Thursday, March 31, 2011

SHORT-STORY CONTEST

Only one month to go before The Writer's 2011 Short-Story Contest ends! We're looking for your boldest and most original story (up to 2,000 words) on or before Saturday, April 30, at midnight EST.

The top three finishers win these great prizes:

First prize: $1,000; a free 10-week creative writing workshop offered online by Gotham Writers' Workshop ($420 value); publication in The Writer and on WriterMag.com; and a one-year subscription to The Writer.

Second prize: $300; free enrollment in a four-week How to Get Published seminar taught online by a literary agent and Gotham Writers' Workshop ($150 value); publication on WriterMag.com; and a one-year subscription to The Writer.

Third prize: $200; free enrollment in a four-week How to Get Published seminar taught online by a literary agent and Gotham Writers' Workshop ($150 value); publication on WriterMag.com; and a one-year subscription to The Writer.

Finalist judge: Michelle Wildgen, novelist and executive editor at Tin House.

All stories must be submitted through the Gotham Writers' Workshop online submissions manager at writermag.gothamwriters.com.

For more information about how to enter, see writermag.com/2011contest.

HELP FOR SCREENWRITERS

Everyone has a movie idea. Many people will tell you about it. Some people even go on to convert that idea into a screenplay but how do they get their screenplay produced? Therein lies the rub.

Ehrenkrook Entertainment announces the launch of Five Talents Screenplay Contest. It is a Christian screenplay competition for any genre of feature film except horror.

Ehrenkrook Entertainment, along with many other Christian production companies, does not accept unsolicited screenplays but nevertheless receives countless queries every year. When responding to these hopeful screenwriters it was apparent that some help was needed to get their screenplays in front of production companies.

"The Christian film industry is too small to justify script agents, yet production companies do not have the time or manpower to sift through hundreds of screenplays to find a script that meets their development strategy. Five Talents Screenplay Contest hopes to bridge that gap," Maude von Ehrenkrook, President of Ehrenkrook Entertainment, explains. "There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of finished Christian screenplays out there. We want to find those scripts and get them into the hands of production companies."

The contest seeks both screenplay entrants and film producers with screenplay interest. "The winning screenplays will be read by certain production companies but we want to go beyond that," von Ehrenkrook explains. "We want active film producers to also contact us with the sort of scripts they are looking for. Then, even if a script doesn't win we will put producers in touch with screenwriters who have a screenplay they might want to take a look at. We are essentially playing the part of a script agent without the cost associated with that. It is a win-win for screenwriters and filmmakers."

Five Talents Screenplay Contest's early deadline is April 30, the regular deadline is May 31, and the late deadline is June 30, 2011. First Place will receive $500, second place will receive $250, and third place will receive $100. All three winning scripts will be read by several production companies, including Cloud Ten Pictures, for possible production consideration.

To find out more about Five Talents Screenplay Contest visit www.ehrenkrookentertainment.com/screenplay.htm or call Maude von Ehrenkrook at 540-948-4456 or e-mail Maude at maude@ehrenkrookentertainment.com.

CALL FOR STORIES

Dear Contributor,

You may recall my role as editor for story collections such as: A Cup of Comfort, Life Savors, Extraordinary Answers to Prayer, and Love is a Verb. Now I am putting together a volume tentatively titled, Encounters with the Other Side: True Stories of Supernatural Experiences.

The supernatural realm consisting of God and His angels, as well as evil spirits is ever present in our midst. On rare occasions this realm becomes visible or we see its direct effects in ways that cannot be explained in the natural realm. These true stories will cover the gamut of supernatural encounters: from supernatural miracles, angelic visitations, near-death experiences of the afterlife, manifestations of evil apparitions, and miraculous rescues. All stories must have a point and be from the Christian perspective. We are not looking for physical healing stories.

All stories must be fist person. The stories need to go beyond subjective or speculative interpretations of events and be as concrete as possible, so if presented in a court there would be no human explanation of hard evidence.

We’ll consider original, unpublished stories 1,000 to 2,000 words. Each story should have a creative title, an attention-grabbing introduction, main body with a conflict or challenge, and a clear, satisfying resolution. All stories need to be descriptive, rooted in time and place, with a realistic portrayal of the people involved. The stories need to be substantive stories rather than salvation testimonies or general Bible teachings, and should focus not onl on the supernatural realm, but on the spiritual lesson you learned.

The book will be release by Bethany House Publishers in 2012. Submissions for consideration will be due June 15, 2011, but we would prefer them much earlier. Please send your manuscript attached to the e-mail rather than pasting text in the email window. Send your manuscript in normal manuscript formatting, with your full contact information—name, address, phone number, email address, and 30-word or less bio—on the manuscript itself. We are offering a one-time fee of $50 for stories 1,200 words or more, and $25 for stories 1,000 to 1,200 words. After the book is published, authors will receive all rights returned to them, and during publication authors may sell reprints with permission.

We will send you contracts upon the publisher’s acceptance. Payment will be made after all contracts have been received. Please direct all inquiries and submissions to my colleague, Jeanette Littleton, at supernaturalstories@earthlink.net. If this email has been forwarded to you, and you can’t submit to this call but would like to hear about other editorial needs as they arise, please send us your email address and we’ll add you to our notification list.

Blessing to you and yours,

James Stuart Bell
Supernatural Stories (Bethany House, 2012)
A James Stuart Bell Project

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

DISCOVER YOUR E.COM

In response to the growing trend towards eReading in the Christian community, Christian eBook company NOVO Ink is reaching out to believers through a new site. Discover Your E is designed to help readers discover the benefits of eReading and begin their journey.

The DiscoverYourE.com site integrates resources for those new to eBook reading including insights into the benefits of eBook reading, understanding of where a customer's eBooks are stored, insight into how to select an eBook partner and links to research eBook options. Along with the educational resources, the site also provides interactive pages that highlight books, reviews, videos, social media interaction, and author information to help new readers try out the new technology. "We believe that if Christians will take some time to explore eReading and its benefits, that they will be excited to Discover Their 'E' and integrate eReading into their daily lives," said Donaldson.

According to the Association of American Publishers, the sale of eBooks rose by 115% when comparing sales between January 2010 and January 2011. This January we saw eBook sales of $69.9 million in the Christian market. "We are excited to see this growth as it shows people's willingness to make eReading part of their daily lives. But many are still trying to figure out if eBooks are for them. That is why we launched DiscoverYourE.com," said Devlin Donaldson, president of Novo Ink.

NOVO Ink is a distributor of digital Christian content including eBooks and eZines. In addition to a wide variety of Christian content, NOVO Ink also offers many family-friendly eBooks and eZines. All content available on NOVO Ink can be read through the Zinio reader, which is available for multiple platforms. NOVO Ink is headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO. For more information, visit www.novoink.com.

Monday, March 28, 2011

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF APRIL 3

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the paperback nonfiction list, the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list, and on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list. It appears as #2 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #2 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Love Wins by Rob Bell (HarperOne/HarperCollins) is #2 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #5 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #7 on the hardcover business list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #8 on the paperback nonfiction list; #17 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #22 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #30 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #11 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #11 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Publishing) is #13 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan) is #14 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #20 on the paperback nonfiction list; and #25 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) is #13 on the paperback trade fiction list and #34 on the combined hardcover and paperback nonfiction list.

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #18 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #22 on the hardcover nonfiction list; #23 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #29 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker (Center Street) is #22 on the paperback mass-market fiction list.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #27 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Mine Is The Night by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook) is #30 on the paperback trade fiction list.

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #34 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Friday, March 25, 2011

WINNING AT WRITERS CONFERENCES

If you are planning or even considering attending a writers' conference, you need to read this: http://www.michaelkreynolds.com/?p=830

Thursday, March 24, 2011

2011 BOOK AWARD FINALISTS

The 2011 Christian Book Awards finalists are:

Category: BIBLES

Apologetics Study Bible for Students, Sean McDowell, General Editor, B&H Publishing Group, 9781586404932
ESV Seek and Find Bible, Crossway, 9781433521980
HCSB Study Bible, Jeremy Royal Howard and Ed Blum, General Editors, B&H Publishing Group, 9781586405069
The Case for Christ Study Bible, NIV, Lee Strobel, Zondervan, 9780310938941
The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible, NKJV, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9781418543969

Category: BIBLE REFERENCE

A Visual Guide to Gospel Events, James C. Martin, John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen, Baker Books/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780801013119
Crossway ESV Bible Atlas, John D. Currid and David P. Barrett, Crossway, 9781433501920
The Story of the Bible, Larry Stone, Thomas Nelson, 9781595551191
Zondervan Atlas of the Bible, Carl G. Rasmussen, Zondervan, 9780310270508
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, John H. Walton, General Editor, Zondervan, 9780310255727

Category: CHILDREN

A Girl After God’s Own Heart, Elizabeth George, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736917681
Asking For Trouble, Sandra Byrd, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414325972
Between God and Me, Vicki Courtney, B&H Publishing Group, 9780805449853
The Action Bible, Sergio Cariello, Illustrator; Doug Mauss, General Editor, David C Cook, 9780781444996
This Little Prayer of Mine, Anthony DeStefano, Mark Elliott, Illustrator, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, 9780307458049

Category: FICTION

Almost Heaven, Chris Fabry. Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414319575
Crossing Oceans, Gina Holmes, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414333052
Petra, T.L. Higley, B&H Publishing Group, 9781433668562
Secrets of Harmony Grove, Mindy Starns Clark, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736926256
The Twelfth Imam, Joel C. Rosenberg, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414311630

Category: INSPIRATION

Amish Proverbs, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800719531
Life Saver - The Ultimate Devotional Handbook for Teens, Todd Hafer, Vicki Kuyper, Michael Klassen, Vicki Caruana, Outreach Publishing, 9781935541219
Prayers For Those Who Grieve, Jill Kelly, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736929349
Praying Through Your Pregnancy, Jennifer Polimino, Carolyn Warren, Regal Books, 9780830748082
You Changed My Life, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9781404187832

Category: NON-FICTION

A Place of Healing, Joni Eareckson Tada, David C Cook, 9781434765321
Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas, Thomas Nelson, 9781595551382
God Girl, Hayley DiMarco, Revell/ Baker Publishing Group, 9780800719401
Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9780849920691
Son of Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef with Ron Brackin, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414333076

One title from each category will be chosen as the Christian Book Award winner. In addition, one title will be chosen among all the finalists to receive the highest honor of 2011 Christian Book of the Year.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A LISTING OF CHILDREN'S MARKETS

If you are looking for a listing of children's markets, check out this Website provided by Evelyn Christensen. "I’ve added updates to the market list -- http://evelynchristensen.com/markets.html"

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

"RIVEN" AVAILABLE AS FREE DOWNLOAD

"New York Times" bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins, best known for the "Left Behind Series," refers to his 2008 novel "Riven" as "my life's work." Unlike any of his other 175 books, "Riven" is the dramatic story of a career criminal and a washed up pastor who cross paths on death row. Tyndale House Publishers is making "Riven" available as a free ebook download on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com until March 31.

With its title taken from the original lyrics of the old hymn "Rock of Ages," "Riven" portrays the lives of Brady Darby, a no-account criminal under a death sentence and Thomas Carey, a weary man of God working as a prison chaplain, and how death, guilt and despair are unfathomably trumped by rebirth, forgiveness and hope.

Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship says about "Riven," "Thoroughly moving, 'Riven' leaves an indelible impression on the reader. Its characters and message stay with you long after the final chapter. For me, it is also a deeply personal reminder of why God called me to prison ministry so many years ago."

"We felt 'Riven' is a special book, and we wanted readers to have the opportunity to enjoy it for free," says Cheryl Kerwin, Tyndale senior marketing manager. "As the book's theme is about redemption and has a moving portrayal of a modern crucifixion, it is an inspiring way to move into the Easter season."

Tyndale's Senior Vice President and Publisher Ron Beers calls Jenkins one of the most entertaining novelists of our day. "This book is special for two reasons," he says. "Its message of grace is powerful and profound -- this is the kind of book that you will want to pass on to others. Also, this is the book Jerry says he waited 20 years to write. His passion for this book clearly shines through in every page."

Monday, March 21, 2011

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF MARCH 27

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the paperback nonfiction list, the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list, and on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list. It appears as #2 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #2 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #4 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #7 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #7 on the hardcover business list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #9 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #10 on the paperback nonfiction list; #18 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #29 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan) is #10 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #11 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Publishing) is #12 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan) is #14 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #14 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #35 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #25 on the paperback nonfiction list.

The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) is #16 on the paperback trade fiction list

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #23 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker (Center Street) is #29 on the paperback mass-market fiction list.

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #31 on the paperback nonfiction list.

King's Cross by Timothy Keller (Dutton) is #34 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

NATIONAL CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE

The Crawford Irby International Foundation (CIIF) and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) will award two free certificates for a six-month subscription to ChristianManuscriptSubmissions.com at the National Christian Writers Conference. NCWC, the nation’s #1 conference for writers, authors and speakers, will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2011, 8am to 6pm in the San Diego Convention Center. NCWC exists to help writers publish stories that heal, inspire and speak to the hearts of readers living in our communities. ECPA’s online manuscript submission service is managed by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) on behalf of their Christian publishing members. ECPA’s members include the majority of the Christian publishing houses in the US and they use this service to efficiently review manuscripts from new authors. Winning authors attending the conference will enjoy this great opportunity to submit their manuscript to the TOP publishers producing evangelical Christian books. For more information, go to ChristianManuscript-Submissions.com. The San Diego Convention Center is located at 111 West Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. For more information about the National Christian Writers Conference, please call (877) 544-3001 or e-mail info@nationalchristianwritersconference.com. For registration and accommodation details, visit www.NCWCFR.com.

E-BOOKS & DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO BOOKS KEEP GROWING

E-books and downloadable audio books continue to grow in popularity according to the January 2011 sales report of the Association of American Publishers. Figures for the first month of the new year show that E-book net sales increased by 115.8% vs January 2010 (from $32.4 Million to $69.9M). Sales of Downloadable Audio Books also rose by 8.8% vs the previous year ($6.0M to $6.5M). As AAP reported last month in its December 2010 monthly report and full 2010 analysis, E-book sales have increased annually and significantly in all nine years of tracking the category. Among the other highlights of the January 2011 report: Sales of Religious Books grew by 5.6%, from $49.8M to $52.6M.

MIDWEST WRITERS MINI WORKSHOP

"How To Ramp Up Your Writing" will be the theme of a Saturday, April 23, mini-workshop presented by Midwest Writers Workshop. The workshop is $10 and open to persons interested in learning more about writing and in furthering their writing careers. It is scheduled at the Brownsburg Public Library (450 South Jefferson Street, Brownsburg, IN 46112) from 9 a.m. to noon. Following an opening discussion, participants will break into interest groups focusing on different writing genres.

Midwest Writers special events coordinator Cathy Shouse of Fairmount will discuss getting a book contract; Dianne Drake of Brownsburg, writing fiction; Holly Miller of Anderson, writing for magazines; Mike Brockley of Muncie, writing poetry. All leaders have extensive writing credits and also are members of the Midwest Writers Workshop committee, a Muncie-based writers' organization that sponsors a major summer writing conference plus special events throughout the year, including mini-workshops held throughout the state. Drake, a Brownsburg resident and author of 20+ published books, is a special guest for the day. The Friends of the Brownsburg Public Library will provide light refreshments.

Participants will receive $20 certificates toward the cost of attending the 38th annual writers' workshop, scheduled in Muncie, IN, July 28-30, 2011. For more information, contact the Brownsburg Public Library at (317) 852-3167.

Note: Registration is required. The $10 payment will be taken at the door only on the day of the event. Those who present valid Brownsburg Public Library cards will receive a $5 discount. Seating is limited. Registering early is encouraged.

Monday, March 14, 2011

WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP FOR FANTASY

You’ve written a novel, something that everyone seems to talk about doing
but almost no one manages. But you . . . you have done it. What an
accomplishment!

Now what? Once your book lands on an editor’s desk, it has about three
seconds to grab the editor and hold his or her attention. Three seconds.
After all of your work, your struggle, the heart and soul you have put into
those pages. Three seconds. Your next step is crucial: you must be
certain—before you send the book out—that it is ready for editorial review.

The Highlights Foundation, along with Newbery-honor author Carolyn Coman,
created the Whole Novel Workshop for writers like you. This workshop does
what an MFA program does—without the added time and expense. It provides
the writer with an accomplished mentor. That mentor will read and critique
your entire novel before the workshop begins and then work with you for a
full week, guiding you as you polish your book so that an editor will pick
it up and not want to put it down until the last page has been turned.

During the Whole Novel Workshop, you will enjoy
• focused one-on-one response to your entire novel in progress from
acclaimed author Carolyn Coman or accomplished editor Joy Neaves;
• group critiques;
• seminars on technique and craft; and
• ample time to write and revise in a private, rustic cabin.

Give your work its best chance to pass the three-second test. Devote a week
of your summer (June 5–12, 2011) to polishing your novel at the Whole Novel
Workshop.

ABOUT THE FACULTY
Carolyn Coman’s most recent book for children, The Memory Bank, is a
graphic story book created in collaboration with artist Rob Shepperson.
Other books for children and young adults include What Jamie Saw (National
Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor book), Many Stones (National Book
Award finalist and Printz Honor book), The Big House, and Sneaking
Suspicions. She has taught fiction writing at Harvard Extension, and been
on the faculty of Vermont College and Hamline University, in their MFA
programs for Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Joy Neaves has ten years of experience as an editor of children’s picture
books, poetry, and middle-grade and young-adult fiction. She has overseen
the publication of several internationally acclaimed authors, including the
Australian writers Judith Clarke and Steven Herrick, and the Swedish writer
Per Nilsson. She is currently the Assistant Director of the University
Writing Center at UNC Asheville and a freelance editor at namelos.com.

Applications for the Whole Novel Workshop are being accepted through March
25, 2011. You will be notified of acceptance status by April 8, 2011. Only
eight students will be accepted, to ensure that each novel receives the
close attention it deserves. To apply, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192,
e-mail jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org, or request an application online.


Highlights Foundation Founders Workshops take place near Honesdale,
Pennsylvania. You’ll stay in your own cozy cabin, surrounded by 1,300
wooded acres and hiking trails. Workshop fee includes individual cabins;
all meals (provided by a top-notch chef); airport pickup service, if
needed; and an intimate teaching setting at the homeplace of the Founders
of Highlights for Children.


Please feel free to share this e-mail with others who might have an
interest or to include the information in blog posts or through other
social networking forums.
(See attached file: WholeNovel_Email_2011.docx)
Jo Lloyd
Program Assistant
Highlights Foundation, 814 Court Street, Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (877) 512-8365 (toll-free) or (570) 251-4557
Fax: (570) 253-0179
jalloyd@highlightsfoundation.org
http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/

CHANGES AT SIGNIFICANT LIVING

"Significant Living" has new publisher & address: Ryan Jones at PO Box 5000, Iola WI 54945-5000. Diana Jones, editor.

MOUNT HERMON SEEKS TEEN WRITERS

“We’re offering a one time 50% discount of all conference costs for any teen participating in the 2011 Writers Conference, Teen Track. This includes tuition, housing and conference dining. The process would be the same for registration . . . register on-line at www.mounthermon.org/writers, and in the comment box, put TEEN TRACK writer, and ask for a campership form. From there we’ll handle the working out of the details.”

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF MARCH 13

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the paperback nonfiction list, the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list, and on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list. It appears as #2 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #1 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #3 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #4 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan) is #5 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #7 on the hardcover business list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Publishing) is #7 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #8 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #14 on the paperback nonfiction list; and #16 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #9 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #13 on the e-Book nonfiction list; #29 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #20 on the paperback nonfiction list.

The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) is #22 on the paperback trade fiction list.

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #32 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

The Reason For God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #33 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan) is #34 on the paperback trade fiction list.

RANDOM HOUSE - E-BOOK SALES POLICY

“Random House, Inc. is adopting the agency model for e-book sales in the United States effective March 1, 2011. Going forward, Random House will set consumer prices for the e- books we publish, and we will provide retailers with a commission for each sale. There are no changes to our terms of sale for physical books. “The agency model guarantees a higher margin for retailers than did our previous sales terms. We are making this change both as an investment in the successful digital transition of our existing partners and in order to give us the opportunity to forge new retail relationships. “We are looking forward to continuing to work with all our retail partners – both digital and physical -- on our joint mission to connect our authors with as many readers as possible, in whatever format they prefer.”

PREACHING BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCED

PreachingToday.com, a non-profit ministry of Christianity Today International, has announced the winners of its annual Preaching Book Awards. PreachingToday.com names preaching books of the year in two categories: one focused on the preacher's skills and the other on the preacher's soul. This year's winner of the skills category was Setting Words on Fire, author Paul Scott Wilson, published by Abingdon. Honorable mention in the skills category was given to Why Johnny Can't Preach, author David Gordon, published by Presbyterian & Reformed. In the soul category, there was a three-way tie for winner between Deep Preaching , author Kent Edwards, published by Broadman & Holman; Dying to Preach, author Steven Smith, published by Kregel; and The Glory of Preaching, author Darrell Johnson, published by InterVarsity. The award winners were chosen by votes from two preaching experts and the editors of PreachingToday.com. The article announcing the awards can be found here: http://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2010/february/theptbookawards.html

I'M BACK IN THE OFFICE

Sorry for my silence the last week. I was at the oregon coast relaxing. At least until the tsunami siren that went off at 5:30 a.m. Friday morning. Fortunately the wall of water never arrived and we were scheduled to come home anyway.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

UNITED METHODISTS NAME VBS DIRECTOR

Karen Pennington joins The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH), as Director, Vacation Bible School (VBS). In her new role, Karen will lead the strategic and daily operations for the VBS unit, supervising VBS product planning, manuscript acquisition, editorial development, marketing and business planning of VBS resources to serve the United Methodist Church and other markets.

ABINGDON PRESS NAMES LEN WILSON LEADERSHIP EDITOR

Len Wilson has been named Senior Leadership Editor for Abingdon Press, the publishing imprint for The United Methodist Publishing House. As a member of the publisher’s Bible, Leadership, and Theology Product Team, Wilson will focus on the acquisition and development of print and digital products for church leaders.

KAREN KINGSBURY SIGNS CO-PUBLISHING AGREEMENT

Howard Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced today it has signed a multi-book world rights co-publishing agreement with USA Today and New York Times bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury. With more than 15 million books in print, Karen Kingsbury has earned her position as America’s favorite inspirational novelist. Kingsbury’s first book under the 10 book agreement is scheduled to be published in late 2012. Mass market paperback editions of Ms. Kingsbury’s books will be released by Pocket Books. Simon & Schuster Audio will produce the audio editions.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF MARCH 6

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the paperback nonfiction list and the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list; and #2 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list and the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #1 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #3 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #5 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan) is #6 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #8 on the hardcover business list and #11 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Publishing) is #8 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan) is #13 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #15 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #16 on the paperback nonfiction list and #19 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list and #8 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) is #21 on the paperback trade fiction list
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Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #22 on the paperback nonfiction list.

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #34 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

The Reason For God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #35 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

CHRISTIAN WRITERS GUILD ACQUIRES MARKET GUIDE

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 28, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- As of March 1, the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild will have acquired "Sally Stuart's Christian Writers Market Guide," the annual comprehensive resource guide offering up-to-date information on the Christian publishing industry. Stuart's annual publication, now in its 26th year, has become a reliable source for the critical information needed by those seeking to publish their work in the Christian community. The resource will still be published by Tyndale House, but with the 2012 edition will change its title to "The Christian Writer's Market Guide" and the byline will switch from Sally Stuart to Jerry B. Jenkins.

"Sally Stuart is an old friend and colleague who has set the bar high for this guide for more than a quarter century," says Jenkins. "Our hope at the Christian Writers Guild is to do justice to her legacy and continue to provide this most helpful resource for writers."

"Christian Writers' Market Guide" offers tips and ideas for Christian writers and includes contact information, pay rates, submission guidelines for more than 400 book publishers, 600 periodicals and websites as well as information on hundreds of literary agents, contests, conferences and editorial services.

Jenkins also announces that Kerma Murray, former operations director of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, will be the point person for the market guide, as well as for the recently acquired Word Weavers local critique groups. She will manage these operations in her new role as special assistant to the owner.

The Christian Writers Guild was founded in 1965 by Norm Rohrer. Jenkins purchased the organization in 2003 and moved its offices to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Christian Writers Guild offers training to aspiring and working writers through e-mail courses, conferences, contests, mentors and peer groups.

For more information, visit www.christianwritersguild.com or www.jerryjenkins.com.