(Nashville, Tenn.) Thomas Nelson, Inc. announced today the promotion of Gary Davidson to the position of Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of Thomas Nelson’s Bible Group. Davidson brings over twenty years of experience working with Christian products. He has worked for Thomas Nelson for thirteen years, leading Thomas Nelson’s Christian Retail Sales team for the last eight, and the Ministry Development and Church Direct team for the last two.

“I am confident that Gary is the right person to lead our Bible team,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and chief operating officer of Thomas Nelson. “Gary has a distinguished track record of building strong business units by casting vision, building cohesive teams, executing plans, and anticipating the needs of our customers.”

Thomas Nelson veteran and Bible scholar Bob Sanford will return to the company to act as Vice President and Associate Publisher of the group. Sanford, who has worked intimately with the Bible category over the lastthirty years, has unparalleled experience and vast knowledge of the business.

Schoenwald continued, “Bob’s intimate Bible knowledge makes him the perfect compliment to Gary. Working side-by-side they will help strengthen the core of our business, our Bible, reference, and curriculum division.”

Tom Knight will be promoted to fill Davidson’s current role as Senior Vice President of Christian Retail Sales and Ministry Development. With over 10 years of experience working in Christian retail, Knight has demonstrated the ability to develop strong teams through his hands-on management and the ability to build alignment around strategic plans. Knight’s successor has not been appointed, although leadership is evaluating several options and hoping to make an announcement as quickly as possible.

“I am so excited about the privilege of leading Thomas Nelson’s Bible Group,” said Davidson. “They are a strong and passionate team doing extraordinary work to make the Word more accessible for readers around the world. I am leaving the Christian Retail and Ministry team in Tom’s very capable hands. Our working relationship, and my new role, open up new possibilities for creating great Bible, reference, and curriculum products for our Christian and Ministry retail partners.”

Springen notes that the popularity of Harry Potter brought paranormal features in literature out of bookstores’ back corners and onto the bestseller lists, paving the way for fantasy in modern mainstream fiction—an enthusiasm that extends beyond Young Adult titles to the tastes of adult fiction readers as well.

Following consumer and retailer research, Thomas Nelson Fiction is helping to create the trend, with 2010 releases scheduled for three new novels—featuring angels—from a variety of voices:

Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (May 2010) Known as co-author to Ted Dekker (collaborations Kiss and Burn), Healy is an award-winning editor for numerous best-selling authors.  In Healy’s solo debut, Lexi lives in the shadow of choices her husband made, especially Grant’s choice to leave seven years ago, without a word. Her relationship with their daughter, Molly, is now the most important thing in her life. Dealing powerfully with themes of resentment and forgiveness, Never Let You Go explores the “thin places” where supernatural elements and characters spill over into Lexi’s earthly life.  Healy’s style marries the suspense of Ted Dekker, the supernatural of Frank Peretti, and the relational drama of Karen Kingsbury into a captivating, elegant style all her own.

Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs (May 2010) “It’s true what they say, you know: If you talk to God, you’re religious; but if you hear from God, you’re schizophrenic.” Critically-acclaimed author Downs is known for his delightfully irreverent Bug Man novels featuring entomologist Nick Polchak: “stands out from the pack of CSI-inspired mysteries with its quirky hero and creative handling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review, First the Dead).  Wonders Never Cease offers readers a new side of Tim Downs: a more emotive storyline than found in the Bug Man novels, coupled with his trademark ability to infuse wit and mystery. When a car accident leaves a famous movie star in a coma, nurse Kemp McAvoy thinks he has found his ticket to the life he’s always wanted. He adjusts the star’s medication each night and pretends to be a heavenly visitor giving her messages. He recruits her agent and a down-and-out publisher to make sure the messages will become the next spiritual bestseller and make them all rich.  But his girlfriend’s daughter, Leah, keeps telling people that she is seeing angels, and her mother and her teachers are all afraid that something is wrong. Playing to society’s fascination with angels and the supernatural, Downs presents a story of faith with humorous yet profound results only he could concoct.

Desire of Heaven by Sheila Walsh and Kathryn Cushman (August 2010) Sheila Walsh is seen and heard by millions of women through her Women of Faith speaking engagements, her music, her books, and her previous exposure on The 700 Club. Walsh partners with Kathryn Cushman, whose previous novels have been named finalists for Christian fiction awards, to write the Angel Song series, focusing on the life-affirming, uplifting truth about angelic interaction in believers’ lives.  When Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to see her younger sister, Sarah, receive her master’s degree, she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for life. During the ride, Sarah appears to talk to someone who is not there, humming a melody Annie has never heard before. Neighbor Ethan McKinney lends a shoulder when Sarah unexpectedly dies. And as a carpenter, Ethan volunteers to help Annie get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. Ethan’s presence is distracting, but what troubles Annie is her neighbor Tammy’s 12-year-old son. Keith has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can see and hear angels.  God begins to reveal Himself to Annie – both in her newfound friends and through heart-rending and clearly supernatural events. Annie discovers faith in God, finally experiencing the comfort that His angels really do surround us. In March of next year, Sheila Walsh will release a new album featuring 10 Celtic songs and the powerful anthem “I Hear Angels.”

The first four in the promotion ship from Thomas Nelson on November 14 and include: Chosen by Ted Dekker, Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter, Without a Trace by Colleen Coble, and Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman.  Four more titles will release in March 2010.

In addition to the incredible value for titles priced at 80% off original retail, these special editions also include exclusive extras: introductory letters to new readers from the authors, bonus excerpts of the next novels in the series.  The Chosen special edition is in hardcover format with custom end-sheets and includes an excerpt from the graphic novel.

“Thomas Nelson Fiction excels at growing long-term brands because we never stop investing in our authors’ backlists. It would make no sense to sell $14.99 novels for $2.99 – unless you believe so much in the content that you knew for each discounted book sold you were creating a new fan who would then buy future installments in the series at full price. That’s a huge win for the reader, retailer, author and publisher,” said Allen Arnold, Senior VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction.

According to data reports from ECPA, averaging marketshare value over 2009, Thomas Nelson is the top provider of fiction at Christian retail.

Leading Publisher Holds Five Out of Top 10 Bible Titles

(Nashville, Tenn.) Thomas Nelson, Inc.’s Bible Group has claimed half of the November 2009 ECPA Bible Bestsellers List’s Top 10 slots. The leading Christian publisher is holding five of the top positions with titles that include: the NKJV Text Bible (otherwise known as Nelson’s Million Bible Challenge Bible), the NKJV Gift and Award Bible in black Leatherflex, the hardcover edition of The American Patriot’s Bible, and the KJV Gift and Award Bible’s blue and black Leatherflex offerings. In fact, Thomas Nelson currently holds more slots than any other publisher on the Bible list overall. These results continue to identify Thomas Nelson, who has been publishing Bibles for 200-plus years, as a strong leader in the Bible publishing industry.

“I’m encouraged by the continued support our product has from consumers and our retail partners,” notes Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of Thomas Nelson’s Bible Group Wayne Hastings. “I believe this type of success along with our solid line of new releases positions us well for a strong Christmas season with the ultimate goal of getting more Bibles in the hands of people who need them.”

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s (ECPA) Bestseller Lists are compiled using adult book sales data from Christian retail stores across the U.S. A book must have sales in at least 20% of reporting stores during at least one week of the represented reporting cycle to be placed on the list. Only Trade Paper, Cloth and Mass Market Paper books are reported, tracts, mini-books or booklets are not included on this list. Only books which are offered to Christian stores at a trade discount from a publisher or wholesaler are featured on the list. Seasonal/holiday books are omitted from this list.

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 or http://www.nelsonbibles.com.

Contact:

Brenda Smotherman

Publicist

tel: (615) 902-2231

fax: (615) 902-1132

web: www.thomasnelson.com

Max Lucado holds the number one spot on the hardcover list with his timely primer on living fearlessly, Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear and Sarah Young’s beautiful and inspirational devotional Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence holds number two. Also rounding out the top ten are David Jeremiah’s Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World and What in the World is Going On?, Donald Miller’s A Million in a Thousand Years, Andy Andrew’s The Noticer, Emerson Eggerich’s Love & Respect, and Ted Dekker’s Green.

“I believe Thomas Nelson has one of the best fall lists that I have seen,” said Michael Hyatt, chief executive officer of Thomas Nelson, “and it is wonderful to see the strength of our new releases reflected in the bestseller lists. This type of domination on the Christian Marketplace list is a very positive indicator as we begin the holiday selling season.”

# # #

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
email: lnobles@thomasnelson.com
web: www.thomasnelson.com

Ricardo Montaner is one of the most celebrated artists in the Spanish-speaking world thanks to his endless search for new styles and, at the same time, his firm roots in the romantic ballad tradition. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Ricardo has traveled a road that has taken him to the most prestigious arenas in the continent, from Luna Park in Buenos Aires to Madison Square Garden in New York, from the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City to Teresa Carreño in Caracas.

Although not strictly an autobiography, Lo Que No Digo Cantando focuses on the most transcendent moments and events in the life of its author. Inviting the reader to witness the intimacy of his world tours and concerts, Ricardo concentrates on the experiences that helped shape his personality. He pays particular attention to an incident that took place in a hospital in Montevideo, Uruguay, where an encounter with a little boy made a deep impact on how he sees the world.

For more information please visit: www.loquenodigocantando.com

Contact:    Lindsey Nobles
Director of Corporate Communications
tel:    (615) 902-1109
fax:    (615) 902-1110
email: lnobles@thomasnelson.com
web:    www.thomasnelson.com

In FIVE CITIES THAT RULED THE WORLD (Thomas Nelson. November 2009) theologian Douglas Wilson fuses together, in compelling detail, the critical moments birthed in history’s most influential cities—Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York.

Each of these cities emerged in their respective times of influence to dominate the world stage, directing wealth and power, influencing faith and belief, commanding fear and allegiance, provoking wars and conquests, and shaping the world we live in today.

Wilson uncovers the significance of:

•  Jerusalem’s complex history and its deep-rooted character as the city of freedom, where people found their spiritual liberty.
•  Athens’ intellectual influence as the city of reason and birthplace of democracy.
• Rome’s evolution as the city of law and justice and the freedoms and limitations that come with liberty.
• London’s place in the world’s history as the city of literature where man’s literary imagination found its wings.
•  New York’s rise to global fame as the city of commerce and how it triggered unmatched wealth, industry, and trade throughout the world.

In this provocative, discussion-starting book, Wilson dives into these five historic cities, profiling their leaders, exploring their philosophies, following their armies into war, riding their merchant ships to ports of commerce, and watching as one eclipses the others.  Through his superb historical writing, Wilson broadens our understanding and appreciation of these cities with piercing insights, curious details, and entertaining stories.

Each city is being included in large part because of what was done and accomplished during its time of greatness, but in larger part because of how that greatness has lingered and continued. Wilson discusses these five cities—their past glories, their present influences, and their future.

In FIVE CITIES THAT RULED THE WORLD, Wilson issues a challenge to our collective understanding of history with the juxtapositions of freedom and its intrinsic failures; liberty and its deep-seated liabilities. Each revelation beckons us deeper into a city’s story, its political systems, and how it flourished and floundered. Ultimately encouraging readers to honor our shared history, contribute to the present, and look to the future with unmistakable hope.

About the Author
Douglas Wilson is a senior fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College. He has taught both ethics and logic elsewhere at the college level. Editor of Credenda/Agenda, a small cultural journal known for its humorous and satirical flavor, Wilson is also the author of numerous books on education, theology, and culture, including: The Case for Classical Christian Education, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, Mother Kirk, and Angels in the Architecture, as well as biographies on both Anne Bradstreet and John Knox.

DOUGLAS WILSON IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW.  

Contact:    Curt Harding
Senior Publicist
(615) 902-2246
charding@thomasnelson.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 13, 2009) – Thomas Nelson, the world’s leading Christian publisher, announced Tuesday it is partnering with the world’s leading self-publishing company, Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI), to launch WestBow Press—a Christian self-publishing imprint. The alliance will allow authors to benefit from the market leadership of Thomas Nelson, while taking advantage of ASI’s technology and services that make publishing easy, affordable, and available to anyone.

Long regarded as an industry innovator, Nelson’s creation of WestBow Press provides new and emerging authors the opportunity to publish with the global leader in Christian publishing. Thomas Nelson will monitor WestBow Press titles for the purpose of entering into a traditional publishing contracts for those that perform well.

“At Thomas Nelson, our purpose is to ‘Inspire the World,’” said Michael Hyatt, Thomas Nelson chief executive officer. “With the creation of WestBow Press, we will be able to help more authors realize their dream of being a published author while discovering more diamonds in the rough to add to our roster.”

Through this strategic partnership, ASI will manage WestBow Press on behalf of Thomas Nelson, and be responsible for selling and delivering a rich array of publishing, marketing, and book-selling services, unique to WestBow Press. Kevin Weiss, ASI president and chief executive officer, believes the WestBow Press partnership will serve as a blueprint for other similar alliances.

“We are very excited to join forces with Thomas Nelson in this partnership, We believe the tradition and extensive segment leadership that Thomas Nelson brings, along with ASI’s cutting-edge sales, marketing, and production capabilities will help to revolutionize the publishing industry,” said Weiss.

ASI, the parent company of industry-leading self-publishing imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford Publishing, and Xlibris, brought to market more than 21,000 new titles in 2008. Since 1997, ASI imprints have published more than 120,000 titles by 85,000 authors worldwide.

To learn more about the publishing packages available through WestBow Press, visit www.westbowpress.com.

About WestBow Press
WestBow Press is a strategic self-publishing alliance of Thomas Nelson, the world’s premier Christian publisher, and Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI)—the world leader in the fastest-growing segment of publishing. Through this partnership, authors benefit from the rich publishing heritage of Thomas Nelson and the speed-to-market advantages of the ASI self-publishing model. Titles published through WestBow Press will be evaluated for sales potential and considered for publication under the Thomas Nelson imprint. For more information, visit www.westbowpress.com.

Together with acclaimed Christian fiction novelist Kathryn Cushman, Walsh has developed a fictional trilogy about one woman’s growing awareness of the presence of angels. The romantic series will highlight the protagonist’s transforming encounter with God’s truth and grace.

Recently named the #1 Christian Fiction Publisher for the first half of 2009,* Thomas Nelson is focusing its efforts on continuing to grow its fiction roster and publish books that appeal to readers through a fresh approach to spirituality and how Scripture impacts human lives.

“Given the current climate of interest in stories featuring interaction between human beings and the supernatural, we believe the time is right for a fiction series about encounters with angels—a series grounded in Scripture and co-authored by two incredibly talented authors,” said Allen Arnold, Sr. Vice President and Publisher of Fiction.

The first novel in the series is slated for publication in August 2010.

“I find myself at the beginning of a whole new adventure as I take my first step into the world of fiction,” said Walsh. “God placed a desire in my heart some time ago to study the ministry of angels in the lives of believers and in God’s plan of redemption. It has been a life-changing quest. I am very excited to be working with the award-winning fiction team at Thomas Nelson whose passion and clear vision have given wings to this dream.”

Walsh is the author of bestselling and award-winning titles like The Heartache No One Sees, Get off Your Knees & Pray, the Gigi, God’s Little Princess series, and her latest, Let Go: Live Free of the Burdens All Women Know.  The 2009 Women of Faith tour will bring her exposure in 30 cities. She co-hosted television’s “The 700 Club” and her own talk show “Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh” on the Family Channel. Walsh is currently earning her Masters in Theology.

Cushman’s novels—A Promise to Remember and Waiting for Daybreak (Bethany House, 2007 and 2008)—are commercial successes that have been described as “writing in the style of Karen Kingsbury and Jodi Picoult.” Her third novel, Leaving Yesterday, will release in October 2009.

Contact: Katie Bond, Publicist

*According to PubTrack Quarterly Category Analysis Reports for January – June, 2009, published by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

(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