Grand Rapids, Mich., Sept. 24, 2018 – Sara Hagerty, author of Every Bitter Thing is Sweet and Unseen, has signed a new two-book contract with Zondervan. The first title in the contract, Adore, is set to release in 2020. Hagerty is represented by Mike Salisbury with Yates & Yates and world rights were acquired by Zondervan associate publisher Stephanie Smith.

In Adore, Hagerty invites readers to experience the presence of an unconventional God in the midst of the grit of life through a simple, daily practice.She gives readers a starting place for adoration with thirty attributes of God with which we followers of Him wrestle to see.

Sara is a wife to Nate and a mother of six whose arms stretched wide across the expanse between the United States and Africa. After almost a decade of Christian life she was introduced to pain and perplexity and, ultimately, intimacy with Jesus. God met her and moved her when life stopped working for her. And out of the overflow of this perplexity, came her writing, both on her blog and in her books – Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet and Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World that Loves to be Noticed.

Zondervan is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications.  Zondervan, 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 offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich.  For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

NEW KENSINGTON, PA, September 20, 2018 – Whitaker Corporation announced today that John Whitaker, vice president of Anchor Distributors, has moved with his family to California and stepped down from day-to-day operations at Anchor.

“It’s hard to express how much it has meant for my brother John to have been a part of Whitaker Corporation for all these years,” said Bob Whitaker Jr., president of Whitaker Corporation. The two have worked side by side since 1992 under the tutelage of their late father, Bob Whitaker Sr., the corporation’s founder and former president.

Karen Fulton, who has served as John’s assistant for the last six years, has assumed his responsibilities as the new director of operations.

“Karen has been involved in every aspect of the business at Anchor since she started working here and is a natural fit to assume this role,” said Bob Whitaker.

Prior to joining Whitaker Corporation in April 2012, Fulton served as vice president of Hope & Passion Ministries in Irwin, Pennsylvania. A Fulbright scholar, she attended Kent State University.

With headquarters just east of Pittsburgh, Whitaker Corporation is comprised of Whitaker House, Anchor Distributors, Whitaker House Español, Word Alive Canada, and Smart Kidz Books. A Christian, family-run business established in 1976, it is dedicated to proclaiming the gospel to the lost and flooding the world with life-changing media of eternal value.

(Phoenix, AZ) Steve Laube, president of The Steve Laube Agency, has announced the hiring of Thomas Umstattd, Jr. to become a new Literary Agent.

For many years Thomas helped authors build their web sites via his Author Media company. When he was the marketing director for Enclave Publishing their sales doubled in 18 months. He most recently worked as the Marketing Director for Fahrenheit Marketing which focused on brand development for both corporations and individuals. He is a veteran podcaster with multiple shows including the very popular “Novel Marketing” co-hosted by Jim Rubart.

Thomas is a regular speaker and has spoken at dozens of writers conferences all over the world (including Scotland, Canada and Hawaii). In addition he used a successful Kickstarter campaign to publish his book Courtship in Crisis.

“We continually to look for ways to increase the services our agency provides to current and potential clients,” Steve Laube said. “I have known Thomas for 12 years and by adding him to our agency we can expand our role in helping to maximize our client’s sales through his extensive experience in marketing, branding, and technology. Thomas’ strengths are his understanding of book marketing and what it takes to market yourself as an author. His work enables our authors to fulfill our mission to help change the world, word by word.”

Founded in 2004, The Steve Laube Agency has had a profound impact through managing over 300 authors and securing publishing contracts for over 1,600 new books. These include bestselling titles from authors like Lisa Bergren, Nancy Pearcey, William Lane Craig, Susan May Warren, Lynette Eason, A.W. Tozer, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Ronie Kendig, Deborah Raney, Stephen M. Miller, and Nadine Brandes.

Contact: Steve Laube, 602-336-8910, krichards@stevelaube.com

Busse’s “Awakened” Also Announced as Finalist for The Christy Award™

NASHVILLE (Sept. 24, 2018)—Gilead Publishing is pleased to announce that Awakened, the second title in Morgan L. Busse’s The Soul Chronicles series, has won a 2018 Carol Award for excellence in speculative fiction. The Carol Awards, hosted by ACFW, recognize the best Christian fiction published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar year. The award was presented at the American Christian Fiction Writers’ annual conference, held this year at the Opryland Resort in Nashville.

“We are thrilled with Morgan Busse’s award,” said Steve Laube, publisher for Enclave, the speculative imprint of Gilead Publishing. “She is a gifted author and this award is well deserved.”

Awakened was edited by Reagen Reed, who also edited Tainted, the first book in Busse’s The Soul Chronicles. The series is a loose retelling of Frankenstein set in a Victorian-era steampunk world.

“I feel very blessed and couldn’t stop smiling all night!” Busse said.

Awakened is also a finalist for the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s The Christy Award™, the industry’s premiere award program for recognizing excellence in Christian fiction. The ECPA will announce the winners at The Christy Award Gala on Nov. 7 in Nashville.

About Gilead Publishing
Gilead Publishing is a new company started in 2016 whose purpose is to publish great fiction, which inspires and encourages readers through its imprints: Gilead (core Christian fiction categories), Enclave (sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural), and Evergreen Farm (titles from Catherine and Peter Marshall, including Christy).

About ACFW
ACFW is a professional organization devoted to the craft of Christian Fiction. ACFW’s mission is to empower Christian novelists by inspiring them to join with God in the creative process, training them in the craft, and educating them in the publishing industry. For more information about ACFW, contact acfwrelations@acfw.com or www.acfw.com.

CONTACT: Katelyn S. Bolds, Marketing and Author Services Coordinator, Gilead Publishing,
katelyn@gileadpublishing.com

Now in its Sixth Year, ASCEND Continues to Feature Remarkable Women From Leadership, Non-Profit, Journalism & Entertainment

Event to be held on March 23, 2019 in Los Angeles

Orange County, CA – FrontGate Media, the award-winning faith-based marketing agency and media group, has announced the renewal of a multi-year partnership with the ASCEND Women’s Conference – www.AscendWomen.org – for exclusive representation of sponsorships and year-round emedia advertising opportunities.

An independently produced, non-denominational event, the sixth annual conference will be held on March 23, 2019 and will return to Bel Air Church in Los Angeles. ASCEND’s goal is to inspire, educate, and ignite the women of L.A. to grow in their faith, and to do all that God has purposed them to do so that women would be saved, set free, and His name glorified.

As in previous years, organizers promise another powerhouse lineup of speakers and talent including top authors,  international speakers, journalists, and television celebrities from around the U.S. and Hollywood. Previous events have brought in recognizable names including CeCe Winans, Wendy Williams, Lisa Osteen-Comes, April Osteen, Caroline Barnett, Star Parker and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

For more information, visit http://www.AscendWomen.org. Online ticketing will begin onNovember 1, ranging between $40 and $60 for General Admission, and $75 to $100 for VIP. Continental breakfast, coffee, and lunch are included with ticket purchase. Gifting tickets will also be available for purchase should anyone choose to donate a ticket for someone else less fortunate.

Company and ministry brands who are interested in partnership opportunities with ASCEND should contact FrontGate directly. A Media Kit outlining opportunities including commercial spots, display ads, exhibit booths, and more is available at FrontGateMedia.com.

About FrontGate Media
Award-winning FrontGate Media is the leading marketing agency and media group specializing in the faith and family audience.  With an 18-year track record of success, the firm serves as “Your Gateway to the Christian Audience.” FrontGate’s full-service agency and media group has been trusted with over 5,000 campaigns, providing Faith-based market Strategy Development, Public Relations, Social Media & Marketing, and Media Buying. FrontGate’s own Web & Events Network also provides reach to millions of people each month via their sites, events and email subscribers.  Founded in 2001, FrontGate has repeatedly been honored in the Internet Advertising Competition and the WebAwards. The company plays a key role in the success of for-profit and non-profit organizations seeking the faith-based and family-friendly audiences.http://FrontGateMedia.com

For more information about ASCEND or FrontGate, please contact: Lori Lenz-Heiselman, FrontGate,
714-553-5181, Lori@FrontGateMedia.com

Imagine Zero.  Mobilizing the Local Church. Eliminating Bible Poverty for Everyone, Everywhere.

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX – In spite of the exponential explosion of data and unparalleled accessibility to information, there are an estimated 1.5 billion people around the world who still do not have a complete bible in their own heart language. Of the 7,000+ languages on the planet, only 670 have a complete translation of Scripture, and over 165 million people still do not have a single verse of Scripture in their native tongue.

So to “imagine zero people in need of God’s Word” seems an impossibility, but this mantra of the Seed Company is edging closer to becoming a reality. Celebrating 25 years of service dedicated to the translation of Scripture and the transformation of lives around the globe, Seed Company has launched a new initiative entitled Imagine Zero. With the mobilization and support of the local church, leaders aim to accelerate the translation of Scripture and eliminate bible poverty throughout the world within the next decade.

To achieve their objective, the Seed Company has convened summits in 15 cities around the country thus far this year and is slated to take the message of Imagine Zero to at least 10 remaining cities beginning in September this fall. In every location, leaders are anticipating the historical moment when Scripture will be available to every language group on Earth. During each 3 ½ hour session, pastors and other local church leaders are introduced to exclusive, Seed Company-commissioned research from Barna Group –Translating the Great Commission and participate in discussions on how they can better energize their congregations, better understand the millennial generation, and better work together to make sure life transformation takes place through Scripture.

“Together, we discuss the implications of this research for our churches and the Gospel over the next decade and beyond,” states president and CEO of The Seed Company, Samuel Chiang. “This isn’t a conference – this is a summit of pastoral leaders in the community who are committed to helping others find and follow Jesus.”

While attendees must register at the Imagine Zero website, each summit is available free of charge to pastors and other church staff and will be conducted in round table discussions lasting from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. A complimentary lunch is also included. Each summit is hosted and facilitated by author, speaker, and ministry leader, Mark Matlock. Mark is the founder and president of WisdomWorks Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals, churches, and faith-centered organizations leverage biblical wisdom. He has been working with youth pastors and students for over two decades and has spoken to over one million teenagers in his lifetime. Mark also currently serves on the Board of Directors for The American Bible Society.

“Imagine Zero is the channel for the church to bring the bible to every language within a decade, as well as increase bible reading in their own congregations. In many ways, this entire event is a gift to the church,” offers Matlock. “It doesn’t matter what size church you are, the insights that will be shared will be applicable to the specific local context of each congregation. We truly want every church leader to be able to personally experience Imagine Zero.”

Upcoming Imagine Zero Summits:

• Washington, D.C.
• Jacksonville, FL
• Atlanta, GA
• Indianapolis, IN
• Detroit, MI
• Minneapolis, MN
• Raleigh, NC
• Columbus, OH
• Houston, TX
• Fort Worth, TX

Visit www.imaginezero.com to learn more and register today.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Kregel Publications is excited to announce that Liar’s Winter: An Appalachian Novel by Cindy K. Sproles has won the 2018 Golden Scrolls Book of the Year awarded by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Associations (AWSA).

Presented at a ceremony on September 9 in Nashville, Tennessee, the Golden Scrolls were also awarded to winners in six book categories covering fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books.

Cindy K. Sproles remarked, “I am honored and blessed that folks are beginning to notice the Appalachian historical culture. It’s both a thrill and a joy to be recognized.”

Set in the wild and beautiful Appalachian Mountains of nineteenth-century East Tennessee, Liar’s Winter follows the story of nineteen-year-old Lochiel Ogle who was born with a red-wine birthmark that her mountain community called “the mark of the devil.” The book is an unflinching yet inspirational exploration of prejudice and choice that has also been honored by the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year awards.

AWSA is an outreach of Right to the Heart Ministries and consists of over 500 top female authors who both publish and speak nationally.

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

(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.) September 18, 2018—Effective August 1, 2018, New Hope Publishers^®, an imprint of Iron Stream Media, is represented by Baker & Taylor Publishing Services—a premier worldwide distributor of digital and print books.

While New Hope has enjoyed long-lasting relationships with key national accounts and industry leaders like Christian Book Distributor and the Munce and Parable marketing groups, this new agreement will allow for deeper expansion into local independent stores thereby supporting the company’s mission to provide resources that advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Baker & Taylor for our sales and distribution,” said Ramona Richards, associate publisher of New Hope. “They extend our reach into a variety of new markets and retail vendors and strengthen our position in the marketplace. This partnership benefits all of us and enables more readers to discover our authors.”

“Our new partnership with Baker & Taylor Publisher Services allows us to reach more readers than ever before,” said John Herring, CEO of Iron Stream Media, citing the additional visibility gained with specialty retail and wholesale accounts, the gift trade, museums, and other businesses that buy and sell books. “Our focus remains on bringing high quality Christian content from passionate authors who desire to see readers grow closer to Jesus Christ.”

In addition, the historically direct-to-church, top-selling products of the Life Bible Study imprint of Iron Stream Media will now be available for the first time through general trade. This agreement with Baker & Taylor Publishing Services also opens the door for select Iron Stream Media titles to have representation into the ABA market and visibility at various ABA events giving fiction authors more exposure.

A publishing imprint of Iron Stream Media, New Hope’s books have received critical acclaim and won numerous awards. In 2009 and 2015, New Hope was chosen as publisher of the year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). Representing more than seventy authors and more than two hundred individual works, New Hope is a member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is located in Birmingham, Alabama.

Created with premium materials, fine design and craftmanship; printed with exclusive Comfort Print® typefaces

Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 19, 2018 — Thomas Nelson and Zondervan are thrilled to announce the release of their new Premier Collection Bibles, on sale September 25, 2018.

Premier Collection Bibles feature premium materials, including:

• Full-grain black goatskin covers, which are hand-bound to the book blocks using an edge-lined construction for optimum flexibility and durability
• Beautiful, opaque 36 gsm European Bible paper, which is bound together with fine, strong thread using the Smyth-sewn binding method, just as high-end books have been crafted for hundreds of years
• Art gilding, which is a specialized process for treating the edges of Bible pages, applying both a rich dye and a metallic coating to create a stunning depth and finish as the pages are fanned out
• Generous yapp, which is the part of the leather cover that extends beyond the page edges, to protect the art gilding
• Encased in durable, 2-piece boxes and elegantly wrapped in protective paper for the ultimate gift-giving and unboxing experience
• Exclusive Comfort Print® typefaces, designed by leading font foundry 2K-DENMARK, which combine tradition with the best advances in modern typography, ensuring a smooth reading experience

CAROL STREAM, Ill.— September 20, 2018— Tyndale House Publishers is pleased to announce that four Tyndale fiction titles and authors have been nominated for the 2018 Christy Award™ (www.ChristyAwards.com). The Christy Award™ celebrates excellence in the art of Christian fiction and honors the power of faith in story.

On September 19, 2018, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announced the finalists for the 19th annual Christy Award™. Winners will be announced on November 7 at the Christy Award Gala at Lipscomb University’s Shamblin Theatre in Nashville, Tenn., hosted by bestselling Christian authors Francine Rivers, Charles Martin, Carla Laureano, and Cynthia Ruchti.

Tyndale House Publishers has four titles in the running for a 2018 Christy Award™, across four categories, as follows:

First Novel:

• Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli

Historical:

• Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller:

• Rule of Law by Randy Singer

Young Adult:

• The Delusion by Laura Gallier

Karen Watson, publisher of Tyndale fiction, shared, “We are always delighted when the excellent work of our authors is recognized. Tyndale’s long-term investment in bringing impactful stories and skilled, God-gifted authors to the marketplace is an important part of our mission.”

Linda Howard, associate publisher of Tyndale children and youth titles, added, “We are thrilled and honored to have our first book under our new YA imprint, Wander, nominated for a Christy Award. We look forward to attending the gala and supporting both the Christys and our author.”

For more information on Tyndale fiction titles, please visit www.tyndalefiction.com.

The Christy Award™ is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999, and is named for Catherine Marshall’s novel, Christy, which has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 1967. ECPA assumed ownership and administration of the award in 2017 to focus and grow the unique opportunity of fiction in Christian publishing. ChristyAwards.com

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international nonprofit 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

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles, and digital media. Tyndale has published many New York Times bestsellers. The largest portion of its profit goes to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Tyndale was founded to publish Living Letters, which later comprised part of The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon. Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.

TYNDALE and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.