Ada, Mich. (February 9, 2018)—Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals (Baker Books; ISBN 9780801075254;Hardcover; $24.99) by Michael Hyatt has landed on multiple Bestsellers lists since its release in January.

• #3 on Publishers Weekly Hardcover Nonfiction list for the week of January 7
• #1 in Hardcover Business and #4 in Hardcover Nonfiction on the Wall Street Journal lists for the week of January 7
• #35 on the USA Today list for the week of January 7
• #20 on Amazon’s Most Sold list for the week of January 7

In Your Best Year Ever, Hyatt shares a powerful, proven, research-driven system for setting and achieving your goals—to not let them get pushed to the back burner and forgotten. Readers learn how to design their best year ever by discovering:

• what’s holding you back right now
• how to overcome your past setbacks
• the seven attributes of effective goals
• how to quit-proof your goals
• the role of habits in personal achievement
• what to do when you feel stuck
• and much more

Michael Hyatt is the former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, now part of HarperCollins. He is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of several books, including Living Forward and Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. Michael’s blog is ranked by Google in the top one-half percent of all blogs, with 500,000 unique visitors a month and readers in more than two hundred countries.

Baker Books publishes books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. Our titles cover topics such as personal development, encouragement, spirituality, and relationships. www.BakerBooks.com

Contact: Brianna DeWitt  (616) 676-9185 x395  bdewitt@bakerpublishinggroup.com

Former NFL Running Back and Dancing with the Stars Champion Rashad Jennings Motivates and Inspires Others in Debut Book

Grand Rapids, MI – February 9, 2018 – In his debut book, The IF in Life: How to Get Off Life’s Sidelines and Become Your Best Self, former NFL running back and Dancing with the Stars Season 24 champion, Rashad Jennings, shares his inspiring story, imparts practical advice, and encourages readers to follow their dreams.

Growing up, Jennings was overweight, had poor vision, suffered from debilitating asthma, and held a 0.6 GPA—yet he still hoped to one day play in the NFL as a running back. To say the odds were stacked against him is an understatement. Through hard work and determination, encouragement and tough love from his brothers and coaches, and the support of mentors too numerous to count, Jennings became a record-setting NFL running back. During his eight-year NFL career, he played with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Oakland Raiders, and the New York Giants. And now, through the Rashad Jennings Foundation, Jennings is focused on inspiring youth by making education an enjoyable experience, providing mentorship, and encouraging an overall healthy lifestyle. In 2017, he helped more than 30,000 students through his foundation read over 167,655 books.

“Whether you realize it or not, certain moments in life, no matter how significant or small they seem, can change your path and have a positive impact on where you go and how successful you become,” said Jennings. “The IF in Life is about those “IF” moments that have shaped the man I’ve become and brought about the realization of my dreams. My hope for this book is that it brings motivation and inspires young people to become their best self.”

In The IF in Life, Jennings writes about the decisions that shaped his destiny, both on and off the field. From overcoming injuries and setbacks, to setting goals and dreaming big, his transparency about his journey will encourage readers to hold on to faith during uncertainty and remind them that greater things are waiting if you stay focused and believe.

“Rashad’s contagious spirit will inspire countless people to take notice of the ‘IF’ moments in their lives that can help lead them down a path to becoming the best they can possibly be,” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and group publisher at Zondervan. “We are honored to be working with Rashad to share his message.”

Featuring photos from Rashad’s childhood, college years, and professional career, The IF in Life will be available online and in stores on May 8, 2018.  The book is available for pre-orders now.

About the Author:
Rashad Jennings is a national personality. Throughout his successful eight-year career in the NFL, as well as his championship performance on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Jennings has gained the love and support of fans across the country. Today, Jennings is driven to make a national impact and lasting legacy. The Rashad Jennings Foundation is dedicated to inspiring youth by making education fun, providing mentorship for individual success and promoting health and fitness. Follow Rashad on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, @rashadjennings.

Zondervan, part of HarperCollins, is a world-leading provider of Christian communications and 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, MI. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Uhrichsville, OH—February 4, 2018 marks what would have been the 100th birthday of beloved author, poet, songwriter, and Moody Bible Institute alumni, Frances J. Roberts (1918–2009). Born on February 4, 1918, Roberts is best known for her classic devotional, Come Away My Beloved (Barbour Publishing). Roberts also authored eight other books, selling over 1.5 million copies, and published 88 hymns during her lifetime.

After graduating from Moody Bible Institute in 1938, Roberts served as Florida’s state director for Child Evangelism Fellowship, writing the popular “Wordless Book Song” during her tenure there. An accomplished musician, Roberts also taught at a Spanish mission school and worked as a professional accompanist, performing at various churches. In 1964, she founded The King’s Press and began releasing books. Her popular Come Away My Beloved devotional has sold over a million copies and has been translated into several languages.

To coincide with what would have been Roberts’ centennial birthday, Barbour has just released a 365-day compilation of the author’s devotional writings. Titled Come Away My Beloved: A Daily Devotional, this keepsake book features excerpts from her beloved writings—including Come Away My Beloved, Dialogues with God, Progress of Another Pilgrim, and On the Highroad of Surrender. This powerful book offers challenge, encouragement, hope, comfort, and conviction for a Christian’s daily faith walk.

To learn more about Frances J. Roberts and Come Away My Beloved, visit www.BarbourBooks.com.

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

Orlando, Fla. (January 31, 2018): In God’s providence, Dr. R.C. Sproul’s last monthly letter to friends of Ligonier Ministries was an encouragement to pray earnestly for awakening: “It’s easy to be afraid these days. We’re living in a land which has turned its back on God and His law. We can feel as if we’re in a shrinking minority of truth-tellers who love Christ and His Word. We can feel like there’s nothing we can do. As I have studied the Scriptures and the work of God’s Spirit throughout history, I know there is something we can do– we can pray for awakening.”

What is awakening? It is a powerful movement of the Spirit of God to convert many people to Christ and to renew in His church a zeal for His truth, for spiritual growth, and for missions. “It was Dr. Sproul’s passion to see nonbelievers and the church itself awakened to the true character of God,” said Chris Larson, president and CEO of Ligonier Ministries. “This continues to be a vital concern for us. We have planned the 2018 Ligonier National Conference in March around the theme of awakening, and we are dedicating this entire year to pray for awakening.”

Ligonier has published a free prayer guide to encourage Christians everywhere to pray for the Holy Spirit to bring revival in response to the preaching and teaching of God’s Word in their families, churches, and communities. This helpful discipleship tool provides a different prayer focus and accompanying Scripture verse each week, all to the end of praying for God to move mightily in His church and to bring the light of the gospel to this darkened world.

To join in praying for awakening, people can download the free guide at PrayForAwakening.com or
order in packs of 10 to share with their friends, family, and church community. Ligonier is also hoping to foster an awareness for the need for prayer through prompting many people to share the need to #PrayForAwakening on social media.

About Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible. To that end, Ligonier’s outreach today is manifold and worldwide. Before Dr. Sproul went to be with the Lord, he and the board designated teaching fellows to continue and help lead Ligonier’s work of discipleship that Dr. Sproul began more than 40 years ago. These teaching fellows are Drs. Sinclair B. Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Steven J. Lawson, R. Albert Mohler Jr., Stephen J. Nichols, Burk Parsons, and Derek W.H. Thomas. Ligonier publishes Renewing Your Mind broadcasts, the Reformation Study Bible, Tabletalk magazine, books through Reformation Trust, and hundreds of teaching series. The ministry also offers an undergraduate degree program through Reformation Bible College. In addition, Ligonier hosts national and regional conferences, provides an online learning community through Ligonier Connect, streams 24-hour Christian Internet radio through RefNet, pursues numerous translation efforts in other countries, and makes available thousands of unique educational resources online at Ligonier.org.

Contact: Deborah Finnamore Publicity Manager
Ligonier Ministries  407-333-4244 ext. 1158

Minneapolis (January 30, 2018) – Children’s book publisher Sparkhouse Family has rebranded as Beaming Books. A business unit of 1517 Media, Sparkhouse Family was launched in 2014 as a publisher of Bibles and religious books for children. Under the new name, Beaming Books will publish high-quality books for children in both religious and non-religious categories.

“Beaming Books is dedicated to helping kids thrive socially, emotionally, and spiritually,” says Andrew DeYoung, managing editor for the imprint. “We’re looking to tackle a broad range of topics related to kids’ social and emotional well-being, including kindness, ethics, self-esteem, and faith.”

Forthcoming titles from Beaming books include Laura Renauld’s Porcupine’s Pie, a charming picture book about sharing and community spirit; Caryn Rivadeneira’s Generous Kids series, which helps kids of all ages live with generosity and abundance; and Sarah Raymond Cunningham’s May God Bless You and Keep You, a faith-inflected book of welcoming and encouragement for young children in the style of The Wonderful Things You Will Be.

The following previously-announced children’s books and parenting titles will be published under the new Beaming Books imprint:

• Porcupine’s Pie by Laura Renauld (Fall 2018)
• Little Steps, Big Faith by Dawn Rundman (Fall 2018)
• Mine! by Caryn Rivadeneira (Fall 2018)
• It’s Not Fair! by Caryn Rivadeneira (Fall 2018)
• The Wrong Shoes by Caryn Rivadeneira (Fall 2018)
• Lift-the-Flap Bible Stories for Young Children by Andrew J. DeYoung and Naomi Joy Krueger (Fall 2018)
• The Very Best Story Ever Told by Robin Currie (Fall 2018)
• May God Bless and Keep You by Sarah Raymond Cunningham (Fall 2018)
• The Star in the Christmas Play by Lynne Marie (Fall 2018)
• All the Best Questions by Jeremy Steele (Fall 2018)
• When Day Is Done by Natalee Creech (Spring 2019)
• The Fabulous World that God Made by Joyce K. Ellis (Spring 2019)
• Antonino’s Impossible Dream by Tim McGlen (Spring 2019)
• God’s Protection Covers Me by Amy Houts (Spring 2019)
• Precious Baby by Della Ross Ferreri (Spring 2019)
• Huggle Wuggle Bedtime Snuggle by Della Ross Ferreri (Fall 2019)

All book titles previously released by Sparkhouse Family will remain in print and available. All titles set to publish in Spring 2018 will be published under the Sparkhouse Family name.

About Beaming Books
Beaming Books publishes high-quality children’s books that help kids thrive emotionally, socially, and spiritually. With topics ranging from self-esteem to kindness, ethics, and faith, our books are designed to spark the imagination and equip kids and families to live full and flourishing lives, together. More details about the award-winning books for children and Beaming Books can be found at www.beamingbooks.com.

About 1517 Media
1517 Media creates multimedia resources and distinctive books for Christian communities, students, scholars, and the general reader. 1517 Media’s imprints include Augsburg Fortress, Fortress Press, Sparkhouse, and Beaming Books.

Media Contact: Emily Benz, Publicity & Marketing Manager Beaming Books 612-330-3117 | benze@beamingbooks.com

“Jenkins is a consummate novelist; his plotting is nicely sneaky, his dialogue crackling.” – Publishers Weekly

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) February 1, 2018 – Jerry B. Jenkins’ books have sold more than 70 million copies, including the phenomenal Left Behind series, minting him as one of the best-selling novelists of his generation. Now, Worthy Publishing is pleased to announce he will be releasing a new fiction series slated for this fall.

Jenkins’ literary contribution to the world of publishing is remarkable – having penned more than 190 books, two-thirds of those novels, including 21 New York Times bestsellers with seven debuting at #1. He is one of the most creative and commercially successful writers of our time.

“Jerry’s influence on Christian publishing can’t be exaggerated,” says Byron Williamson, President and Publisher, Worthy Publishing. “We’re extremely honored to have the opportunity to partner with Jerry at this point in his distinguished career, sharing this inventive new series of books with the world.”

The new series, The Dead Sea Chronicles, tells captivating stories combining provocative current events with ancient adventure, spiritual warfare, and biblical archeology with Da Vinci Code-like flair. The first book in the series, titled Dead Sea Rising, introduces readers to a female New York-based PhD in ancient Near East history, who uncovers antiquities mysteriously tied to biblical patriarch Abraham. Her explosive find threatens to upend everything ever thought about Jewish and Arab relations.

Jenkins owns the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild coaching thousands of aspiring writers in both fiction and nonfiction.

Jerry B. Jenkins’ books have sold more than 70 million copies. Twenty-one of his titles have reached the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal best-seller lists. The phenomenally best-selling Left Behind series inspired a movie starring Nicolas Cage. Jenkins has been featured on the cover of Newsweek and his writing has appeared in Time, Reader’s Digest, Guideposts, and dozens of other periodicals. He and his wife, Dianna, have three grown sons and live in Colorado. He owns the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild (www.JerryJenkins.com).

Worthy Publishing Group is a privately held, independent voice in inspirational publishing, based in Nashville, TN. Worthy includes five distinct imprints: Worthy Books publishes inspirational works addressing faith and culture, spiritual growth, biblical study, fiction, and specialty Bibles; Museum of the Bible Books is a partnership between Worthy and the Museum, publishing books that reveal the history, narrative, and impact of the Bible; Ellie Claire produces beautifully crafted journals, gifts, and paper expressions; Worthy Inspired publishes felt-need, inspirational and devotional books; and WorthyKids/Ideals creates colorful, interactive children’s books, including VeggieTales and Berenstain Bears, for ages 2 to 10.

Hall-of-Fame Coach and New York Times #1–Bestselling Author Will Publish First Leadership Fable

CAROL STREAM, ILL. (February 1, 2018) – Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) announced today that Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy), who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, will publish his first leadership fable, The Soul of a Team (ISBN 978-1-4964-1376-5, $26.99, HC), with Tyndale Momentum. The book’s release, scheduled for early 2019, will include a significant marketing budget as well as a national book-signing and media tour.

Dungy led the Indianapolis Colts to Super Bowl victory in 2007, the first such win for an African American head coach. He retired from coaching in 2009 and now serves as a studio analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America.” He and his wife, Lauren, with whom he coauthored Uncommon Marriage, are the parents of ten children.

“I can’t think of anyone who is more qualified to write a book on teamwork than Tony Dungy,” said Jan Long Harris, executive publisher of nonfiction. “Whether on the field, in the television studio, or in his own home, he has brought out passion and excellence, empowering and maximizing the strengths of everyone around him. Tony knows how to jump-start a winning organization, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with him to share his team-building wisdom.”’

In The Soul of a Team, Dungy tells the story of a fictional NFL team looking for a turnaround. Written from a first-person perspective with Dungy in the role of a consultant brought in during the off-season, the fable identifies some of the most common issues that hold a team back and lays out a game plan for winning teamwork.

Nathan Whitaker is the writing collaborator for The Soul of a Team. D.J. Snell, president, Legacy, LLC, is the literary agent.

Dungy has had a remarkable run of success as a Tyndale author. Quiet Strength, the memoir he released with Whitaker in 2007, reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2007. It has sold more than one million copies and has become one of the bestselling sports-related books in history.Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance (2009) and The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently (2010) followed and also achieved New York Times Best Seller status. Those books were followed by The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge, a devotional that released in 2011. In all, Dungy products with Tyndale easily exceed the three-million mark in unit sales.

Tony Dungy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books include Quiet Strength and Uncommon. He led the Indianapolis Colts to Super Bowl victory in 2007, the first such win for an African American head coach. He retired from coaching in 2009 and now serves as a studio analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America.” He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

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.

February 5, 2018, Newburyport, MA– Firebrand Technologies, a leader in market intelligence and technology services for the publishing industry, announced today that they have partnered with Kadaxis as the exclusive reseller and advocate of the innovative Audience Analysis and Keyword Creation services.

The Keywords service is available to publishers of any size, for single titles or groups of titles, across any genre or topic. Pay-as-you-go and subscription options are available, as well as premium services that are ideal for pre-pub and frontlist titles, including launch campaigns and other marketing efforts.

This partnership builds on the growing relationship between the two companies over the last few years, which included an extensive research project to track the impact audience-driven keywords have on book sales. The research revealed that titles with Kadaxis-created keywords drive increased discovery and improved sales for both new and backlist titles, across multiple genres.

Despite the impressive impact keywords have proven to have on sales, a surprisingly small number of publishers (only about 25%) are actually applying keywords in a strategic manner. Firebrand and Kadaxis now offer a simple workflow and high impact results to publishers.

“The joint research project conducted by Firebrand and Kadaxis has clearly revealed that the best way to enhance discovery and reach audiences is to understand how they themselves speak about books, in their own language,” said Firebrand President, Doug Lessing. “The Kadaxis service is a perfect fit with Firebrand’s Metadata and Marketing solutions, and we look forward to expanding the reach of the Kadaxis service globally.”

Chris Sim, Kadaxis founder and CEO, explains, “We’ve found a way to create keywords that work, and have helped many publishers increase book sales through keyword optimization. Our partnership with Firebrand will help us to scale operations and meet the increasing demand for our keyword product. Firebrand has served the publishing industry for over thirty years, and their expertise and track record for delivery are well regarded.”

For more information, please visit www.firebrandtech.com/keywords.

To learn more about Firebrand Technologies, please visit: www.firebrandtech.com, or email info@firebrandtech.com.

About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies (www.firebrandtech.com) is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. Firebrand provides steadfast leadership and seamless information flow throughout the publishing process. Title Management™ Enterprise Software tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing and sales; our Eloquence on Demand™ service is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data and content reach the marketplace. Direct2Reader™ provides a platform for publishers to efficiently deliver secure ebook files for direct sales, bulk sales, digital exam copies, and promotions. FlightDeck™ offers the most powerful EPUB Quality Assurance and validation tool available. NetGalley™ is a premier pre-publication marketing and publicity service, which delivers secure digital galleys to professional readers. Follow us on Twitter @firebrandtech. 

About Kadaxis
Kadaxis uses data science to improve book discovery across the publishing value chain. The company is based in New York, and counts many of the top publishing companies as clients. Our flagship Audience Analysis Keyword product improves the visibility of books in retailer search engines like Amazon search, leading to increased sales. Learn more about us at kadaxis.com or follow us on Twitter @kadaxis.

Contact:  Steve Rutberg, Director of Sales and Marketing, Firebrand Technologies at steve.rutberg@firebrandtech.com

Introductory Novel in New Series, Releasing from Tyndale House Publishers on February 6, 2018

Carol Stream, Ill.—February 2, 2018—Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance Carla Laureano releases the first novel in the Supper Club series, a deliciously enticing romance with a foodie twist that reminds readers that nothing is wasted—not with God. The Saturday Night Supper Club is a charming story of friendship, second chances, and the power of God using our circumstances to lead us back to Him, releasing on February 6, 2018, from Tyndale House Publishers.

Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she’s dreamed—and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back . . .even if that means joining forces with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.

Essayist Alex Kanin never imagined his pointed editorial would go viral. Ironically, his attempt to highlight the pitfalls of online criticism has the opposite effect: it revives his own flagging career by destroying that of a perfect stranger. Plagued by guilt-fueled writer’s block, Alex vows to do whatever he can to repair the damage. He just doesn’t expect his interest in the beautiful chef to turn personal.

Alex agrees to help rebuild Rachel’s tarnished image by offering his connections and his home to host an exclusive pop-up dinner party targeted to Denver’s most influential citizens: the Saturday Night Supper Club. As they work together to make the project a success, Rachel begins to realize Alex is not the unfeeling opportunist she once thought he was, and that perhaps there’s life—and love—outside the pressure-cooker of her chosen career. But can she give up her lifelong goals without losing her identity as well?

When asked what she hopes readers take away from The Saturday Night Supper Club, Laureano shares, “I hope they realize that small, heartfelt offerings, like cooking a meal for a friend, are just as important as grand gestures. I hope they are inspired to build strong friendships like the ones Rachel has with Ana and Melody—an absolute necessity in buffering us from the hardships of modern life. And most of all, I hope readers realize that however distant they might feel from God, it’s never too late to come back to Him.”

Trade reviews of The Saturday Night Supper Club have been consistently strong. Booklist said, “Writing charmingly about faith, love, friendship, and food, Laureano will leave readers hungry for the next installment in the Supper Club series.” In a starred review, Library Journal added, “Romance aficionados and fans of stories about overcoming obstacles and the role of faith in everyday life will eagerly await the next entry in this sweet, food-centered series.” Publishers Weekly concurred in its own starred review, saying, “Bright, jovial, and peppered with romance and delectable cuisine, this is a sweet and lively love story.” Romantic Times designated The Saturday Night Supper Club as a Top Pick, saying, “Laureano’s latest novel, the first in her Supper Club series, is a delight for foodies! There’s a delectable amount of behind-the-scenes restaurant and cooking detail, as well as some amazing descriptions of food that will literally have readers’ mouths watering for a taste.”

Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award–winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano
ISBN: 978-1-4964-2024-4 | Softcover: $14.99
ISBN: 978-1-4964-2827-1 | Hardcover: $24.99
February 6, 2018

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.