The month of May is the gateway to summer and a great time to read.
Our highlights below include new releases, contracts signed, notable reviews and PR events, new authors to the agency and other news of note by clients and agents.
Releases
Congratulations to Shannon Evans with Eric Clayton and Paraclete Press for the April 7th release of The Seagull on the Chapel.
Maggie, a young seagull, longs to be a graceful dove―believing that only doves are worthy of representing the Holy Spirit. What must it be like to be so important to God! But every time she tries to change herself, it goes poorly; and when she confides her secret wish to her friends, they only tease her and point out her flaws.
Maggie flies to a rooftop to nurse her pride and have a good cry, only to find herself right in the middle of God’s great plan! When white smoke emerges from the chimney beside her, a new pope greets the world. He has a special message for Maggie – and everyone like her, who needs a little reminder that they too are chosen and loved by God.
Perfect for children ages 4–8, this heartwarming book:
helps young readers understand their unique place in God’s story.
provides a thoughtful resource for Catholic schools, parishes, and families seeking to instill Christian values
encourages children to embrace their true selves and trust in God’s love.
With a nod to Pope Leo XIV, the Authors’ Note provides a kid-friendly description of the papal conclave as well as a brief history and explanation.
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”―Saint Augustine of Hippo
Ideal for First Communion, Easter, baptism, or birthday gifts, this book invites kids to celebrate their God-given worth.
Congratulations to Katie Powner and Kregel Publications for the April21st release of Birds on a Wire.
A deeply moving contemporary story about family and foster care from a two-time Christy Award-winning author
When her newborn son, Providence, is taken by CPS, eighteen-year-old Bri Marshall is determined to do whatever’s necessary to get him back—with or without Providence’s father. But hurdles like no job, car, or family support complicate the process. Bri never expected to sink this low. What will it take to hold her baby in her arms again?
Thirty-nine-year-old Laura Gambler, facing the big 4-0, is managing new challenges with her own children when she’s asked to take in baby Providence. She could never have imagined the chain of events that agreeing to foster would set in motion—or the carefully buried pain from her past it would drag back to the surface.
Both women wrestle with doubts about the future and their ability to parent Providence, even as their love for him grows stronger every day. As their lives become irrevocably intertwined, the two very different women face the same impossible question: Who is the best mother for Providence?
Congratulations to Jamie Sumner and Atheneum Books for April 28th release of A Fish Like Me.
In the spirit of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and I Talk Like a River, this lyrical picture book from acclaimed author Jamie Sumner tells the story of a child in swim therapy and celebrates the ways differently abled bodies can move in the water.
Under here, there is
no top or bottom,
no left or right—
only fields of water to wander in
as topsy-turvy as I like.
Underwater, everything looks different—and every body moves differently, too. During swim therapy, a child discovers he can be anything: a catfish, a seahorse, a starfish cartwheeling across the universe. He finds the magic of moving in wholly new ways, just like he does on land in his trusty wheelchair.
Congratulations to Timothy Kelly with Kathie Lee Gifford and Sarah Young and Whitaker House for the May 26th release of Sarah Young’s Journey to Jesus: A Brother’s Personal Remembrances.
Sarah Young’s Journey to Jesus relates the captivating backstory of author Sarah Kelly Young―the phenomenally successful writer of Jesus Calling, Jesus Listens, and many other devotional titles. Sarah’s brother, Timothy Kelly, explores and celebrates the love of Christ that transformed Sarah and the entire Kelly family―a love that is available for all.
Timothy had the rare privilege of walking closely with his sister Sarah across every era of her life, and his spiritual journey often paralleled hers. In this book, he draws on his own experiences, as well as the memories of others who knew Sarah.
As you read this absorbing story, you will discover the breadth and depth of the monumental burdens Sarah suffered, as well as the enduring peace and freedom she found in Jesus, even in the midst of life’s worst storms. In many cases, Sarah’s struggles reflect the challenges we all face, which is one reason her writings have touched so many people so deeply.
This book includes a moving account of how Sarah was inspired to write Jesus Calling―a story that was ten years in the making, culminating in an unexpected offer just when it seemed that publication was not to be. A story that would go on to change the lives of multitudes.
Contracts
Maria Cassano signed with Post Hill Press for the May 2027 release of Numb: Party of One.
Marty Mosher signed with Core Media Group for the 2027 release of When Life Bucks You Off.
Jamie Sumner signed with Simon & Schuster for the June 2027 release of Roll With It- Graphic Novel Edition.
Richard Ingleby signed with Pegasus Books for the 2027 release of GIANTS AMONG KINGS: The Odyssey of K Company, the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines into the Heart of the Rising Sun
New Clients
Todd Shy recently signed with WordServe. Welcome,
Who We Are Remembering
WordServe author Diane Carlson Evans has passed away at the age of 79. She was a Vietnam-era nurse who served our country well, and was the main person to spearhead a Vietnam memorial to women nurses on the Mall in Washington D.C. It took her more than a decade to do so!
Diane was one of just a few women featured in the runaway bestselling book, The Women. She was an extraordinary person who wrote her story with WordServe collaborator, Bob Welch. Her book Healing Wounds continues to sell thousands of copies each year. Bob wrote this piece about her on his Substack when he heard of her passing. A great tribute…
https://bobwelchwriter.substack.com/p/c15f9f96-9ff2-466d-acd4-81f4250e3332
WordServe Water Cooler 