Baker Publishing Group has won two of Christianity Today’s 2012 Book Awards. Union with Christ: Reframing Theology and Ministry for the Church by J. Todd Billings (Baker Academic) won an Award of Merit in the Theology/ Ethics category; The Colors of Hope: Becoming People of Mercy, Justice, and Love by Richard Dahlstrom (Baker Books) won the Award for Christian Living in a tie with Jesus +Nothing =Everything by Tullian Tchividjian (Crossway).
Books & Such Literary Agency has announced Rachelle Gardner has joined the agency. Gardner had been at Colorado Springs-based WordServe Literary Agency, which she joined in 2007 after stints as a senior editor at NavPress in Colorado Springs and as director of rights and marketing at General Publishing Group in Santa Monica, Calif. Gardner's blog, www.RachelleGardner.com, has regularly been named a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Site.
Religion Bound is a new books-related blog launched by Religion News Service, the independent news wire service that covers faith issues. Bailey Brewer is the editor. The blog promises reviews of the latest titles related to religion and cultural issues.
Thomas Nelson has won two awards from Leadership Journal, a Christianity Today publication. With: Reimaging the Way you Relate to God by Skye Jethani and Going Deep: Becoming a Person of Influence by Gordon MacDonald were both selected as among the most valuable for church leaders in The Leader’s Inner Life category. Nelson titles currently occupy in 11 spots on the New York Times bestseller lists. Heaven Is For Real has been on the list for 51 weeks. Nelson’s Jesus Calling continues to dominate the Christian bestsellers lists and has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide.
Grupo Nelson, Thomas Nelson’s Spanish-language division, has announced its Dona un Libro (Donate a Book) program, which will celebrate International World Book Day on April 23, 2012. Dona un Libro aims to combat illiteracy in the world’s Spanish-speaking cultures. Focusing on Central and South America, Grupo Nelson is partnering with distributors and retailers to set up donation drop-off points for consumers at local stores; retailers will then select an organization in their area--such as a library, ministry, or orphanage—to receive the books. Drop bins—450 at this point—are already in place in communities in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay.
The First Freedom Center, a nonprofit organization founded to advance religious freedom, awarded Canon Andrew White, the Vicar of Baghdad, its International First Freedom Award in a ceremony in Richmond, Va., on January 12. The Center stated that White "has built an extraordinary ministry of reconciliation and conflict mediation in the Middle East" and also that "White's standing and reputation with the most senior religious leaders in Iraq has helped him reduce not only violence against Iraq's increasingly small Christian community, but reduce violence against all Iraqis as well." Previous award recipients include Václav Havel, Tony Blair, and John Wallach. White is the author of The Vicar of Baghdad and Faith Under Fire (both from Monarch Books). For more information regarding the First Freedom Award visit http://www.firstfreedom.org/education/ffacurrent.html.
Nautilus Book Awards has extended the closing date for submissions for its 2012 awards to February 23. For information and submission materials go to http://www.nautilusbookawards.com/Guidelines_for_Entering.html
B&H Publishing Group has hired Dawn Woods as editor, acquisitions and development, in the company’s Acquisitions and Strategic Alliance department. Beginning March 1, 2012, she will help lead acquisitions in the Christian living and children’s categories. Woods was previously director of product development for the Specialty Division at Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Moody Publishers Love Language Challenge, a five-week program based on the bestselling The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, will launch this Valentine’s Day. The challenge is designed “to help couples speak each other’s love language,” according to Moody. Couples will be guided through weekly challenges “that speak to that specific love language.” Participants can take The Love Language Challenge by downloading the iPhone or Android app or via e-mail. They will be entered to win one of several prizes, including one of five Kindle Fires loaded with five books by Chapman; one of five $100 Visa Gift Cards; and one of five autographed copies of The 5 Love Languages Gift Edition. For more information or to sign up for the challenge, visit www.lovelanguagechallenge.com.
Charisma House’s Frontline imprint published The Harbinger on January 3; the book, by Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn, warns of God’s judgment on America. It debuted On January 22 at number 10 and number 28 respectively on the New York Times’ bestseller lists in the print paperback categories, as well as on the combined print hardcover and paperback list. It is at number 9 and 23 on the January 29 lists. The book also made USA Today’s Top 150 books list at number 86 andhas gone back to press four times. The Harbinger is the eleventh New York Times bestseller for Charisma House Book Group. Fasting by Jentezen Franklin, 23 Minutes In Hell by Bill Wiese, and The Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert also have previously made the list.
