Tag: Sarah Varland

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WordServe News July 2020

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

Congratulations to Sarah Varland and Love Inspired for the August 1st release of Alaskan Showdown.

What she uncovers sheds light on a cold case…and can put her in a grave.

After finding the body of a missing hiker in her small Alaska town, search-and-rescue dog handler Adriana Steele becomes the target of a serial killer thought to have been inactive for decades. Now Adriana’s determined to help Officer Levi Wicks catch the murderer. But with the cold case heating up…the jaded officer is all that stands between her and death.

Congratulations to Kate Hurley and Harvest House Published for the release of the new expanded version of Getting Naked Later: Making Sense of the Unexpected Single Life. 

Will I always be lonely if I end up alone?

You thought you’d be married by now, but you’re not. Even though your friends in relationships love to tell you that singleness is a gift, this gift comes with its share of fear, grief, and still-to-be-answered prayers.

Life coach and singer-songwriter Kate Hurley has been there, and now she encourages you to open yourself to new opportunities and relationships of all varieties. Getting Naked Later will help you…

  • find family in your friends, church, and community
  • stop viewing the pursuit of a partner as a formula that demands a solution
  • hand over control of your life to God, finding peace in the knowledge that He has a plan for you

You don’t need to give up on romance, but you also don’t need to live on standby, expecting someone else to give your life meaning. Learn how to stop waiting and start embracing your life—right where you are.

This is an expanded edition of the previously released book Cupid is a Procrastinator.

This is a first for our agency…a book’s release with the author still in a war zone. Grateful to Ryan Hendrickson for his continued service as a civilian contractor, even after a 20-year career in 3 branches of the military, including the Green Beret’s where he was awarded the Silver Star for Valor, as well as several Purple Hearts (and other medals). Here he is holding a copy of his just-released book in Afghanistan. Salute!!!

 

Congratulations to Ryan Hendrickson for the release of The Tip of the Spear: The Incredible Story of an Injured Green Beret’s Return to Battle.  This is inspiring true story of a US Special Forces soldier who was medically retired after stepping on an IED, and his incredible return to active duty.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Ryan Hendrickson is a brave, determined, and courageous soldier — a Green Beret clearing the way for his twelve-man team while conducting combat operations against the Taliban. As the “tip of the spear,” his role is to ensure the route taken by U.S. and Afghan troops are free of IEDs — improvised explosive devices. Many soldiers do not survive their last step; those who do often lose at least one limb.

While rescuing an Afghan soldier outside a mud-hut compound in 2010 — knowing that he was in “uncleared” territory — Ryan stepped on an IED with his right foot. The device exploded, leaving his foot dangling at the end of his leg.

American soldiers losing a limb is an all-too-common occurrence. But what makes Ryan’s story different is that after undergoing two dozen surgeries and a tortuous rehabilitation, he was medically retired but fought to return to active duty. Multiple skin grafts to his leg and right foot successfully reattached his lower leg, and he was aided in his recovery by wearing a new prosthetic device known as an IDEO (Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis). Once he passed a series of crucial physical tests, Ryan was able to rejoin the Green Berets within a year and physically perform his duties, redeploying to Afghanistan in March 2012.

In 2016, he volunteered to return to Afghanistan with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group. During a firefight with the Taliban, he risked his life under heavy enemy fire to rescue three Afghan soldiers cut off from friendly forces and return the bodies of two dead Afghan soldiers under the ethos that “no one gets left behind.” For his heroic efforts on the battlefield, SFC Ryan Hendrickson was awarded a Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor.

An engaging and harrowing account, Tip of the Spear tells the amazing story of one Green Beret’s indomitable spirit.

Congratulations to Rick Johnson and Revell for the release of How to Understand the Man you Love.

Men are fairly simple creatures with fairly simple needs. Yet women often find themselves frustrated trying to understand those needs in order to improve their marriages. Relationship expert Rick Johnson ends the guessing game, giving women an open and honest look inside the world of a man’s needs and helping them understand how best to use their influence to have a satisfying and exciting relationship.

Congratulations to Pierce Brantley and David C. Cook for the release of Calling: Awaken to the Purpose of Your Work.

Men today long for a calling but often settle for the next best thing: a job. They aspire for a higher purpose but still have bills to pay and family to support. But what if men could find their calling in the work they are already doing?

In his new book Calling: Awaken to the Purpose of Your Work, author Pierce Brantley uses practical language and shares actionable steps to show men how to redefine the purpose of their work and discover what it means to have a “called career.”

Brantley shows men they can find a meaningful connection with God in the work they are doing right now. Men were designed for this partnership, and once they embrace it they will be awakened to the true purpose of their work—not just a career but a calling.

Contracts

Bradley Caffee signed with Mountain Brook Ink a three-book deal for “The Chase Runner” Series to be released in 2021 and 2022.

Steve Arterburn signed a 6-book deal with Salem Publishers. Titles include: Understanding and Loving Your Pot-Smoking Child, Understanding and Loving Your ADHD Child, Understanding and Loving Your Child as a Single Parent, Understanding and Loving Your Child Through College, Understanding and Loving Your Child in a Screen Saturated World, and Understanding and Loving Your Bonus Children: Rethinking Your Approach as a Blended Family.

David Dusek signed with Fidelis Publishing, LLC for The Manhood Battle: Tactics to Biblical Manhood Learned from the 7th Cavalry in Vietnam to be released late summer 2021.

David Stoop signed with Revell for Don’t Die Before You’re Dead to be released in the fall of 2021.

Jessica Hooten Wilson signed a two-book deal with BrazosPress for The Scandalous Holy and How to Read Like a Christian to be released in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

New Clients

Diane Peterson, Lavender Vroman, Josh Kemble, Candy Mariballi, Michelle Krol, Shelley Kinder, and Jess Lewis signed with WordServe in July.  Welcome!

 

What We’re Celebrating

Congratulations to Jamie Sumner for the Kirkus Starred Review for Tune It Out. Read all about it here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jamie-sumner/tune-it-out/

 

 

 

Congratulations to Katie Powner for the Starred Review from Library Journal for her debut novel, The Sowing Season (Bethany, October 2020). Read what they’re saying here: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=the-sowing-season

 

 

Congratulations to Mary Davis for being a finalist in the Will Rogers Medallion Awards in the Western Romance category for The Daughter’s Predicament (Quilting Circle Book 2)

 

 

 

Congratulations to Sarah M. Carlson for the great article on Fox News featuring her book In the Dark of War: A CIA Officer’s Account of the U.S. Evacuation from Libya. Check out the article here: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/quietly-ferocious-cia-officer-libya-daniel-hoffman.

 

 

Congratulations to Cara Whitney for her beautiful book Unbridled Faith: 100 Devotions from the Horse Farm surpassing 100,000 books sold! Well Done!

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WordServe News September 2019

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month, you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

Congratulations, Cindy McGovern and McGraw Hill for the September 17 release of Every Job is a Sales Job.

An essential roadmap to achieving professional and personal success―from the “First Lady of Sales”

While you may not have “sales” in your title, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to sell. Renowned sales authority Dr. Cindy McGovern believes that everyone is a salesperson, regardless of his or her job description. When you ask for a referral, network to form a new connection, or interview for a job, you’re selling the other person on an ideal version of yourself. Every Job is a Sales Job will help you learn to identify “selling” opportunities that you may have overlooked. This indispensable roadmap will show you how to take control of your personal and professional success.

McGovern shares her proven 5-step sales process to help you attract new business, retain existing customers, and spot opportunities to promote yourself and your ideas. You’ll learn how to:

•Create a plan and set attainable goals
•Identify subtle opportunities that could result in future success
•Establish trust and listen for clues to understand what others need
•Ask for what you want and move past the fear of rejection
•Follow up on your ask, be grateful, and pay it forward
•Muster up the courage to ask for referrals and references

Congratulations to Jamie Sumner for the October 1 release of Roll With It.

“A big-hearted story that’s as sweet as it is awesome.” —R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder

In the tradition of Wonder and Out of My Mind, this big-hearted middle grade debut tells the story of an irrepressible girl with cerebral palsy whose life takes an unexpected turn when she moves to a new town.

Ellie’s a girl who tells it like it is. That surprises some people, who see a kid in a wheelchair and think she’s going to be all sunshine and cuddles. The thing is, Ellie has big dreams: She might be eating Stouffer’s for dinner, but one day she’s going to be a professional baker. If she’s not writing fan letters to her favorite celebrity chefs, she’s practicing recipes on her well-meaning, if overworked, mother.

But when Ellie and her mom move so they can help take care of her ailing grandpa, Ellie has to start all over again in a new town at a new school. Except she’s not just the new kid—she’s the new kid in the wheelchair who lives in the trailer park on the wrong side of town. It all feels like one challenge too many, until Ellie starts to make her first-ever friends. Now she just has to convince her mom that this town might just be the best thing that ever happened to them!

Author Jan Drexler releases the lastest in the Amish of Weaver’s Creek series, The Roll of the Drums, October 1.

Ruby Weaver’s curly red hair isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from her Amish community in 1863. Twenty-eight and single, Ruby doesn’t believe a woman needs to be married in order to be happy. Her ailing friend Lovinia Fischer, however, has other ideas and wants Ruby to promise to marry her husband after she dies. Never imagining she’d have to fulfill that vow, Ruby agrees. And she’s not the only one. Lovinia has extracted a similar promise from her husband, Gideon.

With both Ruby and Gideon reluctant to keep their promises, a compromise must be reached. Ruby will spend her days with Gideon’s family–helping to raise the children and keep the house–but her nights will be spent at her sister’s neighboring house. But this arrangement raises eyebrows in their conservative Amish community, and it soon becomes clear that Ruby must make a decision–marry Gideon or turn her back on her friend, the children she’s grown to love . . . and their father.

Congratulations to Lynne Hartke for her contribution to the October 8, 2019 release of  Daily Guideposts 2020: A Spirit-Lifting Devotional.

Daily Guideposts, America’s bestselling annual devotional, is a 365-day devotional from the Editors of Guideposts that will help readers grow in their faith every day of the year.

Daily Guideposts 2020 centers on the theme “He Performs Wonders,” based on Job 5:9, and is filled with brand-new devotions from fifty writers. Each day readers will enjoy a Scripture verse, a true first-person story told in an informal, conversational style, which shares the ways God speaks to us in the ordinary events of life, and a brief prayer to help focus the reader to apply the day’s message. For those who wish for more, “Digging Deeper” provides additional Bible references that relate to the day’s reading.

Enjoy favorite writers like Debbie Macomber, Edward Grinnan, Elizabeth Sherrill, Patricia Lorenz, Julia Attaway, Karen Barber, Sabra Ciancanelli, Mark Collins, and Rick Hamlin.

In just five minutes a day, Daily Guideposts helps readers find the spiritual richness in their own lives and welcomes them into a remarkable family of over one million people brought together by a desire to grow every day of the year.

New October 8 release from Paula Rinehart and Connally Gilliam is…and yet, undaunted: Embraced by the Goodness of God in the Chaos of Life.

Life is hard. We often find ourselves walking through stories that don’t feel like they should be ours. And yet here we are. We wonder where our good God is in the midst of it.

But we are not left without hope. In fact―we have the greatest hope of all. Through vulnerable stories and rich insight, Paula Rinehart and Connally Gilliam point to the Larger Story that carries all the anxiety, longing, and beauty of your life. The backdrop of the big gospel story―creation (how life ought to be), the fall (how life is), redemption (how life can be), and restoration (how life will be one day)―gives context to our lives and hope for walking forward. The grand story of the gospel of Jesus Christ frames our every step.

Discover renewed strength and joy in the middle of your ache . . . and the goodness of God that will give you the courage to remain yet undaunted.

October 8, Andrew T. Le Peau releases, Write Better: A Lifelong Editor on Craft, Art, and Spirituality.

Writing is not easy. But it can get better. In this primer on nonfiction writing, Andrew Le Peau offers insights he has learned as a published author and an editor for over forty years, training, guiding, and cheering on hundreds of writers. Here are skills that writers can master―from finding strong openings and closings, to focusing on an audience, to creating a clear structure, to crafting a persuasive message. With wide-ranging examples from fiction and nonfiction, Le Peau also demystifies aspects of art in writing such as creativity, tone, and metaphor. He considers strategies that can move writers toward fresher, more vital, and perhaps more beautiful expressions of the human condition. One aspect of writing that rarely receives attention is who we are as writers and how writing itself changes us. Self-doubt, fear of criticism, downsides of success, questions of authority, and finding our voice are all a part of the exploration of our spirituality as writers found in these pages. Discover how the act of writing can affect our life in God. Whether you’re a veteran writer, an occasional practitioner, a publishing professional, or a student just starting to explore such skills, Le Peau’s wit and wisdom can speed you on your way.

Keep cool these last few days of summer with Sarah Varland’s release of the Large-Print Edition of Alaskan Christmas: Cold Case.

Christmas Under Fire…

The Ice Maiden Killer is back.

For years, a serial killer has eluded authorities—and he’s set Alaska state trooper Erynn Cooper in his sights. Erynn’s only chance at survival is to trust Moose Haven police chief Noah Dawson with her life and the truth about her past. But with Christmas quickly approaching, Erynn and Noah are running out of time to catch the murderer…before Erynn becomes the next victim.

New Clients

Sarah Sanderson, Colin Paul Cahoon, Daniel Weiss, Joshua Glaser, Jennie McLaurin, Cymbeline T. Culiat, Lucas Johnson, and Robert Weatherwax signed with WordServe in September.  Welcome!

Contracts

Cara Whitney signed with Thomas Nelson for Sharing God’s Love with Everyone, Everywhere, to be released in the fall of 2020.

Ed Norwood signed with Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. for his work, Giant Killers to be released late summer 2020.

Rebecca Siegel with Amen Clinics signed with Kensington Publishing Corporation for her work entitled, The Brain on Cannabis, to be released Summer 2021.

Tana Amen signed with Thomas Nelson for One Less Scared Child to be released early 2021.

What We’re Celebrating

Check out author, Jamie Sumner’s latest article with Scary Mommy: HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WordServe News August 2019

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month, you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

The Mass Market Release of the 2-in-1 Collection of Courting Her Secret Heart by Mary Davis, and His Amish Choice by Leigh Bale, from Love Inspired, releases August 9, 2019.

Courting Her Secret Heart by Mary Davis

Deborah Miller lives a double life as an Amish woman—and a fashion model! All photography is forbidden in her Plain community, so she must keep her job a secret. But when Amos Burkholder starts helping at her family’s farm, hiding the truth from him is impossible. And soon she must choose between the Englischer world of modeling and the Amish man she’s come to love.

Congratulations to Walt Larimore, Philip Bishop, and Harvest House for the release of Fit Over 50: Make Simple Choices Today for a Healthier, Happier You.

Health, Fitness, and Weight Loss Advice You Can Trust

To stay fit over 50, you don’t need to be an expert on health. You need essential, practical, and accurate information from people who are experts. Doctors Walt Larimore and Phillip Bishop want to give you truthful and trustworthy advice to help you separate fact from wishful thinking and to identify misconceptions when you see them.

Take control of your overall well-being with tips to help improve your health in four key areas:

  • Physical — learn proven principles for effective weight loss, exercise, and nutrition
  • Emotional — keep your mind sharp and better manage your emotions
  • Relational — stay connected to others and build a stronger sense of community
  • Spiritual — improve your relationship with God

When you apply these easy-to-follow and scientifically sound strategies, you’re more likely to reap the many benefits of living well and staying healthy.

Just in time for back to school…Dr. Amen’s book, Change Your Brain Change Your Grades releases September 17, 2019.

A breakthrough approach to optimize your brain, change your habits, and succeed in school, from a renowned neuroscientist and bestselling author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life

Do you feel like you should be getting better grades? Are you spending more time studying than the A students in your class but not getting the same results? Are you heading back to school after a long break and need a refresher to get more done in less time?

With schools becoming more competitive and technology becoming increasingly distracting, today’s students face a minefield of obstacles to academic success. Doing well in school isn’t just a matter of smarts or more studying: It takes good habits, practical tools—and a healthy brain.

Brain health pioneer Dr. Daniel Amen knows what it takes to get the brain ready to succeed. Change Your Brain, Change Your Grades draws on Dr. Amen’s experience as a neuroscientist and psychiatrist as well as the latest brain science to help you study more effectively, learn faster, and stay focused so you can achieve your academic goals. This practical guide will help you:

Discover your unique brain type and learning style

Kick bad habits and adopt smarter study practices

Get more out of your classes with less overall study time

Memorize faster and remember things longer

Increase your confidence and beat stress

For underachievers, stressed-out studiers, and students from middle school to college and beyond, Change Your Brain, Change Your Grades gives you the knowledge and tools you need to get the best out of yourself.

Congratulations to Steve Arterburn and Marcus Brotherton with Illustrations by Damian Zain for the September 3 release of Kirby McCook and the Jesus Chronicles.

It’s like Captain Underpants meets the Bible, only reverent!
What happens when a room full of kids find themselves without a junior-church teacher? They choose one of their own crowd to take her place, of course! Twelve-year-old Kirby McCook, mentored by his grandfather, leads his rambunctious friends through the Bible in this creative and fun Bible storybook. Bible stories laced with middle-grade humor help teach kids that Jesus has been part of the story from the beginning and can be found throughout the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation.

Releasing Spetember 3, 2019, An Amish Christmas Kitchen: Three Novellas Celebrating the Warmth of the Season by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd.

As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.

Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman’s unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.

New Clients

Holly Stallcup, Dr. Anthony Brooks, and James Pence signed with WordServe in August.  Welcome!

Contracts

Ron Hutchcraft signed with Harvest House for Hope When Your Heart is Breaking, due to release January 2021.

Sarah Varland signed a four-book deal with Harlequin Books with release dates beginning in the fall of 2020.

Jana Voight signed with Mountain Brook Ink for a four-book deal, Montana Treasures, with release dates beginning in Summer 2020.

Melissa K. Norris signed with Harvest House for The Family Garden Planner due to release late Summer 2020.

 

What We’re Celebrating

Congratulations to Jamie Sumner for her Starred Review with Publisher’s Weekly for Roll with It. 

Check out the full review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-5344-4255-9

Headstrong 12-year-old Lily “Ellie” Cowan loves to bake. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Ellie heads to the kitchen when she gets frustrated with her overprotective mom, her hovering full-time aide, and her absent father. After Ellie’s grandfather, who has dementia, drives his car into the local supermarket, Ellie and her mom pack up their Nashville home and move into her grandparents’ tiny trailer in Eufaula, Okla. Soon, Ellie meets free-spirited neighbor Coralee and eccentric schoolmate Bert; their acceptance helps her to cope with her new school, which is far from wheelchair-friendly. Drawing on her own experiences with her son, who has cerebral palsy, debut author Sumner doesn’t sugarcoat Ellie’s daily challenges—social, emotional, and physical—including navigating showers and crowded classrooms. Sumner also makes it clear that Ellie is a regular kid who dreams of becoming a chef, which is conveyed partly through letters that Ellie writes to various culinary experts throughout the book. In addition, Sumner deftly explores universal difficulties of fitting in and following one’s passions. Ellie is easy to champion, and her story reminds readers that life’s burdens are always lighter with friends and family—and a good piece of pie—at the ready. Ages 10–up. Agent: Keely Boeving, WordServe Literary. (Oct.)

Congratulations to Linda Thompson for becoming an American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award finalist in the Debut Category for The Plum Blooms in Winter (Mountain Brook Ink, editors Beth Jusino and Jenny Mertes).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WordServe News May 2019

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month, you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

Congratulations to Angela Hunt, Bill Meyers, and Salem Books for the release of When God Happens: Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters.

PRAISE FOR THE WHEN GOD HAPPENS SERIES

“Reading When God Happens is like receiving an intravenous dose of hope in a world parched by hopelessness. It will remind you not just to hope for miracles but to expect them.”– Melanie Hemry, Guideposts magazine writer and author of fifty-four books

“A powerful read.”– Dimas Salaberrios, author of Street God

“True stories like these require those who don’t believe in angels … to explain the unexplainable.”– Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist

A diesel mechanic is smashed under the weight of a logging truck. A child’s inner tube is sucked out of a peaceful stretch of water into a frothing patch of dangerous rapids. A woman searching for peace is met with an icy chill when she begins arranging runestones….

In all these stories, there is one common thread–God’s angels are waiting and ready to powerfully intervene.

If you have ever doubted the presence of angels or questioned whether God is still acting through them, this book will inspire you to look beyond your everyday perceptions. In the follow-up to their 2018 title When God Happens: True Stories of Modern Day Miracles, bestselling authors Angela Hunt and Bill Myers invite you into the miraculous–sharing nineteen true, firsthand testimonies of angelic appearances, perfectly placed protection, and unforeseen interventions that will encourage you in your faith and cause even the most skeptical minds to take a second look.

Hear from a father whose family was saved from back-alley cutthroats by a mysterious Scotsman, a woman whose spiritual battle was inexplicably resolved through a tattooed pickup driver interested in potted plants, and a newlywed home economist whose generosity to an unexpected visitor transformed her life.

If you have ever doubted what angels are, where they come from, or how God is working through them today, we pray these stories will open your eyes to the mighty work that is done when God happens.

Congratulations to Sarah Varland and Love Inspired Suspense for the May 7 release of Alaskan Ambush.

He’ll take down their pursuers…

If she gets them out of the wilderness alive.

Pursued through the wilderness after an ambush that left his partner dead, Anchorage police officer Micah Reed stumbles on his assailants’ other target—backcountry tracker Kate Dawson. His best friend’s sister’s just the person to help him outrun the criminals…and solve his case. But with their pursuers closing in, can they rely on each other’s strength to survive this hazardous chase?

Congratulations to Rick Lawrence and Harvest House on the release of the ebook version of The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering. (paperback releases June 25, 2019)

That Your Faith May Not Fail

Whether you’re facing a major loss, a difficult diagnosis, or the constant stress of everyday life, you might find yourself asking God, “Where are you in this pain?” In those moments, would it help to know that he has not forgotten you—that he is fighting for you in the middle of your pain?

Sometimes it’s not the major disaster that breaks you, but the everyday heartbreaks that wear you down. In The God Who Fights For You, bestselling author Rick Lawrence examines the trials that weigh on you, why God allows them, and what he wants to reveal through them. Journey with Rick and…

  • discover hope and encouragement you can cling to in the middle of your challenges
  • learn about the gracious God who allows your trials—and is always working to help you through them to the other side
  • transform the way you think about suffering as you develop a richer understanding of the Savior’s love for you

When you’re feeling desperate, you don’t have to despair. The God who loves you is walking beside you—working to set you free.

Congratulations Steve “Spice” Spicer with T.L. Heyer for the release of Be Strong: The Making of a Marked Man.

A man’s journey through life is not easy, but the wounds do not tell the whole story. Healing, transformation, and significance can be yours when Jesus is the goal. In Be Strong, the author reveals his own transformation and the birth of an international ministry, Marked Men for Christ. This book will give men of faith the encouragement they need to overcome their past and their wounds to move forward in strength with Jesus at the center. The book also includes a 21-day devotional.

Congratulations to Jason Coombs for the release of Unhooked: How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover from Brick House Press.

Is someone you love addicted? Have you found yourself wondering if all of your efforts to “help” or “fix” your loved one are really going the right direction? Addictions to prescription meds, opioids, alcohol and other substances are growing at exponential rates and ripping our families apart. What are the best strategies to help someone in bondage to a substance that drive real results? When Jason Coombs’ mother discovered her son was addicted to drugs and alcohol, she searched everywhere for resources and guidance that would grant her a spark of hope. She researched websites on the topic only to find a mixed bag of mediocre suggestions and an array of conflicting opinions. She was desperate for tools that could drive measurable results. Yet, her seemingly endless search for helpful guidance led her down a rabbit hole with no end in sight. Unhooked is the book, written by her recovered son, now leading his own treatment center, she wishes would have been available back then. This book will give you answers. It will give you hope. It will give you validation. It will give you a path to follow that will ultimately help you, and your addicted loved one recover.

Congratulations to Jared Frederick and Valor Press for the release of Dispatches of D-Day: A People’s History of the Normandy Invasion.

Spring 1944. The world held its breath as the Allies leapt across the English Channel in the largest amphibious operation of the Second World War. The Normandy invasion, legendary in myth and astounding in scope, comes to life as historian Jared Frederick resurrects long-forgotten tales of individual struggle, sacrifice, and community. In a rare form of engaging scholarship, Frederick paints an eloquently moving portrait of the soldiers and civilians dramatically affected by what Dwight Eisenhower called “the great crusade.” Among those personalities were intrepid correspondents who demonstrated the meaningful significance of the free press in wartime. In this sweeping narrative, readers will embark upon a journey between the lines as the powerful saga of D-Day unfolds with insightful interpretation and profoundly enduring lessons.

Called to Forgive: The Charleston Church Shooting, A Victim’s Husband, and the Path to Healing and Peace by Anthony B. Thompson with Denise George, will be released June 4, 2019.

While the murder of his wife devastated Anthony Thompson, he and three other relatives of victims chose to privately and publicly forgive the shooter. Years later, the church and community still struggle to understand the family members’ deliberate choice to forgive the racist murderer. But as Charlestonians have witnessed these incredible acts of forgiveness, something significant has happened to the community–black and white leaders and residents have united, coming together peaceably and even showing acts of selfless love.

This book is the account of Anthony’s wife’s murder, the grief he experienced, and how and why he made the radical choice to forgive the killer. But beyond that, Anthony goes on to teach what forgiveness can and should look like in each of our lives–both personally, in our communities, and even in our nation. After much pain, reflection, and study, Thompson shares how true biblical love and mercy differ from the way these ideas are reflected in our culture.

Be inspired by this remarkable story and discover how the difficult decision to forgive can become the key to radical change.

Contracts

Leslie Leyland Fields signed with NavPress for Tell a Better Story due to release Spring 2020.

Bob Welch with Don Malarkey signed with Regnery for Saving My Enemy which is the World War II story of American Don Malarkey and German Fritz Englebert’s post-war friendship. To be released Spring 2020.

Walt Larimore signed with Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for a three-book deal to include: Natural Medications for Common Conditions and two books of inspirational stories of Dr. Larimore’s practice in Kissimmee, FL. (Tales of a Country Doctor) to be released in 2020 and 2021.

New Clients

Eileen and Holly Forlenza, Jenny L. Ross, Alice Wisler, Glenn Allen, Richard Kaufman signed with WordServe in May.  Welcome!

What We’re Celebrating

Congratulations to Anthony B. Thompson with Densie George for the starred review in Publisher’s Weekly for Called to Forgive: The Charleston Church Shooting, a Victim’s Husband, and the Path to Healing and Peace. Read the review HERE.

 

 

Check out the Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion Bible App for Amanda Anderson’s upcoming release of her new book, All My Friends Have Issues: Buidling Remarkable Relationships with Imperfect People (Thomas Nelson, July 9, 2019) 

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WordServe News January 2018

Happy 2018! Exciting things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary.

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of WordServe authors’ recently released books along with a recap of agency news.

New Releases

Mary Davis’s novella, Holly and Ivy, was released as part of A Bouquet of Brides Collection from Barbour. In this delightful collection, readers meet seven American women who were named for various flowers but struggle to bloom where God planted them. Can love help them grow to their full potential?

Phillip Robinson and Rondol Hammer released Forgiveness in the First Degree with FaithHappenings Publishers. The gun was never supposed to go off. When a drug dealer assured twenty-nine-year-old Ron Hammer and his brother-in-law that they could make some quick easy money, they were intrigued. He promised them that when a local grocer delivered a bag of money to his store to cash Friday paychecks, they only needed to show him a gun and he’d hand over the bag.
But high on meth and dulled by liquor, they ended up in a scuffle with their target, and the gun accidentally fired.

 

Sarah Varland released Mountain Refuge with Love Inspired Suspense. When someone tries to grab Summer Dawson on a secluded mountain path, she escapes—but soon discovers she’s a serial killer’s latest target. Ex-cop Clay Hitchcock, promises she won’t become the next victim, but can Clay and Summer work together to bring down the crazed killer lurking in the wilderness?

New Contracts 

 

New Clients

 

What We’re Celebrating

 

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WordServe News May 2017

Exciting things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

Jan Drexler released Naomi’s Hope with Revell. The third book in the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series, it follows Naomi Schrock in an 1846 Amish community in Indiana as she finds herself caught between the plans she had made for her future and the tantalizing thought that a man named Cap Stoltzfus might be part of a life she never dared hope for.

Christopher and Michael Ross released Building Faith Block by Block [An Unofficial Minecraft Guide] with Harvest House. This series of 60 devotionals for kids combines Minecraft tips and tricks with Scripture and discussion of real life struggles to help kids overcome life’s biggest challenges and build their faith, block by block.

Laurie Polich Short released When Changing Nothing Changes Everything with IVP. Laurie shows how the way you see can have an impact on how you live. If you put on the right lenses, you can reframe whatever comes your way and embrace both the good and the bad, recognizing that every detail of your life is fully in God’s sovereign hands. Changing your perspective can transform your life.

New Contracts 

U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy and U.S. Senator Tim Scott signed with Tyndale for their book Indivisible, a story of authenticity and commitment in a city and political culture that rarely embrace either one, in which the authors model a path of racial reconciliation through honest conversations and genuine friendship.

Sarah Varland signed a two-book deal with Love Inspired for her Moose Haven Series.

Ron Archer signed a two-book deal with Tyndale: a memoir about his ascent from a troubled childhood in inner-city Cleveland to his conversion to Christ; and You Can Be Friends with Anyone, focusing on techniques and strategies to help people build a strong network of friends in both their professional and personal lives.

New Clients

Connally Gilliam and Brooke Sailer signed with WordServe this month. Welcome!

What We’re Celebrating

Deb and Ron DeArmond won the Selah Award in Christian Living for Don’t Go to Bed Angry: Stay Up and Fight! Woo-hoo!

We also had several other authors nominated as finalists for The Selah Award. Margot Starbuck was nominated for Overplayed; Pamela Cable was nominated for The Santum, and Carey and Dena Dyer were nominated for Love at First Fight. Congratulations to all!

Jan Drexler’s book Mattie’s Pledge was nominated as a finalist for the HOLT Medallion Awards. Congrats!

Linda Znachko’s He Knows Your Name is a Finalist in the 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. Congratulations!

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WordServe News: October 2016

Exciting things have been happening at WordServe Literary this month!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

514tpjlzzhl-_sx322_bo1204203200_Rick Johnson released Overcoming Toxic Parenting with Revell. Anyone can be a good parent, even if they didn’t have one. Johnson shows anxious readers how to identify the ways in which their past experiences affect their own parenting choices; walks them through the process of healing the emotional and spiritual wounds; and outlines healthy habits and practices to create a positive family environment.

700074Barbara J. Scott, along with Sandra Bricker, Lynette Sowell, and Lenora Worth, released Sleigh Bells Ring with Gilead Publishers. This collection of four contemporary romance novellas, each by a different author, follows the Tucker sisters as they strive to fix up their father’s horse farm for one last Christmas celebration.

51b1h8es5wl-_sx314_bo1204203200_Sarah Varland released Silent Night Shadows with Love Inspired Suspense. When she’s snatched off a sidewalk en route to the local Christmas tree lighting, Claire Phillips knows her cozy small town is no longer safe. And when she’s saved by a mystery man, she gets another surprise. Suddenly, surviving Christmas is going to take more courage than Claire thinks she has.

christmas_in_my_heart_25_wheeler_i_coverJoe Wheeler released the 25th volume of his Christmas In My Heart series.When the first book went to print in 1991, no one imagined there would be a second book. Or a third. Now, with a total of 402 stories and more than 3,000 pages to date, it is the longest running Christmas story anthology series in America. Loved by thousands, the release of each additional book marks the beginning of the Christmas season in homes all across the country.

9780825444258Robert Wise released When There Is No Miracle (Revised & Expanded edition) with Kregel Publications. How can Christians understand the times when the lights go out and no miracle of deliverance appears? When There Is No Miracle imparts the lessons Wise has learned in the midst of his own questioning, enabling Christians to find new hope, learn to reconcile their faith with times of emptiness, and discover a new depth of meaning in the crucifixion of Christ.

51smxmfzhil-_sx348_bo1204203200_Mike Yorkey released The Right Steph with Barbour. In this fun, fact-filled biography, Yorkey shows how Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry, the likable, humble, and soft-spoken basketball player–and the best shooter in the NBA– is living out his faith on and off the court, through his actions even more than words.

New Contracts 

Carole Engle-Avriett signed with Cook for her newest project, Extravagant Love, an exploration of Ancient customs and facts that helps readers dig deeper into Scripture and God’s love for us, to be published in early 2018.

Wallace Henley and Tom DeLay signed with WND Books to publish Revival! Rebirth! Revolution! early next year.

Jonathan McKee signed with Barbour for his next book, The Teen’s Guide to Social Media… and Mobile Devices. Due out in 2017, this will be a wonderful resource for teens and parents struggling with questions in the digital age.

Krista Phillips signed with Barbour for her next book, The Engagement Plot, for publication in early 2018.

Tiffany Smiling signed with Barbour to publish The Fulfillment Myth, which traces her own story to inspire other women to find fulfillment that lasts.

New Clients

Dr. Jamie D. Aten signed with WordServe this month.

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What We’re Celebrating

All the Gallant Men by Donald Stratton and Ken Gire will appear in Parade Magainze and Reader’s Digest next month, leading up to its November 22 release.

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How Many Words to Paint a Picture…?

Writers, editors, and agents like to talk about voice. That elusive thing that gets you published or doesn’t, that sets you apart from others. Much as people have tried, it’s a concept that’s difficult to boil down to a sentence or two.

One of the aspects of voice is how you write descriptions. This is one of the unique fingerprints of your writing that makes it possible for people to tell you apart from another writer. It’s part of your unique gift for storytelling.

Honestly? Descriptions are hard to get just right. If only we could attach pictures to our stories. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea, really, having a nice photo or rendering of what we pictured every hundred pages or so in order to assure ourselves that our readers got it, that the scene we so carefully tried to describe was fully absorbed by them, no room for communication errors. Unfortunately (or maybe not. Haha), the picture thing isn’t an option, so we have to keep practicing using our words to create a picture in our readers’ minds that bears some resemblance to what we were seeing when we wrote it.

Mucho Lake

How would you describe this picture? Are you a writer who would write long paragraphs about the blues and greens? Would you make an effort to explain the way the road curves around the lake, without so much as a guardrail? Would you try to capture the wilderness feeling of the picture? Write about the trees? Or would you just tell your reader that it’s a mountain lake straight out of a fairy-tale and leave them to fill in the blanks?

If everyone reading this post wrote about the scene above, even if we set strict limits on the number of words you could use, every single example would be different. Every. Single. One.

Here’s what I do think writers need to know…there are generalizations about readers’ preferences that are true. And while writing isn’t all about some set of imaginary “rules,” reader preferences are things to pay attention to if you ever want to have readers (or if you want more readers). If you’re a Hemingway-esque describer and you think less is more…readers of historicals might feel like you’ve robbed them of one of their favorite parts of the story. If you describe the interior of a house and take several pages to do so in a suspense novel…you’ve lost that target reader (you know, unless there’s blood on the furniture or something, but still…).

Use your words to help us feel part of the setting, to help us see it. But use them appropriately for your genre. Also use the words you enjoy reading. Do you skim long description paragraphs? Are they your favorite part? Or are you somewhere in between? How you answer those questions should have some bearing on how you write.

Know your reader.

Know yourself.

And make your setting come alive with your words in the unique way that is yours alone.

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WordServe News: September 2014

Exciting things have been happening at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ books releasing in the upcoming month along with a recap of WordServe client news from the current month.

New Releases

Deb Coty’s popular devotional Too Blessed to be Stressed with Barbour publishing 9781628369670_p0_v1_s260x420released a companion journal. Also released this month is Deb’s new devotional Too Loved to be Lost. 9781628369694_p0_v1_s300x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Barbara Cofer Stoefen released her debut nonfiction title with Zondervan Publishers. A Very Fine House is now available. 9780310344414_p0_v2_s300x

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New WordServe Clients

Sue Detweiler signed with literary agent Alice Crider.

New Contracts

Sam Metcalf signed a contract with Intervarsity Press (IVP) for a project tentatively titled Unleashing Apostolic Movements: Missionality Beyond the Local Church. Greg Johnson, agent of record.

Bill Myers signed a contract with Barbour publishing for a nonfiction title tentatively titled Jesus Experience. Greg Johnson, agent of record.

What We’re Celebrating!!

Leslie Haskin and her 9/11 memoir Between Heaven and Ground Zero hit the New York Times bestseller list!

Rachel Phifer is a finalist in the 2014 ACFW Carol Awards along with Wordserve author Julie Cantrell. Winners were announced September 27th at the national conference in St. Louis. A list of the winners can be found here.

Sarah Varland’s Tundra Threat with Love Inspired Suspense has been printed in Large Print!

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WordServe News: August 2014

Exciting things have been happening at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ books releasing in the upcoming month along with a recap of WordServe client news from the current month.

New Releases

Marcus Brotherton released his first novel with River North, Feast for Thieves. Marcus also released, with Alec Rowlands, a collaboration project titled The Presence in 9781414387246_p0_v1_s260x420association with Tyndale Momentum. 9780802412133_p0_v2_s260x420

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Jim Burns and Doug Fields released Getting Ready for Marriage with David C. Cook 9781434708113_p0_v1_s260x420publishers.

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Mindy Ferguson released Moses with AMG Publishers. 9780899579108_p0_v2_s260x420

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Rick Johnson released, with Revell publishers, Becoming the Dad Your Da9780800723354_p0_v2_s260x420ughter Needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jeremy Jones, collaborator with Kyle Idleman, released Praying for Your Prodigal with 9781434707710_p0_v1_s260x420David C. Cook publishers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jennifer Strickland, with Harvest House Publishers, released More Beautiful Than You Know. 9780736956321_p0_v4_s260x420

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Sarah Varland released a new romantic suspense with Love Inspired, Tundra Threat.9780373446285_p0_v1_s260x420

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Contracts

Jeremy Jones signed a work for hire agreement with David C. Cook for 40 Days to Lasting Change: A Devotional (tentative title). Greg Johnson, agent of record.

Jonathan McKee signed a contract with Group Publishing for Foundations–Volunteers (tentative title). Greg Johnson, agent of record.

What We’re Celebrating!!

Krista Phillips released her first self-published novella, A Side of Faith! Get your copy here.

Laurie Short was interviewed on The Harvest Show. Watch the clip here!

Barbara Stoefen’s memoir,  A Very Fine House, got an awesome review in Publisher’s Weekly. Read it here!

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