“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.

(Nashville, Tenn.) – Recent polls illustrate what Christian parents have feared: kids are dropping out of church early and for good. Age 16 is the average age at which teens are dropping out, says one poll, and 70% of Protestants ages 18 to 30 quit church by age 23, says another. Authors Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have written Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (Thomas Nelson, August 2011, ISBN: 1400317202, $12.99) to stem a troubling tide among Christian youth.

Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door answers many of the faith-related questions Christian youth face. It challenges young readers to test gospel truths found in the Bible so they can learn to give an answer for their faith as they mature into thinking adults.

“We receive all kinds of messages, myths, and misconceptions in the course of our lives,” says co-author Bob Hostetler. “One of those messages is the idea that following Jesus requires us to check our brains at the door—that reason and faith are incompatible. And that mistaken idea leads to others. That’s why this book exists: to help a young man or woman weigh the evidence and lay a firm foundation for a strong faith in Christ.

Written as a definitive but humorous resource, Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door examines questions that today’s youth face and explains how to give reasoned answers in a Christlike manner. Readers will find answers to common cultural myths and misconceptions about—

…God:

God is a faceless, impersonal force.

God is a cosmic vending machine.

…Jesus:

Jesus was a just a man.

Jesus was just a good teacher.

…the Bible:

It’s just a great work of literature.

It’s full of factual holes.

…the Resurrection:

Jesus didn’t actually die.

Jesus’ body was stolen.

…and many more! Also in Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door, the authors have added a great reading comprehension section after every chapter called “Brain Food.” Readers, parents, and teachers alike will find this tool helpful in processing and retaining the facts presented in every chapter.

With these tools in hand, the readers will be equipped to have a positive influence on the world around them, rather than succumbing to its faithlessness. Every church and family library needs Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door.

About the authors:

Bob Hostetler is an award-winning and best-selling writer, editor, pastor, and speaker. His books include Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door and The Bone Box.

Josh McDowell wrote the international best-selling apologetics references Evidence That Demands a Verdict and over 120 other books. He travels and speaks with Campus Crusade for Christ.

To request a review copy of Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door, schedule an interview with the authors, or for more information, please contact Julie Solomon or Amy Lathrop (jsolomon@thomasnelson.com) (amy@litfusegroup.com).

###

Tommy Nelson, the children’s division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., creates, markets and distributes books, Bibles, home video and audio products aimed at children ages 0-14. At Tommy Nelson, we understand the need to keep peace with our rapidly changing world, so our heart’s desire is to continue to look for fresh new ways to reach children with the message of Christ.

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.”

(Nashville, Tenn.) Some girls get their Daddy’s curly hair, his love for the golf course, or his cravings for peanut butter ice cream. Jenna Lucado inherited something a little different from her father—the ability to communicate well and simply in a way that moves people. Jenna’s dad, Max Lucado, instilled in Jenna very early a love for storytelling and inspiring others. Now she speaks to thousands of teenage girls every weekend on the Revolve Tour. Along the way she’s picked up on what really matters in the lives of these girls. In her new book, Redefining Beautiful (9781400314287, $12.99, September 2009), Jenna tackles an issue that is important to her, and, with the help of her Dad, unpacks it for the audience she loves.

Jenna creates a conversational “girl-time” atmosphere to bring a fresh perspective on what girls need to live a life of peace, joy, and confidence—to feel truly beautiful. She unpacks the struggle all girls have to look and feel put together and to create a signature style everyone will admire. Underneath all of the accessories and make up, however, teenage girls are wearing layers of insecurity, fear, and misperception of themselves. Jenna tackles these issues and takes readers on a cleaning spree of their emotional closets:“Let’s get rid of all the bad stuff that is preventing us from having a fresh look—a look that radiates joy, a look that speaks confidence and a look that says, ‘I am beautifully and wonderfully made,’” she says.

Jenna reveals life accessories that are essential, and which single accessory is a real must-have to give teens a look they love—a look that says they are comfortable with who they are and secure and confident. What is this crucial, often-overlooked accessory? Love from a father. But what happens when there is no loving father in sight, no daddy to tell them they are beautiful?

“When your earthly father fails you,” Jenna says, “your heavenly father finds you.” She reveals that when we look to God as our Father, He can change our focus, our look, and our lives. With affirmation from Max, Redefining Beautiful will change the way girls look at God, themselves, and the people around them.

Daughter of best-selling author Max Lucado, Jenna Lucado has realized that she has a passion for writing and speaking just like her dad. She is currently a part of the Revolve Tour, an event for teen girls that includes a Christian artists like Natalie Grant, Chad Eastham and many more. Max Lucado, Minister of Writing and Preaching for the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, is the husband of Denalyn and father of Jenna, Andrea, and Sara. On a good week he reads a good book, has a few dinners with his wife, and breaks 90 on the golf course. He usually settles for the first two.

Contact: Jacklyn Johnston
Publicist
Tel: (615) 902-1722
Email: jjohnston@thomasnelson.com

(Nashville, Tenn.) – It’s a classic scene: Boy meets Girl. Boy wonders what in the world Girl is talking about and how he will ever keep up. Girl wonders what is wrong with Boy and whether they are even of the same species. Both Boy and Girl struggle through their teenage years helplessly lost as to how the other operates. All seems lost. In a pivotal time of their development and social lives, teens are left to try and understand one another without much guidance.

Enter, Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti (ISBN: 9781400315161, $12.99, Sept. 2009)—every teen’s guide to figuring out the opposite sex while understanding and delighting in our unique differences. The purpose of this book is to help better understand themselves as well those from the “alien gender”. Author Chad Eastham is a popular speaker on the annual Revolve Tour which reaches 125,000 girls a year. Chad brings his on-stage humor and personality to life on the page with the help of popular authors Bill and Pam Farrel. Together they use principles from the Farrels’ best-selling book on marriage, Men are Like Waffles, Women are Like Spaghetti, and translate them to teen relationships from friendships to dating.

The message is simple. It is possible to have healthy relationships with the opposite sex if you let gender differences work for, and not against, you. The biggest difference is in the way guys and girls think. A guy’s brain is segmented into compartments, like the trademark grid of a waffle: they keep their lives compartmentalized in boxes. Girls’ brains, on the other hand, are more like the jumbled, tangled noodles of a handful of spaghetti: everything in their life is connected to everything else.

Waffles and Spaghetti makes sense of everything about how guys and girls relate. Subjects include brain development, conflict, body language, social habits, differences in emotions, and relationship building skills.  Loaded with humor and fun examples, this is a great way for teens to learn about healthy relationships with the opposite sex. Chad is also releasing a DVD in September, Chad Eastham: Live (978-1-4003-1554-3, $14.99), that will include footage of his “Waffles and Spaghetti” message while on the Revolve Tour.

Popular teen speaker Chad Eastham reaches about 125,000 teenage girls each year on the Revolve Tour. Former drug and alcohol dependency counselor, Chad is now Assistant Director at Healthy Visions, a research and education agency for teens. Chad has also already written an award-winning health curriculum and two books for teens.

Best-selling authors of over 25 books including Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti, Bill and Pam Farrel are co-founders and directors of Farrel Communications, an organization that brings practical insights to personal relationships.

Contact: Jacklyn Johnston
Publicist
Tel: (615) 902-1722
Email: jjohnston@thomasnelson.com

As the #1 Christian Fiction Publisher in 2009,* Thomas Nelson Fiction is also the leading publisher of Young Adult Christian Fiction, dominating the Christian Booksellers Association’s Top Ten YA best-seller lists with 35 hits thus far this year.

J. S. Lewis is best known for his popular Grey Griffins series, a YA fantasy trilogy inspired by Arthurian legends but set in modern-day middle America. More than 850,000 copies of the series have sold since the first installment, The Revenge of the Shadow King, released in 2006 from Scholastic, Inc.

“When we heard that Jon wanted to write a YA series that gave more expression to his faith, we were thrilled.  Adding Jon to our roster is a major milestone in growing our YA offerings to the next level. We know Jon will continue to change readers’ lives with high-quality, faith-informed stories only he could write,” said Amanda Bostic, Acquisitions Editor, Thomas Nelson Fiction.

Lewis’s first Thomas Nelson novel will be the start of a new series set for launch in January 2011.

“There has been a story calling to me for years; I finally had to stop everything and listen,” said Lewis. “The end result is this new trilogy with Thomas Nelson about a young man who doesn’t realize that one person can truly change the world. He wants to give up on life, but fate has something very different in store. Add some monsters, giant robots, and jet packs, and I couldn’t be more excited about the project.”

Lewis earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Arizona State University before co-authoring the Grey Griffins series with his boyhood friend, Derek Benz. The authors are currently working on a Grey Griffins spin-off series for Little, Brown & Company.

For more information on J. S. Lewis, visit the author’s website <http://www.greygriffins.com/index.html> .

*According to PubTrack Quarterly Category Analysis Reports for January – June, 2009, published by ECPA.

Contact: Katie Bond, Publicist
kbond@thomasnelson.com

(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

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

(Nashville, Tenn.) In every way, nine-year-old Austin Gutwein was a typical little boy who could often be found shooting hoops in his backyard in Phoenix, Arizona. That is until he had his “Maggie moment” in 2004.  After that, everything changed for him and more importantly, for the lives of children halfway across the world.

Austin was captivated by a video that told the story of a little girl named Maggie.  Maggie lived in Zambia in Southern Africa.  She lost almost everyone she loved to AIDS, an epidemic that ravaged the country and deprived it of an entire generation, leaving nearly a million children orphaned.  

“As I watched I just kept thinking about what it would be like if I lost my parents…I finally asked myself: What if this was me?” Austin writes.

Austin was changed forever, and he decided to do something about it.  He used something he loved: basketball.  His organization Hoops of Hope was born.

“You don’t have to be extraordinary; you just have to be willing,” Austin writes.  “My God is David’s God.  If David used a slingshot, couldn’t I use a basketball?”

Take Your Best Shot (ISBN: 9781400315154, $12.99, September 2009) captures Austin’s amazing adventure, one that has taken him to Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda, China, Europe, the Middle East and back in his short 15 years.  However, Austin is not interested in just his story but the reader’s as well! Through his book, Austin challenges readers to go on an adventure of their own and to take their best shot while highlighting others around the world who are making a difference.

“God wants us to make a difference in our world that is going to last; he wants to use us to make a difference to real people who are in real need, right now,” Austin writes.  “That’s what drives us on in the journey to do something bigger than ourselves.”

Today, thousands of kids and adults around the world join Austin to raise money for orphans in Zambia, Africa with over 230 events worldwide last year.  To this date, Austin’s organization Hoops of Hope has raised over a million dollars and joined with world relief organizations such as World Vision to build a high school and medical clinic in Zambia through their shoot-a-thons.  The story of Hoops of Hope has been seen nationally on CBS Sports before the 2008 NCAA Final Four tipoff, the Today Show and CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

Through this book, Austin hopes readers learn that no matter where you are, no matter what your skills are, no matter what your age is, you can make a difference and that with God, all things are possible.

Austin Gutwein was moved when he learned there were more than 15 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.  He organized a free-throw marathon and now his organization, Hoops of Hope, has raised over a million dollars to build a high school and medical clinic in Zambia.  Austin has shared his story with over 200,000 people worldwide and as a speaker on the Revolve Tour, Austin speaks to 125,000 teenage girls each year.  Austin lives with his family in Phoenix, Arizona.
Todd Hillard is a free-lance writer and is passionate about taking the dreams and stories of others and bringing them to life on the written page.  He has 17 years of pastoral experience and has written more than 12 books. Also check out Hoops of Hope at www.HoopsofHope.org

Contact:    Jacklyn Johnston
Publicist
Tel:    (615) 902-1722
Email: jjohnston@thomasnelson.com

“I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus,
If I have to sacrifice everything . . . I will.” –Rachel Scott
(Nashville, Tenn.) – The Columbine tragedy in April 1999 pierced the heart of our country. We later learned that the teenage killers specifically targeted Rachel Scott and mocked her Christian faith on their chilling, homemade videotapes. Rachel Scott died for her faith. In the ten years that have passed since her death, millions have come in contact with her story and been changed. Her courage and innocent child-like faith have been an inspiration for everyone who knew Rachel, has heard her family speak, or has read from the pages of her journals.

In Rachel’s Tears, originally published in 2000, her parents talk about Rachel’s life and how they have found meaning in their daughter’s martyrdom in the aftermath of such darkness. Rachel’s Tears comes from a heartfelt need to celebrate this young girl’s life, to work through the grief and the questions of a nation, and to comfort those who have been touched by violence in our schools today. Using excerpts and drawings from Rachel’s own journals, her parents offer a spiritual perspective on the Columbine tragedy and provide a vision of hope for preventing youth violence across the nation.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the horrors at Columbine High School, Thomas Nelson is re-releasing Rachel’s Tears (ISBN13: 978-1-4003-1347-1, $14.99, February 2009) with even more of the courageous young girl’s personal insights inside. The 10th Anniversary edition includes stories of how Rachel’s legacy has affected her family, and how it continues to affect everyone who comes in contact with it.

America has not forgotten the tragedy of Columbine High School and the many other school shootings in the past decade. Rachel Scott’s story of courage and faith in her life and in her last moments will likewise never be forgotten.

Beth Nimmo is the mother of Rachel Scott, the first victim killed at Columbine High School. Beth is the co-author of Rachel’s Tears and author of The Journals of Rachel Scott. * Darrell Scott has become a crusader since his daughter’s death in the Columbine High School tragedy. He is the co-founder of The Columbine Redemption and is the co-author of the bestselling book Rachel’s Tears and Chain Reaction. * Steve Rabey is an award-winning author and speaker.  He has written nearly twenty books and over 2,000 articles about religion and popular culture in the New York Times, Christian Retailing, and Publishers Weekly, among many others.

For reviews of this title, visit brb.thomasnelson.com

Contact:    Jacklyn Johnston
Publicist
Tel:    (615) 902-1722
Email: jjohnston@thomasnelson.com