April 13, 2020 Edition
Industry News
Publisher Tammy Faxel has died
Tammy Faxel, publisher at Midwest Tape’s Dreamscape Media, passed away unexpectedly on March 30. She was 55. Faxel began her publishing career over 35 years ago, alongside her mother, at Tyndale House Publishers. Before moving to Dreamscape Faxel held leadership positions at IBS‐STL GLOBAL, Oasis Audio, and Amazon Publishing.
LSC files Chapter 11
LSC Communications announced this morning that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The filing has been expected for several months as the country’s largest book printer—and one of its largest printers overall—has struggled under the weight of its failed merger with Quad Graphics and the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
International Christian Rights & Export Fair postponed to 2021
ECPA has cancelled the 2020 International Christian Rights & Export Fair (ICREF), scheduled June 16-17 in Chicago. “This an action we wish we didn’t have to take, but we are all living in a new reality with an unknown future, at least in the short term,” stated ECPA president Stan Jantz. “In these days of uncertainty, we stand with each of our members as they carry on the important work of publishing the good news of Jesus Christ.” We are already working with Moody Bible Institute to secure a date for 2021. To be notified, contact ECPA.
ECPA Awards Ceremony and member meetings go online next month
When the ECPA Leadership Summit was postponed to the Fall, ECPA decided to keep the ECPA Awards Ceremony, Annual Member Meeting, and ECPA committee meetings on the same dates, May 4-6, and go online. ECPA members and committee members will receive information related to their online meetings. Committees will meet on May 4 and the ECPA annual member meeting will meet online on May 6. The Winners Webcast for the Christian Book Awards is free and available to the public – for the first time. To receive information, sign up here.
Stormie Omartian to participate in Christian Book Awards winners webcast with prayer for industry
The Christian Book Award® winners in 12 categories from a pool of 65 finalists, along with the 2020 Christian Book of the Year®, will be announced in a special online 30-minute broadcast of the ECPA Awards Celebration on May 5, 2020 at 1 pm central time. The online awards broadcast will feature Pinnacle Award recipient and bestselling author of The Power of a Praying® series, Stormie Omartian, who will deliver a specially-written prayer for our world and for the industry in this time of crisis. “It will be incredible for us all to pray with Stormie at this critical moment in history and in our industry,” states ECPA president and CEO Stan Jantz.
Sign up to receive May 5th Winners Webcast information
View the 65 Finalists of the 2020 Christian Book Award program
Industry Responses to Covid-19 Crisis
IVP builds community through #ReadTogether and Together at Home webpage
As everyone sets out to physically distance from one another, IVP is working to bring people together with #ReadTogether and Together at Home, two online tools to stay hopeful in community during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read More...
Gateway Publishing provides digital resources to help small local churches
When the spread of COVID-19 created the sudden new reality of “online only” services and engagement, the team at Gateway Publishing® sprang into action to provide a variety of digital resources, tools, and tips to help small local churches.
Read More...
Nord Compo is open for business
People all over the globe are feeling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. For our part, we’ve had to overcome tough challenges on two continents. In France, where we have 150 employees, it’s been a rough ride because of the nationwide lockdown, but with our employees’ safety as our first concern, we were among the earliest to convert to a work-from-home model.
Read More...
BISG examines publishing supply chain in Covid-19 report
Organized in response to the pandemic, the Book Industry Study Group hosted a 90 minute video chat April 9 to discuss the results of a survey about the impact of the Covid-19 on the publishing supply chain. The survey showed an industry reeling from canceled orders and loss of revenue, layoffs and furloughs of staff, and the potential loss of a significant number of independent bookstores.
Christian authors and groups come together to help small churches at risk
Several national Christian groups and leaders, led by the AND Campaign, have announced an initiative to help small churches throughout the U.S. that are at-risk of closing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read More...
Upcoming Webinars
From knkPublishing:
- April 16: How to make your next virtual event attractive and interactive
- April 21: Task Planning Digital – Tools & Best Practices
- More resources listed on the knk blog
From Firebrand Technologies:
- April 14: Metadata in the COVID Era and Beyond
Free webinar and group discussion about how metadata changes might be able to help you in this time of uncertainty. We’ll discuss practical steps you can take to increase the visibility of your books, and offer some outside-the-box thoughts on getting books into the hands of consumers.
From The Center for Public Justice:
- April 17: Work Loss in a Pandemic
Join CPJ for a webinar on what CARES Act changes to unemployment insurance could mean for faith-based employers and workers in the sacred sector. The U.S. unemployment rate is surging, and faith-based organizations and their workers are feeling the effects.
Milestones
Tyndale House Publisher receives eight Sales Milestone Awards
ECPA recently awarded Tyndale House Publishers with one GOLD Award for One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge by Tony Dungy for achieving more than 500,000 sold. In addition, seven BRONZE Awards were presented to the following titles for sales exceeding 100,000:
- Memory Rescue by Dr. Daniel G. Amen
- The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore
- Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers
- The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
- The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel C. Rosenberg
- The Persian Gamble by Joel C. Rosenberg
- The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp
Product News
Oxford professor John C. Lennox releases “Where Is God in a Coronovirus World?”
We are living through a unique, era-defining period. Many of our old certainties have gone, whatever our view of the world and whatever our beliefs. The coronavirus pandemic and its effects are perplexing and unsettling for all of us, and it has left many asking the question ‘Where is God?’
Read More...
John Piper releases book with Crossway, “Coronavirus and Christ"
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, John Piper has written a short book, “Coronavirus and Christ” (Crossway, April 2020), to address the fear and uncertainty that people are experiencing.
Read More...
Minno releases free 'Church at Home' Easter content for kids
Minno is continuing its commitment to helping families worship at home while they are unable to physically attend church due to COVID-19.
Read More...
Christian retail veteran to release new title offering hope in times of uncertainty
Christian retail industry veteran and business coach Lorraine Bossé-Smith has released her latest book offering hope and practical steps for moving forward despite the challenges during the Covid-19 crisis.
Read More...Media Announcements
Other News
INDUSTRY
PUBLISHING
- US Senate IP Chief Questions Internet Archive’s ‘National Emergency Library’
- Print Units Rose 6.9% Last Week
- Industry Sales Rose in January
- European Publishers See 25% Drop in Revenue
- Publishing's First Quarter in 2020: A Good Start, Then the Virus
- Financial Results Varied for Publishers in 2019
- Coronavirus Concerns Prompt Cost Cuts
- Mike Shatzkin on how coronavirus will change the publishing industry
- Ingram Is Out of BookExpo and BookCon
- Links to Bologna Global Rights Exchange Now Live
- We Need Diverse Books Launches Fund for Creatives in Children’s Publishing
