Jericho Books author Becca Stevens (Snake Oil, Mar.) has been inducted into the Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame, which “recognizes women whose lives reflect exceptional accomplishments and devotion to improving the economic status of women and girls in Tennessee." Stevens is the founder of Magdalene House in Nashville, a community for women who were prostitutes, drug addicts, and victims of human trafficking. She also founded Thistle Farms, which produces and sells natural bath and body products, providing employment for Magdalene House residents. Stevens and her work were featured in an ABC News segment last night (September 24); her new book, The Way of Tea and Justice, will be published by Jericho in July 2014. In other news from Jericho, Pastrix (Sept.) has made three of the New York Times extended lists for September 29 (#17 on Hardcover Nonfiction; #23 on Ebook Nonfiction; #24 on Print & Ebook Nonfiction) and is in its 5th printing.
Thomas Nelson has signed a new book deal with best-selling author John Eldredge (Wild at Heart). Killing Lions: A Guide Through the Trials Young Men Face, co-authored with his son Sam, is scheduled to release in fall 2014. Wild at Heart has sold more than 3.2 million copies since its 2001 release. Captivating, written with his wife, Stasi Eldredge, was published in 2005; it has sold nearly 2 million copies. Killing Lions explores issues young men face today; the title refers to the Masai tradition in which a boy becomes a man when he kills a lion.
Plough, the publishing house of the Bruderhof, an “international movement of Christian communities” with roots in the Anabaptist tradition, is back in business as a print and e-book publisher after having shut down in 2002 and taken its content exclusively online. The house had been founded in 1920. A statement from Plough said, “This fall we’re re-launching Plough with a fresh team, solid financial backing, and a mission to contribute to the transformation of society.” In addition to books in both print and electronic formats, Plaugh has launched an online platform and a quarterly magazine in both print and digital formats. Plough is publishing 24 titles this winter (eight of them new); it plans to produce 12 titles per year by 2015.
Baker Publishing Group has been recognized with three 2013 Eden Book Awards from Eden.co.uk, the largest online Christian retailer in the U.K. The Bridesmaid by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House) won in the Amish Fiction category; Vanished by Irene Hannon (Revell) won in Crime Fiction; and Dee Henderson, the bestselling and award-winning author of 16 novels, including the O’Malley series, Uncommon Heroes series, and Full Disclosure (Bethany House) was selected as the Best Fiction Author of the Year.
Wisdom Publications, the Boston-based publisher of Buddhist books, has launched its new Web site. Site features include expanded book pages, complete with excerpts and tables of contents; in-depth author pages containing biographies, photos, and social media links; books organized into special interest collections including Wisdom Academics, Mindful Living, Tibetan Buddhism, Theravada, Zen, Buddhism and Psychology, and Children’s; and The Wisdom Blog. Wisdom also is offering DRM-free e-books for sale. The books are delivered simultaneously in three formats (PDF, ePub, and Mobi), allowing readers to download them onto multiple devices and preserve them in their personal libraries for future device migration.
The Munce Group will produce one-day Christian Product Expo (CPE) events at the AmericasMart gift shows in January and July 2014, with exhibit floors, retailer training, and meals. In recent years the proportion of gifts and sidelines in Christian stories has grown substantially; according to Munce, AmericasMart draws more than 55,000 retailers in January and 30,000 in July, increasing numbers of them Christian stores. The Munce Group is a 500-member association of independent Christian retailers; it holds two regional trade shows each year.
