Hey-O Stories of the Bible will release October 1

Grand Rapids, MI – May 13, 2024 – Zonderkidz, the major Christian children’s book publisher, is pleased to announce that a new storybook Bible will be released October 1 in partnership with Saddleback Church, one of the largest churches in the U.S. The new storybook Bible Hey-O Stories of the Bible will be based on the immensely popular YouTube video series of the same name created by the Saddleback Kids team, which now has over 700,000 subscribers with over 225 million views and is used as a Bible-teaching curriculum all over the world.

The animated Bible stories are biblically accurate and created under the guidance of the Saddleback Kids team and pastors who have a heart for bringing God’s word to children in an engaging, age-appropriate way. The new book features nearly 70 Bible stories and offers a QR code linking to the collection of corresponding Hey-O videos on StudyGateway.com, a video streaming service that features Bible studies from top Bible teachers as well as Biblically-centered kids content. A Spanish edition of Hey-O Stories of the Bible is also forthcoming.

“We’re so pleased to work with the Saddleback Kids team to offer this all-new Bible storybook, the first based on popular video content that has reached so many millions of families already. We are thrilled to be able to meet families where they’re at with both the physical Bible storybook format as well as the corresponding videos through Study Gateway— allowing families to build their biblical literacy together and early readers to follow along and enjoy the text and videos,” says Megan Dobson, Vice President and Publisher of Zonderkidz.

“Our children’s ministry team has dreamed of this opportunity for quite some time, and we are thrilled it is finally happening,” says Charlotte St. Hilaire, NextGen Creative Content Pastor with Saddleback Church.  “It has been amazing to see how God has used what started as something for the kids at Saddleback to speak his truth on all kinds of platforms, reaching kids, churches, leaders and parents where they are, and spreading God’s story and the good news of Jesus all around the globe. We can’t wait to launch this physical storybook Bible to the world!”

About Hey-O:
Learn more about Hey-O here: http://www.saddleback.com/heyokids
The popular YouTube channel featuring Hey-O videos can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@saddlebackkids

About the Book:
Hey-O Stories of the Bible
Published by Zonderkidz
9780310159254
Hardcover
Pages: 384
On Sale Date: 10/1/2024
Suggested Retail Price $24.99

About Saddleback Kids:
Saddleback Kids, the children’s ministry of Saddleback Church, headquartered in California with campuses around the world, believes that every kid should be known, connected, equipped, and empowered. More about Saddleback Kids can be found here:   https://saddleback.com/connect/ministry/saddleback-kids

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imaginative, innovative and educational resources that represent a Christian worldview and build up God’s children and teens. For additional information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.

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

Media Contact:  Jessica Westra, Director of Publicity, Zonderkidz
Jessica.Westra@harpercollins.com, 616-403-6628

May 2024 | LISLE, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) and IVP Kids will be releasing its first middle grade fiction series. Don Everts, a prolific nonfiction author for IVP, has signed a three-book contract with IVP Kids for the Argus Sensates series. The first book in the series, tentatively titled Bubbles and the Argus Sensates, will release in Spring 2026.

Elissa Schauer, editor for IVP Kids, said, “With the success of IVP Kids, we had been considering how to expand our reach to other age ranges of children and youth. I’ll be honest—middle grade fiction wasn’t at the top of my list, mostly because it’s tough to do well. So when Don sent me this manuscript, I figured that I would skim it and then send along my kind regrets. But the reality is, as soon as I started reading, I was hooked!”

The tale of Bubbles and the Argus Sensates asks the questions, What if you could see beyond the mere physical as you walked the halls of your high school? What if, without warning, you were suddenly able to see regret or hear anxiety or smell anger? This is exactly what happens to the protagonist, Oscar Bender.

“On one level, this is a fun coming of age story that trades on the natural appeal of stories that involve young teens discovering special abilities, finding community with others who are like them, and pooling their unique abilities to defeat evil,” Everts said. “On another level, this novel creatively explores the wonderful adventure of growing up in today’s quickly changing, complex, tech-dominated world by pulling back the curtain on the usually unseen but unquestionably real world of the heart and soul and mind and gut. The Sensates’ unique abilities force them (and by extension the reader) to reexamine the important landscape of the ‘metaphysical’: What is really true about regret and anger and temptation and relationships and prayer and friendship and anxiety and distraction and hope? Finally, there is a spiritual level to this story. Oscar’s first-person account allows the reader inside his Christian faith and blooming prayer life.”

Everts adds that each of the three books in the series will provide a unique first-person account of what it’s like to be a Sensate, to be given a glimpse into important realities of the inner life while also navigating the complexities of high school and helping solve the latest in a string of mysteries that, it turns out, are all connected to a sinister conspiracy.

Schauer said, “Don’s initial query to me stated that he uses the genre of magical realism to ‘engage the soul, form the mind, and shape the imagination.’ As an IVP editor, those elements are key in the consideration of publishing this book. But as a fiction reader, I knew it would also need to have great characters, an interesting and unexpected plot line, and be filled with relationships and circumstances that draw in the young reader. And I’ve got to say—this book delivers!”

Don Everts is the senior pastor of First & Calvary Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri, and is a writer for Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Hopeful Neighborhood Project. Everts has spent almost three decades helping people on college campuses and in the local church become good stewards of their God-given gifts. Along the way, his wife, Wendy, has been helping Everts do the same. His many books include The Reluctant Witness, The Spiritually Vibrant Home, and The Hopeful Neighborhood, all of which feature original research from Barna and biblical insights for our everyday lives.

Through story and illustration, books from IVP Kids engage, challenge, and delight IVP’s young readers. And in keeping with IVP’s historic mission, IVP Kids offers resources that reflect and celebrate diverse voices, equipping and encouraging children to follow Jesus in every area of their lives.

Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com

May 2024 | LISLE, IL—A respected community activist and public scholar, Terence Lester was honored with the Author of the Year Award by Black Christian Influencers (BCI) at its honors event in Atlanta on May 10. Lester was recognized for his two most recent books: All God’s Children and Zion Learns to See, an IVP Kids title coauthored with his daughter, Zion Lester.

Jacqueline Horbrook, founder and CEO of BCI, said, “Terence Lester was voted as the winner by over one thousand of his peers and influencers. He has shown himself to be an author for the generation that speaks truth with pure intent and vulnerability.”

Through online community building, BCI aims to unite the kingdom by empowering the marginalized voice. The network of influencers connects people from all professional backgrounds and supports individuals, like Lester, who are making an impact in the world.

“I believe the work that Jackie Horbrook is doing with BCI is critically important,” Lester said. “She has created a platform that not only showcases Black leaders who strive to glorify God through their digital presence, but she is also deeply connected to the culture and intentionally creating space for those yet to be discovered by the world. I was both grateful and honored to receive an award and to participate in a panel discussion with several colleagues who are doing significant work in the realm of faith and justice.”

Lester says that he is driven by three ideals: (1) anyone can make a difference, (2) we don’t live forever, and (3) it’s worth dedicating one’s life to ensuring no one feels invisible. His books convey these themes.

In All God’s Children: How Confronting Buried History Can Build Racial Solidarity Lester shares the history of the struggles that Black people have faced against unjust systems, paving the way for the church to move beyond showing support from a distance toward long-term solidarity, advocacy, and friendship. He tells powerful stories of courage, injustice, pain, and triumph, including ones from his own history.

In Zion Learns to See: Opening Our Eyes to Homelessness Lester and Zion set out to mobilize young people to serve and notice those who often get overlooked in their communities. Inspired by real events, this children’s book allows kids and adults to learn with Zion about people experiencing homelessness and see how she is moved to respond as she recognizes that all people matter to God. Terence Lester said, “This project represents more than just another book project; it’s a deeply felt journey of embedding crucial life lessons in our children, with the hope that such empathy is shared with other children too.”

Having experienced homelessness and poverty himself, Lester is committed to seeing and writing about those who often go unnoticed. At the age of sixteen, Terence was a high school dropout and a member of a gang. A rebellious teen, he lived on the streets and even attempted to take his own life. At twenty, he was arrested. In jail Lester met a man who talked to him about life decisions. By the start of the following year, Lester had committed to share his testimony to change the lives of others.

Today Lester is the founder of Love Beyond Walls, a not-for-profit organization focused on poverty awareness and community mobilization. He received his PhD in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in public policy and social change from Union Institute and University. His campaigns on behalf of the poor, including #LoveSinksIn (which provides handwashing stations for the poor), have been featured in USA Today, Black Enterprise, and Reader’s Digest. They have been viewed by millions of people globally on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, NBC, Upworthy, and “The Bright Side” with Katie Couric. He was also named by Coca-Cola as one of their History Shakers.

Lester has also received numerous awards for his community activism, including the National Urban League Humanitarian Award, Brawny Giant Award, the American Express NextGen Award, the SCLC Social Advocacy Award, Atlanta Voice’s 50 Under 50, the True to Atlanta Award presented by the Atlanta Hawks, Fulton County Schools Service Award, and Plywood People’s Innovator Award.

Lester’s other books include When We Stand, I See You, Getting Past Stuck, Simple Prayers for Hurting People, and Identity Theft. His forthcoming book, From Dropout to Doctorate (IVP), will release in Winter 2025. Lester has also coproduced a biographical documentary based on his book The U-Turn Project: Answering the Call.

Al Hsu, associate editorial director at IVP, said, “In the space of five years, Terence wrote three nonfiction books and one children’s book—in the midst of a pandemic and medical challenges while completing his PhD! He’s a tenacious, passionate, hardworking author who has not let adversity prevent him from writing what God has called him to write. Congratulations to Terence on this well-deserved honor.”

Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP), a subsidiary of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, has been publishing thoughtful Christian books and content to equip Christians for a vibrant life of faith. IVP products speak boldly into important cultural moments and provide innovative resources for leaders in the academy and the church. To learn more, visit ivpress.com.

Contact:  Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com

Everything is Extraordinary: True stories about how we live, love and pay attention by Cole Moreton is now out (on May 7) by Hodder Faith.

Here’s some more information about the book:

What if we could learn to live with such awareness long before the end? To appreciate every moment, and every encounter with another human or with the natural world around us? Might we, too, learn that everything is extraordinary? That we are interconnected and interdependent?

Each encounter we have with another person is potentially meaningful because our very humanity depends on being connected with others. As Desmond Tutu says: “I couldn’t be a human being on my lonesome, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

In a set of lyrical meditations, award-winning writer and interviewer Cole Moreton takes us face-to-face with the famous, the infamous — and others with insights to share — from Scarlett Johansson, Tiger Woods and Queen Elizabeth II to Zahra, a refugee who crossed the Channel on a tiny, overladen rubber boat. We meet all of them as equals and each fascinating story tells us something about the way we live, love and reach out to find each other, whoever we are.

Everything Is Extraordinary builds into a mesmerising and lyrical meditation on the joy of being alive and open to the world. All we need to do is pay attention.

The book is available to buy wherever books are sold.

#1 New York Times bestselling author and renowned Bible teacher Joyce Meyer instructs readers on an integral part of the Christian faith–knowing God’s will and acting on it–in this practical and encouraging book. 

Did you ever dream about what you would be when you grew up? We think naturally about our purpose because God tells us that He created us to do great things. But how do we know when we have truly found God’s calling for our lives? Many people live most of their lives striving to find and follow God’s will but still wondering whether they’ve gotten it right. The many pressures, expectations, and distractions we experience can create confusion and anxiety and cause us to doubt whether we are following God’s will or if He even has a plan for us at all.

Beloved Bible teacher Joyce Meyer invites us on a journey to confidence, freedom, and peace through exploring the wisdom of what the Bible tells us about God’s character and about His love and purpose for us. She also offers practical steps to discovering how to build your trust in God, seek His guidance, and overcome the fear of missing out on His best for you.

If you’re struggling to have confidence that you can hear God’s voice and know what He’s created you to be and do, Finding God’s Will for Your Life will leave you with more peace and more confidence to live joyfully in God’s love and walk the path He has for you.

Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading Bible teachers. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches practically and candidly, openly sharing her experiences and helping millions of people to apply biblical principles to their situations and ultimately find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Her book Battlefield of the Mind has been a perennial bestseller, teaching people how to win the war in their minds and “think about what they think about.” Joyce holds conferences across the United States, and her Enjoying Everyday Life program is broadcast on TV, radio and online to millions in over 100 languages.

(Ada, Michigan) May 7, 2024 – Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce that House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget by Myquillyn Smith is #7 on the Publishers Weekly Bestsellers list for the week of May 6 and ranked #155 on the USA TODAY’s Best-selling Booklist for the week of April 23.

House Rules transcends trends and applies to every style. The book is a guide to understanding why some rooms look great and other rooms don’t look quite right.  See House Rules in action here.

In the book, Smith offers a charming collection of one hundred memorable, universal decorating truths that apply to every house, style, and budget. By guiding you to do what you know, use what you have, and finish what you started, Myquillyn Smith will help you find understanding, confidence, satisfaction, inspiration, and motivation for better decorating decisions.

Myquillyn Smith, also known as “The Nester,” is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Welcome Home and Cozy Minimalist Home. For the past 15 years, she has been encouraging women to embrace their space—imperfections and all—and make it their own. Her home in North Carolina has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Cottages & Bungalows. She’s never met a home she didn’t love. Find her online at TheNester.com and on Instagram @TheNester.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, was founded in 1870 and has spent more than a century focused on publishing books that offer both inspiration and practical help to readers. Over the decades Revell books have included numerous New York Times bestsellers as well as titles in a variety of genres including fiction, Christian living, marriage, family, youth and self-help.

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

Contact: Kelli B. Smith, (616) 676-9185 x394, ksmith@bakerpublishinggroup.com

Rosie’s Wild Ride to Release October 8, 2024

Grand Rapids, MI – May 6, 2024.  Zonderkidz is pleased to announce that Western influencer and debut author Paige Murray will publish a children’s picture book titled Rosie’s Wild Ride: Chasing Big Dreams, releasing October 8, 2024.

Inspired by real animals and adventures from her Texas ranch, the book features a big Clydesdale horse named Rosie who has a big dream: to be a rodeo star. Rosie teams up with her cowgirl pal Oakley, the author’s daughter, inspiring readers to chase big dreams.

A rogue bull disrupts the rodeo competition and Rosie and Oakley are the only ones big and brave enough to stop him. Rodeo events aren’t designed for a big horse and little girls, but this book is an inspiring story of resilience and self-confidence. Rosie and Oakley save the day, teaching kids they can dream big and accomplish their goals.

Rosie’s Wild Ride is beautifully illustrated by Kristen Humphrey. The book features real-life photos of Rosie and Oakley, along with horse and rodeo facts we learn from Paige and her husband Ty Murray, a nine-time World Champion Cowboy.

“We are in love with this story of teamwork and chasing big dreams based on Murray’s life experiences in the rodeo world,” says Zonderkidz Vice President and Publisher Megan Dobson. “Paige wants readers to ask, ‘What if I can?’ and to encourage kids to keep chasing their goals and never give up on their dreams.”

Along with major retail outlets, the book will be sold at PBRShop.com, the online bookstore of PBR (Professional Bull Riders).  This is the first time a children’s book will be for sale at the PBR, and their athletes will be using Rosie’s Wild Ride to promote reading in schools they visit across the country.

“I’m so proud of this book that reflects our family’s story,” says Murray. “I’m especially grateful for the support from the PBR and the PRCA in believing in this book to reach and inspire a younger generation through the close-knit family that is the Western Sports industry.”

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) will carry the book through its online store; and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, will sell Rosie’s Wild Ride in their bookstore. The book is available to be pre-ordered anywhere books are sold.

Paige Murray makes her home outside of Stephenville, Texas, along with her husband Ty, their daughter Oakley, and her stepson Kase. Their ranch is filled with numerous animals they manage: 500 cows, 6 horses, 1 mini-horse, 3 donkeys, 3 dogs, 5 cats, 11 chickens, 2 peafowl, 3 guinea birds, 3 rabbits, 2 turkeys, 1 hamster and a pet rat. Paige is a graduate of Clemson University, with a degree in Animal Science. She is a former broadcast journalist and rodeo reporter. More information on Paige and the new book can be found here: https://bootsandbiscuits.com/rosieswildride/

The book was acquired by Katherine Easter, of Zonderkidz, with literary agent Esther Fleece Allen representing the author.

Advance review copies of the book and media interviews are available upon request; please contact Publicity Director Jessica Westra at jessica.westra@harpercollins.com.

About the book:
Rosie’s Wild Ride: Chasing Big Dreams
Author: Paige Murray
Illustrator: Kristen Humphrey
9780310161585
Hardcover picture book, ages 4 – 8 (will also be available in e-book)
Release date: October 8, 2024

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imaginative, innovative and educational resources that represent a Christian worldview and build up God’s children and teens. For additional information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.

Media Contact: Jessica Westra, Director of Publicity, Zonderkidz, Jessica.westra@harpercollins.com

May 2024 | LISLE, IL—The InterVarsity Press (IVP) daily Bible podcast, Get in the Word with Truth’s Table, received the Award of Excellence in the category of Religion & Spirituality from the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts as part of its 30th Annual Communicator Awards. The Award of Excellence, the highest honor, is given to those entrants whose ability to communicate positions them as the best in the field.

Produced in partnership with the popular podcast Truth’s Table, Get in the Word with Truth’s Table features daily Bible readings and prayers narrated by Dr. Christina Edmondson and Ekemini Uwan, two cohosts of Truth’s Table.

Uwan said, “As Christians, there is a temptation to water down our faith in God and our commitment to trust God’s Holy Word for fear that we will be rejected by society. So to receive the 2024 Communicator Award of Excellence for communicating the Word of God by reading and praying through the Bible is a true honor. When the Word of God is read by Black women, who are not often heard in the audio Bible podcast realm, we see the power the Word of God has to reach, resonate, and have an impact on people within and outside of Christianity. For that, we say, to God be the glory!”

The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and reviewed by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative, and marketing firms. AIVA members include executives from organizations such as Amazon, Big Spaceship, Chelsea Pictures, Conde Nast, Critical Mass, Disney, ESPN, GE Digital, IBM, The Nation of Artists, Nextdoor, Spotify, Time Inc., the Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones, and Wired.

Helen Lee, IVP’s director of Strategic Initiatives, said, “Looking at the list of recipients for the Communicator Awards of Excellence, I am so delighted to see that a podcast featuring the Word of God was recognized among the honorees, which also include entities such as the White House, PBS, and Disney. This is not by our own human efforts but through God’s hand upon this daily offering that IVP has been so honored to be a part of alongside our friends and partners from Truth’s Table. Working with Christina Edmondson and Ekemini Uwan on this special project has been a tremendous blessing, and I’m so glad that this unique contribution to the church and world continues to find an increasing audience that is getting into God’s Word in deeper measure.”

Featuring the New English Translation and a reading plan developed by Peter Schrock of Bible Study Together, the Get in the Word with Truth’s Table episodes move chronologically through the Old Testament and make relevant connections between the Old and New Testaments along the way, interweaving Scripture passages together in a single tapestry so that Old Testament stories, psalms, and prophecies connect as much as possible to New Testament teaching without losing their original context. The podcast restarts on January 1 each year, but listeners can begin anytime and move through the readings at their own pace. In October 2023, Get in the Word with Truth’s Table reached the landmark accomplishment of being downloaded one million times.

In response to the Communicator Awards announcement, Edmonson said, “We don’t do the work that we do for earth acknowledgments, but it is amazing to experience this Godwink! The Communicator Award for Excellence is a reminder that our hard work is recognized and that the standard of excellence that we pursue is not in vain. We continue to hope that the attention from this award, and any others that the Lord sees fit to provide, will draw people’s attention to God‘s Holy Word, which changes lives and transforms communities. As always, we’re grateful for our partners at IVP, who are eager to shine their light in the world of publishing and podcasting.”

Get in The Word with Truth’s Table is one of a growing number of projects underwritten by IVP’s Every Voice Now Initiative, which seeks to amplify and elevate voices of color.

Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP), a subsidiary of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, has been publishing thoughtful Christian books and content to equip Christians for a vibrant life of faith. IVP products speak boldly into important cultural moments and provide innovative resources for leaders in the academy and the church. To learn more, visit ivpress.com.

Contact:  Krista Clayton | kclayton@ivpress.com

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., May 13, 2024 – B&H Publishing Group is proud to announce that “You Are a Theologian” by Jen Wilkin and J. T. English was awarded the Christian Book Award in the Christian Living category by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

ECPA announced the winners of the 2024 Christian Book Awards® in 12 categories from 65 finalists at the ECPA Awards Celebration held April 30 in Chicago during the ECPA Leadership Summit. The Christian Book Award® program has “recognized the highest quality in Christian books since 1978,” according to the ECPA.

Published in July 2023, “You Are a Theologian” addresses key theological questions and invites readers to grow in their knowledge and love of God by moving from being merely a consumer of theology to a contributor of the conversation.

“The work Jen Wilkin and J.T. English have done training the local church is both a project of innovation and retrieval,” said Devin Maddox, B&H Publisher. “They have reimagined the ancient way of equipping the saints for biblical, theological and spiritual training. Now, we have the most important elements of discipleship articulated clearly for a new generation in their book.”

“It is so encouraging that a book about the importance of theology in the life of every single person would win an award in Christian living,” said J. T. English and Jen Wilkin. “Good theology is the most important element of helping people live well. We hope that more and more people will accept the invitation to know and love God.”

English serves as a pastor, professor and is the author of “Deep Discipleship: How the Local Church Can Make Whole Disciples.” He is passionate about seeing God glorified through discipleship in the context of the local church.

Wilkin, a well-known Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas, is an advocate for Bible literacy and has organized and led studies for women in homes, churches and parachurch contexts. She has authored multiple Bible studies and books, including the bestseller, “Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds.”

“You Are A Theologian” tied with “God Never Gives Up on You” by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson).  Additionally, B&H celebrated several titles as finalists in their respective categories:

• Bibles: “CSB Life Counsel Bible,” New Growth Press and CSB Bibles by Holman (B&H Publishing Group)
• Bible Reference Works: “Greek Interlinear New Testament,” CSB Bibles by Holman (B&H Publishing Group)
• Bible Study: “Navigating Gospel Truth,” Rebecca McLaughlin (Lifeway Christian Resources)
• Young People’s Literature: “Hotel Oscar Mike Echo,” Linda MacKillop, B&H Publishing Group

For more information about the ECPA Christian Book Award® program, visit ChristianBookAwards.com. For more information about the book, visit YouAreATheologian.com.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources, is a team that believes Every Word Matters®. We seek to provide intentional, biblical content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, cultivating lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ. We publish (print and digital) in the trade, church, and academic markets, as well as the CSB translation. For more information, visit BHPublishingGroup.com.

In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit. For more information, visit Lifeway.com.

Contact: Stacey Blackmarr, stacey.blackmarr@lifeway.com

 

Redeeming A Woman’s Strength and Hope:  Two Authors Pen Novel, Ahōti! A Story of Tamar

Israeli tour educator and bestselling author Miriam Feinberg Vamosh and bestselling author Eva Marie Everson met in 2002 during a journalists’ tour Vamosh led. The two have penned their second co-authored book, Ahōti! A Story of Tamar (Paraclete Press, May 14, 2024).

Their first co-authored book, Reflections of God’s Holy Land was a finalist for the 2009 Christian Book Award in Inspiration & Gift.

Their novel looks at the true events that Tamar, the daughter of King David lived through, and the culture that led to her rape by her half-brother Amnon, later avenged by her brother, Absalom. When David learned about the events of his daughter, he did nothing and his daughter was left feeling shamed.

Says Vamosh, “This book shows the story of coming out of the wilderness and into redemption by a central figure in Israel’s history. Culturally, many women are experiencing this type of betrayal in their lives and are looking for hope in the midst of it.”

The book, based on an ancient document purportedly written by Gad the Seer, chronicles Tamar leaving Jerusalem and living in survival mode, not wanting people to know her royal identity, while working through the inner turmoil with a glimpse of hope in the end.

Everson explains, “David was a leader and father but seemed to forget the importance of his children. The story speaks to both the tragic and triumph in life that people experience. We see Tamar feeling betrayed, but she didn’t want revenge – she wanted redemption.”

Ahōti: A Story of Tamar tells the story of one woman who defies customary actions. The authors portray her story through the characters and chronological events of the biblical story. “We see the impact this story has on women struggling to take their place, to feel seen and heard, and we hope this book gives them courage.”

---

BOOK SUMMARY  

Ahōti (Heb: my sister) brings to life the Old Testament story of the biblical princess Tamar, the daughter of David, King of Israel. Tamar’s search to overcome humiliation and betrayal after being assaulted by her brother takes her away from her childhood home and forces her to navigate the machinations of royal courts. The familiar Bible story ends with Tamar living “desolate” (2 Samuel 13:20), but master storytellers Miriam Feinberg Vamosh and Eva Marie Everson take readers beyond this sorrowful ending to a horizon of hope with an adaptation of an ancient anonymous manuscript, purportedly written by Gad the Seer (1 Chronicles 29:29), which was discovered in India in the late 18th century. This manuscript provides a surprising conclusion, which has powerful modern-day significance. Rich with cultural, biblical, and historic detail, and spiritually compelling, Ahōti will inspire readers to overcome humiliation, betrayal, and pain to embrace a purposeful life.

“Vamosh and Everson put an empowering spin on the biblical story of Tamar, the daughter of King David…Vamosh and Everson’s characters are made three-dimensional through evocative descriptive language. The revisions to the original story—in the Bible, Tamar eventually dies “desolate” in Absalom’s household—uplift. It’s a welcome and often gripping portrait of the unsung courage of a biblical heroine.” – Publishers Weekly

“Over the course of Everson and Vamosh’s novel, Tamar realizes her own strength and self-worth, exploring her womanhood, spirituality, ambitions, and the realities of her world. She also learns to value the wisdom and care of others as she provides care of her own. Tamar’s growth over the course of her journey is compelling and insightful, and her story will resonate with readers who enjoy feminist historical fiction.” – Booklist

Visit the book trailer and to read more about Ahōti!, visit Goodreads.

---

AUTHORS

Miriam Feinberg Vamosh is an author of nearly a half million copies sold of her work. She’s an editor and translator specializing in heritage and culture and issues involving the presence of women in the archaeological record. Miriam holds an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s degree in archaeology and heritage, with distinction, from Leicester University.  Her work includes a historical novel, The Scroll (Toby Press) and her nonfiction books are Teach it to Your Children: How Kids Lived in Bible Days (Avimedia 2014), Women at the Time of the Bible (Palphot 2007); Food in the Bible: from Adam’s Apple to the Last Supper (Palphot 2005); Daily Life at the Time of Jesus (Palphot 2000, translated into over 30 languages); Israel, Land of the Bible (Palphot 2005) and Pathways Through The Land of the Hart (Gefen).  She is the author of numerous articles on Israel’s history and lore and a tour educator with a focus on sites connected to Christian heritage and culture in Israel. She has written three site guides to Israel national parks, translated several of the national park pamphlets distributed to visitors, and edits and translates the work of Israel Antiquities Authority scholars and others.  Miriam’s master’s degree thesis entitled “Speaking of Women: Engendering Presentation at Megiddo,” examined more than a century of archaeological excavations at Megiddo (Armageddon) to discover what finds about women had been ignored, and whether and how the site museum could be redesigned to represent the presence of women in a place where warfare seems a paramount concern. Among the books on archaeological themes that Miriam has translated: Back to Masada (Amnon Ben-Tor), Biblical Lachish (David Ussishkin), and Solomon’s Temple and Palace (Yosef Garfinkel and Madaleine Mumcuolglu).  A native of Trenton, New Jersey, Miriam has lived in Israel since 1970.  https://miriamfeinbergvamosh.com/

Eva Marie Everson is a multiple award-winning author and speaker. She is one of the original five Orlando Word Weavers critique group members, an international and national group made up of critique chapters. She served as the original president from 2000 to 2007 and is now CEO of Word Weavers International, Inc. Eva Marie served as a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild for several years and has taught at a number of writers conferences nationwide.  Eva Marie has served as an adjunct professor at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. In 2002 she was chosen as one of six journalists to tour Israel and in 2009 she, along with Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, worked with Israel’s Ministry of Tourism to organize another journalistic tour. Eva Marie has spoken in churches and women’s groups in the U.S. and Canada. A common face among faculty at Christian writers conferences across the nation, Eva Marie also serves as the director of the Florida Christian Writers Conference (along with Taryn Souders). In 2022 she received the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award (June) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from AWSA (August).  Eva Marie is a member of AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Association), ChiLibris, and FHL (Faith, Hope, and Love).  Eva Marie has received degrees and studied theology at Andersonville Baptist Seminary and The Tzemach Institute. She has been featured on numerous radio and television shows. Eva Marie and her husband live in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by a cat named Vanessa.  https://evamarieeversonauthor.com/

---

ENDORSEMENTS

As an author of biblical fiction, I know the amount of research and work that goes into crafting a story like this. Miriam Feinberg Vamosh and Eva Marie Everson comprise the perfect team.
– Jerry B. Jenkins, Writer of the Left Behind series and The Chosen novels

I was privileged to have the opportunity to discover, annotate, and publish the ancient text Words of Gad the Seer. Now I feel even more privileged, when Ms. Feinberg Vamosh and Mrs. Everson share part of the book with the whole world. This story of Tamar is for women by nature, and it is almost unbelievable that it was told thousands of years ago.
– Prof. Meir Bar-Ilan, Professor Emeritus Former chair, Talmud Department, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Author, among many other works, of Words of Gad the Seer (Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Publishing, 2016), Some Jewish Women in Antiquity (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1998)