Grand Rapids, MI—Baker Book House, the largest independent Christian bookstore in West Michigan, has the largest number yet enrolled in its summer reading program titled Ready. Set. Explore! Almost 1,500 children are already enrolled, with an estimated 2,000 joining the program by the mid-July cutoff date.

“Last year we had 1,500 kids enrolled; the year before 1,200; the year before that 800,” said Josh Mosey, Children’s Product Buyer and director of the summer reading program. “When we started our program back in 2009, we hoped for 100 kids.”

Ready. Set. Explore! features events throughout the summer and prizes based on number of hours read. The top prize for 80 or more reading hours is a $25 gift card to the store. The minimum is a $5 gift card for 10 hours read. Last year, Baker Book House gave out $20,000 in gift cards to kids who participated. Youngsters must be present to redeem their cards.

The adult summer reading program has grown as well since it began three years ago. Last year saw 200 adults sign up, with this year’s numbers forecast at 500.

“We want to be the best summer reading program in town,” said Mosey, “and we want to reward kids and adults for reading. If we can help children develop a love of reading, they’ll read for their whole lives.”

Summer reading program events include the Summer Movie Series, visits by children’s book illustrators Aaron Lenz and Jan Spivey Gilchrist, and a special storytime with Zondervan’s Annette Bourland. Visit the website (www.bakerbookhouse/srp) to enroll and the Events page for details on special programs.

About Baker Book House
Baker Book House was founded in 1939, when Herman Baker started the store with 500 books from his personal library. Baker is known world-wide for a deep selection of Christian titles, including new, used, and bargain books. Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com for more information.

Contact: Josh Mosey, Children’s Product Buyer, 616-957-3110, josh.mosey@bakerbookhouse.com

 

His Untold Story on His Time in the Hanoi Hilton and a Forgotten Military Code That Changed Everything

Grand Rapids, Mich., June 26, 2019 – Decorated Air Force pilot Colonel Carlyle “Smitty” Harris (ret.) has signed with Zondervan Books to publish the untold story of his years spent as a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton and other detention camps during the Vietnam War. Tap Code: The Epic Survival Tale of a Vietnam POW and the Secret Code That Changed Everything, written by Harris, now 90 years old, and Sara W. Berry, will release November 5, 2019. World rights were acquired by Acquisitions Editor Andy Rogers.

When Harris was shot down over Vietnam on April 4, 1965, he had no idea what horrors awaited him in the infamous Hoa Lo prison—nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.” Harris was the sixth American POW captured in the air war over North Vietnam. For almost eight years, Smitty along with hundreds of other American POWs—including John McCain and George “Bud” Day—suffered torture, solitary confinement and abuse. Before being shot down, Harris by chance learned an old, long-unused WWII communication code, called the Tap Code. Once imprisoned, he remembered the code and covertly taught it to many POWs, who then taught others as it quickly spread throughout the prison and became the most covert way for POWs to communicate without their captors’ knowledge. Simple but effective, the Tap Code became a lifeline to hundreds of airmen during their long internment and ultimately helped change the course of the war.

“The prison’s sixteen-inch masonry walls were designed to isolate prisoners,” writes Col. Lee Ellis (ret), former POW, cellmate and friend of Harris. “Smitty took great risk and through resourcefulness and creativity spread the code that enabled our covert communication… These vital communications lifted our spirits and gave us a united front throughout the camps… Smitty was the code bearer who enabled us to connect and communicate – the two most vital needs of every POW.”

Meanwhile, back home Harris’s wife, Louise, who was eight months pregnant with their third child when he was captured, was raising their children alone, unsure of her husband’s fate. One of the first POW wives of the Vietnam War, she told herself, “if Smitty can do what he is doing right now, I can do this…” She became a role model to many wives, advocating for herself and her children in her husband’s absence. Tap Code shares behind-the-scenes details of American history while weaving in Smitty and Louise’s inspiring story of true love, honor and courage as they endured the hardest circumstances they had ever faced.

Harris received many decorations during his Air Force career, including two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merits, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars for valor, two Air Medals, two Purple Hearts and two Commendation Medals. Most recently he was awarded the Eagle Award through the Gathering of Eagles Foundation. His tin cup from his days as a POW is now in the Smithsonian. He and his wife, Louise, are surrounded by their large family in Tupelo, Mississippi.

“This is a true story of ingenuity under pressure, strength and dignity in the face of the enemy, the love of family, and the hope, faith, and resolve necessary to endure even the darkest circumstances,” says Andy Rogers, acquisitions editor.

Tap Code: The Epic Survival Tale of a Vietnam POW and the Secret Code That Changed Everything
by Col. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris (Ret.) and Sara W. Berry
Release Date: November 5, 2019
9780310359111 

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.

Contact: Robin Barnett, Director of Public Relations, 616-698-3251, robin.barnett@harpercollins.com

Tina Constable, Executive Vice President and Publisher, WaterBrook, Multnomah, and Convergent, announced the following new additions to the editorial teams for WaterBrook, Multnomah and  Convergent.

KEREN BALTZER has joined Convergent Books as Editorial Director, reporting to me. Keren spent eight years at Guideposts as Copy Chief and then as Lead Nonfiction Editor. She later joined FaithWords, rising to become Senior Acquisitions Editor, acquiring and editing books such as YOU ARE ENOUGH by bestselling author Mandy Hale;  SACRED REST by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith;  PULL IT OFF by Julianna Zobrist;  PEOPLE I MET AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN by bestselling author Don Piper; BLESSED LIFE by actor and director Kim Fields; LOVE WELCOME SERVE by Amy Nelson Hannon, WHAT THEY MEANT FOR EVIL by Rebecca Deng (which recently received a starred PW review); and many more. Keren will be instrumental in helping us build the Convergent list, and bring in important new authors who will add to the evolving discourse within the Christian-publishing landscape.

BECKY NESBITT is joining us as Executive Editor, and will acquire books for WaterBrook. Based in Nashville, Becky has held various roles in her twenty-five years in Christian publishing. She spent sixteen years at Tyndale House in a number of positions, including Associate Publisher, before going to Simon & Schuster’s Howard Books, where her positions included Vice President, Editor-in-Chief. She also established her own Christian-content development consulting business and is well regarded within the publishing community for her astute editorial capabilities on all levels. The bestselling books she has worked on include KISSES FROM KATIE by Katie Davis; ENTRE LEADERSHIP by Dave Ramsey; PRODUCED BY FAITH by Devon Franklin; ON THE RIGHT TRACK by Marion Jones; and THE GIFT OF REST by Senator Joe Lieberman. Her other authors include Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Jerry Jenkins, Randy Alcorn, Brad Paisley, Kevin Palau, Deeanne Gist, and Ken Coleman. Becky will report to Laura Barker, Editor-in-Chief of WaterBrook and Multnomah, and will continue to work from her Nashville office.

PAUL PASTOR has joined our team as Editor for WaterBrook and Multnomah. Paul brings to this role an impressive array of expert editorial skills, honed over the past ten years in his work as a freelance collaborator, writer, editor, and consultant, whose body of work encompasses more than forty Christian books. Among them: evangelist Luis Palau’s spiritual memoir, PALAU: A LIFE ON FIRE; David Bennett’s A WAR OF LOVES; Bruce Wilkinson’s THE FREEDOM FACTOR; and Ken Shigematsu’s SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE SOUL. His regular freelance clients have included The Bible Project, the Barna Group, Outreach magazine, Fuller Seminary, and many of the larger Christian publishing houses. He is also an author whose writing has been praised for its craft and its compelling approach to Christian spirituality. His short-form work has won more than a dozen Evangelical Press Association awards. Paul holds an MA in Biblical and Theological Studies from Western Seminary, and we are delighted that he will be applying his experience, talents, and passion to acquiring and editing titles for our imprints. Paul will report to Laura Barker, Editor-in-Chief of WaterBrook and Multnomah.

PORSCHA BURKE has joined our team as Senior Editor, Publishing Manager, Christian Projects. For the past fifteen years, Porscha has been a key member of the Random House division, where she has helped nurture the careers of new and established authors, supported publishing executives, and acquired works by Dr. Maya Angelou, Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, and Chief David O. Brown, among others. Porscha will work closely with our publishing teams in New York and Colorado to coordinate our efforts to develop Christian gift products and illustrated children’s books, as well as other growth initiatives in our Christian publishing program. Porscha will report to Campbell Wharton, Vice President, Deputy Publisher of WaterBrook, Multnomah and Convergent.

Convergent, WaterBrook and Multnomah are imprints of Penguin Random House, LLC.

 

Celebrates the Legacy of Prayer She Leaves Behind

(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.) June 20, 2019—Iron Stream Media is saddened to announce the loss of author Jennifer Kennedy Dean, a flagship author for the New Hope^® Publishers imprint. Dean, who was with New Hope Publishers for more than fifteen years, was the author of more than twenty-five titles, which included her best-selling Bible study Live a Praying Life^®. A memorial service is planned for June 29 in Dean’s hometown of Marion, Kentucky, with a second memorial service to follow in July in Kansas City.

Ramona Richards, associate publisher of Iron Stream Media, remembers her. “Jennifer had a true heart for God, and working with her was a privilege. One of her greatest gifts was her ability to take difficult concepts and paint a picture with her words that allowed everyone to grasp the essence. She wanted everyone to have a deep and personal relationship with the Lord.”

“Jennifer Kennedy Dean was more than just an author to our team,” wrote John Herring, CEO of Iron Stream Media. “We considered her our friend and our sister in Christ. While we mourn our earthly loss of her presence, we celebrate knowing where she is and knowing she left a legacy of prayer behind.”

Andrea Mullins, retired publisher of New Hope Publishers, stated, “As Jennifer’s publisher and friend, I was challenged both theologically and spiritually as we worked together to challenge believers to a deeper prayer life. She not only cared about her readers, but she invested in other authors and had a desire to see Christian authors excel in whatever way God was leading. Her voice will be heard through her timeless books, but as a person and friend she will be missed deeply.”

Dean’s impact on the Christian publishing industry and on the hearts of her readers is evident through her long-tenured writing career and ministry. Dean was the executive director of the Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. Her numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specialized in prayer and spiritual formation, and her work Live a Praying Life^®has been called a flagship work on prayer. Some of her other works include Prized, SEEK, Heart’s Cry, Clothed with Power, Set Apart, Power in the Blood of Christ, Power in the Name of Jesus, Altar’d, and Conversations with the Most High, among others.

Widely recognized as an unusually gifted communicator, Dean spoke all over the world, calling God’s people to discover the difference between a prayer life and a praying life. She served on numerous boards and committees for ministries focused on prayer and spiritual awakening. She will always be remembered as a respected voice in the area of prayer.

Media Contact:  Ramona Richards  205.216.3427  Ramona.Richards@ironstreammedia.com

Uhrichsville, OH—Barbour Publishing is pleased to announce the promotion of current President, Mary Burns, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2019. Predecessor Timothy Martins, who held the position of President and CEO for over twenty years, will continue to serve on the company’s board of directors.

“I expect this announcement will come as no surprise to most as Mary’s contribution as President over the past eighteen months has been gargantuan,” says Martins. “She has brought a very thoughtful and important style of leadership to the position and has been vitally instrumental in readying the company for a bright future in an industry still moving through the seas of change. In this new role of CEO, Mary will have even more opportunity to reshape the business and adapt to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Mary Burns, a twenty-four-year veteran of Barbour Publishing, served as Vice President of Marketing for the bulk of her career before taking on the role of President in January of 2018.  “We have an outstanding team here at Barbour and I’m honored to be able to be involved and work with each of them to form our future.  As an ESOP, everyone has a chance to contribute and benefit from our success and that is truly exciting.” Burns also currently serves on the ECPA board of directors as Member at Large.

Barbour Publishing, founded by industry veteran Hugh R. Barbour in 1981, was acquired by company CEO Timothy H. Martins in October 2000. The now employee-owned company publishes 180-200 books and Bibles a year focused on inspiring the world with the life-changing message of the Bible. To learn more, visit www.BarbourBooks.com.

Media Contact: Shalyn Sattler  ssattler@barbourbooks.com  740.922.6045 X 109

(Mexico City, Mexico) June 18, 2019—HarperCollins Publishers announced Roberto “Bobby” Torres as its new general manager for HarperCollins Mexico. As general manager for HarperCollins Mexico, Torres will lead day-to-day operations, focusing on sales and distribution of Spanish-language product throughout Mexico and aide in the company’s focus of growing its presence in adjoining Latin American markets.  Torres joins HarperCollins Mexico from Macmillan Education, where he served for seven years as regional marketing director and sales director for Mexico. His diverse career portfolio also includes business management roles in marketing, communications, and sales at Merik and Reebok of Mexico.

The HarperCollins Mexico publishing operation represents a wide selection of Spanish-language product including HarperCollins Christian Publishing, HarperCollins Español, HarperCollins Iberica, and HarperCollins’ Global Publishing Program, in addition to its local publishing of Mexican authors and books in translations.  As general manager, Torres will be responsible for managing and developing distribution and sales relationships with key vendors, retailers, and distributors in Mexico.  He will set the vision and sales strategy that support selling trade books and Bibles, as well as sit on the HarperCollins International World Spanish Acquisitions Board to help select future titles to publish in Spanish.

“HarperCollins Mexico is a critical component to the overall international growth strategy for HarperCollins Publishers. We are excited to have a team in place that can expand the reach of our authors’ works into the Spanish language market,” said Chantal Restivo-Alessi, CEO, International Foreign Language and Chief Digital Officer.

“We have been in pursuit of a leader who understands marketing, sales and distribution in Mexico and the importance their influence plays in other Latin American markets,” said Cris Garrido, vice president and publisher, Spanish, HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  “Bobby’s experience in publishing, as well as his rich knowledge from a multitude of industries will set up our Mexico team for future success and growth, I’m thrilled he has decided to join the team.”

Torres commented, “I am very excited for the opportunity to lead a wonderful team of professionals in Mexico, as I join one of the top publishers in the world.”

About HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 17 countries. With 200 years of history and more than 120 branded imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 16 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and the Man Booker Prize. HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) and can be visited online at corporate.HC.com.

Contact: Casey Harrell, HarperCollins Publishers 
O: 615-902-1109  casey.harrell@harpercollins.com

[NASHVILLE, TENN., June 21, 2019—] B&H Publishing Group is proud to announce the re-signing of renowned singer-songwriter and now bestselling children’s author Ellie Holcomb. Holcomb’s first book, “Who Sang the First Song?” (October 2018, B&H Publishing Group), spent several months on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) juvenile bestseller list and was a finalist for Christian Book of the Year in the children’s category.

Holcomb’s next release will be a children’s board book, tentatively titled “Don’t Forget to Remember.” The book is slated for release March 2020 and again features the spectacular art of Kayla Harren, who illustrated “Who Sang the First Song?”.

“It’s been one of the biggest joys of my career to write a children’s book and children’s record that seem to have resonated deeply with both kids and adults,” Holcomb said. “It was so fun, in fact, that I wanted to do it again! My hope for this next book is that it would be full of images and words that help kids and the adults in their lives remember what is true. So many days I forget to remember what’s true, so here’s hoping this book will be like a lighthouse, reminding me and others of the truth and light on the days we get lost in the dark.”

“Who Sang the First Song?” is an engaging board book with whimsical art, where Holcomb asks a childlike question and answers with a lovely lyrical tale that shows young readers that God our Maker sang the first song and created us all with a song to sing. Holcomb also released a companion EP, “Sing: Creation Songs,” inspired by her debut book.

“The success of ‘Who Sang the First Song?’ means that families all across the country are experiencing Ellie’s distinct, lyrical story-telling ability,” said Jennifer Lyell, V.P. of Book Publishing and Merchandising. “I imagine the joy of those children learning to imagine the joy of learning that their Creator placed a song in our hearts and am thrilled that we have the opportunity to partner with Ellie on another formational, beautiful message for children.”

For more information, visit bhpublishing.com.

Singer-songwriter—and now author—Ellie Holcomb began her musical career touring the country with her husband in the Americana band Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Her honest voice and rich lyrics shined on her first solo album and deemed her the Best New Artist at the 2014 Dove Awards. In 2017, she followed with the restorative, hope-inducing “Red Sea Road.” Ellie, her husband, Drew, and their three children live and make music in Nashville, Tenn.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission-minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church and academic markets, titles include “The New York Times” No. 1 bestsellers “The Love Dare” and “The Vow,” No. 1 CBA bestseller “I Am a Church Member,” as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

The ECPA Bronze Award will be added to the industry’s Gold, Platinum, Diamond suite of awards

The ECPA Recognition Committee has voted to add a new level to the ECPA Sales Achievement Awards, providing opportunity for ECPA member titles to be recognized at a milestone of more than 250,000 sold.

The Bronze Award for 250,000 in sales will abide by the same rules as the Gold (500,000), Platinum (1 million), and Diamond (10 million) award levels, with the addition that the Bronze Award will only be eligible for titles published January 2000 or later.

WHAT SALES COUNT?

ECPA Bronze, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Sales Awards include all formats of a title (print, digital, audio, e-book, etc.) as long as all content is essentially the same (up to 25% updated material). Apps can be included if a book’s full content is present. Included are the following sales:

• All traditional brick and mortar bookstores (independent, chain) and wholesale distributor sales
• All online sales (publisher’s, Amazon, CBD, and others)
• All “special market” sales (premiums, homeschool, organizations, businesses, etc.)
• All “conference sales” at which the publisher exhibits and retails books
• All college, university and other academic institutions
• Publisher sales to all export/international markets, including verifiable sub-rights sales
• All mass merchant “jobber” sales
• Excluded are those sales with deep discounts or no money exchanged, including free downloads, deep discounts and giveaways.

COUNTING BIBLE SALES ACROSS TRANSLATIONS

In addition, the Recognition committee has updated the criteria for counting Bible sales. Sales may now be combined across two or more translations (versions) of the same Study Bible.

The ECPA Sales Achievement Awards are recognized each year at the industry’s Awards Celebration and featured on ChristianBookExpo.com and ECPASalesAwards.com.  If a sales award recipient title is also on the Bestsellers list, then an icon denotes its special status.

For more information, visit the ECPA website.

 

Documentary creators available for interviews

THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story – New documentary follows the powerful story of a wife and mother thrust into the national spotlight through a terminal cancer diagnosis.  KaraTippettsDocumentary.com

Film was a #1 best-seller on the Amazon Documentary chart and remained in the Top 10 for 6+ weeks.

Filmmakers Jay Lyons and Sofia J. Lyons are available for interviews to promote the launch of the film to Netflix.

Documentary releases on Netflix on June 23^rd.

Film features:

Shot in real-time and featuring Kara’s own vlogs and cell phone videos, this film offers an incredibly vulnerable look into a dying woman’s last days. The film also features Kara’s friends-including Ann Voskamp, Joanna Gaines, Ellie Holcomb, Jim Daly, Dianne Derby from KKTV, and bonus content featuring Joanna Gaines, Ann Voskamp, andJoni Eareckson Tada.

About:

Kara Tippetts, a wife and young mother with terminal breast cancer shares the raw edges of dying with grace, dignity, and a sense of humor. We follow along with this celebrated author and blogger as she navigates through many of our greatest fears – suffering and dying. As a happily married pastor’s wife with four wonderful kids, a terminal cancer diagnosis wasn’t the storybook ending she would have written. Kara helps us realize that time is precious, and through her incredible honesty and ever-present humor, she reminds us that life truly is a gift. Kara was the author of The Hardest Peace (winner of the 2015 ECPA Christian Book Award® in the Inspiration category) and blogged faithfully at mundanefaithfulness.com. Cancer was only part of Kara’s story. Her real fight was to live genuinely with joy while facing a crushing reality.

Music features:

• Clips from a house concert Ellie Holcomb performed for Kara.
• Selah performing an arrangement of one of Kara’s favorite hymns.
• An original song by Travis Cottrell.
• 2 original songs written for the film by Sofia J, including “I’ll See You Again”

Film talking points:

• Kara’s story, sharing her cancer battle in real time
• Where is God in our suffering?
• Parenting while dealing with an incredible illness
• Supporting a marriage during cancer
• The power of every moment
• How community can support a family that is struggling
• Why Kara wanted to share her story on camera
• What we can learn from Kara’s life and death
• Why were so many prominent national figures drawn to this ordinary mommy blogger?

For more information, to receive a screener, or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Lori Heiselman, 714-553-5181, Lori@BiscuitMediaGroup.com