The Word of Promise® Audio Bible is a scripted dramatization of the trusted New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible presented in a compelling, dramatic audio theater format. The project features the talents of Hollywood actors including Michael York (narrator), Richard Dreyfuss (Moses), Gary Sinise  (David), Jesse McCartney (young David and Daniel), Stacy Keach (Paul and Job), Ernie Hudson (Peter), Sean Astin (Elihu), Malcolm McDowell (Solomon), Joan Allen (Deborah), Lou Diamond Phillips (Mark), Luke Perry (Judas), Harry Hamlin (Nehemiah), Jim Caviezel (Jesus), and Martin Jarvis (voice of God). Complete with production by AFTRA Award winner Carl Amari (The Twilight Zone™ Radio Dramas), an original music score by prolific Italian composer Stefano Mainetti (Abba Pater & The Shooter), and movie-quality sound effects produced, engineered, and mixed at Cerny American Creative in Chicago—an award-winning facility ranked in the Top 3 in the nation for sound design headed by director JoBe Cerny. The 90+ hour project released through Thomas Nelson, Inc., in October in a special 79-CD box set collection and an 11-MP3 CD offering, both with a bonus features DVD. Stand-alone New Testament and Old Testament sets are also available.

“The Word of Promise® Audio Bible was a huge undertaking, and I’m privileged to be able to share the honor of these Audie Award nods with a cast of over 600 professional actors, and a devoted team of those in production, sound engineering, product development, and marketing,” says producer Carl Amari. “Over three years of work and thousands of man hours went into both the creation and promotion of this project and it’s a delight to have the project recognized by The Audio Publishers Association.”

In addition to the Audie Award finalist standing, the project has already received a Platinum Marcom Creative Award in recognition of excellence in creativity. The complete Bible released as a follow-up to the The Word of Promise® New Testament Audio Bible which made history when it became the first audiobook and Bible to win the ECPA Christian Book of the Year Award in the 30-year history of the award program.

Audio samples, a free iPhone/iPod Touch application, and additional information about The Word of Promise® Audio Bible are available by visiting http://www.thomasnelson.com/thewordofpromise. Updates are also available by following The Word of Promise® on Facebook and Twitter, @WordofPromise.

(Nashville, Tenn.) Three Tommy Nelson children’s books were recently named recipients of the highly sought after 2010 Mom’s Choice Awards®, a premier award recognizing and honoring excellence in family-friendly products. An esteemed panel of judges including Dr. Twila C. Liggett (founder of Reading Rainbow), Julie Aigner-Clark (creator of Baby Einstein), parents, children, authors, and experts from many fields chose these three books as worthy of the coveted Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Seal: Jungle Jack’s Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World by Jack Hanna, I Believe Bunny by Tish Rabe and A Night Night Prayer by Amy Parker.

Everyone’s favorite animal expert, Jungle Jack Hanna, is no stranger to the Mom’s Choice Awards®. Last year he took home gold for both Passport Into the Wild and Romp, Stomp, Waddle Home! in the Animal Kingdom category. This year Jack makes it three with his most recent book Jungle Jack’s Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World. A true adventurer at heart, Jungle Jack Hanna has been all over the world and has seen his share of unique animals. Have you ever seen a naked mole rat or a blue-footed booby? Do you know what a binturong is? With his new book, he invites kids to look through his eyes at the strange, unusual, and sometimes downright weird characters that make up the animal world through fascinating facts, stories and colorful photos. The book also includes a bonus DVD with hilarious bloopers from Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild and other shows from his career.

Speaking of animals, furry friends have always hopped through the pages of beloved children’s literature from Peter Cottontail to The Velveteen Rabbit and many more. These classic characters evoke nostalgic memories and continue to spark the imaginations of a young generation of readers today. But what if the bunnies in these classic children’s stories had a bigger message to share? What if a bunny could capture not only children’s hearts and imaginations but also inspire them to something greater? Award-winning educational author Tish Rabe answers that question with a new series of children’s books: The I Believe Bunny, a delightful collection that helps children learn about believing, sharing, and putting their faith into action.

Tish Rabe is now adding a gold Mom’s Choice Award® in the Values & Life Lessons category to the list for the first book in the series, I Believe Bunny. This precious book teaches the importance of calling on God for our every need and helps children remember to be thankful for God’s work in their lives.

For some parents, the precious moments as little ones snuggle into bed after a day of tiresome adventures may be the only considerable quality time they get with their children each day.  This lack of extra time has led many parents to cherish bedtime routines even more, as bedtime may be the perfect time to squeeze in a few more precious minutes together before tots head off to dreamland. A Night Night Prayer, the debut release from children’s author Amy Parker, captures the timelessness of traditional bedtime stories with the rhythmic repetition of a child bidding goodnight to all of God’s creation and has now been recognized as worthy of the Mom’s Choice Gold Medal for a Bedtime Story. The cozy setting of a sweet goodnight comes to life with beautiful illustrations that create the calming effect of this soon-to-be classic.  As they say goodnight to a sleepy world, children will be introduced to the idea of thankfulness for the creation around them and will begin to cherish prayer in their young lives.

All of these award-winning books contain innovative, entertaining, and educational messages that have struck a chord with children and parents everywhere.  Discerning parents will appreciate the family-friendly fun and encouraging truths of these standout products.  Great children’s books like these do more than simply entertain; they spark imaginations and encourage a love of reading and learning that will serve children for a lifetime.

The Mom’s Choice Awards® is known for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family friendly media, products and services. This annual competition recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media products and services.

Thomas Nelson’s Fiction Division launched in January 2004 under the leadership of Allen Arnold, Senior Vice President and Publisher. The division has grown by leaps and bounds, but its goal remains the same: to reach the broadest possible audience with the best possible stories – always written from a Christian worldview. “We listen closely to the readers and retailers to deliver the optimal mix of genres, formats and prices for our novels. And in just five years, we’re honored to be the #1 Christian Fiction publisher  – with more than one out of every five novels bought at Christian Retail last year published by Thomas Nelson,” said Arnold.  “We’re grateful, humbled, and passionate to see what God has in store for us in the next five years.”

The ABA’s Indie Next List is “drawn from bookseller-recommended favorite handsells, epitomizing the heart and soul of passionate bookselling.”

Southern Living touts Seitz’s skillful storytelling in Saving Cicadas in their December 2009 review of one of their “favorite picks” for Christmas gifts: “A road trip takes on special meaning for 8-year-old Janie. She, along with her sister and grandparents, joins her mother’s quest to find her absent father. Janie doesn’t uncover the answers she expects from the journey. But she—and all of the author’s well-drawn characters—does find out about redemption and miracles.”

On Wednesday, December 9, Seitz will be honored at a book launch celebration and cocktail party at the Florence Crittenton Home in her hometown of Charleston, SC.  She will sign copies of Saving Cicadas  in exchange for donations made directly to the Crittenton home, which has provided shelter and support in South Carolina for single mothers facing unplanned pregnancy since 1897.  Blue Bicycle Books will be on hand to sell copies of Seitz’s other award-winning novels.

Nicole Seitz is a South Carolina Lowcountry native.  She weaves enchanting tales of redemption filled with unforgettable characters and a refreshing Southern voice, including novels like The Spirit of Sweetgrass and A Hundred Years of Happiness (a 2009 Book Award nominee for Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance). A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism, she also holds a bachelor’s degree in illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Nicole shows her paintings—also featured as the covers of her books—in the Charleston, South Carolina area, where she owns a web design firm and lives with her husband and two small children.

DEBUT AUTHOR
In the Shadow of the Sun King  (Golden Keyes Parsons)

LITS
Sweet Caroline  (Rachel Hauck)

LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Convenient Groom (Denise Hunter)

SUSPENSE
Anathema (Colleen Coble)
Lonestar Sanctuary  (Colleen Coble)

WOMEN’S FICTION
The Perfect Life (Robin Lee Hatcher)

ACFW boasts over 1800 members worldwide—authors, editors, agents, publicists and aspiring writers—working “to promote Christian Fiction through developing the skills of its authors, educating them in the market, and serving as an advocate in the industry.” Award winners will be named at this year’s annual conference in Denver, CO, September 17-20, at a ceremony to be held Saturday night.  Winning authors will receive plaques; their editors will also be recognized.

Booksellers Best Award – Inspirational Fiction
Sponsored by Greater Detroit RWA
Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble 

Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award
Sponsored by Faith, Hope and Love chapter of RWA (for Christian fiction authors belonging to RWA)
Where Do I Go? by Neta Jackson

(Nashville, Tenn.) Thomas Nelson, Inc. was awarded six of Christian Retailing’s 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards. The awards were announced on Monday, July 13th at the International Christian Retail Show in Denver, Colorado. Thomas Nelson received more any other publishing house and walked away with a fifth of the cumulative awards.

“There are two things about Retailer’s Choice Awards that make them among the highest honors in the industry,” said Michael S. Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson. “First, the awards are selected by Christian retailers, who work on the front lines helping Christians strengthen their spiritual journey. Second, the awards are judged on a product’s ability to inspire, encourage, and affirm Godly living. I am so proud of our team.”

The Thomas Nelson winners are:

• The Word of Promise Next Generation: New Testament Audio Bible (Audio)
• Baby’s First Bible (Bibles: General)
• What in the World Is Going On? by David Jeremiah (Bibles - General)
• Fireproof by Eric Wilson (Fiction: General)
• Looking Up When Life Is Looking Down by Beth Moore (Gift Books)
• Chronological Study Bible Campaign (Marketing/Promotion Campaign)

Products nominated for the 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards must include clear Christian content, message or worldview. Retailers judged the 250 nominations in 30 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 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards, visit www.retailerschoiceawards.com.

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.

Contact:    Lindsey Nobles
Director of Corporate Communications   

tel:    (615) 902-1109    

fax:  (615) 902-1110
cell:  (615) 476-5984    

e-mail:  lnobles@thomasnelson.com

(Nashville, Tenn.) Thomas Nelson, Inc. announced today that thirteen of its products or campaigns have been chosen to be finalists for Christian Retailing’s 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards. Products or campaigns nominated for the 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards must include clear Christian content, message, or worldview. Retailers judge nominations 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 Christlike living.

The winner in each category will be announced on Monday, July 13, during the International Christian Retail Show in Denver, Colorado. Winners will appear in the August 10 issue of Christian Retailing. The Thomas Nelson finalists are:

The Word of Promise Next Generation, New Testament - Audio
Chronological Study Bible - Bibles (Devotional/Study)
Baby’s First Bible - Bibles (General)
The Voice, New Testament - Bibles (General)

Sweet Dreams Princess by Sheila Walsh - Children’s Non-Fiction

What in the World Is Going On? by David Jeremiah - Church and Culture

Fireproof by Eric Wilson - Fiction (General)

Sinner: A Paradise Novel by Ted Dekker - Fiction (Mystery and Suspence)

Walking with God by John Eldredge - Personal Growth/Prayer

A Baby Changes Everything by Tim Nichols, K.K. Wiseman, and Craig Wiseman - Gift Books

Looking Up When Life is Looking Down by Beth Moore - Gift Books

Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore - Backlist

Chronological Study Bible Campaign - Marketing/Promotion Campaign

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.

Contact:    Lindsey Nobles
Director of Corporate Communications
tel:    (615) 902-1109
fax:  (615) 902-1110
cell:  (615) 476-5984
e-mail:  lnobles@thomasnelson.com

According to the organization, what makes the HOLT Medallion unique is its purpose of reflecting the actual marketplace. Judging panels are comprised only of avid romance readers who are looking for “a good read, a book they would buy and an author they would follow.” Editors, agents, and writers are not eligible to judge.

The HOLT Medallion has been awarded annually since 1995. This year’s winner will be announced at the 29th Annual National RWA conference in Washington, D.C., July 15-18, 2009.

John Kirby, Director of The Word of Promise Next Generation, expresses the pride of everyone who worked on the project: “What an honor to have won this prestigious award and to have been surrounded by such inspiring nominees who are heroes of mine,” he says.

It is no surprise that this star-studded cast of voices captures the attention of both Audies® judges and the young people of their generation.  Stars like Cody Linley and Emily Osment of “Hannah Montana,” Corbin Bleu of “High School Musical,” American Idol’s Jordin Sparks, Sean Astin of “The Lord of the Rings,” and rising star Anna Sophia Robb are just a handful of the talented young people bringing the Bible to life for teen and tween listeners.

The Word of Promise® Next Generation was born out of a startling realization: a whole generation is missing the truths of the Bible.  According to a Barna survey of professing Christians, many young Christians today don’t believe in some of the very foundations of the faith—Satan is real, Jesus was sinless, and the Bible is all true.  On top of that, the study also found 43% of Christians who accept Jesus as their Savior do so before reaching the age of 13, and 64% before turning 18.  It seems today’s youth just won’t read the Bible, but Thomas Nelson hopes and believes they will listen.

“This award belongs to so many talented people,” says Carl Amari, Producer of the project. “I am personally humbled and thankful for the opportunity to produce a project that has the power to speak truth into young lives. I am thankful to the Audio Publishers Association, but more importantly to our Lord, for trusting me and my team with His Word and allowing us to be used to further the kingdom.”

The ICB (International Children’s Bible) New Testament, the bestselling and most readable translation created especially for today’s youth, comes to life in The Word of Promise® Next Generation as a full audio dramatic presentation.  The words leap off the page with incredible sound effects, a compelling new contemporary musical score, all produced in dramatic audio theater.  The same high quality Bible experience is available in a 21-hour, 20 CD set as well as a MP3 format so that youth can download it onto their music players to listen on-the-go.  Now, the same great content is also available in MP3 on a reusable USB flash drive bracelet for even the most tech-savvy young listeners.

In September, Thomas Nelson will unveil the complete cover-to-cover Dramatic Audio Theater™ adult production of the NKJV Bible when The Word of Promise® Old Testament Audio Bible and The Word of Promise® Audio Bible are released.  The Word of Promise® Audio Bible features a star-studded cast, including Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Richard Dreyfuss as Moses, and Lou Gossett, Jr. as John.

The Audies® Awards recognize distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment.  The Audies® are sponsored by The Audio Publishers Association (APA), a not-for-profit trade organization whose primary goals are to promote awareness of the audiobook industry, gather and disseminate industry statistics, encourage high production standards and represent the interests of audiobook publishers.  Since 1986, the APA has worked to bring audio publishers together to increase interest in audiobooks. Please visit www.audiopub.org for more information.

Contact:    Abby Barnhart
Publicist
Tel:    (615) 902-2932
Email: abarnhart@thomasnelson.com