“What an honor to have this talented and dedicated group as part of the Thomas Nelson family,” says Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of Thomas Nelson. “Through this campaign, our Bible Marketing Team continues to carry out the company’s mission, to inspire the world. The King James Bible is an integral part of Thomas Nelson’s foundation and this team has done a great job to educate consumers about its history and cultural influence.”

Competition entrants include media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies. The entries are judged by the international organization Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

“Our marketing team well deserves having this spotlight shone on them,” says Gary Davidson, Thomas Nelson Senior Vice President and Bible Group Publisher. “Their exceptional creative programs are some of the best I’ve ever seen. I’m very proud of the work they do to spread God’s Word.”

It was 407 years ago that King James of England gathered 54 of the best biblical scholars and linguists of the day to create a new translation of the Bible. Thomas Nelson’s campaign to share the anniversary included the Bible Legacy Event at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, a worldwide satellite media tour, partnerships with the History Channel and Salem Media Group, and recently a promotion on the CBS Times Square Jumbo Screen. A web site dedicated to the celebration – www.KJV400celebration.com – launched an online version of the Bible Legacy showcase, encouraging millions of people to view ancient biblical relics.

“It was a lot of hours and a lot of work, but it was worth it,” says Blake Aldridge, Senior Marketing Director of Thomas Nelson’s Bible Group. “The King James Version changed how the world viewed the Bible, and its legacy of language lives on today. We wanted everyone to understand how important that Bible translation is to their everyday lives, whether they realize it or not. It was a huge challenge, but this group likes challenges.”

The group’s efforts reached close to 63 million viewers through paid promotions, and countless more through publicity efforts in print, online, radio and television. Innovative design work by Thomas Nelson’s design team brought the past and present together in beautiful products that will be kept for generations. This award recognizes the dedicated perseverance of all those who worked for months to keep this version of God’s Word in the hearts of the world.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of a campaign that celebrates such a time-honored translation as the King James Version,” says Lindsay Williams, Bible Group Marketing Specialist. “This has been the largest campaign I’ve been a part of during my time at Thomas Nelson, and it’s been exciting to work on something with such a phenomenal reach! It’s been neat to see people’s reactions as they begin to understand how this translation has stood the test of time and influenced history for 400 years.”

Thomas Nelson Inc. is the world’s largest Christian publisher, with a mission to “inspire the world.” The company provides multiple formats of Bibles, inspirational books and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. Visit www.ThomasNelsonBibles.com for more information.

For image files, interview opportunities and more information, contact Julie Belschner, publicist, at jbelschner@thomasnelson.com or at 615.902.2244.

(Nashville, TN) Thomas Nelson Fiction is pleased to congratulate author Beth Wiseman on her 2011 Carol Award win for her novel “Plain Paradise”.

“Beth Wiseman is a dream author. As a debut novelist in 2008, she immediately skyrocketed to the bestseller list, has quickly become a top-selling voice in her genre, and is now expanding her brand to write both Amish and Romance novels. Most of all, she’s  a genuine friend and true joy to work with. We couldn’t be more happy for this major recognition of Beth’s writing,” said Allen Arnold, Sr. VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction.

Wiseman, of Fayetteville, TX, accepted her award with a tearful word about the poignancy of the honor and her personal connections to this novel.  “Plain Paradise” deals with an adoption—a woman who was given up at birth and her journey to discover the identity of her biological mother.  Wiseman, too, reconnected with her birth mother, and hears regularly from readers who’ve been touched by “Plain Paradise” and write to share their own adoption stories.

The Carol Awards are the American Christian Fiction Writers’ recognition for the best Christian fiction published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar year.  Winners are announced at ACFW’s annual convention, where this year nearly 700 authors and industry professionals attended the awards gala.  Boasting more than 2400 members worldwide, ACFW serves to promote Christian Fiction through developing the skills of its authors, educating them in the market, and serving as an advocate in the traditional publishing industry.

Wiseman’s latest release is “The Wonder of Your Love” (October 2011), an Amish novel set in Colorado, following the real-life migration of Amish communities to the area.  Her spring 2012 release, “Need You Now” is a contemporary romance set in Beth’s home state of Texas.

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Thomas Nelson, Inc. is the world’s largest Christian publisher and one of the largest trade publishers in the United States.  Originally founded in Scotland, 1798, Thomas Nelson’s Corporate Office is located in Nashville, TN, with its Live Events division, the nation’s leading producer of Christian live events, in Plano, TX.  The Company provides multiple forms of inspirational content including:  Bibles, books, eBooks, journals, audio, video, curriculum and digital applications available for download on “smart” electronic devices.  The Company publishes products through its Thomas Nelson, Tommy Nelson, and Grupo Nelson brand names.  The Company’s self-publishing division, WestBow Press, allows new authors a speed-to-market advantage while also benefitting from Thomas Nelson’s publishing heritage.  Thomas Nelson, Inc. continues to inspire the world, with distribution of products in more than 100 countries.  For more information on the Company, please visit www.thomasnelson.com. 

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me to be Promoted

(Nashville, Tenn.) – Thomas Nelson, Inc. is pleased to announce that Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron has been selected as a featured title in the Barnes & Noble (B&N) Discover Great New Writers program.

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me will be part of the program for the months of August, September, and October 2011 at B&N stores nationwide and online at BarnesandNoble.com.

Former authors to be selected as part of the B&N Discover Great New Writers include Cormac McCarthy, Elizabeth Gilbert, Frank McCourt, Barbara Kingsolver, Yann Martel, Alice Sebold, Michael Pollan, Patricia Cornwell, Kathryn Stockett, and Khaled Hosseini.

“One of the biggest compliments that a retailer can pay to an author or publisher is to acknowledge the inherent value of a beautifully written book,” says Matt Baugher, Vice President and Publisher at Thomas Nelson. “It’s not just a matter of promotion and not just about what might sell but rather, the recognition that a book should be highlighted simply because it is special. This is what the Discover Great New Writers program has always been about and to be included in this is a great honor. Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts is an engaging memoir in every respect, and I look forward to many more people discovering Ian Morgan Cron in the days ahead.”

“I have been submitting books for consideration to the Discover Great New Writers panel for close to 25 years, and I have never been as excited about a title as I am about Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts,” says Julie Jayne, Key Accounts Manager at Thomas Nelson. “I am so pleased that the panel agreed with my assessment of this wonderful book and chose it for the program. Barnes & Noble customers will be well-rewarded when they make the time to read this literary treasure.”

As part of the Discover Great New Writers program, Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts will receive the following B&N promotions:

• Face-out display in each B&N bookstore
• An individual shelf-talker with a teaser line placed under each face-out
• A 20% discount for the entire promotional season
• An individual review for each title in the seasonal Discover Great New Writers brochure, available free to customers
• Promotion on bn.com for the Discover Award finalists and Discover Seasonal selections
• Special consideration for Discover-selected writers for in-store events and book group discussions

Author Ian Morgan Cron is represented by Lee Hough of Alive Communications. His speaking management is coordinated by Jim Chaffee of Chaffee Management Group.

About Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts

At the age of sixteen, Ian Morgan Cron was told by his mother that his father, a former motion picture executive, worked with the CIA in Europe. This astonishing revelation, coupled with his father’s dark struggle with alcoholism, upends the world of a teenager struggling to become a man.

In this surprisingly funny and forgiving memoir Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir … of Sorts (Thomas Nelson, 978-0-8499-4610-3, $15.99, June 2011), Ian describes a childhood filled with remarkable stories and colorful characters that includes a nearly blind English nanny who teaches him what love means, a simple carpenter who leads him to faith, an irreverent New York radio personality who saves his life, a father who takes his family on a wild ride from the pinnacle of glamour and wealth to the depths of emotional and financial hardship, a beautiful and courageous mother who holds them together, and the hard won peace that comes when we surrender to the “unfinished business of grace.”

IAN MORGAN CRON IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS.
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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

The ADDY® Awards Competition is a three-tiered national competition conducted annual by the American Adverting Federation. The ADDY® Awards Competition is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition for creative excellence.

Bonhoeffer is a groundbreaking biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century, the man who stood up to Hitler. A definitive, deeply moving narrative, Bonhoeffer is a story of moral courage in the face of the monstrous evil that was Nazism. After discovering the fire of true faith in a Harlem church, Bonhoeffer returned to Germany and became one of the first to speak out against Hitler. As a double-agent, he joined the plot to assassinate the Führer, and was hanged in Flossenberg concentration camp at age 39. Since his death, Bonhoeffer has grown to be one of the most fascinating, complex figures of the 20th century. Bonhoeffer presents a profoundly orthodox Christian theologian whose faith led him to boldly confront the greatest evil of the 20th century, and uncovers never-before-revealed facts, including the story of his passionate romance.

Max Lucado’s You Changed My Life was also a Christian Book Award winner this year in the Inspiration category. This book celebrates the people who have changed our lives for the good. Often times true heroes of faith don’t stand out in the world, but they have made a lasting difference in someone’s life—they’re a hero to someone. This gift book celebrates their story by first providing a dedication and follows with stories told by Max about others who have answered the call of their convictions and took steps of faith, both big and small, resulting in lasting change in the lives around them. It’s a message that honors the recipient, and inspires us all to see that real people with remarkable hearts can change lives.

The Christian Book Awards are presented annually, since 1978, to the highest quality in Christian publishing in six categories – Bibles, Bible Reference & Study, Christian Life, Fiction, Children & Youth, and Inspiration & Gift. The awards are selected by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and significance of contribution.

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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com

The Thomas Nelson winners are:

• Bonhoeffer by
Eric Metaxas – Auto/Biography
• Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids by
Sarah Young
and adapted by Tamara Fortner – Children’s Nonfiction
• Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent – Christian Living: Spiritual Growth
• Good Morning Lord by Sheila Walsh - Devotionals
• Love and Respect for a Lifetime by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs – Relationships
• The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews – Gift Book
• You Changed My Life by Max Lucado – Gift Book
• Jesus Calling: Deluxe Edition by Sarah Young – Backlist

Products nominated for the 2011 Retailer’s Choice Awards must have been published or released in 2010 and include clear Christian content, message or worldview. Retailers judged the 350+ nominations in 39 categories on the impact they have had on staff and customers, including their ability to speak to people’s hearts and evoke emotion, open people’s minds to new ways of thinking, and encourage and affirm Christ-like living. For more a complete listing of the 2011 Retailer’s Choice Awards, visit www.retailerschoiceawards.com.

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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

The winner in each category will be announced April 26-28^th at Christian Retailing’s Retailing ReBoot 2011 event in Orlando, Florida. The Thomas Nelson finalists are:

The King James Study Bible: 400th Anniversary Edition – Bibles (Devotional/Study)

1611 King James Version: 400th Anniversary Edition – Bibles (General)

Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas – Auto/Biography

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids, Sarah Young – Children’s Nonfiction

Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado – Christian Living: Practical Life

Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent  - Christian Living: Spiritual Growth

Jesus Manifesto, Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola – Church and Culture

The Story of the Bible, Larry Stone - Church and Culture

Good Morning, Lord, Sheila Walsh - Devotionals

Seek Me With All Your Heart, Beth Wiseman – Fiction: Contemporary Romance

Greater Love, Robert Whitlow – Fiction: General

Immanuel’s Veins, Ted Dekker - Fiction: Mystery and Suspense

Love & Respect for a Lifetime, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs – Relationships

The American Patriot’s Almanac, William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb – Social Issues

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God, Sheila Walsh – Women’s Nonfiction

The Butterfly Effect, Andy Andrews - Gift Books

The Heavens Proclaim Your Glory, Lisa Stilwell – Gift Books

The Prophecy Answer Book, David Jeremiah – Gift Books

You Changed My Life, Max Lucado - Gift Books

Jesus Calling: Deluxe Edition, Sarah Young – Backlist

Same Kind of Different As Me, Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent - Backlist

Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller – Backlist

Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible, Vol. One, Gwen Ellis – Children’s Media

Outlive Your Life DVD-based Small Group Kit, Max Lucado – DVD/Video: Book/Bible Study

KJV400: Celebrating the Legacy of the Bible Campaign – Marketing/Promotion Campaign

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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

“Very few projects make it all the way to the National Addy competition so we are thrilled to have a product that has been selected as a local and regional Addy winner,” said Gabe Wicks, Vice President of Design and MultiMedia at Thomas Nelson. “The Revolve Devotional Bible certainly showcases the level of quality recognized at the National level.”

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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

Max Lucado is the first author to appear on the Christian Book Award finalist list three times in the same year, all in different categories (Bibles, Inspiration and Non-Fiction). Since 1978, Lucado has earned 12 wins and 32 finalist placements in the Christian Book Award program.

The winner in each category will be announced at the ECPA Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In addition, one title will be selected from the finalist to receive the top honor, Christian Book of the Year. This award is based on editorial excellence and sales achievement.

The Thomas Nelson finalists are:

• The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible, NKJV (Bibles)
• The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone (Bible Reference)
• You Changed My Life by Max Lucado (Inspiration)
• Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas (Non-Fiction)
• Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado (Non-Fiction)

About the Finalists:

The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible, NKJV
Discover the life-enriching biblical application you’re searching for in The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible. With more than 1,000 “Life Lessons” offering insights straight from Max, the message of God’s Word will be more meaningful and impactful than ever. This beautifully designed Bible contains practical application drawn from Max Lucado’s entire career—from his first book to his latest release, Outlive Your Life. For the first time, all the devotional material in this fully-revised edition of The Inspirational Study Bible is from Max Lucado and uses the popular and reliable New King James Version^® (NKJV) translation!

The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone
A beautifully illustrated, hands-on history of the world’s best-selling book. With a highly readable and colorful narrative, The Story of the Bible covers in a sweeping panorama the writing and transmission of the Bible through the ages. The writing of the Old and New Testaments, the canonization of the Scriptures, and stories of those who gave their lives to make the Bible available in common language—all are reported clearly and reverently with the power of anecdotal illustrations. Readers encounter page after page of engaging illustrations set in a highly designed journey chock-full of removable documents.

You Changed My Life by Max Lucado
Oftentimes true heroes of faith don’t stand out in the world, but they have made a lasting difference in someone’s life—they’re a hero to someone. This gift book celebrates their story by first providing a dedication beginning with “You changed my life by___” to be written in detail by the giver to the recipient. To follow are stories told by Max about others who have answered the call of their convictions and took steps of faith (both big and small) resulting in lasting change in the lives around them. It’s a message that honors the person who receives the book, and inspires us all to see that real people with remarkable hearts can change lives.

Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas
From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace, a groundbreaking biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century, the man who stood up to Hitler. A definitive, deeply moving narrative, Bonhoeffer is a story of moral courage in the face of the monstrous evil that was Nazism.

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado
These are difficult days in our world’s history. 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, natural disasters are gouging entire nations, and economic uncertainty still reigns across the globe. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Infiltrated all corners with God’s love and life? We are created by a great God to do great works. He invites us to outlive our lives, not just in heaven, but here on earth. Let’s live our lives in such a way that the world will be glad we did.

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Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes.  For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

(Nashville, Tenn.) Thomas Nelson, Inc. was awarded the 2010 ECPA | dp Book Cover Award in the Large Publisher category for the book Searching for God Knows What, Revised and Updated. The win was announced December 14, 2010 at a PUBu online webinar. You can find the webinar and the winner announcement on the ECPA website. The books were judged for design integrity and matching the design to its targeted audience. Rick Hamm was the judging manager for the program.

Donald Miller’s Searching for God Knows What explores the origin and meaning of redemption in this fully revised and redesigned bestseller. Hysterically funny, wryly provocative, and disquietingly insightful, Searching for God Knows What invites readers to examine their deep need for redemption, to feel it, know it, and live like it is true in their lives. The book was fully revised and redesigned earlier this year. The new cover was designed by James Hall and art directed by Belinda Bass.

Thomas Nelson, Inc. is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes. For more information on the company and titles visit http://www.thomasnelson.com.