BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – The Voice of the Martyrs announced Chris Robinette as the new Executive Director of VOM Books.

In his new role, Robinette will lead the publishing arm for The Voice of the Martyrs, well-known for inspiring believers with bestselling titles such as Tortured for Christ, which has sold over 10 million copies in 60 languages worldwide and Jesus Freaks: Martyrs: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, with more than 1.1 million copies in distribution.

With over thirty years in Christian publishing, Robinette has served or consulted with publishers including Zondervan, Moody, Penguin Random House, David C. Cook, Harvest House, Dayspring and others.  And now he will bring his extensive leadership and publishing experience to VOM Books.

“It is such a privilege and an honor to serve at The Voice of the Martyrs and know that the books and resources we publish and distribute are making a global impact for the Kingdom,” said Robinette.

Along with Tortured for Christ, VOM Books also publishes Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith, and the wildly-popular Extreme Devotion: Voice of the Martyrs, which includes daily readings about ancient and modern-day believers who made significant sacrifices for their faith.

To learn more about partnering with VOM Books to carry past, current and future titles, contact Robinette at crobinette@vom.org.

Greensboro, NC – New Growth Press is excited to announce Rush Witt as Acquisitions Editor for Biblical Counseling Resources.

Witt brings nearly twenty years of biblical counseling experience along with a careful, personal approach to helping authors succeed through publishing. Now with New Growth Press, he will continue helping counseling-minded authors develop lasting resources to strengthen the Church in the care of souls. Witt holds a D.Min. in Counseling from Southeastern Seminary (Wake Forest) and is a Fellow with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.

In his role prior to joining New Growth Press, Witt worked with new and seasoned authors who successfully published dozens of impactful resources. Barbara Juliani, Vice President of New Growth Press, said “We’re very excited to have Rush on board. His experience in publishing, depth of biblical counseling knowledge, and personal rapport with authors will complement our mission to publish gospel-centered, Bible-based resources for personal and spiritual growth.”

Rush will work remotely from Columbus, Ohio, where he pastors a thriving church.

More information about the kinds of books and authors Rush will develop is available at the company’s webpage, www.newgrowthpress.com. Interested authors may contact Rush by email (rush@newgrowthpress.com) or phone (614-470-4047).

About Rush Witt:  Rush and his wife Kathryn have five children: Hannah, Sophie, Josiah, Ezra, and Ella Grace. They enjoy the Bexley pool in the summer, the snow in the winter, and at other times fishing from a tiny boat. Kathryn spends time homeschooling the kids and serving in their church. Rush has M.Div. and D.Min. degrees in Counseling from Southeastern Seminary. Along with his work with authors and books, he pastors Paramount church. Rush is a Fellow within ACBC, and the author of Diehard Sins (P&R, 2018).

New Growth Press publishes gospel-centered Christian books, small group, and children’s Bible resources for discipleship, biblical counseling, and missional ministry. For more information about other releases from New Growth Press, visit www.newgrowthpress.com

Media Contact: Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com – 903-874-8363

Ada, Mich. (January 21, 2020)—Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce that All Manner of Things (Revell; ISBN 9780800735692; ebook ISBN 9781493417926; $15.99) by Susie Finkbeiner and We Hope for Better Things (Revell; ISBN 9780800734916; ebook ISBN 9781493416431; $15.99) by Erin Bartels have been selected as 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award winners. For a complete list of winners, visit www.michigan.gov/notablebooks.

Every year, the Michigan Notable Books committee selects twenty books from various genres that reflect the state’s rich cultural, historical, and literary heritage. For the 2020 Michigan Notable Books list, Timothy Gleisner, head of Special Collections at the Library of Michigan, stated, “I was just amazed at how many books actually had the potential to be picked and how much winnowing we had to do before we had the list the whole committee felt comfortable with.”

Michigan Notable Books is a statewide program that originated in 1991 as part of the Michigan Week celebration. Each title selected must have a connection with Michigan, whether it is written about the state or written by a Michigan author.

Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of All Manner of Things, as well as A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Fiction Readers Summit planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the country. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.

Erin Bartels is the author of We Hope for Better Things and The Words between Us and has been a publishing professional for seventeen years. A freelance writer and editor, she is a member of Capital City Writers and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and is former features editor of WFWA’s Write On! magazine. Her short story “This Elegant Ruin” was a finalist in the Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. She grew up in the Bay City, Michigan, area and has spent much of her life waiting on drawbridges. She lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.

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.

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

Grand Rapids, MI‚ January 22,2020 — Brazos Press, a division of Baker Publishing Group, has signed distinguished theologian Miroslav Volf of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, to a two-book deal. Brazos Press published Volf and associate director Ryan McAnnally-Linz’s, Public Faith in Action, a 2016 Publishers Weekly Best Book in religion, and Volf’s most recent book, For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference, co-authored with Matthew Croasmun, won a Christianity Today 2020 Book Award (Award of Merit, Theology/Ethics).

The first book, coauthored with Ryan McAnnally-Linz, in the new deal is tentatively titled God’s Home: A Brief Story of Everything, is expected to release in 2022. It’s a response to the “crisis of home” evidenced by the massive uprooting and migration of millions of people around the world, and the anxious nationalism that awaits migrants and refugees in many places. In God’s Home, Volf and McAnnally-Linz will offer a theological account of God’s work in creation in terms of homemaking, telling a Christian “story of everything” in which God creates this world as the home for humans and intends it as a home for God in communion with God’s creatures.

The authors intend God’s Home to be a cornerstone of a broader project envisioned as a sequence of contributions to a theology of life, ranging over an expansive array of phenomena of human existence and considering each in light of God’s loving work “for the life of the world” as revealed and enacted in Jesus Christ.

The second book in the deal, is tentatively titled Suffering and Joy, authored by Miroslav Volf, will sketch an account of suffering and joy in which the two are not seen as incompatible. The work is slated to release in 2025.

Robert Hosack, Brazos Press executive editor, says “We are thrilled to partner once again with Miroslav Volf and the team at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Miroslav, named by Scot McKnight as ‘America’s new public intellectual,’ will be tackling timely topics of cultural import with these new projects, helping thoughtful readers to engage issues through the lens of Christian faith.”

About the Authors:

Miroslav Volf (DrTheol, University of Tübingen) is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture in New Haven, Connecticut. He has written more than fifteen books, including A Public Faith, Exclusion and Embrace (winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion and selected among the one hundred best religious books of the twentieth century by Christianity Today), After Our Likeness, Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World, and The End of Memory.  Volf is co-author, with Matthew Croasmun, of For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference;  and, with Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Public Faith in Action: How to Think Carefully, Engage Wisely, and Vote with Integrity, a 2016 Publishers Weekly Best Book in religion.

Ryan McAnnally-Linz (PhD, Yale University) is Associate Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. He is co-author with Volf of Public Faith in Action (Brazos), a 2016 Publishers Weekly Best Book in religion, and has written for The Washington Post’s Acts of Faith, Sojourners, and The Christian Century. He is the cofounder of Just Apparel, a nonprofit fair-trade clothing initiative.

About Brazos Press
Brazos Press publishes books that foster faithful cultural engagement, creatively bringing the riches of our catholic Christian heritage to bear on the complexity and wonder of life. Brazos is animated by a vision of God reaching out to embrace all of humanity with a love as wide and deep as God’s creation. Our books inspire faithful interaction with issues of importance to the church and the world.

Media Contact:  Kelly Hughes, DeChant-Hughes Public Relations
OFFICE: (312) 280-8126  CELL: (312) 305-8126
kelly@dechanthughes.com  https://www.dechanthughes.com/

(Colorado Springs, CO) — The wisdom and experience of 11 Christian publishing professionals form the basis of a 212-252 page Introduction to Magazine Publishing book released late last year in English and French editions.

The practical how-to book, divided into separate sections on magazine business, editing, and design, brings together the fundamental principles key to successful magazine publishing.

The book is edited by Sharon Mumper, president of Magazine Training International (MTI), and is published by MTI, a mission organization that has provided magazine publishing resources and training worldwide for more than 30 years.

The book was initially published as a textbook for MTI’s Introduction to Magazine Publishing course offered for the first time last fall in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

“Although we published the book for the course last year, we also had in mind those who may not be able to take such a course, but who are hoping to launch a magazine or improve an existing one,” said Mumper.

Because the book is organized in separate, but related, sections on magazine business, editing, and design, it may be used as a resource for solving specific problems, or it may be read from cover to cover for a full understanding of the entire publishing process.

Although most information in the book is geared to print publishing, each of the three sections contains principles applicable to a digital magazine.

Topics include the sound business principles needed to establish a magazine on a solid foundation, how to craft articles that touch the hearts and lives of readers, and mastery of design principles to create an attractive magazine that draws and engages readers.

A 14-page glossary provides definitions of more than 200 technical words used in magazine publishing.

The book is available in French and English editions at https://magazinetraining.com/resource-store/.

More information is available on our website and Facebook.

About Magazine Training International
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 31 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 a resource-packed library on MTI’s website.

Media Contact: Sharon Mumper, President, (719) 598-9743, smumper@magazinetraining.com

InterVarsity Press and CT Creative Studios are pleased to announce the February 3 release date of The Disrupters, a joint collaboration and podcast series hosted by Fr. Esau McCaulley.

“Working with Esau McCaulley and IVP on The Disrupters has been an exhilarating experience,” said Richard Clark, producer of The Disrupters, and branded content and partnerships manager for CT. “We’ve put our heads together to create something I’ve never seen before: a podcast by two legacy organizations that manages to push the conversation past unspoken boundaries. During my time working on this project, I’ve felt surprised, frustrated, even uncomfortable. And I’ve loved every minute of it.”

The Disrupters will feature ten episodes that focus on a specific disruption—a break, interruption, or disturbance—in the church. McCaulley and his guest will then explore how that issue will reshape the church’s culture and its witness. Topics include creativity, trauma, liturgies, and race and art. The podcast will feature guests who can speak to these specific issues such as Tish Harrison Warren, Sho Baraka, Sheila Wise Rowe, N. T. Wright, Dominique Gilliard, Ruth Everhart, and more.

Clark said, “The conversations Esau has with the guests of The Disrupters are eye-opening and unvarnished. I’ve produced a number of interview podcasts, but I’ve never heard conversations as candid and bracing as these.”

McCaulley, who received his PhD from the University of St. Andrews, currently serves as assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. He is also the director of the Next Generation Initiative for the Anglican Church in North America, a province-wide undertaking committed to raising up and training the next generation of Anglican clergy and lay leadership. He has written articles for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Christianity Today, and he is the author of Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance and the forthcoming title Reading While Black.

The Disrupters podcast will be available via iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, Spotify, and directly from the Christianity Today website. For a sneak peek, check out the trailer for The Disrupters here.

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

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

 

Publisher bringing 80-plus titles to audio, including Tarzan and John Carter of Mars books

CAROL STREAM, IL, January 16, 2020—Oasis Audio, a leading independent audiobook publisher, today announced that they have obtained an exclusive master audiobook license with Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., the company that manages the worldwide rights to the creator of the iconic characters Tarzan^®, John Carter of Mars^®, Carson of Venus^® and many others.

The agreement between Oasis Family Media and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., is extensive and includes the more than 80 titles written by Burroughs himself—first published in 1912 and all thoroughly edited for today’s readers. This will be the first time the entire collection of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library has been available on audio.

The deal also includes the new Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe series of novels, officially expanding upon Burroughs’ original canon; the existing catalog of The Wild Adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs series; four authorized titles from notable science fiction authors Fritz Leiber, Philip José Farmer and John Eric Holmes; and a comprehensive Edgar Rice Burroughs biography.

“Reading Edgar Rice Burroughs as a teenager sparked my sense of wonder,” said Oasis Audio publisher Steve Smith. “I couldn’t be more excited to bring the full collection to audio for the first time ever. Many people have no idea what Burroughs’ work has meant to modern culture. He pioneered the idea of an interconnected literary universe. Early NASA scientists said their curiosity to explore space stemmed from the Mars series. Ray Bradbury called Burroughs ‘probably the most influential writer in the entire history of the world.’ We look forward to doing justice to these new editions.”

The first audiobooks are scheduled for publication this spring, beginning with books 1–4 in the Tarzan series and the first title in the new Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe series, Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds, written by Matt Betts.

“In teaming up with Oasis Family Media for a complete audio library of all our works, we have filled a major gap in our publishing program,” said James Sullos, president of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “It was very important that we select a company that provides a high-quality product on a recurring basis. We feel that Oasis Audio meets that standard in all respects, and we are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship. We believe our fans will be as delighted as we are with this program when the audios become available.”

About Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
From its headquarters in Tarzana, California, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., administers the intellectual property of American author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950), one of the twentieth century’s most prolific and enduring writers. Mr. Burroughs’ 80+ novels and 40+ short stories have been adapted into 60 films and 250 television episodes, and are featured in comic books, video games, apparel, and other merchandise. Through worldwide ownership of copyrights and trademarks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., oversees authorized adaptations of his literary works in film, television, radio, publishing, and theatrical stage productions. The company, which licenses the copyrights and trademarks of Mr. Burroughs’ fictional heroes, including Tarzan^®, John Carter of Mars^®, Carson of Venus^®, and many more, is owned by his heirs and operates from offices the author built in 1927 on the site of his former Tarzana ranch in the San Fernando Valley.

For more information, please contact James Sullos, President, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., jsullos@erburroughs.com; or Christopher Paul Carey, Director of Publishing, cpcarey@erburroughs.com; 818 344 0181; www.edgarriceburroughs.com.

About Oasis Family Media
Oasis Family Media houses Oasis Audio, a leading publisher of inspirational and family-friendly audiobooks for adults and children. The Oasis catalog includes more than 1,200 titles, adding 175 new audiobooks annually—from popular children’s series to romance and suspense fiction to business and self-help titles. To learn more, visit oasisaudio.com

Kyle Duncan, thirty-year publishing veteran, will join the publisher 

Orlando, Florida, January 16, 2020 – Charisma House, the book group of Charisma Media, announces that publishing veteran and executive Kyle Duncan has been hired as vice president of acquisitions and content development. In his new role at Charisma House, Duncan will oversee author acquisitions, planning, and development for the publisher’s products. He will report directly to Marcos Perez, publisher and executive vice president.

“We are thrilled that Kyle will be joining us in his new role. He will bring a breath of fresh air and ideas to our company with his experience in the publishing industry,” said Perez. “From our first meeting, it was obvious that Kyle has spent his career building strong products that help encourage and grow the Kingdom. His vast knowledge and respect in the Christian publishing community will, without a doubt, add a new level of excellence to us as a house.”

For Duncan, this new role with Charisma fits perfectly with his experience. He has worked in the publishing industry both behind the desk of the publisher and as a New York Times best-selling ghostwriter. Not long after graduating from UCLA, Kyle took his first role in publishing at Focus on the Family, where he stayed for three years before holding leadership positions at Regal Books, Bethany House Publishers, and David C. Cook, the latter being where he held the role of publisher.

Kyle brings a wide breadth of knowledge to his new role, and his arrival comes at a perfect time as Charisma House pivots and adds to their product offerings.

Kyle and his wife, Suzanne, have four children and are excited about relocating to Florida.

About Charisma House:  Charisma House empowers people through Spirit-inspired resources. It is the leading publisher of diversified Christian resources motivating people to fulfill God’s purpose. For more than twenty years Charisma House has published books, including fifteen New York Times best sellers, that challenge, encourage, teach, and equip Christians.

Contacts:  Nicole Ponder, Publicity Manager, 407-333-0600 x3406 nicole.ponder@charismamedia.com    
Rachel Sammons, Publicity Coordinator, 407-333-0600 x3403 rachel.sammons@charismamedia.com  

 

PORTLAND, OR — D.C. Jacobson & Associates, one of the ECPA’s leading literary agencies, announces the launch of its new name and brand identity, Illuminate Literary Agency. Illuminate’s branding features the tagline “We light the way so your words shine brighter™” and the new website illuminateliterary.com.

Illuminate’s messaging emphasizes the agency’s values of author care, collaboration, and strategic guidance throughout an author’s publishing career. The new site features easy to navigate indexes of currently represented clients and agency books, including new releases and much from the agency’s backlist.

“We celebrate the legacy we carry forward with gratitude,” said president Jenni Burke. “But we are not interested in resting on our past successes. Since its founding in 2006, this agency has thrived in a time of momentous change in the book publishing industry by serving as a true business and ministry partner to our authors and publishers. Our new name accurately reflects our mission to illuminate the process for our clients so their messages can shine brighter than ever in a world that needs the light.”

The name change and rebranding comes three months after Burke was named president and owner of the agency in October 2019, following Don Jacobson’s move to HCCP. During this time of transition, the rebrand was one of Burke’s first initiatives to emphasize the focused support her team is dedicated to providing for their clients and the publishing community.

“Our clients have responded with such positivity,” said Burke. “And our team is energized around this fresh vision to light up the world with life-giving messages.”

About Illuminate Literary Agency

Illuminate is a boutique literary agency that helps authors publish well, succeed faithfully, and thrive. With a combined 60+ years of industry experience and strong relationships with leading publishers, our team is proud to be behind more than 3,000,000 books connecting with readers around the world. Specializing in adult nonfiction, Illuminate Literary Agency continues to build on a strong legacy of lighting the way for some of today’s most compelling voices. The company was established in 2006 as D.C. Jacobson & Associates, and continues to be based in Oregon. For more information, visit www.illuminateliterary.com.

Contact Jenni Burke, support@illuminateliterary.com, 503-207-7315.

If I Were You Releasing in June 2020

Carol Stream, Ill. (January 16, 2020) — Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) announced today that they have acquired beloved and award-winning fiction author Lynn Austin. Austin is an eight-time Christy Award winner and was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2013. Tyndale’s acquisition of Lynn Austin includes four books of historical fiction, the first two of which are set during World War II, plus the rights to republish Lynn’s very first novel, Fly Away, which has been updated with a new cover and is currently available as an e-book. Tyndale will release one book per year starting with If I Were You in June 2020.

Regarding this acquisition, fiction publisher Karen Watson said, “With Tyndale’s industry reputation for culturally significant and impactful fiction, having Lynn Austin join our author family is a logical and wonderful addition. Lynn’s personal mission and ability to weave good literature with winsomely conveyed biblical truth embodies the best qualities of a Tyndale author. We are looking forward to a long, happy publishing partnership.”

Additionally, senior acquisitions editor Stephanie Broene commented, “I have long admired Lynn Austin’s writing, and it has been such an honor to welcome her to the Tyndale family. The depth and consistency of Lynn’s backlist stand as testament to her capabilities as a writer. But what has struck me most as I have gotten to know Lynn and attended her speaking and reader events is how deeply her characters and stories have resonated and stayed with audiences over time. Her books speak at the heart level in an entertaining way. That is one of our highest hopes for all our novels, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Lynn to bring her stories to the marketplace.”

Austin’s first Tyndale Fiction title, If I Were You, is a story of sisterhood and self-discovery set in London against the backdrop of WWII. Lynn got the idea for the book when she heard the story of a British war bride who had met and married an American soldier near the end of the war. The bride finally arrived in America only to learn that her husband had died in a tragic accident during the course of her trip. That piqued Lynn’s imagination. Did the bride stay with in-laws she had never met, or go back to London, which had been decimated by the Blitz?

Because Lynn’s novels are usually about women, family, and relationships, as she wrote, the idea grew and became a story about two women—childhood friends from very different classes. These friends drift apart as they grow into young women but are drawn back together by the dawn of WWII. The kernel of that original idea is still a big part of the story, with a twist: What if the bride who shows up in America isn’t who she says she is? And later, when the real war bride does come, what happens when she finds her friend has been impersonating her for several years?

Regarding this upcoming release, Watson shared, “Lynn Austin’s If I Were You knocked me back in my seat from the opening page. Lynn delivers the authentic emotions and characters that fans have loved in series like Downton Abbey and The Crown. Real people facing the challenges of a changing world is at the heart of great fiction. This story delivers!”

Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide and one of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at www.lynnaustin.org.  Lynn is represented by agent Natasha Kern.

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 majority of annual revenue—more than $100 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: For more information or an advance reader copy of If I Were You, contact Katie Dodillet at katiedodillet@tyndale.com or 630-784-5275.