Moe Girkins has been replaced after three years at the helm of Zondervan, as reported in the February 17 issue of PW Daily.
Strang Communications, parent company of seven book imprints and five periodicals (including Christian Retailing),has rebranded as Charisma Media effective Feb. 1. In a statement, the company said the change “correlates with a series of recent corporate shifts, including relaunching the company’s flagship magazine, [Charisma], and renaming its book division [Charisma House].” Its book group has had 10 titles on the New York Times Best Sellers list in recent years, including Shadowmancer by G.P. Taylor, 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese, and The Faith of George W. Bush by Stephen Mansfield. The corporate Web site has been relaunched as charismamedia.com. In less happy news, Charisma Media is suing one of its authors, televangelist Benny Hinn, after reports in the Orlando Sentinel
and other media outlets that Hinn has been caught in an "inappropriate relationship" with fellow celebrity preacher Paula White. Charisma is suing Hinn for violating a morality clause in his contract.
Publishers Weekly recognized Tyndale Housefor topping all Christian publishers for the number of PW bestsellers in 2010, with eight titles making our lists. Tyndale also ranked 8th among all publishers in its number of PW bestsellers last year. The house’s 2010 PW adult hardcover bestsellers included (in order of weeks on the list): Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees with Chris Fabry (8 weeks on the list, peaked at #2); The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker (5 weeks on the list, peaked at #7); The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg (3 weeks on the list, peaked at #8), So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore (3 weeks on the list, peaked at #12); Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers (2 weeks on the list, peaked at #12); Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef (2 weeks on the list, peaked at #13); Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson (2 weeks on the list, peaked at #15); and Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers (1 week on the list at #13). Tyndale also recently announced it has secured publishing rights for a book based on the screenplay for Courageous http://www.courageousthemovie.com/home www.courageousthemovie.com/pressroom/pressmaterials, a film releasing in theaters September 30, 2011. Randy Alcorn (Safely Home) will write the novelization based on the screenplay by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. The movie is the fourth created by Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. This will be the first new film since Fireproof in 2008. The novelization is set to release in trade paper in August 2011.
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has debuted a new consumer-oriented Web site spun off its principal site. Christianbookexpo.com is the new home for ECPA’s bestseller lists, list of Christian Book Award and sales award winners, and more than 200 author interviews and book trailers. Michael Covington, ECPA information and education director, said the top reason people visit the ECPA Web site is its bestseller list (also in this issue of RBL). So the trade group decided to re-organize its online resources to “cross-pollinate” programs and raise consumer awareness of authors and titles. www.ecpa.org will function as a social networking site for professionals in Christian publishing community. That site will also be the home in the future of online industry forums, Covington said.
ZDL Books, the Beijing-based Christian media company, has just published its 100th Christian title in China, Marriage on the Rock by Jimmy and Karen Evans. Translated from English into Simplified Chinese, the book was released in November and is available in bookstores and retailers throughout China. “Seven years ago when ZDL first started, no one could have imagined that we could be legally doing what we are doing now in China, and be successful at it,” said David Wright, general manager of ZDL, at an event in Beijing marking the milestone. Marriage on the Rock has sold more than 300,000 copies in the U.S.
Matthew Barnett’s The Cause within You: Finding the One Great Thing You Were Created to Do in This World (BarnaBooks, Feb.; coauthored by George Barna) debuted at #15 on the New York Times Extended Advice Best Sellers List and the Amazon Best Sellers list on February 11 (on February 23 it ranked 3,205 on Amazon). Barnett is cofounder (with his father, Tommy Barnett) of the Los Angeles Dream Center, as well as senior pastor of the historic Angelus Temple. All of Barnett’s royalties will go to the L.A. Dream Center to support its charitable work, including new human-trafficking rescue efforts. There are now more than 100 Dream Centers in the United States. The L.A. Dream Center is on a nine-acre campus near Echo Park and Skid Row; it has ministries for homeless families, addicts, abused women and children, victims of human trafficking, teen runaways, and others. The L.A. City Council and the mayor have recognized the work of the Dream Center.
Former Senator Joe Lieberman has signed with Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, for a book on Sabbath observance. Gift of Rest, co-written with David Klinghoffer, is set to release in August 2011. According to Howard, the book “offers a look at the beauty of the Sabbath observance--a practice that has anchored, ordered, and inspired Senator Lieberman’s life.”
InterVarsity Press has won two Golden Canon awards for contributions to the professional and spiritual growth of Christian leaders. The Golden Canons were created by Leadership Journal and recognize “the year’s books of most value to church leaders.” Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices by Todd D. Hunter and Whole Life Transformation: Becoming the Change Your Church Needs by Keith Meyer were both honored.
The Christian Small Publishers Association has announced that voting is now open for the fourth annual Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award. The award recognizes books from small publishers that make an “outstanding contribution to Christian life.” Retailers and readers are invited to vote for one book in each of eight categories online at www.ChristianBookAward.com.
Voting on the awards is open until March 31, 2010; the winners will be announced on April 15, 2011. For more information about
the Christian Small Publishers Association go to www.christianpublishers.net.
The Thoughtful Christian, an online resource center launched last year by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), has announced increased discounts; books can be purchased on the site at 35%–75% off the retail price. In addition to books, the site offers downloadable youth, adult, and parent studies. In a statement the company said, “As the retail arm of the PPC, The Thoughtful Christian is a separate entity from PPC’s book imprints, Westminster John Knox Press and Geneva Press.” Books from other publishers in religion, spirituality, biblical studies, and contemporary issues are also available on the site. Last month TTC also launched a new blog, Gathering Voices: Faithful Conversations from TheThoughtfulChristian.com, featuring a panel of regular bloggers—among them Lynne Baab, Erin Lane Beam, Adam Copeland, Greg Garrett, David Maxwell, Donald K. McKim, Laura Pickrell, and (former PW religion reviews editor) Jana Riess--as well as guest bloggers.
Paulist Press has named J. Enrique Aguilar scripture editor. Aguilar holds doctorate and licentiate degrees in sacred scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and is the author of several books and papers both in English and Spanish. In addition to his responsibilities at Paulist Press, he will continue to teach at Fordham University.
ChristianBookVideos.com has just posted its one-thousandth Book Trailer™ for Christian books. Launched in 2009, the site aggregates video for a book from all sources—author, book and publisher Web sites, as well YouTube, GodTube, and other sites. In a statement, Edward Bolme, managing director, said, “Now Christian book lovers can go to one website and view the book videos for their favorite authors as well as discover new authors and books to read.” Publishers and authors can submit their book videos to ChristianBookVideos.com for free posting.
Standard Publishing has announced that ABridge International will represent the companies books in the international market. Bill Schultz, owner of ABridge International, and his team will begin representation immediately.
Barbour Publishing has been named #1 in the gift book category by GiftBeat, an independent rating organization that provides data to retailers on a subscription basis. Barbour is best known in the gift market for its DayMaker products www.daymakergifts.com, including inspirational gift books, calendars, recipe books, devotionals, and journals.