After a holiday season in which sales of e-reading devices reached an all-time high, Thomas Nelson is pleased to be offering something special to e-readers. “The digital market allows for novels to be released sooner to readers in e-only or e-first editions. As readers experiment with different formats to read their novels in, we are doing so as well,” says Allen Arnold, Sr. VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction.  “We’re excited to bring this novel to Diann’s readers and to introduce her to new readers through the various digital channels.”

Hunt also joined  Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, and Kristin Billerbeck, to write “Smitten,” also now on sale in print and digital editions.  Representing a ground-breaking first-time collaboration for these four seasoned authors and friends, Smitten is the perfect Valentine’s Day read and is the focus of several retail promotions for the season.

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Thomas Nelson, Inc. is the world’s largest Christian publisher.  The Company provides multiple formats of Bibles, inspirational books and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Live Event Management, Inc., a Thomas Nelson company, is the nation’s leading producer of Christian live events.   Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com

(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. 

“Thomas Nelson is passionate about expanding our footprint in Young Adult Fiction – with stories that offer teens a mix of suspense, romance, and hope while addressing the spiritual dimensions of life. Shannon is a fresh new voice who we’re honored to partner with in this potent supernatural series of beauty, betrayal and faith that teens will love – and be transformed by.” said Allen Arnold, Senior VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction.

“I’m a firm believer that books open doors into the imagination and remind us that we should venture there often. I hope my stories remind readers that life is to be lived. And while you may fall into dark places along the way, light is as close as the prayer on your lips,” said Shannon. An experienced actress, youth minister, and mother, Shannon attended Portland Bible College. She and her family live in Northern California.

For more information about Shannon, visit www.shannondittemore.com.

The four Smitten authors contribute to a blog together—Girls Write Out—about their writing lives and their friendship.

Thomas Nelson Fiction has broadened its romance offerings recently in direct response to readers’ desire for more hopeful romance stories. “Christian romance novels, in particular, have the ability to show the power of true love and real hope,” said Allen Arnold, Senior VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction. “I’m convinced that, as a publisher, one of my highest callings is to offer our readers stories of hope from a Christian worldview—and our readers are agreeing based on the phenomenal growth of this genre in general and our publishing program specifically.”

IMAGE: Smitten authors signing contract at American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Indianapolis.
Pictured (l-r): Denise Hunter, Diann Hunt, Kristin Billerbeck, Colleen Coble, Allen Arnold, Ami McConnell (Senior AcquisitionsEditor), Karen Solem (agent for Hunter, Hunt, Coble)

Just in time for those holiday shoppers, Thomas Nelson’s Fiction division is offering a selection of titles at no charge for a limited time.  The title selections—each the first in popular series—span several genres: General, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Romantic Suspense, Southern Legal, Young Adult, and Historical Romance.  These five authors boast a combined total of over 5 million books in print.

Titles for free in ebook format, available now:
Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble
The Paradise War by Stephen R Lawhead

Titles available for free in ebook format, starting December 15:
Love of a Dime by Cara Lynn James
House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo
Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow

The free ebooks can be downloaded from participating retailers: Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook.com, and Sony.

“This exponential growth is the result of many key factors, including the strength of our unparalleled and growing marketing team,” said Allen Arnold, Senior VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction. Eric Mullett has been named the new Marketing Director, and Heather Cadenhead named Publicity Coordinator. Mullett began his career at the Christian division of Warner Bros. Records, worked with start-up companies like musicforce.com, launched Nashville WinePress magazine, and most recently lead the marketing of the Gift Book division at Thomas Nelson where he was honored with the company’s prestigious Star Award.  Cadenhead is a recent graduate of Union University, founded and promotes The Basilica Review, an online Christian literary journal, and will soon release her first collection of poetry.

Mullett and Cadenhead join Ashley Schneider, Marketing Specialist, and Katie Bond, a literary publicity veteran (formerly of Peachtree Publishers and WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group) who has been promoted to Publicity Manager after three years with this team. According to Arnold, “We’re thrilled to announce the addition of Eric and Heather, and Katie’s well-deserved promotion.  There’s simply no better fiction marketing team in Christian or general fiction than this group of professionals. They blend strategic thinking, creativity, and big ideas in a way that constantly amazes me and produces tangible, high-impact results.”

Jennifer Deshler will be moving from her current role as Thomas Nelson’s Senior Director of Marketing of the Fiction group to serve as Vice President of Marketing and Publishing Process for the Children’s and Gift Product. In this new role, Deshler will be responsible for leading marketing efforts for Children’s and Gift products, streamlining processes from idea to market and making sure promotional efforts yield great results.

“I am thrilled to welcome Jennifer to our team,” said Laura Minchew, Vice President and Publisher of Children’s and Gift Products. “Authors and colleagues alike love working with Jennifer because she brings excellence in creativity, implementation, and analysis to every project.”

Molly Kempf will be joining the team as Editorial Director.  Kempf was Senior Editor at Scholastic, Inc. where she worked with licensed and original series, acquired and developed content for the Scholastic’s Little Shepherd line, and researched new licenses and trends.

“Molly’s experience working with top licenses, movie tie-ins, and children’s fiction will be a huge asset for our team,” said Minchew. “Her cutting edge ideas will lead our initiatives into digital and cross platform development of our video and book assets.”

Mackenzie Howard has been promoted from Children’s Editor to Acquisitions Editor for Children’s books and Gift books. In this new role, Howard will develop frontlist and backlist strategy for children’s books, lead Children’s book acquisition as well as assist with gift book acquisitions.

“Mackenzie is a shining star at Nelson,” continued Minchew. “She has a great eye for projects that will appeal to customers of all ages. I know she will excel in this new role. ”

“Under the leadership of Laura Minchew our Children’s and Gift business is poised for strong growth,” said Tod Shuttleworth, Senior Vice President and Publisher of Thomas Nelson’s Specialty Group. “I believe we have the right team in place to meet new market opportunities in Children’s and Gift digital publishing.”

Fans of all things Amish, from books to recipes to tours of the beautiful communities, gather as a community and connect with the authors they love at AmishLiving.com.

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.”