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Rob Bell Controversy Spawns First Response Book
The first book responding to Rob Bell’s controversial Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived is due out April 21. Christ Alone: An Evangelical Response to Rob Bell’s Love Wins will be published by Grand Rapids-based Edenridge Press. The author is Grand Rapids Theological Seminary professor Michael E. Wittmer, who has written Heaven is a Place on Earth (Zondervan, 2004) and Don’t Stop Believing (Zondervan, 2008).
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'Unofficial Chaplain of The Colbert Report' a Big Hit at L.A. Congress
James Martin, a Jesuit priest who has become a bestselling author and the new face of Catholicism in the media (he has made so many appearances on The Colbert Report he’s been called its “the unofficial chaplain”) drew a capacity crowd to the Anaheim Convention Center’s arena on Saturday (Mar. 19) at the L.A. Religious Education Congress.
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L.A. Congress Highlights 'Big Books' for Catholics
The biggest book-related stories for Catholics these days are the release of the revised edition of the New American Bible—the officially approved translation--and the update of the Roman Missal, the ritual text used for Mass by Catholics worldwide.
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Catholic Congress Draws 40,000 in Anaheim
The L.A. Religious Education Congress--an annual gathering of Roman Catholic educators, lay ministers, members of religious orders, Catholic youth, and laity—met March 18-20 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The gathering, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, drew more than 40,000 attendees to an extensive slate of workshops, performances, and special events, as well as a growing book exhibit.
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Understanding Necessary Suffering: Richard Rohr
As a Franciscan priest, inspirational speaker, spiritual director, and author of more than 20 books, Richard Rohr guides thousands of people in their quest to lead more balanced lives. But he acknowledges he hasn't quite perfected the art himself.
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Spring 2011 Religion Announcements
Upcoming religion books for Spring 2011
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Old and New Religion: PW's Religion Top 10
The Amish are everywhere, on bestseller, fiction, and nonfiction lists. This spring, two top names in Amish fiction offer different slices of the big shoofly pie. Beverly Lewis, who started all this with her novel The Shunning, compiles Amish Prayers; Bethany House is printing 75,000 copies.
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In Profile
Profiles of four religious writers.
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Joining the Fiction Frenzy
Christian fiction remains an attractive market to many publishing houses, with several of them expanding their presence or jumping in for the first time. But with the cranky economy, the shifting landscape of retail outlets, and the ever-finicky reader, houses looking to play in the competitive category say they must have a sharp focus and a clear plan.
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Surfing the E-book Wave with Fiction
Readers of inspirational fiction have a story of their own to tell these days: they love e-books, especially when the price is right. But can publishers keep them coming back after the novelty wears off?
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To Market, with Strategies Old and New
Publishers of inspirational fiction are blending new and old tricks to tempt readers to buy, whether at Christian bookstores, megastores, or via the Internet. Past successes—print ads, shelf-talkers, word of mouth—are augmented with the newest technology to reach savvy fans.
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Fiction Publishers From A to Z: Strategies, Opportunities, Successes
Here's one informal measure of growth in the market for what some call Christian and others call inspirational fiction. In 2010, the number of novels received by PW's religion department for review consideration increased by 15% over 2009.
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Christian Publishers Move Ahead with Enhanced E-Books
A number of Christian publishers have recently launched new initiatives to produce what are being called “interactive e-books” and “multi-media reading experiences.” Zondervan and David C. Cook are among the first to move beyond the usual e-book format into enhanced e-books that offer readers more than the printed word.
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Everything New Age is Newer Again?
From time to time, angels--and widespread fascination with them--have given books a winged lift. Publishers hope this will be such a time again, and they’re lining up heavyweight authors to give an earthly push. Three new and re-released books anticipate that the fascination with angels or spiritual beings wasn’t just a fad of the ‘90s.
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Ehud and Vatsala Sperling: Committed for Seven Lifetimes
Fifteen years ago, Ehud and Vatsala Sperling published a book of letters that documented an unusual courtship between an Indian-born Tamil Brahmin and an Israeli-born U.S. Jew. The Sperlings’ engagement--they met through a personals ad in an Indian newspaper--upended modern egalitarian norms about falling in love, and their book provoked both positive and negative responses.
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March 2011 Christian Marketplace Bestsellers
Max Lucado has climbed to #2; George W. Bush has dropped out of the top ten, while Drew Brees drops in; James Dobson’s latest takes #6.
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Mike Leach on Why Stay Catholic?
Michael Leach is what most would call a die-hard Catholic, and he is one of the most upbeat people you’ll ever meet. So it’s surprising to learn that the “dean of Catholic book publishing,” as one magazine dubbed him, found himself weary of his church—weary of scandal, canned sermons, and lack of respect for women. This from someone who wrote a book titled I Like Being Catholic (with Therese Borchard; Doubleday, 2000). But 70-year-old Leach has his Catholic mojo back, and the publisher emeritus and editor-at-large for Orbis Books is sharing what he calls “the good stuff” of Catholicism in a new book, Why Stay Catholic? Unexpected Answers to a Life-Changing Question (Loyola Press, Mar.).
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Religion in Review
A pastoral memoir from Eugene Peterson; a new food book from Geneen Roth; more on heaven from Don Piper and Cecil Murphey; Anthony DeStefano guides readers through The Invisible World; Michael Leach asks and answers Why Stay Catholic?; new crime fiction from Multnomah; a sneak peek at religion reviews in the March 14 PW; a starred review for March 14; and links to Web Exclusive reviews.
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Short Takes
Moe Girkins leaving Zondervan; Strang rebrands as Charisma Media; Charisma sues Benny Hinn for morality violation; PW cites Tyndale House for the most 2010 Christian bestsellers; ECPA launches consumer Web site; ZDL Books publishes 100th Christian book in China; L.A. Dream Center will get all royalties from pastor’s book; Joe Lieberman signs with Howard for Sabbath book; InterVarsity Press wins leadership book awards; Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Awards voting opens; Thoughtful Christian increases discounts, launches new blog; Paulist Press names new scripture editor; ChristianBookVideos.com posts 1,000th book trailer; Standard to be repped by ABridge International; Barbour named top gift book publisher by GiftBeat.
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Editor’s Note
E-books, e-books, e-books. It seems that’s all anybody is talking about in publishing, and that’s as true in religion as in any other category. In this issue of RBL we take a look at Christian publishers’ first forays into enhanced e-books, as they hope the shiny new multi-media experience will draw even more readers to their titles. Fiction seems to be a favorite of e-book readers across the board, and in next week’s issue of PW, with the Religion Update supplement, we zero in on e-books in inspirational fiction, as well as looking at other aspects of that booming business—the hottest genres, the newest marketing techniques, publishers entering that arena for the first time, and more.
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