WordServe News: April 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

Steve & Misty Arterburn, with Becky Johnson, released The Mediterranean Love Plan this month. Unveiling the “7 Secrets of Passion” from some of the most romantic countries in the world, it answers age-old questions about how to keep your marriage interesting, fun, and romantic–burning with passion that stands the test of time.

Carole Engle Avriett published Under the Cover of Light with Tyndale. In 1965, Col. Thomas “Jerry” Curtis’s helicopter was shot down over North Vietnam. He was immediately captured and spent 7½ years confined in a filthy 5′ x 7′ cell at the notorious Hanoi prison camp. Now, Jerry shares the full story of his 2,703 days in captivity and what he learned about faith, hope, and the indomitable power of the human spirit.

David & Claudia Arp and Peter & Heather Larson released He’s Almost a Teenager with Bethany House. Based on tried-and-true parenting wisdom, this book shares fun, thoughtful questions and talking points that lead to meaningful, natural conversations with your son as he approaches those difficult teen years.

Sue Detweiler published Women Who Move Mountains with Bethany House. Prayer was never meant to be a recitation of requests, but rather a drawing close to the heart of God. When you learn to exchange the obstacles of life for the promises of God, you will pray with passion and confidence rather than fear or insecurity. From this place of surrender and intimacy, you will discover what it means to become a powerful, effective woman of prayer.

Lynne Hartke published Under a Desert Sky with Revell. Tracing Lynne’s experience with cancer–her own and the diagnoses of both of her parents–this lyrical work considers how even life’s most desolate experiences can bring beautiful surprises.We are never alone in our fear, and we are never forgotten by a loving, pursuing God.

Marjorie Jackson published Devoted: A Girl’s 31-Day Guide to Good Living with a Great God with Shiloh Run Press. Featuring hand-lettered art pages for coloring, this devotional teaches us how to let our love and dedication to Jesus penetrate every area of our lives–so that we can be young women of God who are completely, joyfully, beautifully different.

New Contracts 

Mary Davis signed a 3-book deal with Love Inspired for a series of romances to be published in 2018.

Jan Drexler signed a 3-book deal with Revell for a new series, Storms on Weaver’s Creek, a historical romance series set against the Civil War and the Amish church’s commitment to non-resistance.

Leslie Leyland Fields signed with Kregel for the publication of Happy Over Forty, an anthology of 40 incredible women writing from their own lives, that provides a biblical, inspiring and unforgettable guide to all that God can do in and through women over 40, making the second half of our lives the most fruitful and abundant half.

Sandy Silverthorne signed with Revell for the publication of two new joke books for kids, which will include illustrations by the author.

New Clients

Paul Basden, Jim Johnson, Chris Langlois, Ross Owen, and Linda MacKillop joined WordServe this month. Welcome!

What We’re Celebrating

Tina and Dave Samples‘ book Messed Up Men of the Bible was named as a finalist for the 2017 Christian Books Awards in the Bible Study Category! Winners will be announced May 2.

WordServe News Update and New Releases

Exciting things have been happening at WordServe Literary!

On the final post each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ books releasing in the upcoming month and a recap of WordServe client news from the current month. (Since this is the first New Releases and Recent News post, we’re playing catch-up.)

• • •

September New Releases

(The titles are links to Amazon.)

A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City Kansas

by Erica Vetsch*

Historical Romance

Barbour Publishing

 •

“Christmas Service” in A Log Cabin Christmas

by Erica Vetsch*

Historical Romance

Barbour Publishing

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The Doctor’s Lady

by Jody Hedlund*

Historical Romance

Bethany House

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Light to My Path

by Erica Vetsch*

Historical Romance

Barbour Heartsong Presents

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Lily and the Lawman

by Erica Vetsch*

Historical Romance –

Thorndike Large Print Edition

•

Bestseller News

CBA September 2011 Lists

Tim LaHayeEdge of Apocalypse hit #19 on the Fiction list.

Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall – Thunder of Heaven hit #29 on the Top 50 list and #3 on the Fiction list.

Karen Witemeyer* – A Tailor-Made Bride hit #17 on the Fiction list.

• • •

Contest News

ACFW 2011 Agent of the Year

We’re excited that Rachelle Gardner is one of the three finalists

•

ACFW 2011 Carol Award for published novelists:

Jody Hedlund* is a finalist in the Debut Novel category with The Preacher’s Bride.

Richard Mabry* is a finalist in the Mystery/Thriller category with Medical Error.

S. Dionne Moore is a finalist in the Short Historical category with Promise of Tomorrow.

•

ACFW 2011 Genesis Contest for unpublished novelists:

Camille Eide* is a finalist in the Women’s Fiction category with My Father’s House.

• • •

New Clients

Charise Olson accepted an offer of representation from Rachelle.

Wendy Paine Miller* accepted an offer of representation from Rachelle.

• • •

Contract News

Greg announced the following deals on Publishers Marketplace:

Carol BarnierA Prodigal Speaks sold to Moody Press. Going from parsonage to atheist to Christian, Carol writes to parents and gives valuable lessons on loving a child who is away from the faith.

Rick MarschallOne Year Book of Cartoon Devotions sold to Tyndale. The book uses syndicated cartoonists and contains 365 cartoon panels and devotional readings after each one. Rick also signed with Tyndale for a YA devotional to be written with Clubhouse editor Jesse Florea.

Dave Runyon and Jay PathakThe Art of Neighboring sold to Baker Books. What does it mean to be a great neighbor with no motive but to serve and care for those around you? Combining practical stories from a whole city whose churches practiced this concept with radical biblical thoughts on what Jesus meant when he said “love your neighbor,” the authors make a compelling case for a new way to neighbor as a person of faith.

Rachel St. John-GilbertThe Well Lived Laugh sold to Barbour. Rachel uses Seinfeld-style observations, offering comic relief from the pressure to check off all the “culturally correct, socially responsible, and spiritually edgy” boxes that are confronting today’s overwhelmed woman. The reader is encouraged to shape her own unique perspectives based on her gifts and limitations that have characterized her life experiences thus far.

Chuck TatumBlood Red, Black Sand sold to Berkley Caliber. The story is about Chuck, a WWII veteran who trained under and fought with Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone; chronicling their “two weeks in hell,” where he would watch his hero, Basilone, fall, where the enemy stalked the night, where snipers haunted the day, and where Chuck would see his friends whittled away in an eardrum-shattering, earth-shaking, meat grinder of a battle. Before the battle for Iwo Jima ended, Chuck would find himself, like Basilone, standing alone, blind with rage, firing a machine gun from the hip, in a personal battle to survive from a relentless foe.

Bob WelchWonderful Life Lessons sold to Thomas Nelson. Bob, a Eugene Register Guard journalist, uses the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life as a springboard and mines 52 gold-nugget lessons that everyone should consider.

More News from Greg:

Wayne Cordeiro signed with Zondervan for a book called Sifted, the lead book for the Exponential Conference next April in Orlando.

Cheri Fuller signed with Bethany House for a non-fiction book, What Sons Need In A Mom.

Tim LaHaye signed with Zondervan for Book #4 in “The End” series.

Calvin Miller signed with Worthy Publishers for a non-fiction book, Letters To Heaven.

Gilbert Morris signed on for a new 3-book historical series with Barbour.

Jordyn Redwood* started out by signing just one book with Kregel, but they quickly signed on for two more in the series

Margot Starbuck signed a two-book deal with Baker Publishing Group, the first with a working title of Jesus In Vegas.

(* = WordServe Water Cooler Contributor)

• • •

That’s our good news for the month.

Please share yours in the comments so we can celebrate with you.

• • •

Post Author: Keli Gwyn

I write inspirational historical romance. My debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, will be released July 1, 2012. I live in the heart of California’s Gold Country. My favorite places to visit are my fictional worlds, the Coach factory outlet store, and Taco Bell.