Influencer to IVP
Jevon Bolden of Embolden Media Group sold world rights to Nilwona Nowlin, associate editor at InterVarsity Press, for How to Be a Christian Influencer by speaker, social media influencer, and founder of the online community Black Christian Influencers Jackie Horbrook. Scheduled for publication in spring 2025, Horbrook makes a case for how social media can be a positive for Christians as a tool to evangelize and amplify marginalized voices.
Cook Takes a Marriage Book
Tom Dean of A Drop of Ink Literary sold world rights to David C Cook acquisitions editor Susan McPherson for the tentatively-titled The Marriage Game Plan by George and Tondra Gregory, who are marriage leaders at Saddleback Church and chaplains of the Los Angeles Chargers football team. The book aims to help the next generation re-imagine marriage and offers a game plan to equip and empower couples. The book is slated for publication in July 2025.
Reimagined bestseller to Nelson
Andrew Stoddard, publisher of Nelson Books, bought world rights from attorney and literary agent Curtis Wallace for two books by Tim Ross, host of the podcast The Basement with Tim Ross. The first book, slated for publication in February 2024, is a “reimagined version” of Ross’s 2020 bestseller Upset the World (hybrid published with Gateway Church in Texas) with added perspectives and advice on “how to upset the mundane and enter the powerful life of a child of God,” according to the publisher. Details on the second book will be announced at a later date.
Brazos “Slows” Theology
Robert Hosack, executive acquisitions editor for Brazos Press, bought world rights to Slow Theology by A. J. Swoboda and Nijay K. Gupta, in an unagented deal. Scheduled for publication in fall 2025 release the book demonstrates why hearing and discerning the voice of God is an essential part of the Christian journey and faithful discipleship.
Eerdmans Takes an ‘Antidote’
Lisa Ann Cockrel, acquiring editor at Eerdmans Publishing, bought world rights from Keely Boeving of WordServe Literary to Ritual: The Antidote to Trauma, Stress, and Loneliness by licensed mental health counselor Heather Stringer. The book aims to walk readers through the elements of sacred rituals with steps and guidance on how to create their own rituals. It is slated to be released in late 2024.
W Takes Two for Women
W Publishing Group’s acquisitions editor Lisa-Jo Baker took world rights to two books by Kristen Strong (When Change Finds You), brokered by Mary DeMuth of Mary DeMuth Literary. First is the 90-day devotional Praying Through Loneliness, for women searching for community, which releases in winter 2024. The second is Desperate Woman Seeks Friends, releasing in summer 2025, which looks at “the art of making friends” and offers helps for when friendships disappoint, according to W.
IVP Academic Takes Imes’ Third
Rachel Hastings, associate editor of IVP Academic, acquired world rights to a third book by Carmen Joy Imes (Bearing God’s Name, Being God’s Image) titled Becoming God’s Family, in which she calls for the Western world to recover the “multi-cultural nature of the people of God,” which she believes is often prevented by Western individualism. The unagented title will release in fall 2026. Imes is associate professor of the Old Testament at Biola University.
