The release of Leslie Stobbe’s life story, God Moments in My Publishing Life, provides authors and editors a personal tour of the development of Christian publishing. A one-hour interview of Leslie by Thomas Umstattd, Jr for his podcast, Christian Publishing Show, provided additional details on Leslie’s 65 years in Christian publishing.
As editorial director of Moody Press in the 1970s Leslie Stobbe watched the struggle to get larger Christian publishers skeptical of ECPA’s value to join. As president of Here’s Life Publishers in the 1980s he was on the ECPA Membership Committee that finally saw Tyndale House join ECPA.
Les Stobbe’s connection with Christian publishing goes back to 1955, when he was appointed editor of a denominational weekly, the Mennonite Observer, and buyer for the Christian Press bookstore in Winnipeg, Canada. Six years later, as floor supervisor of Moody Bookstore he was asked by Kenneth N. Taylor to review his new Bible translation project, his personalization of the Book of Timothy—and then asked to tackle editing Living Letters. He then became editor of Christian Bookseller Magazine from 1962-66, traveling the U.S. to gather stories from bookstore owners and New York publishers.
Now Les is providing a tour through the growth of Christian publishing in his personal story, God Moments in My Publishing Life. reliving 65 years of Christian publishing’s growth through the experiences of one who was there. Covered are his years as editorial director of Moody Press, Christian Herald Association, managing editor of Scripture Press’s curriculum division, president of Here’s Life Publishers. His 25 years as literary agent began in 1993 and continued for 25 years as he worked closely with book authors, wrote online journalism curriculum–and was appointed Journalist in Residence at Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts.
Contact Les at lhstobbe123@gmail.com, www.stobbeliterary.com.
