ZONDERVAN EXPANDS YA LINE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 26 /Christian Newswire/ -- Zondervan, a world leader in Christian Communications, is adding seven new books to a new Young Adult (YA) fiction line launched in May 2008. Zondervan is expanding its YA fiction offerings in a publishing sector the LA Times recently called "booming," with new releases in October 2008 from two of the top five selling YA Christian authors.

Ripple Effect by Paul McCusker is the first book in a YA Fiction series that is new to Zondervan, entitled The Time Thriller Trilogy. In Ripple Effect, the main character Elizabeth is caught in a bizarre time warp. The series is a gripping, fast-paced mystery taking readers through seconds, minutes, hours, and centuries.

The release comes on the heels of Zondervan's aggressive entry into the booming YA fiction category in May 2008, launching five new book series for readers ages 13 to 16. Zondervan already publishes three of the top five selling Christian YA authors-- Melody Carlson, Bryan Davis and Bill Myers--who all authored books for the May 2008 launch. Carlson and Davis are releasing new books in October 2008.

October features an exciting new release from Bryan Davis, a top five author in the Association for Christian Retail (CBA), who has sold more than 300,000 books. Eternity's Edge is the second book in the fantasy series Echoes from the Edge and follows the release of May's Beyond the Reflection's Edge. Also new for fantasy readers in October 2008 is The Owling by author Robert Elmer. The Owling is book two in the science fiction series The Shadowside Trilogy, which contemplates how biblical truths translate in another world.

Melody Carlson, the #1 CBA YA author, is releasing The Homecoming Queen and Viva Vermont! in October 2008, the third and fourth books in The Carter House Girls series-a "Chick Lit" series that offers a Christian alternative to the escapism novels that have long-defined the YA market. The series communicates issues and conflicts facing teenage girls as their secular literary counterparts, but in a way that develops girls’ faith. The first two books of The Carter House Girls series, Mixed Bags and Stealing Bradford, released in May 2008. The series is celebrating successful sales, placing in the top 50 of all Zondervan products.

Additional Zondervan Chick Lit releases in October 2008 include The Fall of Candy Corn and The Winter of Candy Canes, books two and three in A Sweet Seasons Novel series by author Debbie Viguié. Viguié's novels follow the four seasons of main character Candace's life. The series is best described as God-honoring Chick Lit that digs into friendships, romances, family, school, faith and values.

In 2007, the YA market accumulated nearly $25 billion in general market sales. Zondervan research shows that 40 percent of teens read 2-3 books a month, while nearly a quarter (23 percent) read four or more books per month. Zondervan research also revealed that there are 24 million teens in the U.S. and 75 percent have engaged in at least one psychic or witchcraft-related activity during their teen years. In response to these mainstream trends, Zondervan's YA Christian fiction seeks to publish well-written, entertaining books that meet the spiritual needs of teens.

"Our YA fiction offers a positive alternative for teens with books that speak to teens' spiritual and personal growth through powerful storytelling," said Annette Bourland, Zonderkidz Senior Vice President and Publisher.

Zondervan's campaign also includes a comprehensive marketing plan, including traditional promotional outlets combined with significant technology-driven promotion, citing research that shows 90 percent of teens use the Internet, with half of them accessing it daily. Zondervan launched www.zondervan.com/teen, an innovative website that engages teens with contests, newsletters and freebies about current and emerging YA series.

Zondervan's new YA titles will be available in October 2008 for $9.99 and $12.99 wherever books are sold. Visit www.zondervan.com for more information.