Palm Bay, FL:  Created with Christian Fiction Reader-Fans in mind, the 2022 ACFW Storyfest is ACFW’s response to reader requests for access to some of their favorite authors and the chance to talk story. This inaugural year of hosting ACFW Storyfest (formerly the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat) takes place Thursday afternoon, September 8, 2022 through Saturday, September 10, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

The reader event—conducted in conjunction with ACFW’s annual conference for authors—includes a Meet & Greet with Christian Fiction authors on Thursday evening; all-day Friday and Saturday sessions including free books, free swag, interactive games and fun with authors; informative panels; afternoon tea; and more. Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast, with author-hosted tables, are included, as well as the opportunity to join a multitude of authors to hear an address by Liz Curtis Higgs, the conference’s keynote speaker.

Readers may also purchase an add-on Gala ticket which will allow them exclusive access to ACFW’s annual conference Awards Gala, celebrating the best in Christian Fiction through ACFW’s Carol Awards (published in the previous calendar year), Genesis Awards (as yet unpublished, writers to watch for), and other honors.

Christian Fiction readers are invited to celebrate story and some of their favorite authors right on the premises of the ACFW conference—where hundreds of CF authors gather each year. Books will also be available for purchase and signing onsite.

For more information or to register TODAY, check out https://www.acfwstoryfest.com/

Author of the YouVersion Bible App for Kids Bible Stories Releases Two New Picture Books from the Clever Cub Series Created to Remind Young Children Of Their Part In God’s Story

Bestselling Children’s Author and internationally known Performance Storyteller Bob Hartman brings to life two all new stories poised to entertain and inspire young children with the Sept. 6 release of Clever Cub Learns to Share and Clever Cub Trusts God. Featuring the inquisitive Clever Cub, a curious little bear who LOVES to cuddle up with the Bible and learn about God, these new adventures in Hartman’s popular series of pictures books from David C Cook, Clever Cub Bible Stories, remind kids of their part in God’s story.

Known for its vibrant illustrations, kid-friendly questions and engaging Bible stories geared to little ones ages three to six years old, the Clever Cub picture books series makes reading time a faith-building adventure for children along with sweet reminders of their part in God’s story. Each book incorporates timely themes and age-appropriate lessons as Clever Cub invites young readers to learn about the God of the Bible.

With these new adventures, God’s Word comes alive through the gifted storytelling of Bob Hartman and the colorful illustrations by Steve Brown as Clever Cub learns the joy of sharing and the peace of trusting God in these delightful retellings of Jesus feeding the five thousand in the New Testament and the story of Caleb and Joshua in the Old Testament.

A note at the end of each book includes questions about the story’s theme for learning more in the Bible to help parents and ministry leaders begin conversations with children about their own part in God’s story.

“We all have a part in God’s story!” exclaims Hartman, who is also the author of the YouVersion Bible App for Kids Bible stories which have been downloaded 85 million times. “What an incredible opportunity to share biblical truths and God’s love with young children through these faith-filled adventures every time they ‘cuddle up’ with Clever Cub. I’ve read these books with my own grandchildren and watch them get excited about discovering who Jesus is. My dream for this series is that Clever Cub helps children see the love of God in their own lives and that they receive the joy that Christ brings when we enter into a relationship with Him.”

Clever Cub Bible Stories Series Descriptions for Books 7 – 8:

In Clever Cub Learns to Share, Clever Cub does not want to share with Skippy the Squirrel until Papa Bear tells him about a boy in the Bible who shared all that he had and shows the reluctant Clever Cub that sharing brings great joy!

This colorful picture book:

• Tells the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand with loaves and fishes in  John 6:1–14.
• Teaches children ages 3 to 6 how wonderful it is to share with others.
• Includes questions about the story’s theme and ideas for learning more in the Bible.

As the story of Clever Cub Trusts God unfolds, Mama Bear helps Clever Cub face his fears in the night by telling him about two brave spies in the Bible who trusted God. Clever Cub goes to sleep knowing that God is with him all the time!

This engaging picture book:

• Helps kids ages three to six overcome anxiety as they rest in God’s presence with them.
• Tells the story of how Joshua and Caleb trusted God in the desert (from Numbers 13–14).
• Encourages kids to talk about their emotions and how God makes them brave.

As part of the series, there are also helpful resources and downloadable content available for parents and adults to share with children, including free Clever Cub coloring pages, animated story videos narrated by Hartman, and more “freebies” available through signing up for email updates at https://davidccook.org/clever-cub-books/. Subscribers may also receive notifications to hear about all the new Clever Club adventures coming soon and the latest free resources being offered.

Bestselling Children’s Author Bob Hartman shares the story behind the creation of his all-new Clever Club Bible Stories Series.

About Bob Hartman:
Performance storyteller Bob Hartman is the author of the YouVersion Bible App for Kids Bible stories, that have been downloaded 85 million times. His long list of children’s titles have sold over a million copies, including The Lion Storyteller Bible, which has been printed in eleven different languages. As an ordained minister, his passion is to help people of every age find their way into the Bible, engage with it and discover the God who inspired it. Bob is married to Sue, has two married children, Kari and Chris, and five grandchildren. For more information or to connect with Hartman, visit Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Steve Brown:
Steve Brown (stevebrownillustration.co.uk) is a UK-based freelance children’s illustrator with a passion for telling stories through his art and using humor to delight children and adults alike.

About David C Cook:
David C Cook is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the global Church with life-transforming, Christ-centered materials. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado—with offices in Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, and the United Kingdom—David C Cook produces resources that are published in over 150 languages and distributed in more than 170 countries. Originally founded in 1875 as a curriculum publisher, David C Cook now also publishes numerous bestselling books, resources, music (Integrity Music), and media from a variety of award-winning authors and artists. Learn more about David C Cook’s mission at DavidCCook.org.

ATTN MEDIA: Bob Hartman, Clever Cub Learns to Share and Clever Cub Trusts God review and giveaway copies are available upon request. High-resolution cover artwork and other press materials for these and the entire Clever Cub Bible Stories series to date are available now at https://app.box.com/v/BobHartmanCleverCubPress.

For additional information, contact:
Maureen Hoganson, MaureenHoganson@comcast.net
Rick Hoganson, Hoganson@comcast.net
Hoganson Media Relations, 615-459-9870

August 2022 |  WESTMONT, IL—Since the launch of Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver in October 2021, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has continued to build its IVP Kids imprint. The line now includes seven picture books for children ages four to eight with five more contracted to release in 2023 and 2024.

IVP Kids editor Elissa Schauer said, “I know that I keep using the word thrilled, but it’s an accurate description of our experience this last year with IVP Kids. It’s been wonderful to see these books come to life, and to hear from all who are reading and sharing. And we really are so very excited about all that lies before us!”

The current IVP Kids titles include

• Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver: The History and Legends of the Real Santa Claus written and illustrated by Ned Bustard (October 2021)
• The O in Hope: A Poem of Wonder by Luci Shaw, illustrated by Ned Bustard (November 2021)
• The Celebration Place: God’s Plan for a Delightfully Diverse Church  by Dorena Williamson, illustrated by Erin Bennett Banks (November 2021)
• Isaiah and the Worry Pack: Learning to Trust God with All Our Fears by Ruth Goring, illustrated by Pamela C. Rice (November 2021)
• Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit by Esau McCaulley, illustrated by LaTonya Jackson (May 2022)
• Little Prayers for Ordinary Days by Katy Bowser Hutson, Flo Paris Oakes, and Tish Harrison Warren; illustrated by Liita Forsyth (May 2022)
• All Will Be Well: Learning to Trust God’s Love by Lacy Finn Borgo, illustrated by Rebecca Evans (October 2022)

While this is the first dedicated kids’ line in the history of IVP, a few IVP books were published for children in the late 1970s, namely John White’s Archives of Anthropos series and John Bibee’s Spirit Flyer books. With more than ten million in print, the well-known and beloved booklet My Heart—Christ’s Home by Robert Boyd Munger was also turned into My Heart—Christ’s Home Retold for Children in 2010.

IVP Kids is an imprint that presents themes such as justice, spiritual formation, and discipleship, which have been cornerstones of IVP throughout its nearly seventy-five years. Terumi Echols, IVP president and publisher, said, “This line is a much-needed resource for parents who are reading to and teaching their children about who they are as Christians, their place in God’s kingdom, and the impact they can have on our culture.”

Forthcoming IVP Kids titles include

• Saint Patrick the Forgiver written and illustrated by Ned Bustard (February 2023)
• God, Right Here by Kara Lawler, illustrated by Jennie Poh (Spring 2023)
• When I Go to Church by Elrena Evans, illustrated by Rebecca Evans (Fall 2023)
• The Chosen One Is Born by Terry Wildman (Fall 2023)
• Zion Loves to See by Terence Lester with Zion Lester (Winter 2024)

Schauer said, “IVP inhabits a unique space in the world of publishing, and our deep desire is for IVP Kids to do so as well. Our hope is that children and families would enjoy reading together, and that the content of these books would spark meaningful conversations for years to come.”

Media Contact:  Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com

 

 

July 2022 — Christian publishers from more than a dozen countries expressed their appreciation for ECPA’s International Christian Rights & Export Fair (ICREF), held June 28-29 on the campus of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

Representatives from Czech Republic, Egypt, South Africa, Germany, England, South Korea, Brazil, Colombia, and several other countries traveled to Chicago to attend the two-day conference. Thirty publishers and service providers exhibited at the event for the purpose of selling foreign rights and exports and building business relationships.

Anthony Gosling, EVP of Sales at Crossway expressed: “It was so good to be together again and great to have so many valuable meetings. I really like the simplicity and businesslike nature of the event.”

Tom DeVries, Subsidiary Rights Manager at Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. said, “The ICREF show is my favorite show for rights sales. It’s small, intimate, and friendly, allowing for excellent conversations with long-standing and new partners.”

Moody Bible Institute was an ideal venue, and the staff and publishing team of Moody Publishers were gracious hosts, sponsoring an ice cream social for all attendees.

ECPA is planning to return to Chicago and Moody Bible Institute in 2023 on June 27-28.  For more information, contact Cynthia Helblig.

From Katie Davis Majors, author of the New York Times bestsellers Daring to Hope and Kisses from Katie, two new nonfiction works to Multnomah.

The first book, Safe All Along, tentatively slated for release in Spring 2023, equips readers to experience the peace that comes with trusting God in the midst of tumultuous times. A second work, as yet untitled, will follow, along with a devotional product.

Laura Barker acquired world rights in an exclusive submission by Karen Yates at Yates & Yates.  For rights queries, please contact Denise Cronin, decronin@prh.com.

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

KINGDOM STORY COMPANY TO ADAPT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SEAL TEAM SIX STORY “FEARLESS” INTO FILM DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY ANDREW ERWIN

Kevin Downes to Join as Producer With Mark Ciardi
Screenplay by Academy Award^®nominee Jason Hall

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 26, 2022 – Kingdom Story Company has acquired the rights to adapt the New York Times bestseller Fearless by Eric Blehm and has hired screenwriter Jason Hall, best known for his Academy Award^®-nominated work on American Sniper and most recently wrote Gran Turismo for Sony Pictures, to adapt the screenplay. 

The announcement was made today by Kingdom Story Company co-founders Andrew Erwin, who will direct the film, and Kevin Downes, who will join Erwin in producing the feature along with Mark Ciardi and Jon Erwin. Kingdom Story Company has a distribution deal with Lionsgate. 

The film will tell the story of SEAL Team Six commando Adam Brown, a legendary hero who repeatedly overcame personal demons, including drug addiction and jail, to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a member of the elite Navy SEAL team. Supported by his family and drawing on his faith, Brown’s story of perseverance, heroism, and sacrifice is an inspiring story of patriotism and selflessness. 

“Eric Blehm’s bestselling book absolutely captivated me,” said Andrew Erwin. “Adam Brown’s journey from destructive addiction to the front lines with the Navy Seals is the most human redemption story I’ve ever read. Adam is a true American hero who overcame insurmountable odds to earn his way onto Seal Team Six, and the love story and the strong faith he had with his wife Kelley was truly special. We are tremendously honored to bring this story to life, and I can’t think of a better person to write this than Jason Hall. We are all honored by the trust the Brown family has placed in us to tell this story.”

Downes added: “This film is right in Andy’s wheelhouse. Fearless will not only take you behind enemy lines with SEAL Team Six, but into the heart and soul of one man and how he found the strength to step up. With its exciting setting among our country’s most valiant heroes and a story that delves deep into what it means to show true valor, Fearless will be a highly cinematic, compelling film.”

Added Kelley Brown, who was married to Adam Brown, “We are so blessed that such an amazing team will bring Adam’s story – as told in Fearless – to the big screen. His legacy is in good hands.” 

Andrew Erwin and his brother Jon previously directed American Underdog, I Still Believe, and I Can Only Imagine, among others. Fearless is published by Penguin Random House.

Reporting on crises: Initiative offers guidance

(July 2022 — Chicago, IL)—Some 50 Christians in publishing from 10 countries who attended the Crisis Publishing Initiative (CPI) Conference in Chicago last month gleaned an in-depth understanding of some of the biggest crises threatening the world—and gained key tools to help in reporting responsibly in the chaos of crisis.

In plenary sessions and a rich slate of workshops some 21 speakers delved into topics like covering war, hostage situations, vulnerable women and children, human trafficking, Christian persecution, and refugee movements.

The three-and-a-half-day conference organized by Magazine Training International (MTI) in partnership with the Evangelical Press Association, drew journalists from Austria, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Context for crisis and a framework for handling truth with a global perspective was offered in plenary sessions led by internationally-recognized experts, including Dr. Miriam Adeney, professor at Seattle Pacific University; Dr. Sam George, faculty member and director of the Global Diaspora Institute at Wheaton College; Dr. Sandra Morgan, director of Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice; and Julia Bicknell, co-founder of World Watch Monitor in the U.K.

Top-of-mind for many was the war in Ukraine. Katya Yefetova, a photographer and videographer from Kiev, described the digital defense effort with which she was involved from the start of the war until just a few days before arrival in Chicago after a harrowing journey across Ukraine.

Jeremy Weber, director of CT Global, and Jayson Casper, a journalist in Lebanon, shared lessons about cultivating local sources and discerning their unique angle as they covered the war in Ukraine from afar.

Words and images matter
In addition to the sessions providing valuable context for those reporting on sensitive situations, participants were pushed to excellence in practical application of journalistic principles in their work.

Morgan described how word choice can perpetuate unhelpful stereotypes in reporting on human trafficking. A victim of human trafficking should not be referred to as a “prostitute” in news reporting, she said, but as a “victim of commercial sexual exploitation,” a more accurate description of the crime of profiting by the abuse of another’s sexuality.

When communicating the story of vulnerable children, Dr. Anita Deyneka, director emeritus of the board of Mission Eurasia, and Sarah Gesiriech, principal of 127 Global Strategies, encouraged attendees to avoid stereotypes and sensationalism and to consider how images and words reflect on at-risk children, families, and communities.

Other workshops encouraged journalists to look at the story and its impact from other perspectives.

Bob Klamser, executive director of Crisis Consulting International, provided tips on how to report on hostage situations and how to stay safe in dangerous environments.

Palmer Holt, founder and CEO of InChrist Communications, discussed disasters as a pressing justice issue and suggested questions reporters need to ask. Freelance photographer Gary Chapman and Weber addressed how to navigate the photographer/reporter partnership.

Melissa Harrison, senior programs manager for The Media Project, shared her personal tragedy, what it was like as a journalist to become the story, and how it has transformed the way she interviews crisis victims and their families. Morgan Lee, a digital media journalist at Christianity Today, covered the pros and cons of podcasting.

Reporting on regions where open sharing carries risk for people who lack religious liberty requires special consideration. While identifying details may need to be masked in order to tell a story, readers still need to hear about how God is working around the world. The complexities of this kind of reporting were addressed by experts including Casper; Asif Aqeel, Pakistani newspaper journalist and correspondent for World Watch Monitor; Heather Pubols, founder of le Motif; Gökhan Talas, founder of Miras Publishing Ministries in Turkey; and Dr. C.V. Vadavana, founder of Sathyam Literature Service Trust in India.

Several workshops focused on misinformation, disinformation, and lack of information. While these issues have always been important for journalists, the industry behind the spread of disinformation now has widespread power with social media and Internet sites that appear legitimate. Joseph Benjamin, publisher of Gujarati Christians in India, and Bicknell were among those who addressed this growing problem.

Faith foundation
In a world filled with brokenness and pain, journalists and storytellers have a responsibility that goes beyond accurately reporting on the current state of the world. With a faith foundation that is based on the hope of the resurrected Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, journalists respond personally to stories and point readers toward the hope and truth of a God who is always with us, even through the hardest experiences.

“I’m impressed every time I attend an MTI conference because it dives deep into a subject and it not only covers technical aspects but also the spiritual dimension,” says Benjamin. “You are prepared spiritually as well as professionally.”

During the conference, this essential faith component was lived out. Sonnie Gitonga, founder and director of Scars to Stars Foundation in Kenya, shared particularly difficult stories about the hidden crisis of violence against women. In a sacred moment following her workshop, rather than the expected question and answer segment, participants asked if they could gather to pray.

The professional component of care that incorporates spiritual truth and best practices in psychology was presented by Dr. Jamie Aten and Kent Annon, co-founders of Spiritual First Aid, using the Spiritual First Aid model developed by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute of Wheaton College.

Woven through the planned sessions and informal conversations over meals were thought-provoking questions, spirited conversations, and a deepening of new and existing relationships.

“This conference has been an amazing opportunity to learn from and connect with international experts,” said Katy Causey of Compassion International. “There are also many practical tools and ideas that I can apply in my everyday work.”

Real-time application
While the conference was on-going, stories related to CPI discussions unfolded around the world. Participants could apply what was learned to events like the attack on a shopping center in Ukraine and the death of trafficked migrants in a semi-truck in San Antonio, Texas.

Rather than simple answers to complex realities, attendees left with a solid context for ongoing work and access to an extended network of relationships. The application will vary based on each person’s emphasis, but participants were eager to continue learning and growing while responding to crises around the globe from their own sphere of influence.

The Crisis Publishing Initiative Conference in Chicago was the second organized by Magazine Training International. The first was held in Hungary in 2017, drawing some 60 people from two dozen countries. “This conference was a smaller group than in 2017,” says Morgan, who spoke at both, “but the impact was mind blowing!”

The mission of Magazine Training International is to encourage, strengthen, and provide resources to Christian magazines as they seek to build the church and reach their societies for Christ. Over the last 32 years, MTI offered 70 conferences, courses, and seminars in East/Central Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. In addition to courses and conferences, MTI provides online courses and workshops, free e-books, training videos, course manuals in a dozen languages, and other print digital, audio, and audio-visual materials in resource center on MTI’s website.

Written by Carla Foote, MTI board chair

Media Contact:  Sharon Mumper, President, (719) 598-9743, semumper@magazinetraining.com
More information is available on the event website or our website and Facebook.

CAROL STREAM, IL, July 29, 2022.  Robert B. Reekie, founding President of Media Associates International (MAI) and a pioneer in global Christian publishing training, died peacefully on July 18, 2022. He was 92.

Bob co-founded MAI in 1985 with the late James F. Engel, then Professor of Communication Research at Wheaton College Graduate School, and the late James L. Johnson, author and founder of the Communications Department at Wheaton Graduate School.

“Our vision was to be a catalyst for indigenous Christian publishing,” Bob said in a 2010 interview. “We were fervently committed to finding ways through training and guidance to see increasing print-media products conceived and published by Christians in the same countries where those materials would be sold and distributed.”

Starting with no salary or staff and only a typewriter and table in modest rental space, Bob assumed his duties as MAI President in May 1985. It was a step of faith that God would honor by ultimately growing MAI into a significant global work that to date has conducted trainings in more than 90 countries for 10,000 Christian publishing staff and writers.

“Bob was an inspiration and mentor to so many around the world,” said John Maust, who succeeded Bob as MAI President in 1998 when Bob retired. “His legacy will be felt for years to come.”

Bob was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 27, 1929, to Scottish immigrant parents. He held management positions with industrial firms there before leaving South Africa to pursue theological studies in America.

Completing his studies, Bob became a seminary professor of New Testament, as well as an ordained Baptist minister.  In 1962, he accepted a position with the David C. Cook Foundation.  As Executive Vice President and Director of the Foundation, he started its on-site training program and traveled extensively around the world.

Leaving Cook after 23 years and starting MAI presented Bob with perhaps the biggest challenge of his life. It was a decision lacking guarantees of success, but one Bob never regretted and that would help equip thousands of Christian communicators to create excellent culturally relevant content to nurture the Church and influence society for Christ.

“When Jim Johnson, Jim Engel and I planned, dreamed and talked about forming MAI, we knew the risk was mammoth, the future and sustainability uncertain, and the support for such a program quite unknown,” Bob said in the 2010 interview. “But we also believed that God’s leading was pressing us, and that it was opportune for MAI to launch into the deep.

“We called upon God to grant wisdom and strength to begin, reminded of Paul’s words to the Church in Corinth: ‘Therefore, since we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.’”

Bob is survived by his wife, Barbara Reekie, in Palatine, IL.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 6, at 1 p.m. at Community Church of Barrington, 407 S. Grove Ave., Barrington, IL  60010 (corner of Lincoln and Grove).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to:  Media Associates International, 351 S. Main Place, Ste. 230, Carol Stream, IL  60188, tel. 630-260-9063, www.littworld.org.

I’m So Glad You Were Born by #1 New York Times bestselling author Earhardt releases September 27, 2022

Grand Rapids, MI – July 27, 2022 – Zonderkidz author and FOX & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt will be on tour this fall sharing about her new picture book, I’m So Glad You Were Born. Tickets for the following events are now available for purchase:

• Tuesday, September 27, at 3 pm ET, Live Signing, nationwide virtual event, in conversation with Caitlin Houston.  https://livesigning.com/soglad
• Wednesday, September 28, at 7 pm ET, Norwalk, CT at the Wall Street Theatre, in conversation with Megan Alexander. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ainsley-earhardt-im-so-glad-you-were-born-tickets-376730339587
  
• Friday, September 30, at 6:30 pm ET, Charleston, SC at the Charleston Museum, in conversation with Leyla Gulen. https://www.citypapertickets.com/events/127060122/ainsley-earhardt-book-release
• Sunday, October 2, at 2 pm ET, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, at the Ponte Vedra Beach Concert Hall, in conversation with Sean Hannity. https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/22005CF5E07EC7D7

Each ticket purchased will include a signed book. Additional tour appearances are being considered. Visit https://books.ainsleye.com to see all the information as it is updated.

The virtual “Live Signing” with Earhardt will take place for those fans who cannot travel and want to receive a signed copy of the book, on Tuesday, September 27 at 3 pm ET. Earhardt will appear on Facebook and talk about her experiences as a mother and how the book came together, while signing copies for fans.

Dedicated to her daughter Hayden, this book is meant to be shared with children to remind them just how thankful you are they are in your life and that they were created to be extraordinary. The book releases Tuesday, September 27 and is available for pre-order anywhere books are sold.

“My mother always told us on our birthdays each year how glad she was that we were born—and now I love saying that to my daughter, Hayden,” said Earhardt, during her book announcement this spring. “This book celebrates all the reasons we are so glad our children are born and how special they are. It reminds children they have a purpose, there’s a plan for their life, that God loves them and they are worthy of having a wonderful life. This book is about noticing the traits that make a child special, and I hope it helps parents, grandparents, and caregivers to slow down and take the time to tell the children in their lives how grateful and appreciative they are for all the special things that make a child who they are.”

Ainsley Earhardt is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, including two #1 childrens bestsellers, Through Your Eyes and Take Heart, My Child. She hosts a Bible Study with Fox Nation and has over one million followers on her social media platforms combined. Earhardt has been a co-host on the popular FOX & Friends morning show since 2016.

For more information, please contact Zonderkidz Publicity Director Jessica Westra at jessica.westra@harpercollins.com or Velvet Kelm at velvet@theMcollective.com.

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imaginative, innovative and educational resources that represent a Christian worldview and build up God’s children and teens. For additional information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.

Zondervan is a world-leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan’s offices are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Media Contact:  Jessica Westra, Director of Publicity, Zonderkidz, Jessica.Westra@harpercollins.com

New book, “ROMANCING THE SOUTH: Finding Love in the Carolinas,” releases by the late author Yvonne Lehman with daughter Lori Marett and Eva Marie Everson

Two-book collection now available from the South’s beloved romance novelist.

Black Mountain, NC – Late author and founder of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference Yvonne Lehman, with the help of her daughter, screenplay writer Lori Marett, and award winning author, Eva Marie Everson have launched their new book, ROMANCING THE SOUTH: Finding Love in the Carolinas.  This collection is made up of two novellas, Somewhere a Rainbow and Smokey Mountain Sunrise. Published by Iron Stream Media, ROMANCING THE SOUTH: Finding Love in the Carolinas is now available.

In Somewhere a Rainbow, Brooke faces the challenge of rebuilding her life after her unfaithful husband is killed in an auto accident. With most of her money gone, she takes her five-year-old son to Hilton Head Island—to a cottage almost as broken down as her life. When carpenter Jake Randolph offers to help, Brooke immediately distrusts him, but as the months pass he begins to melt the emotional ice around her heart. Then Jake reveals he’s concealing a secret past and Brooke’s hope of a brighter future is destroyed. Or is there a rainbow beyond the storms of heartbreak?

In Smoky Mountain Sunrise, Ramona Martin agrees to be dashing Andre Doudet’s girl for a summer in the incomparable Smoky Mountains. What possible harm could it do? But when she finds herself caught in a web of deceit, Ramona finds herself face-to-face with some of the most challenging  tests of her life—as an athlete, as a woman in love, as a Christian. Is posing as Andre’s girlfriend a game worth winning?

Prolific author Yvonne Lehman (1936 – 2021) founded and directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for twenty-five years. During her career, she authored, compiled, or edited 59 novels and 16 nonfiction books including those in the Divine Moments series.

Lori Marett, daughter of Yvonne Lehman, has enjoyed success in the world of screenplay writing, articles, and short stories. She and husband, Rodney, directed the Gideon Media Arts Conference & Film Festival for several years and currently helms the Faith in Film Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Lori has written a novel, several nonfiction books, and currently has scripts under consideration by movie and animation production studios.

Eva Marie Everson is a multiple-award winning author and speaker who hails from the picturesque Southern town of Sylvania, Georgia. She is president of Word Weavers International, as well as the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference. She enjoys coaching new authors through her company, Pen in Hand. Eva Marie and her husband make their home in Central Florida. They are the parents of three fabulous children who have blessed them with the world’s greatest grandchildren.

ROMANCING THE SOUTH: Finding Love in the Carolinas is published by Iron Stream Media and is now available at all major book retailers and online.

About Yvonne Lehman
The late Yvonne Lehman authored more than 70 books throughout her career. She founded and directed the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and was beloved worldwide.

About Iron Stream Media:
Making disciples as we go. Iron Stream media derives its name from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”  This sharpening describes the process of discipleship, to one another. Iron Stream Media provides a variety of solutions for churches, missionaries, and nonprofits that include in-depth bible study curriculum, Christian book publishing, and consultative series. Iron Stream Media is the home of Iron Stream Books, Brookstone Creative Group, Iron Stream Kids, Iron Stream Harambee Press, and Iron Stream Fiction. Through the popular Life Bible Study imprint, they also provide web-based year and short -term Bible study teaching plans as well as printed devotionals, Bibles, and discipleship curriculum.  https://www.ironstreammedia.com/.

Contact: Lori Heiselman, Lori@BiscuitMediaGroup.com, 714-553-5181
or Callie Daruk, Callie@BiscuitMediaGroup.com, 615-308-5638