Concordia to Expand its Christian Fiction Line
Concordia Publishing House (CPH), the official publisher of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod—the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S.—is expanding its fiction title output amid increased demand and heightened sales.
First launched in 2014, Concordia’s fiction line has released five titles so far, with sales “exceeding our expectations,” said Laura Lane, managing editor. The publisher aims to release between four and six fiction titles a year moving forward, including this year’s Grace Alone by Ruth E. Meyer (Feb.), Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader (Apr.), The Messengers: Concealed by Lisa Clark (May), and The Harvest Raise by Katie Schuermann (June).
In 2018, Concordia will release Clark’s follow-up, The Messengers: Revealed, and Loving Isaac by Heather Kaufman. It is currently looking for additional fiction manuscripts from both adult and YA authors.
“Fiction has really allowed us to reach a new segment of readers, within our traditional customer base and beyond,” said Lane. “As a denominational publisher, we recognize that readers are looking for reading material that encourages their faith beyond Sunday morning.”