Christian Writers Guild Acquires Word Weavers

Jerry B. Jenkins, owner of the Christian Writers Guild headquartered in Colorado Springs, has announced the acquisition of Word Weavers, a Florida-based organization of local writing critique groups with chapters in three states.

"The leadership of Word Weavers has developed a great model for local chapters, " Jenkins says, "and they've agreed to stay on to help us create a nationwide network of such groups. "

The Christian Writers Guild trains writers through email courses, contests, conferences, and critiques. "Plugging our members and students in to peer groups has been an ingredient we've long dreamed of adding to the mix," Jenkins says. "The acquisition of Word Weavers gives us a ready-made platform to do just that. "

Larry Leech, president of Word Weavers, says, "Vice-presidents Eva Marie Everson and Cheri Cowell and I are excited about joining the Christian Writers Guild team. Like the Guild, Word Weavers is dedicated to developing writers. Becoming part of CWG significantly expands opportunities and benefits for current and future Word Weavers members. We're grateful for the opportunity to help the Guild coach and encourage aspiring writers. "

For more information, visit www.christianwritersguild.com or www.wordweaversonline.com

Marcher Lord Press to re-release Sharon Hinck's Sword of Lyric series

This just in...

Marcher Lord Press, the premiere publisher of Christian speculative fiction, has just announced plans to re-publish the now out-of-print Sword of Lyric series by Sharon Hinck.

The series did not, in our opinion, receive the attention it deserved, so we're thrilled to hear this news!

Read our interview with Sharon about the series.
Read our review of The Restorer.

Coming in May from Mike Dellosso

Coming in May 2011 from Realms is another thriller from Mike Dellosso! No word yet on the plot, but if it's anything like Mike's other novels, then it'll be a good one. You can read the first chapter in the back of Mike's last book Darlington Woods.

Read our interview with Mike.

Lorena McCourtney is back!

And so is Andi McConnell and her limousine!

This just in from author Lorena McCourtney:

Many of you have written to me asking about another book in the series that started with Your Chariot Awaits, and for a long time I didn’t have a good answer for you.

Now, Book #2, Here Comes the Ride, is available. The occasion is the “wedding of the century” at a local estate, and Andi has a five-day, live-in gig transporting the wedding party and Hollywood guests. There’s the groom with cell phone welded to his ear. The bride who suspects she will be murdered at the ceremony. The over-the-hill, movie star stepmother with an ambitious agenda of her own, plus blackmail, betrayal, along with enough hot hostility and competition to melt that life-sized sculpture of the bride and groom. And murder!

Along with chasing down a killer, Andi is figuring out her relationship with God and testing the limits of her aging anatomy with a skateboard. Plus the complication of her relationship with Keegan “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, the guy who is living proof that some men really do age like fine wine.

Like most killers, this one objects to being brought to justice. Will Andi wind up with more bullet holes in her limo - or in her? Here's a copy of the cover:

The book is available as a Kindle edition from Amazon. You can order it here. Here Comes the Ride will come up, and you can order it right there for your Kindle. For only $2.99!

You all know about Kindle, don’t you, the wireless reading device put out by Amazon? You don’t have one? Well, I don’t either! But what I do have, and you can too, is a free download of Kindle to put on your computer. To get that free download, go to the Amazon site and in the Search area near the top, put in “All Departments.” Then in the next space over, put “Kindle for PC,” (Or “Kindle for Mac” or “Kindle for iPad” if that’s what you have) and it will take you to the proper page to get the free download.

If you haven’t read the first book in this mystery series, Your Chariot Awaits is also available as a Kindle download. The price (as set by the publisher) is a little higher.

Read our interview with Lorena here.

Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker book trailer

Summary:

This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story.

It is a dangerous tale of times past. A love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice.

Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover.

With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds.

Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow.

Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter.

But remember, not everyone is for this story.

Book trailer for Ted Dekker's Immanuel's Veins:

Introducing Brandilyn Collins video

Brandilyn has recently signed a three book contract with B&H Fiction.

Kathy Tyers signs to Marcher Lord Press!

Marcher Lord Press Founder and Publisher Jeff Gerke has officially signed Kathy Tyers, author of the acclaimed Firebird trilogy.

"We are thrilled to be Kathy Tyers's publisher," said Jeff. "Kathy's impact on Christian publishing is nearly unrivaled. We feel extremely blessed that she has agreed to join our award-winning stable of authors."

As publisher and acquisitions editor, Gerke long pursued Tyers, trying to sign her for Marcher Lord Press. But in the end it was the Marcher Lord Press authors and books, not Gerke's efforts, that swayed Tyers's heart.

"I read several excellent novels that were recently released by Marcher Lord Press," she said, "and I decided this was the best place to finish the Firebirdseries. I'm delighted to be part of a great and growing team."

Kathy is also known for her Star Wars novels, most notably The Truce at Bakura. The popularity of her treatment of the Star Wars storyline led to her contributing to several Star Wars short story collections including Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, Tales from Jabba's Palace, Tales of the Bounty Hunters, and Tales from The Empire.

And she's not done, folks. Jeff is planning to release a deluxe, author's preferred version of the Firebird trilogy in one volume -- plus two additional Firebird novels that have been selected but will be announced at a future date!

New Award for Faith-Driven Literature Announced!

Announcing the INSPYs: the Bloggers' Award for Excellence in Faith-Driven Literature

July 2, 2010—Organizers announced the creation of a new book award today. The announcement of the INSPY awards coordinated with the launch of the INSPYs website, http://inspys.com.

The innovative award is designed to help readers in their search for the preeminent faith-inspired literature of today. The INSPYs were created to select and showcase books with the highest literary standards that grapple with the Christian faith. To find these works, the INSPYs net is cast wide, accepting nominations of books aimed at the Christian bookstore market as well as those from the general market.

The INSPYs are the brainchild of Amy Riley, of My Friend Amy, creator of Book Blogger Appreciation Week. "We feel nothing compares to excellent faith-driven fiction, but it can be difficult to weed through the multitude of books published each year in both the Christian marketplace and the general market to find the best ones," Riley said.

Another factor that sets the INSPY awards apart is that it's organized and will be judged by bloggers with considerable experience and knowledge of books published in both the general market and the CBA market.

Award organizers are seeking book nominations in the following genres: Historical Fiction; Amish Fiction; Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction; General and Literary Fiction; Romance and Romantic Suspense; Speculative Fiction; Creative nonfiction; and Young Adult Fiction. The deadline to nominate a book is July 31.

In addition to book nominations, judges for each genre are also being sought this month.


Another way to help is to spread the word — blog about the INSPYs, tell your friends.

The winners of the first-ever INSPY awards will be announced December 13.

The advisory committee consists of Amy Riley of My Friend Amy, Carrie Kitzmiller of Books and Movies, Deborah of Books, Movies & Chinese Food, Hannah Nielsen of Word Lily, and Rel Mollet of Relz Reviewz.

To stay informed, subscribe to the site: Inspys.com.

Contact:

Hannah Nielsen, wordlily@gmail.com OR: inspyawards@gmail.com

Jim Rubart's Book of Days coming in January

On the heels of his successful novel Rooms, James Rubart will release Book of Days in January 2011.

Summary:

What if you were losing your most treasured memories? Of your wife who passed away, of your dad who died far too young? What if you heard of a book whaere all of those memories are recorded and you could get them back? And what if this book also told your future? Would you believe it? Would you go on a desperate search for it, holding onto a strand of hope it would bring healing and answer all your questions?

Young Cameron Vaux's mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier in a car accident, are vanishing just as his late father predicted they would. Memories he knows are critical to remember. But his only hope for answers, and a cure, seems to lie in search for a book--and a God--he doesn't believe in.

Read our interview with Jim.

ACFW Book of the Year Awards become the Carol Awards

This just in from ICRS:

We're excited to share with you the announcement our President, Cynthia Ruchti, and CEO, Colleen Coble are making on behalf of ACFW:

The International Christian Retailers Show seemed the ideal venue for American Christian Fiction Writers—now more than 2100 members strong—to make an announcement of significance to Christian publishers, authors, and retailers who keep their eye on Christian fiction.

For ten years, ACFW has considered itself in partnership with those who publish and sell the books our members write. The process of getting great stories into the hands of readers makes each link a necessity.

That's why we've chosen this event, among these industry people, to announce a major advancement in what has to this point been known as ACFW's Book of the Year awards.

Each year, publishers and individual authors enter hundreds of recent Christian fiction releases in the ACFW Book of the Year Awards contest. Past Book of the Year winners have included noted authors Tracie Peterson, DiAnn Mills, Robin Lee Hatcher, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and many other skilled CBA novelists honored by ACFW for excellence in Christian fiction.

In 1979, Bethany Publishing House editor Carol Johnson made a bold move that served as a catalyst for unprecedented growth in Christian fiction. It was a decision that changed the face of the industry and the content of readers' bookshelves. Mrs. Johnson championed Christian fiction by acquiring author Janette Oke, whose Love Comes Softly blazed a trail for future storytellers.

ACFW owes a great debt of gratitude to the pioneers of Christian fiction and to those whose efforts have helped make Christian fiction the storytelling powerhouse it is today. To honor editorial pioneer Carol Johnson and others like her who envisioned how Christian fiction could make a mark in the publishing world, ACFW has renamed our Book of the Year Award. From this point on, the highest achievement in our award program for published authors will be The Carol Award.

Asked to comment on Carol Johnson's impact, Bethany House Publishers' Vice President of Editorial David Horton notes, "Carol's vision for the future of fiction, her belief in the power of story to share God's truth, her respect for the art of writing, her trust in the editorial process, and her abiding concern for her authors set the course that Bethany House continues to follow today. Her acquisitions knocked open doors we now take for granted. The books she edited touched millions of lives."

Carol Johnson will be present for the awards banquet at ACFW's annual conference September 17-20 in Indianapolis to present the inaugural Carol Awards.

Janette Oke will attend as well, to join conferees and industry professionals in celebrating the growth of Christian fiction and to present Carol Johnson with ACFW's first ever Lifetime Achievement Award.

Visit the ACFW website.