August 12, 2019 Edition
Industry News
Crossway board appoints Josh Dennis as new president
The Crossway Board of Directors is delighted to announce that Josh Dennis has been unanimously elected as the next President of Crossway, effective immediately.
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HCCP announces new imprint: Harper Horizon
HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) and its HarperCollins Focus affiliate have announced the launch of a new nonfiction imprint, Harper Horizon. Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, formerly director of content acquisitions at Ingram Content Group, has been tapped to lead the new imprint as v-p and publisher.
Get It Local Today research confirms locations of 1800+ Christian retailers
In an effort to provide a comprehensive and current representation of the scope and scale of independent Christian retailing, the Get It Local Today team has launched an interactive map identifying more than 1,800 existing retail locations who sell mostly Christian products. This database represents the largest online directory of verified independent Christian retailers today.
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Elliott completes acquisition of Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. announced today the successful closing of its acquisition by funds advised by Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited. Elliott’s acquisition of Barnes & Noble, the largest retail bookseller in the United States, follows its June 2018 acquisition of Waterstones, the largest retail bookseller in the United Kingdom. Barnes & Noble serves 627 different communities across all 50 states.
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PubU Track Spotlight
Reader Engagement & Publicity sessions
ECPA PubU, held November 5-6 in Nashville to train, inspire, and connect Christian publishing practitioners, will feature more than 40 sessions in six publishing tracks: Emerging Leaders, Reader Engagement & Publicity, Data, Delivery & Workflow, Design, Editorial, and Digital Marketing. In addition, LYSA TERKEURST and ANDREW PETERSON will deliver keynote sessions.
Here is a spotlight on the sessions in the Reader Engagement & Publicity track, curated by Michele Misiak (Marketing Director, Revell/Baker Publishing Group) and Dave Schroeder (VP Marketing, B&H Publishing):
Goodreads and the Future of Reader Engagement: Mimi Chan from Goodreads will share how we can best guide our authors and book content to connect well with readers and ultimately drive sales.
Engaging Your Content with Minorities in the U.S.: Theon Hill, an expert on issues of diversity and inclusion, will explain how demographic developments impact the evangelical world and how publishers can best engage ethnic minorities with their content.
Master Your Media Messaging: Jennifer Willingham (ICON Media Group) will present the essential media training and messaging techniques used by New York Times bestselling authors, world-class experts, politicians and celebrities to turn the media into their best marketing tool.
The Best and Worst Ways to Promote your Book on a Show: Multiple notable podcasters and producers from around the country will discuss the best and worst ways to pitch your authors.
Drive Sales and Reach New Readers with BookBub: Morgan Hubbard (BookBub) will present the latest data and content trends in Christian ebook publishing, and how to use BookBub to increase visibility, find new fans, boost sales, generate revenue, and hit bestseller lists.
Reader Engagement Roundtable: In this session, we will discuss the most pressing questions about getting books discovered and shared in light of the shrinking retail footprint; and what we can learn from other industries on engaging customers.
Building and Engaging a Community: Lysa TerKeurst will share valuable wisdom about engaging hundreds of thousands of followers. Attendees will learn how they and their authors can be most effective building their own communities.
View all 44 sessions at ECPAPubU.org
Early bird pricing ends August 30. Includes special rate for post-conference Christy events for publishers and writers.
Media Announcements
Jordan Lee Dooley draws huge crowd to Baker Book House
Jordan Lee Dooley, author of "Own Your Everyday: Overcome the Pressure to Prove and Show Up for What You Were Made to Do," drew a crowd of 250 to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dooley spoke to the large crowd and signed copies of her book on July 23.
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Bible Gateway interviews Philip Yancey, author of “Fearfully and Wonderfully”
The marvelous human body holds endlessly fascinating secrets. The resilience of skin, the strength and structure of bones, the dynamic balance of muscles—our physical being is knit according to a pattern of stunning purpose. Consider how the human body is a window into biblical teaching. Bible Gateway interviewed Philip Yancey about his book, Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image (IVP Books, 2019).
Bible Gateway interviews Thomas A. Tarrants, author of “Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love”
How does reading the Bible change a man from a convicted KKK terrorist to a devoted follower of Jesus Christ? How does the dramatic power of Scripture bring liberation from the grip of racial hatred and violence and cause a man to become co-pastor of a racially mixed church and the president of the C.S. Lewis Institute? Bible Gateway interviewed Thomas A. Tarrants, author of Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love: How a Violent Klansman Became a Champion of Racial Reconciliation (Thomas Nelson, 2019).
Christian artist Anthony Evans on podcast discusses new book and bringing light to a dark world
Son of pastor Tony Evans and brother of author Priscilla Shirer, singer Anthony Evans struggled to find a place where he could be uniquely used by God. This week on the Jesus Calling podcast, he discusses how encouragement from his parents gave him the freedom to pursue his own calling and how he’s passing on his dad’s advice to “be yourself” to readers of his new book, Unexpected Places: Thoughts on God, Faith, and Finding Your Voice (August 2019, Thomas Nelson).
Product News
Tyndale House Publishers and NavPress to release new Bible and devotional titles this fall
This fall, Tyndale House Publishers and its alliance partner NavPress are releasing new Bible and devotional products—practical tools to strengthen readers’ faith daily. This diverse collection features titles designed to foster a love of knowing God and exploring His word daily.
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In new B&H release, Sarah Mae tells redemptive story of forgiving her alcoholic mother
In her compelling new memoir, “The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts,” Sarah Mae tells her story between ages 14-36, beginning with moving in with her mother at the age of 14 and wrestling with those very questions.
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In New Growth Press release, author helps middle schoolers use God’s word
In his new book, "Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community," best-selling author Champ Thornton provides an insightful guide for middle schoolers and young teens who want to live radically even though life and relationships are complicated.
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New devotional from Iron Stream Media offers glimpse into the faith lives of some of NFL’s best
Iron Stream Media announces “First Down Devotions: Inspiration from NFL’s Best,” which takes an inside look at popular National Football League players, coaches, and the people who help shape them to explore their successes both on and off the gridiron.
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Author and speaker Welby O’Brien re-releases titles through Deep River Books
Respected expert on the subjects of PTSD, Divorce, and Loss, Welby O’Brien is re-releasing three of her best-selling titles through Deep River Books.
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Other News
- Profits Rise 6% at HarperCollins in 2019: “Another solid year from HCCP”
- New imprint HarperVia to publish stories “mostly in translation"
- S&S Posts Gains in Sales, Profits in Q2
- Toni Morrison, Who Was America's Major Living Novelist, Dies at 88
- LSC Sales Fell in Q2, Loss Deepened
- Elliott Completes Purchase of B&N
- New York Times: Can Britain’s Top Bookseller Save Barnes & Noble?
- The Atlantic: The Amazon Publishing Juggernaut
- UK’s Publishers Association Leads ‘Axe the Reading Tax’ Campaign
- China's Book Market in the First Half of 2019: Up 10.82 Percent
- Webinar: The Next Revolution in Book Publishing and Manufacturing
- Free Webcast from Barna and World Vision looks at the future of Christianity
