David C. Cook’s recent acquisition of Integrity Music has resulted in a restructuring of key positions and the promotions of three top staffers. Don Pape has been promoted to v-p of trade publishing. He will report to Dan Rich, who has been promoted to chief publishing officer. Ginia Hairston Croker has been promoted to v-p of trade marketing; she will also report to Rich. Rich was previously senior v-p of publishing; Pape has been Cook’s group publisher of trade books since 2006; Croker came to Cook in 2010 after stints at WaterBrook Multnomah, where she was v-p of marketing and publicity, and Zondervan, where she was v-p of marketing for trade books. In other news at Cook, their star author Francis Chan will have three trade books on The New York Times Paperback, Advice & Miscellaneous list as of July 24: Erasing Hell debuts at #3, Crazy Love is at #4 and Forgotten God at #10. This is a first for Chan and a first in Cook’s 135-year history.
Revell author Irene Hannon has been honored with a RITA® Award for her 2010 romantic suspense novel, In Harm’s Way, which won in the Inspirational Romance category. The award was presented July 1 in New York City at a black-tie ceremony emceed by The Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot and attended by 2,000 authors and publishing industry professionals. Presented annually by Romance Writers of America, the RITA Award is the top prize for romantic fiction. More than a thousand published entries are judged in 12 categories, with many bestselling authors among the contenders; this was Hannon’s fifth nomination and second win. Called a “master at character development” by Library Journal, Hannon is the author of more than 35 novels and has been praised by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and other reviewers. She is also the winner of a Daphne du Maurier Award. Hannon’s romantic suspense and contemporary romance novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages. Her suspense titles are also available as audio books.
Tommy Nelson, the children’s unit of Thomas Nelson, is “refreshing” and relaunching Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends™book and DVD line for kids. The re-launched line, releasing in October, also will include board books and a hardcover level-two reader. A second new hardcover level-two reader is planned for release in spring of 2012. The Hermie & Friends™ products will have a new design, new packaging, new books, and lower DVD pricing. New books include Thank You, God, For Loving Me (board book introducing Little Hermie), Thank You, God, For Blessing Me (Little Hermie board book #2), and Hermie, a Common Caterpillar (level-2 reader).
Deepak Chopra held a press conference July 12 at his Deepak Studio in New York City to debut and promote his interactive workshop using Paltalk, a “real-time, video-based community.” The workshop is based on Chopra’s The Soul of Leadership (Harmony, 2010). The ongoing workshop will be available at www.Paltalk.com as well as at www.deepakChopra.com.
NavPress author Becky Harling has been named 2011 Member of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). The award was presented at AWSA’s Golden Scroll Award ceremony at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta on July 10, during the International Christian Retail Show. Harling has been a pastor’s wife, mother of four, women’s ministry director, and survivor of both childhood sexual abuse and breast cancer. Her books include Finding Calm in Life’s Chaos and Rewriting Your Emotional Script. Her most recent book with NavPress, Freedom from Performing, released in May 2011. AWSA is a professional support group for Christian women in both publishing and speaking.
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