encouraging us all toward excellence.”

The Top Shelf Book Cover Awards were designed to celebrate the year’s best book designs in Christian publishing and celebrated their tenth anniversary this year.

Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.

Contact: Lauren Susanto, lsusanto@crossway.org, crossway.org

Bloomington, Minn. (November 18, 2022)—Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce that the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA) has selected Toni Shiloh as the winner of the inaugural Christy Amplify Award for Christian Fiction for her 2022 novel, In Search of a Prince. The award presentation took place on November 17 during the annual Christy Award Gala at ECPA’s PubU Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh
(Bethany House; February 1, 2022; ISBN 9780764238956; Paper. $15.99)
Brielle Adebayo’s simple life unravels when she discovers she is a princess in the African kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé and must immediately assume her royal position. Brielle comes to love the island’s culture and studies the language with her handsome tutor. But when her political rivals force her to make a difficult choice, a wrong decision could change her life.

“I am absolutely floored and humbled to win the Amplify Award,” said Bethany House author Toni Shiloh. “When I dreamed and wrote In Search of a Prince, it was with the hope that it would give representation to the many women who dreamed of being a princess and never saw one that looked like them—and for them to ultimately realize we are beloved daughters of the King of Kings.”

Offered this year for the first time, the Christy Amplify Award for Christian Fiction is intended to elevate and recognize BIPOC stories and their authors in the Christy Award program, and to raise awareness of the Christy Award opportunity among Christian fiction authors who identify as members of an ethnic minority and have used that experience in their storytelling.

“Our judges agreed that it was hard not to be overtaken by the superb storytelling, world-building, and character development that Shiloh mastered with seemingly extraordinary ease and flow,” said program consultant and presenter of the award, Jevon Bolden. “We found it to be an outstanding representation of literary excellence and an authentic ‘own voices’ story that stood out in every way. We find it a unique privilege, as an ethnically diverse judge panel, to contribute toward a deeper read of books by BIPOC authors, and we look forward to continuing to amplify their voices and stories.”

Bethany House acquisitions editor Jessica Sharpe shared her thoughts as well: “We are so thrilled for Toni! She is such an active and supportive part of our publishing community, so for her to be the very first winner of the Amplify Award is so meaningful and well-deserved. Her heart and soul—and her books—are dedicated to amplifying not only BIPOC voices but also the Good News of the love of God. We are honored to have her as part of our publishing family.”

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel In Search of a Prince has been praised by OprahDaily.com, Popsugar, Library Journal, and Booklist, and is a Parable bestseller. Her books have been finalists for the HOLT Medallion and the Selah Award. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media and at ToniShiloh.com.

ECPA is the association of Christian publishers who work together to strengthen and lead the industry through connection, education, and resources. ECPA’s mission is to equip their members so they can more effectively make the Christian message widely known, and the Christy Awards were established by ECPA in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture. The award is named for Catherine Marshall’s novel, Christy, which has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 1967. Today, the Christys continue to be the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction. For the complete list of this year’s winners, please visit: https://www.christyawards.com/finalists-winners.html.

Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is part of the largest independent Christian book publisher and 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

Ada, Mich. (November 18, 2022)—On Thursday, November 17, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announced the 2022 Christy Award winners at a gala held at Lipscomb University’s George Shinn Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Approximately 150 publishers, authors, and fiction fans gathered to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Six Baker Publishing Group authors were recipients of this prestigious award, including Amanda Cox, whose novel The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery (Revell; ISBN 9780800737412; ebook ISBN 9781493431830; $15.99) won both the General Fiction award and the 2022 Christy Book of the Year award. This is the first time in the Christy Award’s history that an author has won consecutive Book of the Year awards. Cox’s debut novel, The Edge of Belonging, won the First Novel award and the Book of the Year award in 2021.

Toni Shiloh’s novel In Search of a Prince (Bethany House; ISBN 9780764238956; ebook ISBN 9781493436033; $15.99) won the new Amplify Award, which was “created by publishers and agents to elevate and recognize under-represented ethnic stories of excellence, and their authors.” Program consultant Jevon Bolden, who presented the award to Shiloh, stated, “Our judges agreed that it was hard not to be overtaken by the superb storytelling, world-building, and character development that Shiloh mastered with seemingly extraordinary ease and flow. We found it to be an outstanding representation of literary excellence and an authentic ‘own voices’ story that stood out in every way. We find it a unique privilege, as an ethnically diverse judge panel, to contribute toward a deeper read of books by BIPOC authors and look forward to continuing to amplify their voices and stories.”

Additional Christy Award winners for Baker Publishing Group include:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese (Bethany House; ISBN 9780764234965; ebook ISBN 9781493429929; $16.99)

Molly McKenzie has made social media influencing a lucrative career, but nailing a TV show means proving she’s as good in real life as she is online. So she volunteers with a youth program. Challenged at every turn by the program director, Silas, and the kids’ struggles, she’s surprised by her growing attachment. Has her perfect life been imperfectly built?

 

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HISTORICAL

Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green (Bethany House; ISBN 9780764233326; ebook ISBN 9781493435982; $15.99)

A birthday excursion turns deadly when the SS Eastland capsizes with insurance agent Olive Pierce and her best friend on board. After her escape, Olive discovers her friend is among the missing victims. When she begins investigating the accident, more setbacks arise. It will take all she has to overcome those who want to sabotage her search for the truth.

 

 

 

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HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin (Revell; ISBN 9780800736378; ebook ISBN 9781493434152; $15.99 )

When the Nazis march into Paris, an American woman uses her bookstore to aid the resistance, while a businessman chooses to sell his products to Germany—and send vital information home to the US. Can they work together for the higher good, or will it cost them everything they love?

 

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SHORT FORM

A Texas Christmas Carol (in Under the Texas Mistletoe) by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House; ISBN 9780764239311; ebook ISBN 9781493433681; $14.99)

A town’s wealthy, Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and by the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors.

Baker Publishing Group offers their congratulations to all of the Christy Award winners and would like to acknowledge the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for administering the Christy Awards, which honors and promotes excellence in fiction.

 

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: Karen Steele, (616)676-9185 x100, ksteele@bakerpublishinggroup.com

President of Total Life Coach, Founder of Women of Influence, and Senior Pastor of Influence Church, Tammy Hotsenpiller, Shares How to Unlock the Power of Fasting for Miraculous Breakthroughs in New Book

Lake Mary, Fla. – Do Christians believe miracles still exist today? Do they believe they can actually experience a miracle? Many believers practice biblical fasting as a way to have God answer their prayers, but do they realize that fasting can actually bring about miraculous breakthroughs?

President of Total Life Coach, Founder of Women of Influence, and Senior Pastor of Influence Church, Tammy Hotsenpiller, bases her new book, Fasting for Miracles: A 21-Day Journey to Seeing Faith Become Reality (Charisma House, ISBN-13: 978-1-63641-174-3), on the Scripture verse Mark 9:29 that says some things only happen through prayer and fasting. The certified personal life coach and pastor takes readers step-by-step through the power and discipline of fasting and teaches them how fasting will help exercise their faith to see breakthroughs and miracles.

“There’s so much power in the name of God and breakthrough in fasting with God. It has been such a benefit in my spiritual walk to learn the names of God and embrace His attributes,” says Tammy. Watch her full message about her new book here.

Though there are over 150 miracles in the Bible, for the purpose of this book, Tammy focuses on miracles that illuminate the relationship between miracles and fasting. “When Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days he fasted for His breakthrough and His miracle,” she writes. “Moses—when he went up on Mount Sinai, he fasted for forty days for his breakthrough. Esther, Nehemiah, Ezra, they all fasted for their breakthrough, for their miracle.” Her examples illustrate how some of the greatest figures of the Bible all experienced their breakthroughs after they spent time fasting.

As readers walk through their fast using this three-week curriculum, they will gain a biblical understanding of the power of fasting and be stirred to raise their level of expectation and believe God to do the miraculous in their lives. Tammy shares how fasting is one of the most essential ways for Christians to experience the power of God, cut through their circumstances, and turn things around for their good. “This is how it is when we’re walking with God,” she writes. “The fires of life often prove to be the testing ground for our miracle.”

The study is in three weekly sections: the Miracles in the Lives of Moses, Joshua, and Hannah, Miracles in the Lives of Elijah and Elisha, and Miracles in the Lives of Jesus and His Disciples. Daily sessions focus on two passages in scripture. First, there is a ‘mediation on a miracle’ passage that helps readers understand that God still performs miracles in our lives today, followed by a ‘fasting’ passage that demonstrates how God uses fasting to bring about our miracles. Each day also includes a reflection, prayer, and journaling prompt to help readers apply what they are learning.

According to Tammy, accountability and partnership are the best ways to stay motivated and complete a fast. Her availability as a personal fasting coach each morning during the program by way of daily video episodes and access to the Influence Church prayer team provide an invaluable resource for guidance and encouragement along the 21-day journey. Tammy and Charisma House have also launched a companion YouVersion plan, “How To Fast For Your Miracle,” which introduces the discipline of Biblical fasting in preparation for the coming book release.

Tammy’s hope is that this practical resource will help readers gain a Biblical understanding of what fasting is for so they can experience the power of God’s supernatural touch and a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit during their fast. “I cannot stress strongly enough that the basis of this book is not human achievement, human willpower, or human fortitude but the goodness of God, which shows us that we can let go of all the things we hold on to and trust Him fully,” she writes. “That is why fasting is such a powerful practice—it is a way of letting go and fully embracing a God who loves us completely!”

Alongside the launch of this book, Tammy is inviting churches and individuals to join her for the corporate Fasting For Miracles campaign and take the 21-day journey starting on January 21^st, 2023. To find out more about the Fasting For Miracles corporate fast, visit www.tammyhotsenpiller.com

To find out more about the book, Fasting For Miracles, or to download a free chapter, visit www.charismahouse.com or www.tammyhotsenpiller.com.

Fasting For Miracles, published by Charisma House, releases on December 20, 2022, and is available online at MyCharismaShop.com and wherever Christian books are sold.

Tammy Hotsenpiller is an author, speaker, life coach, and leader of a national women’s movement. She has a passion for equipping others to embrace their natural abilities, personal passions, and spiritual gifts. She is the president of Total Life Coach, LLC, and the founder and executive director of Women of Influence. Hotsenpiller and her husband, Phil, are the cofounders of Influence Church in Anaheim Hills, California. They live in Orange County and are blessed with three children who have equally incredible spouses and seven grandchildren.

• Fasting For Miracles EPK: here
• Website: www.tammyhotsenpiller.com
• Instagram: @tammyhotsenpiller
• Facebook: @tammyhotsenpiller
• YouTube: Tammy Hotsenpiller
• Podcast: The Tammy Hotsenpiller Podcast

Title: Fasting For Miracles: A 21-Day Journey To Seeing Faith Become Reality | Retail: US $19.99 |
Release Date: December 20, 2022 | ISBN-13: 978-1-63641-174-3 | E-Book ISBN: 978-1-63641-175-0 |
Binding: Trade Paper | Size: 6” x 9” x 0.875” | Page Count: 336 | Hometown: Orange County, CA |
BISAC: RELIGION / Christian Living / Prayer, RELIGION / Christian Living /
Spiritual Growth, RELIGION / Christian Living / Personal Growth

To interview Tammy Hotsenpiller or for a review copy of Fasting For Miracles, please contact  Lklosterman@tkomarketing.net or chelsey@tkomarketing.net.

Media Contacts: TKO Publicity
Linda Klosterman, lklosterman@tkomarketing.net
Chelsey Dickson, chelsey@tkomarketing.net

Laura Barker, publisher of WaterBrook & Multnomah, signed world rights for social media influencer Madison Prewett Troutt’s The Love Everybody Wants (WaterBrook), with Susan Tjaden editing, from Esther Fedorkevich of The Fedd Agency.

Slated for publication in September 2023, the book shows readers how to move past shallow cultural ideas of romance to discover how a secure identity and thriving faith can position them for healthy relationships. Madi is a speaker and social media influencer known for her prior bestselling title Made for This Moment and as a Season 24 finalist on The Bachelor.

Rights queries: Denise Cronin, decronin@prh.com

WaterBrook is an imprint of the Random House Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Nelson Books (a Thomas Nelson imprint) has hired Lisa Beech as the new director of publicity.  Lisa has a long history of cultivating relationships with authors and media that has resulted in coverage among top-tier media outlets.

With more than 15 years of book publicity experience, Lisa comes to Nelson Books from WaterBrook & Multnomah, having worked with a deep list of New York Times bestselling authors including Tim Tebow, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Michael Todd, David Platt, John Mark Comer, Kyle Idleman, Katie Davis Majors, and Jordan Lee Dooley.

She has garnered national media attention on TODAY, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, The View, Hannity, the Rachael Ray Show, Dr. Oz, TBN,700 Club, People, Cosmopolitan, Woman’s World, The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes, Making Space with Hoda Kotb, and more.