Conference to be held before THE CHRISTY AWARDS™ Christian Fiction Gala

Industry-wide collaboration evident in long list of authors, publishers, and partnering organizations

Tempe, AZ – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced the session topics and leaders for the first Art of Writing Conference. This half-day event on November 8 is designed to bring together writers, authors and publishing curators and will feature intensive seminars that celebrate the creative life and provide practical tips for the challenges in this rapidly changing industry. It will be held at Lipscomb University in Nashville before the evening gala of THE CHRISTY AWARDS™ where the year’s winning Christian novels will be announced. The two events immediately follow PubU, a training and networking event gathering over 200 Christian publishing professionals in editorial, marketing, production, design, rights, and more.

The Art of Writing Conference was created to build community and explore the leading questions and pressing issues facing creators and curators of fiction projects. Amy Green, fiction publicist for Bethany House Publishers, curated the sessions to be of utmost value to writers and publishing curators who are looking for inspiration and seeking practical advice. “The list of reasons I’m excited about this event is long—the quality of the speakers, the chance for authors and publishing professionals to interact, and the variety of the session topics,” explains Amy. “But most of all, The Art of Writing will be an event where people on both sides of the desk will be gathering to exchange ideas and start conversations that will shape the future of Christian fiction.”

Sessions include:

• Colorful Stories: The Burden and Opportunity of Diversity in Christian Fiction, conducted by Theon Hill, Assistant Professor of Communication at Wheaton College.
• The Artful Dodger: Defense Against Discouragement, featuring Cynthia Ruchti (Author, Agent and ACFW Public Relations Liaison) and Carrie Schmidt (Blogger from ReadingIsMySuperPower.org).
• A Publishing Perspective on the Creative Life, moderated by Amy Green (Fiction Publicist for Bethany House Publishers). This panel will feature Karen Watson (Publisher of Fiction at Tyndale House Publishers), Beth Adams (Executive Editor of Howard Books), Shannon Marchese (Senior Editor of WaterBrook & Multnomah), Dan Balow (Owner and President, Gilead Publishing), and Chris Fabry (award-winning author and radio personality).
• Adorning the Dark: Community, Vocation and the Mystery of Making, with Andrew Peterson (Musician, Songwriter, Author and founder of The Rabbit Room).

Following the Art of Writing Conference, attendees will have time to mingle and build community with other authors, editors and industry leaders before the 18th annual CHRISTY AWARDS™ Gala. The awards will begin at 7:00pm central and will be hosted by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, musician and writer Andrew Peterson, and award-winning author and radio host Chris Fabry.  Litfuse Publicity will livestream the event on Instagram at @litfuse for followers.

Finalists who have committed to attend the gala include Tamera Alexander, Mesu Andrews, Connilyn Cossette, Melanie Dickerson, Sara Ella, Jocelyn Green, Liz Johnson, Charles Martin, Beth Moore, Jolina Petersheim, Cynthia Ruchti, Ann Marie Stewart, Kelli Stuart, Becky Wade and Jill Williamson.

Other notable authors who are attending include Susan Page Davis, Rachelle Dekker, Gwen Ellis, Rachel Hauck, and Jennifer Leo.

The extraordinary list of sponsors reads like a who’s who of the publishing industry. Underwriters for the dinner gala include Baker Publishing Group, Tyndale House, Howard Books, Gilead, Kregel, WaterBrook and Multnomah, Worthy, Barbour, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

Literary partners sponsoring both events include ACFW, AuthorTalk, Chi Libris, Christian Fiction Readers Retreat, Christian Writers Institute, D.C. Jacobsen & Associates, Family Fiction, Litfuse Publicity, Mount Hermon Christian Writers, The Rabbit Room, SoCal Christian Writers, and Writing for Your Life.  In addition, sponsoring organizations includeChristianity Today, Ingram, Nord Compo, Bethany Press and Dugan Design.

“ECPA is grateful for the support our members and partners have given The Christy Award and the Art of Writing conference,” said ECPA executive director Stan Jantz. “Their investment in these programs and the books that fuel them is so important for the advancement of exceptional Christian fiction.”

The Art of Writing Conference will be held from 1-5pm on November 8, followed by The Christy Awards Gala at 7:00pm at Lipscomb University, located at 1 University Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37204.  Both events are offered at a special bundle price of $99.  For more information and tickets, visit http://www.christyawards.com

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit 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

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

Media contacts:
Lori Heiselman FrontGate Media, lori@frontgatemedia.com, 714-553-5181
Stan Jantz, ECPA Executive Director, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 101
Cindy Carter, ECPA Awards & Recognition Manager, ccarter@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 103

Fall 2018 major trade release to address what it means for Christians to live on mission 

Carol Stream, Ill. – Dr. Ed Stetzer has signed with Tyndale Momentum to publish a major trade book that addresses what it means for Christians to live positively, courageously, and on mission in a culture that is increasingly contemptuous of Christian values. Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism and the Billy Graham Distinguished Endowed Chair for Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, will analyze our current cultural moment and assess the unique challenges and opportunities Christians face in his yet-to-be-titled, ground-breaking book due to be released during the fall of 2018.

“What I love about Ed Stetzer is his unique ability to name the underlying issues that fuel the media’s headlines and to see a clear path forward for followers of Christ. He brings a robust Christian worldview to every issue,” said Jon Farrar, senior acquisitions editor, “and he is sensitive to how so many in our world—despite what our news feeds may say—hunger and thirst for the living God. We, at Tyndale House, immediately sensed a passion in Ed to overcome cultural obstacles and connect people to Jesus Christ. This is a passion that motivates what we do, as well.”

Stetzer, in his work with Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Center, and previously as executive director of LifeWay Research, teaches, speaks, and writes on theology, missiology, church planting, church revitalization, and church innovation. A contributing editor for Christianity Today and columnist for Outreach Magazine, Stetzer holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates.

Added Jan Long Harris, executive publisher of Tyndale Momentum, “I’m so pleased to be publishing Ed Stetzer. He is a respected thought-leader, who has a long and reliable track record of being able to see both the strengths of American Christianity and the areas where it needs to correct course. Over the years, he has become a trusted interpreter of these times for many Christians.”

For additional information about Tyndale House Publishers visit www.tyndale.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.

Houston to Host 26-City National ‘Hillsong Nights’ Tour

Colorado Springs, Colorado (Oct. 18, 2017) — Brian Houston, Global Senior Pastor of the worldwide Hillsong Church and President and Executive Producer of the popular Hillsong Music, with songs sung by more than 50 million people each Sunday, is set to author a new book with WaterBrook, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House. There is More: When the World Says You Can’t – God Says YouCan is scheduled to publish in the United States on March 20, 2018, and on March 19, 2018, from Ebury at Penguin Random House Australia.

Houston’s book comes as his international network of churches has experienced exponential growth, now in 20 countries across six continents. Hillsong’s U.S. congregations have approximately 20,000 in attendance per weekend.

Tina Constable, Senior Vice President and Publisher for Currency, Forum, and Christian Publishing, announced that world rights to the work in print and digital formats have been acquired from Jan Miller and Nena Madonia Oshman of Dupree Miller Agency. Andrew Stoddard will serve as the editor for WaterBrook. Meredith Curnow, Publisher for Penguin Random House Australia, will oversee the project for Ebury.

In There is More, Houston shows how, with God’s power, a reader can believe and achieve a life that exceeds every earthly expectation. The globally-renowned leader shows when you surrender control and follow God’s guidance, you become empowered and equipped to do the impossible, reach higher and go further than you could have ever imagined. Over the past 35 years, Houston has shepherded and grown Hillsong Church from meeting in a sleepy little school hall in Sydney, Australia, to becoming one of the most impactful churches in the world.

Houston is launching There is More with a 26-city U.S. book event tour that will combine Houston’s dynamic, encouraging message with music from the band Hillsong Worship. “Hillsong Nights” will run through the entire month of April 2018 and then again in October 2018. The events will offer a full worship experience to attendees. Cities include Boston; Washington, DC; Chicago; St. Louis; Dallas; Los Angeles; Las Vegas, and many more. For a full list of locations, visit https://brianchouston.com/there-is-more/hillsong-nights/.

Houston is a driving force in contemporary church leadership. Founded in Australia, Hillsong is a global family of congregations with locations in such countries as the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and Russia. U.S. church plants are in New York City; Boston; Los Angeles; Phoenix; San Francisco; Greenwich, Conn.; Montclair, N.J.; Orange County, Calif.; and Scottsdale, Ariz. Through television, the recently launched Hillsong Channel reaches more than 170 million households globally.

The New York Times has referred to Hillsong as a “phenomenon, capitalizing on, and in some cases shaping, trends not only in evangelicalism but also in Christian youth culture.”

“Pastor Brian Houston leads and communicates from a deep sense of conviction and passion,” said Constable “As a true visionary and cultural pioneer, Brian has helped to shepherd Hillsong Church from a small gathering in Australia to one of the most prominent spiritual influences in the world. This book is for every person hoping to maximize and expand the abundant potential in their lives—all the while, giving Him the glory.”

“There is More is all about fulfilling the God-given mandate, calling, and destiny on your life—and discovering potential that you didn’t even know was there,” says Houston. “It’s about transforming your thinking and seeing yourself the way God sees you—with far more possibility and greatness within than you could ever see in yourself.”

Now available for pre-order, There is More will include personal stories of God’s provision as well as practical application for living within the purpose and will of God. It gives readers room to dream and believe that God really does want to exceed all their wildest expectations.

BRIAN HOUSTON is an international best-selling author and the Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, a worldwide family of congregations comprising almost more than 200 weekly services. Considered by many as a leading voice in the shaping of contemporary leadership values and church culture, Houston is highly regarded for his bold innovation and passion for the local church. Houston’s infectious love for people and his empowering brand of leadership is beamed to millions of people weekly through his program, “Brian Houston TV,” and draws tens of thousands annually to Hillsong Conferences in Sydney, London and the U.S. He is also the President of the recently launched Hillsong Channel, President of the Hillsong International Leadership College and the Executive Producer of countless gold and platinum albums that have come from the Hillsong Worship team. He and his wife, Bobbie, have three grown children and live in Sydney, Australia, and Orange County, California.

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com  or www.thereismorebook.com

WaterBrook and Multnomah are imprints of The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.  Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 53 percent and 47 percent, respectively. With nearly 250 independent imprints and brands on five continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, South Africa, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Portugal, and Uruguay. With over 15,000 new titles, and close to 800 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 60 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.

Contact: Beverly Rykerd, VP/Publicity Director
brykerd@penguinranodmhouse.com   (719) 268-1935

Kaitlin B. Curtice, debut author of Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places, is scheduled to speak at Why Christian with Rachel Held Evans and Nadia Bolz-Weber, March 16-17 in Durham, NC.

Her new book Glory Happening began to ship this week with a set of endorsers that include Richard Rohr, Rachel Macy Stafford, Brian McLaren, and Rachel Held Evans

Kaitlin offers a gentle, contemplative, yet thoroughly contemporary message of how to walk into the heart of glory, asking what it means to find sacred spaces in everything. Deeply influenced by her Native American heritage, Curtice’s words will open your eyes to the Kingdom as it comes every day through stories and prayer, quotidian observances, and divine revelations.

Marketing and publicity for this title include scheduled podcasts and blogposts with Religion News Service, The Deconstructionists Podcast, Twisted Sisterds, Red Letter Christians, Dan Salerno’s Lifesomethings blog, The Mudroom Blog, and Salt Collective. Kaitlin blogs at kaitlincurtice.com.

For more information, contact Sr. Antonia Cleverly, srantonia@paracletepress.com, (508) 255-4685 x 329​

October 16, 2017—Bookish.com, an editorial content site connecting readers with books and authors, owned by NetGalley LLC, today announces the launch of BookishFirst, an early preview and review platform for avid readers.

With BookishFirst, readers discover new books and authors, read pre-publication excerpts, win free books, provide valuable blurbs and reviews, and share their love of books with the world.

Readers enter raffles to win free books by writing blurbs (“First Impressions”) based on excerpts (“First Looks”). The raffle winners receive the full book approximately one month pre-pub, and then post full reviews to major book retail sites on publication day. Readers earn points for each action, which can later be redeemed for more free books.

Publishers use the BookishFirst platform to announce their books prior to publication to an active, dedicated community. By participating in BookishFirst raffles, publishers and authors expand discoverability, develop direct relationships with their audience, and generate reviews on retail channels on publication date. The launch raffle includes books from Berkley Publishing Group, Del Rey, Disney-Hyperion, Gallery Books, Harlequin, Sourcebooks Fire, and St. Martin’s Press.

“We are thrilled to launch this new part of Bookish, as it offers a new level of engagement for the passionate book-loving community that has already connected with the strong, curated editorial voice on Bookish.com,” says Lindsey Lochner, VP, Marketing Engagement, NetGalley. “We’re also excited to offer publishers a new platform to capture early reviews and create buzz around their books directly with avid readers. We foresee BookishFirst becoming an important tool for publishers to gain consumer insights, analyze trends, and better understand how to connect directly with readers.”

The technology behind the BookishFirst platform is already a proven concept in Germany with a 97% review rate. NetGalley has licensed the North American rights to the platform under the Bookish brand.

About Bookish
Bookish.com is an editorial content site connecting readers with books and authors. The Bookish Mission: Help readers discover their next favorite book. Features on Bookish.com include seasonal previews, author interviews & exclusives, book club recommendations, giveaways, gift guides, and more. Bookish was acquired by NetGalley LLC in 2016, and functions as an editorially independent, standalone site with a commitment to connecting visitors with interesting and relevant content. Please visit www.bookish.com.

Contact: Lindsey Lochner, VP, Marketing Engagement: lindsey.lochner@bookish.com

Archer now CTO of both NetGalley and Firebrand

Newburyport, MA, October 2, 2017 —NetGalley, LLC, the company that provides publisher marketing services and secure, digital review copies to reviewers, media, librarians, booksellers and educators, today announced several internal promotions:

Lindsey Lochner has been promoted to VP, Marketing Engagement, reporting to Fran Toolan, CEO. Lochner is responsible for all NetGalley marketing and advertising services, as well as those provided by Bookish.com, which NetGalley acquired last year.

Tarah Theoret has been promoted to Director, Community Engagement, reporting to Lochner. Theoret will manage the reader communities for both NetGalley.com and Bookish.com.

Kristina Radke has been promoted to VP, Business Growth & Engagement, reporting to Toolan. Radke is responsible for all publisher acquisition and management for the NetGalley platform in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, as well as overseeing partner relationships in Germany, France, and Japan.

Shane Archer, current CTO of NetGalley, has been promoted to CTO of both NetGalley, LLC and Firebrand Technologies. Relating to Archer’s elevated status, Israel Carberry has been promoted to Engineering Manager of NetGalley, reporting to Archer.

“These promotions are recognition for many outstanding contributions to NetGalley and are testament to its growth in the past few years,” commented Fran Toolan, CEO of both NetGalley and Firebrand Technologies. “NetGalley is poised for future significant growth, and this team will make it happen. I am especially excited about Shane’s promotion as I see many opportunities for NetGalley and Firebrand to more closely collaborate on future projects.”

About NetGalley
NetGalley (www.netgalley.com) is an industry-standard service to help readers of influence discover and recommend new books to their audiences. NetGalley delivers secure, digital galleys to professional readers on behalf of over 300 publishers in North America, Australia, the UK, France and Germany, to help promote and market new books. NetGalley is part of Firebrand Technologies (www.firebrandtech.com), which provides leading software and services to help publishers achieve success.

Evers now Assistant Director of NetGalley UK

Newburyport, MA, USA, 11 October, 2017 —NetGalley, LLC, the company that provides publisher marketing services and secure, digital review copies to reviewers, media, librarians, booksellers and educators, today announced the launch of a new country-specific site for the United Kingdom, which will be live 25th October. Additionally, NetGalley.jp (which has been in beta release for several months in Japan) will have its official launch on 17th October , 2017.

NetGalley has long been established in the UK publishing community and the launch of NetGalley.co.uk on 25th October means it will have its own dedicated, UK-focused site for the first time. Furthermore, publishers will now be able to promote their titles on NetGalley sites around the world – including NetGalley.com, NetGalley.co.uk, NetGalley.fr, NetGalley.de, and NetGalley.jp.

As the new site launches, Stuart Evers is promoted to Assistant Director, NetGalley UK, overseeing all client acquisitions and marketing services for the UK platform. Evers continues to report to Kristina Radke, VP, Business Growth & Engagement for NetGalley.

“The UK is our fastest growing market, and we are thrilled to be able to provide their own dedicated site, while preserving their ability to promote to US influencers,” commented Fran Toolan, CEO of both NetGalley and Firebrand Technologies. “We are also pleased and excited that NetGalley.jp has now achieved enough momentum in Japan to warrant a full release.”

Evers notes, “Since joining NetGalley five years ago, I’ve been looking forward to a site specifically for UK influencers and publishers. The launch of co.uk will ensure members can discover the very best books in the UK, and publishers can promote their titles to the UK’s most important readers. It’s hugely exciting and I can’t wait for everyone to log in.”

“Stuart has been a key part of NetGalley’s success in the UK and has demonstrated unwavering enthusiasm and support for this market,” says Radke. “I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure NetGalley serves the needs of UK publishers and readers.”

About NetGalley
NetGalley (www.netgalley.com) is an industry-standard service to help readers of influence discover and recommend new books to their audiences. NetGalley delivers secure, digital galleys to professional readers on behalf of over 300 publishers in North America, Australia, the UK, France and Germany, to help promote and market new books. NetGalley is part of Firebrand Technologies (www.firebrandtech.com), which provides leading software and services to help publishers achieve success.

This ecumenical book is being praised as a “tool to assist us in reflecting upon and expressing our wishes around dying,” by Sr. Maryann Lucy, OP, of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters of Wisconsin, and as “a gift that opens the heart to the deeper personal mysteries of death and dying,” by Barry R. Howe, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.

Sacred Dying Journal by Megory Anderson, PhD, adds to the growing Paraclete Press list of pastoral care resources related to grief, bereavement, suicide, and addiction.

Specific questions and exercises help the reader to discover their wishes, desires, and spiritual needs for the final chapter of their lives. As the culture continues to discuss ethics of euthanasia and aspects of palliative care, this book highlights the spiritual needs of those approaching the end of life.

Marketing will include promotion through the author’s Sacred Dying Foundation, as well as outreach initiatives to hospices, funeral homes, and chaplains, and pastoral care programs in churches of many denominations.

The book launches the weekend of October 13–15, 2017 at the The Art of Dying Conference: Spiritual Scientific and Practical Approaches to Living and Dying at New York’s Open Center.

For more information, contact Sr. Antonia Cleverly, srantonia@paracletepress.com, (508) 255-4685 x 329​.​