March 23, 2020 Edition
Industry News
A special note on current crisis from Stan Jantz, ECPA president
As our world continues to experience a crisis none of us anticipated, the realization that life is going to change for a while is starting to sink in. Of course, the health and safety of the families and those who work in our industry are of utmost concern. But increasingly there is also concern that publishers will need to make some adjustments until the crisis abates, and perhaps for a while longer.
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ECPA designated representatives participate in COVID-19 Impact Survey
Last week, the ECPA community participated in a COVID-19 Impact Survey, along with 25 other associations. The survey was developed and administered by Industry Insights. A total of 2,762 surveys were received from companies in retail, manufacturing, distribution, and publishing. An executive summary of that report will be distributed to ECPA designated representatives today on the E-Community online forum. Other ECPA members who wish a copy of the summary, can request a copy through ECPA by contacting Julia Borden at jborden@ecpa.org.
Amazon deprioritizes book sales amid Coronavirus crisis
Publishers Weekly — As it works to meet the surge in demand for “household staples, medical supplies, and other high demand products,” Amazon has sent a letter to other suppliers, including publishers, telling then to expect reduced purchase orders and extended delivery windows for existing purchase orders through April 5.
Ingram vows to defend industry through crisis
Publishers Weekly — Executives at Tennessee-based Ingram Content Group affirmed their commitment to support the bookselling and publishing trade as best they can through the coronavirus crisis. On Sunday, the metropolitan Nashville Mayor issued a “shelter in place” order for Davidson County, Tenn., which covers a geographical area where a large number of Ingram employees live and operate, and took effect as of midnight. But as Ingram’s wholesale, distribution, print on demand, and digital services fall into exceptions in the directives that were issued, the operations are considered essential services and the company has been encouraged to continue operations.
ECPA extends Christy Award submissions deadline to April 30
ECPA issued a statement last week extending the deadline for submissions to the Christy Award program: “During this time of crisis, we want to first and foremost extend our prayers that each of you stay well. This is a season of great disruption and ECPA is prepared to revise our programs accordingly. We continue to believe and support our industry’s mission to create God inspired content and redemptive stories that spread hope and grow faith. Thus, we are still taking Christy Award submissions but will extend the deadline another month, until April 30.”
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Committed to Serve: A message from the President of Tyndale House Publishers
For more than fifty years, the mission of Tyndale House Publishers has been to open God’s Word to as many people as possible in language they can relate to and understand. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tyndale is open for business and committed to serving readers by making products available that will minister to people’s spiritual needs. During this difficult time, we will continue to serve you in every way possible.
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BMI launches new online forum to promote information sharing
After BMI's webinar last week on how the industry was coping with COVID-19, several people asked if BMI could do more webinars as things develop. We will be holding more candid conversation webinars in coming weeks, but wanted to put something together that could be a resource at all times. In response, BMI is launching http://bookmanufacturers.org/.
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Writing for Your Life cancels Spring conferences; Launches online video series
Writing for Your Life has made the difficult decision to reschedule or cancel all of their conferences planned for this Spring, including Publishing in Color conferences and The Business of Being a Spiritual Writer seminars. Today, they are launching a new online video series called "Reading Hope in Trying Times."
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Milestones
ECPA presents Diamond Award to “New Believer’s Bible”; other sales milestone awards presented
ECPA presented a DIAMOND AWARD to Tyndale House Publishers for the New Believers Bible for achieving more than 10 million units sold.
In addition, one GOLD AWARD was received by InterVarsity Press for The Road Back To You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile for sales of more than 500,000. Four BRONZE AWARDS were also presented to the following titles for selling more than 100,000 units:
- The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross by Carl Laferton (The Good Book Company)
- Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown (InterVarsity Press)
- A Love Letter Life by Jeremy & Audrey Roloff (Zondervan)
- Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons (Zondervan)
Harvest House Publishers enjoying a season of top-selling books
Harvest House celebrates an outstanding month in March 2020 with four bestselling titles, setting the tone for more successful releases in the rest of 2020. "Stop Calling Me Beautiful" by Phylicia Masonheimer hit two bestseller lists in its first month, charting at #18 on Publishers Weekly Trade Paper Nonfiction list for the period ending March 2, 2020, and landing a #43 position on ECPA’s Christian Bestsellers March 2020 list.
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"The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross" surpasses 100,000 in print sales
The Good Book Company announces that "The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross" (The Good Book Company, February 2016) has surpassed 100,000 units in print sales.
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Product News
Paraclete Press announces one-month delay on titles scheduled for May and June release
Paraclete Press announces a one-month delay on titles that were to be published in May and early June. “We have added one month to those publication dates,” says Paraclete publisher Jon M. Sweeney. Paraclete has five new titles – a memoir, two novels, a nonfiction work on Henri Nouwen, and a chapbook of poems – that are publishing in March and April. Those books remain unaffected.
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B&H Publishing offers low-cost books with free discussion guides to churches
As churches across the nation are temporarily halting in-person worship gatherings and on-campus ministry activities in response to the coronavirus outbreak, church leaders are scrambling to figure out how to maintain continuity in their ministries and keep their congregations on the same page. B&H Publishing is providing a low-cost solution to ministry problems that result from COVID-19 social distancing and quarantines.
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Zonderkidz offers free resources for families to enrich their time together at home
Zonderkidz, the children’s division of Zondervan, has several free resources and downloads for families to enrich their time together at home. Over the weekend, thousands downloaded free activity kits, curriculum guides and more from the website at https://www.zonderkidz.com/resources/freebies/.
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Faith-based streaming App Minno offers immediate assistance to #StayAtHome families
In response to COVID-19, Minno launches free program giving churches and families easy-to-use digital tools to transfer the church experience to the home, including help for talking to kids about Coronavirus.
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Media Announcements
Chris & Emily Norton’s miraculous story of defying the impossible featured on podcast
Quadriplegics simply do not walk again – yet millions watched as Chris Norton defied incredible odds and took step by impossible step across his graduation stage. With his fiancée Emily by his side, those unbelievable steps became the start of an extraordinary journey for them both. Now husband and wife, Chris & Emily Norton recently joined Jesus Calling podcast to share their miraculous story. The Nortons’ book “The Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits while Leaning on Each Other” is available from Zondervan.
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John & Stasi Eldredge join Jesus Calling Podcast
Authors and founders of Ransomed Heart Ministries, John & Stasi Eldredge join the Jesus Calling podcast to share what it truly means to be restored. That moment when you bring the heart back into focus, you bring it back into the center right of the faith experience, which ultimately helps people find the healing ministry of Jesus amidst their brokenness. John’s devotional book “Restoration Year: A 365-Day Devotional” is available from Thomas Nelson.
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Bible Gateway interviews W. David O. Taylor, author of “Open and Unafraid”
How does the book of Psalms help make sense of life, art, metaphor, violence, suffering, and mortality? How do the Psalms reflect God’s attributes of justice, grace, goodness, healing, power, and refuge? How are the millennia-old psalms a guide to living faithfully the modern Christian life in the midst of joys, sorrows, angers, doubts, praises, and thanksgivings? Bible Gateway interviewed W. David O. Taylor (@wdavidotaylor), author of “Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life” (Thomas Nelson, 2020).
Bible Gateway interviews Ryan Romeo, author of “Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground”
Is God calling to you by giving you dreams about your future? How should you live in the present when you’re thinking about where God wants you to be? How do your daily habits bring about the reality of your calling? Is God more committed to seeing your dream come to life than you are? Bible Gateway interviewed Ryan Romeo (@ryanromeo), author of “Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground: A Survival Guide for Creatives, Visionaries, and Dreamers” (Zondervan, 2020).
Other News
- Industry Resource Lists: Publishers’ Responses Amid Coronavirus
- Humanitarian Disaster Institute & NAE to Host COVID-19 Online Summit
- Amazon returns pre-order ‘buy’ buttons after 48-hour hiatus
- Print Unit Sales Fell 10% Last Week
- Macmillan and PRH Ease Library Digital Book Availability
- Spanish and Italian Book Industries Sound the Alarm
- Reed Postpones BookExpo, BookCon Until July
- Covid-19 Industry Updates: Special Offers and Discounts
- How to be smarter with coronavirus emails to your customer lists
- Rob Eagar free webinar: How to tastefully promote your book during pandemic
- B&N's Daunt: 'Books Are Essential'
- Barnes & Noble warns of potential cuts if stores close due to coronavirus
- B&N Reports Relatively Strong Sales
- Waterstones and Blackwell's to close all physical bookshops
- Half Price Books Closes All 126 Stores Temporarily
- Strand, Books & Books Lay Off, Furlough Booksellers
- January Bookstore Sales Fell 4.8%
- ABA Donates $100K to BINC, Offers Strong Support
- HarperCollins Donates $50K to BINC
- Novelists Ignite A Mighty Blaze in Response to Extinguished Book Tours
- Coronavirus impact on Children's books and how industry is responding
- BISG webinar on April 7: Best Practices for Managing Your Intellectual Property
