Olive Tree offers an innovative platform for consumers to listen to audio titles

Olive Tree will be offering an exciting new feature to its millions of users. For the first time in its ten-year history, they will have the ability to experience audio Bibles and audiobooks directly inside the Olive Tree Bible App. The new format, available in the app on September 17^th, will provide Olive Tree Bible App users with a large and diverse library of audio products, including various audio Bible translations, audiobooks from Christianity’s greatest teachers and thinkers, and other audio offerings, including lectures and studies.

“The audio format is seeing astronomical growth and a tremendous rise in popularity,” said Rachel Barach, s-v-p of digital operations. “We are excited to meet the growing demand for audio products in our trusted Olive Tree Bible App, so that we can continue to expand the ways people can study and engage with scripture.”

Olive Tree broke into the modern app market in 2008. They released BibleReader for iPhones on the newly released Apple store, followed by a release for Android a year later. Over the past ten years, the Olive Tree Bible App has delivered additional products and launched new innovative features, including purchasable commentaries, study Bibles, dictionaries, cross-references, ebooks, and many more. The addition of audio products will mark another way that Olive Tree has integrated and aggregated numerous resources within one digital platform, so individuals are enriched with a holistic biblical study experience.

Some of the new features offered with the audio product integration are:

• Mirroring biblical text with the audio Bible for an easy-to-follow Bible reading experience
• Audiobooks from bestselling Christian authors, such as Lee Strobel, Lysa TerKeurst, Craig Groeschel, Rick Warren, and many others
• Multiple Bible translations to listen to, including the New King James Version, New International Version, and the English Standard Version
• Special safe driving layouts so that audio listening can be facilitated during consumer drive times
• Ability to bookmark certain sections of an audio product

“Our goal is to offer the best in Bible study experience within one platform, so that is easy to use and resources are only a finger-tap away,” said Steven Cummings, v-p of operations at Olive Tree Bible Software. “By onboarding audio products in the Olive Tree store, we will continue to offer the most comprehensive biblical study tools within a single app.”

In the future, the Olive Tree Bible App audio library will continue to expand as the audiobook format continues its considerable title count growth.

About Olive Tree: Olive Tree is a leading online and mobile Christian Bible resource and e-commerce company, owned by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Its software, The Olive Tree Bible App, is accessible on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices across all major platforms and offers a wide range of products designed to help users take their Bible Study to the next level. Olive Tree’s offices are located in Spokane, WA. Please visit Olive Tree at www.olivetree.com.

“Who Sang the First Song?” – Book releases October 4, 2018 (B&H Publishing)

“Sing: Creation Songs” – EP releases September 21, 2018 (Full Heart Music)

NASHVILLE, TENN. (September 14, 2018)—Renowned singer/songwriter Ellie Holcomb will release her first children’s book along with a children’s EP this fall. The book, “Who Sang the First Song?,” will release with B&H Publishing on October 4, 2018. Her EP, “Sing: Creation Songs,” which was inspired by her debut book, will be available everywhere on September 21, 2018 (Full Heart Music).

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’s book idea was birthed out of a question her daughter Emmylou (5) asked one day in passing, “Mom, who sang the first song?”

“Emmylou’s question reminded me of some beautiful passages we have read in ‘Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing’ by Sally Lloyd-Jones,” explains Holcomb. “In the first of many beautiful family devotionals in the book, Sally says this: ‘In the beginning, God sang everything into being—for the joy of it—and set the whole universe dancing (p.19).’ I’ve always loved that image she gives of God singing Creation into being, and it felt it was a clue to answering my daughter’s question, so I went on a treasure hunt of sorts looking for the answer.”

Her daughter’s question started Holcomb’s search for who sang the first song, which became a perfect foundation for her first book.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I love to sing,” Holcomb states. “So I got curious about who sang the first song. What did the world sound like as God created it? I loved these questions, so I set out to write a book that would explore not so much how God made the world, but why He created the world and each one of us. My sincere hope is that children, and the adults reading to them, would be reminded of who and whose we are . . . and that as we remember how God created us and loves us, our hearts and lives would sing for the joy of being loved!”

“Sing: Creation Songs” is a perfect companion piece to her book. Holcomb created a beautiful, Scripture rooted, children’s musical project that also fits perfectly along with her current musical catalog, true to her style and lyrics. She wanted to write songs that were directly inspired by both God’s word and His beautiful Creation. Each song is tied to specific Scripture, and is also full of rich imagery from the world around us. She wants kids to be able to sing these songs and see evidence all around them of what they are singing.

“I wrote most of the songs for this record during the spring, and I’m pretty sure I ended up moving outside each time I wrote,” she shares. “I was completely inspired by Creations’ song, whether it was the birds, or the stars, or the trees reaching high towards the heavens, or flowers blooming so colorfully that they looked ready for a party.”

Holcomb is a mom to three children, Emmylou (5), Huck (3) and a newborn baby boy, Rivers. Her husband Drew Holcomb and their family reside in Nashville, Tenn.

Singer/Songwriter Ellie Holcomb, a Nashville native, began her musical career by touring the country with her husband in Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors. After eight years, and with the birth of their daughter, Ellie opted to step out of the role of heavy touring. From that space came her debut solo album, As Sure As the Sun, which charted at #1 on the iTunes Christian chart and helped deem Holcomb the “Best New Artist” at the 2014 Dove Awards. Since then, Holcomb has been walking an unexpected path, one of suffering and loss but also peace and joy. She has come to the edge of the rushing river of confusion and experienced a God who made a way where there seemed to be no way. And it is from that place—of finding God in the dark and unexpected—that Holcomb wrote and recorded Red Sea Road, released in January 2017.

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.

Linda Evans Shepherd presents Erwin Lutzer with the 2018 Golden Scroll Lifetime Achievement Award.

AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) announced the winners of the 2018 Golden Scroll Awards at the Golden Scroll Banquet, Sunday, September 9, at the Music City Sheraton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Golden Scrolls Book of the Year was awarded to Cindy K. Sproles for Liar’s Winter from Kregel Publications.

The Nonfiction Book of the Year Award went to authors of two books: Cynthia Cavanaugh for Anchored: Leading Through the Storms (New Hope Publishers) and Linda Gilden and Linda Goldfarb for Linked (Bold Vision Books).

Second place for Nonfiction Book of the Year was awarded to Janell Rardon for Overcoming Hurtful Words from Worthy Inspired and the honorable mention was awarded to Janet Holm McHenry for 50 Lessons for Grads from Worthy Publishing.

The Novel of the Year Award went to Eva Marie Everson for The One True Love of Alice-Ann from Tyndale House Publishing.

Second place for Novel of the Year went to Deborah Raney for Home at Last (Abingdon Press); honorable mention was awarded to Lynette Eason for Chasing Secrets from Revell of Baker Publishing Group.

The Children’s Book of the Year was awarded to Michelle Adams for My First Day of School from Worthy Kids.

Second place for Children’s Book of the Year went to Sheri Schofield for The Prince and the Plan from Carpenter’s Son Publishing and third place went to LeeAnn Mancini for Forever With Jesus from GLM Publishing.

The Bible Study Book of the Year was awarded to Pam Farrel for Discovering the Hope in the Psalms from Harvest House Publishers.

The Devotional Book of the Year was awarded to Leigh Powers for Renewed: A 40-Day Devotional for Healing From Church Hurt and for Loving Well in Ministry from FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group.

The Memoir of the Year was awarded to Eleanor Isaacson and Jeanette Windle for Dancing From Darkness from Eleanor Isaacson Publications.

Julie Coleman, the editor of Arise Daily, AWSA’s online devotional, awarded Rhonda Rhea the Devotional Writer of the Year.

AWSA’s official magazine, Leading Hearts, won their fourth straight Evangelical Press Association Merit award and honored their columnists, including Pam Farrel, Michelle S. Cox, Penelope Carlevato, Saundra Dalton-Smith, Sharon Elliot, Karen Porter, Rhonda Rhea, Karen Whiting, and Cynthia L. Simmons and Edie Melson. Leading Hearts also honored Tom Young as the 2018 AWSA MVP.

The 2018 AWSA Member of the Year Award went to Erica Wiggenhorn. AWSA founder Linda Evans Shepherd said, “Besides her busy schedule, which included the launch of her latest Bible study, The Unexplainable Church, Erica volunteered behind the scenes at our conference.”

The Beyond Me Award went to Sioni Rodriguez, an advocate for women who have been sexually assaulted and victims of domestic violence. She is a dedicated team member of Our Freedom Journey Ministries (Stand against Human Trafficking).

Dr. Erwin Lutzer, who received the Golden Scrolls Lifetime Achievement Award, served as the keynote speaker. Recording artists Dick and Mel Tunney performed the special music. AWSA President Karen Porter served as emcee. CTN host Monica Schmelter and author and AWSA founder Linda Evans Shepherd presented the awards and Mel Tunney performed a parody written by Martha Bolton and dedicated to bookstores.

AWSA, the sponsor of the Golden Scroll Awards Banquet, is an outreach of Right to the Heart Ministries and consists of over 500 top women authors who both publish and speak nationally. See www.AWSA.com.

For more info please contact Linda Evans Shepherd at LindaReply@gmail.com or 303-772-2035.

SVP and Group Publisher David Moberg announces intent to retire; Brian Hampton promoted to lead role

(Nashville, TN) –  HarperCollins Christian Publishing today announced a transition in publishing leadership with the announcement of senior vice president and group publisher David Moberg’s intention to retire at the end of the company’s fiscal year, in June 2019.   Brian Hampton, current senior vice president and publisher of Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, will be promoted to fill this role.  Hampton will begin overseeing all book publishing operations for both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan and the associated imprints* effective immediately.  He will sit on the company’s Executive Leadership Team and report directly to Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO.  Moberg will continue to hold a leadership role within HarperCollins Christian Publishing until his date of retirement, ensuring a seamless transition of responsibilities.

In this role, Hampton will set the strategy and direction for all trade, children’s, specialty, and curriculum publishing.  Hampton will be responsible for ensuring all divisions are meeting goals, developing new business initiatives, and managing relationships with key authors, retailers, distributors, and staff.

Hampton has served the company for 27 years in various editorial and leadership roles, helping to develop and publish several bestselling books including: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and The Best Yes and Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst.  Most recently he is noted for signing breakout authors such as Bob Goff (Love Does and Everybody Always), Jen Hatmaker (For the Love and Of Mess and Moxie), and Rachel Hollis (Girl, Wash Your Face).  In addition to his role as publisher of Nelson Books, in 2017 Hampton led the launch of HarperCollins Leadership, a general market leadership imprint, in addition to the acquisition of the AMACOM trade book assets from the American Management Association.

“Brian’s track record of finding and developing great authors and content as well as leading and developing teams has prepared him for future success as the head of book publishing for HCCP,” said Mark Schoenwald.  “Brian’s decisions are strategic and analytical, and his product background gives him a keen sense about authors and manuscripts that will resonate in the market.   Brian has built invaluable relationships with authors and agents and is highly respected in the industry.  We are thrilled that he has accepted this next step in his career with us.”

Moberg will continue to work on special projects, mentor key staff, and provide guidance and counsel to the Executive Leadership Team during transition.  In addition, he will continue to serve on the Board of Directors for the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association as vice-chair.  “This is an exciting time for both Brian and the company, and I appreciate the support shown to me throughout my career in publishing.  I am confident that Brian’s transition to group publisher will be smooth as he is more than prepared to take on this role.”

* Zondervan’s Church, Academic, Reference and Reflective publishing focus will remain with Stan Gundry, senior vice president and publisher and Zondervan editor-in-chief.  Bible publishing will remain with John Kramp, senior vice president and group publisher.

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing: The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., comprises the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups, Olive Tree Bible Software,  BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com and ChurchSource.com.  The Company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio and digital content for the Christian market space.   HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in the U.S. and Mexico.  For more information visit www.HarperCollinsChristian.com.

Contact: Casey Harrell, Senior Director, Corporate Communications,
615.902.1109   casey.harrell@harpercollins.com

Grand Rapids, Mich., Sept. 10, 2018 – She’s Still There: Rescuing the Girl in You by Chrystal Evans Hurst has sold more than 100,000 copies since releasing in August of 2017.She’s Still There hit the Publishers Weekly Religion Bestseller’s List and the ECPA Christian Bestseller’s List shortly after its release.

Hurst continues to actively engage with readers though She’s Still There speaking engagements, her popular podcast and YouTube channel, media appearances – including an upcoming interview with Focus on the Family, and the February 2019 release of Show Up for Your Life, written for teen girls.

In She’s Still There, Hurst shows us that no matter where we’ve been, those young aspirations that originally defined our true selves are still buried deep inside our hearts, waiting to be revived. By asking probing questions and including supplemental materials such as worksheet assessments, chapter-recapping sections called “Reflections for the Rescue,” and more, Hurst pushes readers to look inward and rediscover gifts and passions––then begin cultivating them.

Chrystal Evans Hurst is a dynamic speaker, worship leader and writer. Through her blog Chrystal’s Chronicles, regular contributions to Proverbs 31 Ministries, a thriving social media platform and conferences across the country, Chrystal reaches hundreds of thousands of women with honest stories and fierce encouragement. She’s the bestselling author of She’s Still There and co-author, with her father Tony Evans, of Kingdom Woman. A mom to five, Chrystal lives outside of Dallas, Texas, with her husband Jessie. For more information, please visit www.ChrystalEvansHurst.com.

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.

Popular Speaker Pens Book about Using Influence to Eternally Impact the World

Carol Stream, Ill. (September 5, 2018) — Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) announced today that debut author Pam Tebow will publish Ripple Effects in May 2019 with Tyndale Momentum (ISBN: 978-1-4964-3131-8, $25.99, HC). In her book, Tebow uncovers and explores the motivating power of influence that each of us has on this generation and the next, no matter where we are planted in life. The book’s release, just in advance of Mother’s Day, will include a significant marketing budget as well as a national media tour. Her son, Tim Tebow, will join her for select appearances.

Tim credits his mom with being the key to his success—but Pam never expected that she would be known on a national stage. In her book, Pam instructs us on the difference we can make in the world, using the key we never knew we had—our influence. For most of her life, she was serving quietly and faithfully as a wife and a mom—choosing life for her child in the face of medical risks, answering the Lord’s call to mission work in the Philippines, and homeschooling before anyone knew what the word meant. But all along the way, her experiences—and her consistent, everyday choices to follow the Lord and to serve wherever He placed her—were creating unexpected ripples of influence throughout her family, her community, and her world. And they would end up extending far beyond anything she ever imagined.

Pam believes that every one of us can be influential—and that deep within a woman’s heart is the desire to use her influence for good. Pam encourages her readers to maximize their God-given opportunities for influence—and watch how far the ripples will spread.

Regarding this acquisition, associate publisher Sarah Atkinson said, “The first time I met Pam, I realized, This is someone with a special gift. Pam makes everyone she encounters—no matter who they are—feel valued, lifted up, and inspired. She simply exudes joy! You walk away from an encounter with Pam feeling like you can make a difference in the world. And that’s what her debut book, Ripple Effects, is all about. Sharing personal stories from her life and family, Pam speaks from the heart to equip other women to use their God-given influence to impact the world around them. It is an absolute privilege to bring Pam’s first book to the world, with the message that has made her such an incomparable wife, mother, speaker, and leader.”

Additionally, executive publisher Jan Long Harris shared, “What a privilege it is to partner with Pam Tebow on the book of her heart. Ripple Effects is both the story of how Pam discovered and used (ever so gently) the power of positive influence and an encouraging call to action for the rest of us. No matter who we are, where we are, or how insignificant we might be tempted to think we are, we have influence that we can employ for the good of those around us. It’s an important message, and Pam is a winsome messenger.”

Pam Tebow travels and speaks across the country, encouraging women to use the incredible influence God has given them to eternally impact their world. She has appeared on Good Morning America and has won national awards for her ministry work. Pam graduated with honors from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. She and her husband, Bob, live in Florida; they have five grown children and eight grandchildren.

For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com.

Ripple Effects by Pam Tebow
ISBN: 978-1-4964-3131-8
Hardcover: $25.99
May 2019 release
TyndaleMomentum.com

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is one of the largest privately held Christian publishers of books, Bibles, and digital media in the world. Tyndale Momentum, Tyndale’s nonfiction imprint, is the publisher of many New York Times bestsellers and is known for integrity in building lasting personal relationships with authors and agents. Tyndale extends the ministry of its authors by contributing most of its profits to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Originally founded to publish 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.

Bloomington, Minn. (September 7, 2018)—Baker Publishing Group is pleased to announce the addition of Jennifer Dukes Lee to its acquisitions team in the role of nonfiction acquisitions editor, Bethany House Publishers. Lee will secure new author relationships and participate in publishing strategy.

Lee began her career as a news reporter for metropolitan newspapers. She is a speaker, part of the writing team for (in)courage, and the author of three books, including the soon-to-be published It’s All Under Control (Tyndale). She is also a mentor, coach, and encourager to many other writers. She and her husband are raising crops, pigs, cats, and two amazing humans on the Lee family farm in Iowa.

“We are thrilled that Jennifer is joining our team,” says Dave Horton, editorial vice president at Bethany House. “We believe her expertise and enthusiasm will help us serve authors and readers better than ever.”

Of her new appointment Lee remarks, “I am excited to serve as an acquisitions editor for Bethany House, and am eager to help bring great books into a world in need of hope.”

Bethany House publishes nonfiction books by evangelical authors that help readers forge deeper connections to God and others.

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Contact: Ruth Anderson  (616)676-9185 x8131  randerson@bakerpublishinggroup.com

The Christian Book Award® program honors the “best of the year” in 12 categories, including Audio which was just added this year.  Submissions are now being accepted through September 30, 2018, for books, Bibles, and audio books, published from October 2017 to October 2018.  Submission categories are:

Uhrichsville, OH—Barbour Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of a daring new fiction series not for the faint of heart. True Colors will explore true, riveting stories of American criminal activity layered in historical romantic suspense.

This unique 6-book series will kick off in March 2019 with the release of The White City by debut author Grace Hitchcock. The main character in this fascinating read attempts to uncover the cause of the strange disappearances at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. This true-to-history story is based on the crimes of infamous serial killer H. H. Holmes.

Releasing approximately every other month by a talented team of authors, True Colors will satisfy a variety of fiction readers interested in American history, true crime, and romance. Each title and cover will feature a prominent color to tie in perfectly with the series name and create a strong brand presence.

Release Schedule for First Three Books:

• March 2019: The White City by Grace Hitchcock
  Setting: Chicago, IL; 1893 True Crime: Kidnapping at the Chicago World’s Fair
• June 2019: The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma
  Setting: Memphis, TN; 1932 True Crime: Baby snatchers
• August 2019: The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken
  Setting: Massachusetts, 1824 True Crime: Grave robbers

To learn more about the True Colors series, visit www.barbourbooks.com or view our latest catalog on Edelweiss.

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