Carol Stream, Ill. — (July 8, 2022) —Tyndale House Publishers recently celebrated 30 years of publishing with beloved and bestselling author Francine Rivers.
Present at the celebration were members of Francine’s book team at Tyndale, as well as her agent, Danielle Egan-Miller, and her husband; Francine’s husband, Rick; and their daughter-in-law Leah.
Francine’s impressive writing career with Tyndale was recounted and celebrated at the event.
The highlights include:
- Francine has written 13 full-length novels for Tyndale, all bestsellers.
- The most recent five releases have all been New York Times hardcover bestsellers.
- She has also written a devotional, a Christmas story, and 10 novellas about biblical characters, all individual bestsellers.
- Her two omnibus compilations of those novellas were both bestsellers, her title A Lineage of Grace a mega bestseller.
- In addition, and amazingly, Francine’s entire body of fiction work from the past 30 years remains in print and selling domestically.
- Her novel A Voice in the Wind will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023.
- Francine Rivers’s works have been translated into 31 languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, and Chinese.
- She is a bestselling author in several countries, most notably South Africa and the Netherlands.
- She has had two full-length feature films produced based upon her novels: The Last Sin Eater (2007) and Redeeming Love (2022).
- Francine has millions of readers and millions of copies of her books have sold worldwide.
- She has received too many awards to count, but two notewothy examples are her induction into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame (1997) and her American Christian Fiction Writers Lifetime Achievement Award (2015).
- Most importantly, Francine has more stories to tell and more books to write!
In addition to her illustrious career and numerous accomplishments, what stands out most profoundly, when marveling at Francine’s career, is her clarity of vision. On November 18, 1985, around the time when Francine became a Christian, while reassessing the next steps in her writing career, she shared this comment in a typed letter to her agent Jane Jordan Browne: “My goal is to write big, adult, earthy Christian books—all set in the multiplicity of California. I have a battle to fight with ‘born-again’ Christians who see God as a despot and prude.” She has faithfully lived out that vision and calling, to the absolute delight of her readers, and all who have had the privilege of working with Francine feel honored to have done so.
Ron Beers, chief publishing officer at Tyndale, shared, “I still remember the first day Francine Rivers visited Tyndale to meet us and see if we would be a good fit for her writing vision. After she left that day, we all knew this was a match made in heaven. What an honor and joy and privilege it has been to be Francine’s publishing partner for 30 years. Long-term publisher-author relationships like this are so rare, and we have never lost sight of that. Francine Rivers has impacted millions of readers in a positive and deeply inspirational way. And she has also made Tyndale a better place through her example of integrity and genuine care for others. We look forward to continuing this very special and unique publishing partnership with Francine.”
Francine’s publisher Karen Watson added, “It is one of my life’s greatest privileges to work with a woman who is so clear-eyed and resilient in her calling, who is a winsome example for aspiring writers, and who still laughs easily, but not cynically, about the foibles of this business. God sent a rare gift to Tyndale when Francine crossed our threshold.”
Of her long-standing representation of Francine, literary agent Danielle Egan-Miller shared, “It is a privilege and a pleasure to be Francine Rivers’s agent. I first met Francine in the early 1990s, at the very start of my publishing career, when I was literary agent Jane Jordan Browne’s assistant. I was in awe of Francine back then. This was when A Voice in the Wind was first published and that book—and the entire Mark of the Lion series—just blew me away. By the time I rejoined Jane’s agency as a partner many years later, Francine was a major internationally bestselling author and had been Jane’s client for nearly 25 years. Then Jane died. As her appointed successor, I had huge shoes to fill. Francine, very graciously, gave me a chance. She was both incredibly patient and remarkably kind as I found my way and eventually earned her trust as her ‘new’ agent. We’ve been together nearly 20 years at this point and we’re still having a great run.
I love to say that Francine Rivers is the most down-to-earth global bestselling author that I know. Because she is! She is an incredible storyteller, an amazing writer, she’s very funny, and she’s an all-around excellent human being. She’s a delight to work for. She has also taught me so much about faith and about grace. I deeply admire her and I count myself as very blessed to have her in my life!”
For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Katie Dodillet at katiedodillet@tyndale.com.
Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.
