February 27, 2017 Edition

All 240 Family Christian Stores are closing

Christianity Today:  More than two years ago, suppliers forgave Family Christian Stores $127 million in debt so that it could remain open. Today, the chain—which bills itself as “the world’s largest retailer of Christian-themed merchandise”—announced it is closing all of its stores after 85 years in business.  Family Christian, which employed more than 3,000 people in more than 240 stores across 36 states, blamed “changing consumer behavior and declining sales.”  more

Publishers Weekly: Publishers Plan for Future Without Family Christian

The Christy Award nominations open on Wednesday with expanded categories

Nominations for The Christy Award™ Christian fiction program will be accepted this week and throughout the month, March 1-31, in nine categories:  GENERAL; CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE; HISTORICAL ROMANCE; HISTORICAL; MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER; VISIONARY; FIRST NOVEL; YOUNG ADULT; and SHORT FORMAT.  Submissions are open to works of fiction written from a Christian worldview, published traditionally or independently from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.  Though ECPA is now the administrator of the program, submitting publishers do not need to be members.  ECPA discontinued its fiction category in the Christian Book Awards® last Fall in order to concentrate and celebrate the year’s best titles in Christian fiction exclusively through The Christy Award™.  Finalists will be announced in September and winners celebrated at an awards gala on November 8 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nomination Form and Program Criteria

 

Leadership Summit tackles the keys to industry’s future: A new strategic path for leaders and creating stronger ties to readers

ECPA’s Leadership Summit has always been the “must-attend” conference for the leaders of Christian publishing. This year, on May 2-3 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, Leadership Summit will take on even more importance and meaning. The theme, “Future Leaders for Future Readers,” reflects the content of the presentations. The opening and closing speakers, Dr. Barry Corey and Dr. Shirley Hoogstra, are global leaders in Christian higher education, where the majority of our future leaders and readers are emerging. Skot Welch, president of Global Bridgebuilders, will present a brilliant process for incorporating diversity into our companies and products. Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, will share the characteristics of the millennial family.  In between these outstanding presentations, a number of panels comprised of industry experts will report on Bible literacy, engagement, and its impact for all publishers; the ways publishers can reach new readers and maximize workflow efficiencies; and the growing market for children’s books.  In addition, Kristen McLean with NPD Book (formerly Nielsen) will present the industry’s latest market data and opportunities in Bibles and Children’s/YA.  The Christian Book Award® celebration on the evening of May 2 will be a highlight as we recognize the most outstanding books published in the last year and honor the recipient of the Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early Bird Registration  |   Program Schedule

Novelist Lynn Morris, daughter of Gilbert Morris, has died

Beloved novelist, Lynn Morris, daughter of Gilbert Morris, passed away January 28th from complications of pneumonia. Lynn was the author or coauthor of more than 20 works of historical fiction. Her publishers included Bethany, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, FaithWords, Harlequin, and Hendrickson. She is perhaps best known for her bestselling eight-book series, Cheney Duvall, M.D.  Greg Johnson, president of WordServe Literary and her agent for the last 20 years said, “She was perhaps the best researching novelist I’ve worked with. She was meticulous in setting, dialogue and the little details that make books page-turners. Along with that, she was committed to craft and telling believable stories.  All of this, and a devoted mother and friend.”

Christian titles strong on the week's New York Times Bestseller List

• #2 — THIS LIFE I LIVE by Rory Feek (W Publishing/Thomas Nelson) in hardcover nonfiction; #3 in combined print & ebook nonfiction
• #3 — THE SHACK by William P. Young (Windblown Media) in paperback trade; #4 in combined print & ebook fiction
• #4 — THE MAGNOLIA STORY by Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino (W Publishing/Thomas Nelson) in hardcover nonfiction; #5 in combined print & ebook nonfiction; #1 in celebrities; #2 in business
• #5 — COURAGE TO SOAR by Simone Biles with Michelle Burford (Zondervan) in young adult hardcover; #4 in sports & fitness
• #10 – UNINVITED by Lysa TerKeurst (Thomas Nelson) in advice, how-to & misc.; #3 in love & relationships; #5 in religion, spirituality & faith
• #1 — THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield) in advice, how-to & misc.; #2 in love & relationships
• #1 – SHAKEN by Tim Tebow (Waterbrook) in religion, spirituality & faith; #2 in sports & fitness
• #3 — THINK BETTER, LIVE BETTER by Joel Osteen (Faith Words) in religion, spirituality & faith
• #6 — THE BROKEN WAY by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) in religion, spirituality & faith
• #7 — THE BOOK OF MYSTERIES by Jonathan Cahn (Frontline) in religion, spirituality & faith
• #8 — PRESENT OVER PERFECT by Shauna Niequist (Zondervan) in religion, spirituality & faith

ECPA presents Sales Awards to titles released last Fall

ECPA presented W Publishing Group with a PLATINUM AWARD for The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines, for exceeding over 1 million in sales since its October 2016 release. This followed the GOLD AWARD recognition of Jesus Always by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) for exceeding 500,000 in sales in its first month of release. The Gold, Platinum, Diamond Sales Awards recognize sales milestones of 500,000, 1 million and 10 million.  Submissions received by March 24 will be specially recognized at the ECPA Awards Celebration with Chris Fabry at the ECPA Leadership Summit on May 2nd.

Nomination Form

Kingstone Bible reviewed in The Humanist

The Kingstone Bible has elicited a response in not only the religious market but the non-religious press as well. The website of atheist Richard Dawkins previously posted an article on the Bible comics produced by Kingstone, and this week The Humanist magazine did a three-page interview and review of the Kingstone Bible.  “We knew God had called us to be salt and light in the comics industry,” stated Kingstone CEO Art Ayris. “We just didn’t know all the interesting places He would send us.”

The Dr. Oz Show features power panel with Priscilla Shirer, Samuel Rodriguez, Carl Lentz

This week, a power panel made up of Hillsong New York Pastor Carl Lentz, best-selling author and speaker Priscilla Shirer, and renowned evangelist Samuel Rodriguez, join Dr. Oz and DeVon Franklin for a life-changing look at faith’s power to lift our relationships, career and life. Plus, see live interventions as these dynamic faith leaders help people struggling now.

Faithful Fridays Sneak Peak

Bible Gateway interviews Kari Kampakis, author of Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?

Would you rather be liked online—or loved in person? Social media can be great. But for girls growing up in a generation saturated with social media, getting enough “likes,” comments, and online friends can become an unhealthy obsession. Bible Gateway interviewed Kari Kampakis (@KariKampakis) about her book, Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For? (Thomas Nelson, 2016).

Read this interview.

 

Bible Gateway interviews Craig Groeschel, author of Divine Direction

Every day we make choices. And those choices accumulate and eventually become our life story. What story do you want your life to tell? What would your life look like if you became an expert at aligning those choices with biblical principles? Bible Gateway interviewed Craig Groeschel (@craiggroeschel) about his book, Divine Direction: 7 Decisions That Will Change Your Life (Zondervan, 2017).

Read this interview.