28 June

Tommy Nelson to Revitalize Classic Series

The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle to Rerelease with Illustrations

Nashville, Tenn. – Wally McDoogle is back. And this time, his high jinks have a twenty-first century twist.

Releasing September 2019, My Life as a Smashed Burrito with Extra Hot Sauce (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #1, 9780785231127) and My Life as Alien Monster Bait (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #2, 9780785231141) will again engage readers young and old with funny stories and important truths. Authored by Bill Myers, this timeless series will engage young readers today as much as it did 30 years ago.

“Bill Myers is a master at helping kids navigate the perils of growing up – while being hilarious,” says Laura Minchew, senior vice president and publisher for Tommy Nelson Children’s Books. “This is one of the few books guaranteed to make kids laugh out loud!” Now with fresh covers, line art throughout the text, and updated cultural references, young readers have a new opportunity to join Wally on his zany adventures.

Tommy Nelson plans to release the first six Wally McDoogle books in this new format, with audio editions narrated by the author. Future releases will include My Life as a Broken Bungee Cord and My Life as Crocodile Junk Food in January 2020 and My Life as Dinosaur Dental Floss and My Life as a Torpedo Test Target in June 2020.

Bill Myers is the author of the humorously imaginative The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle series, which currently numbers 25 episodes and over 1.8 million units sold. Bill’s latest works include the creation of a brand-new secret agent series for early readers, Secret Agent Dingledorf. He is also the creator and writer of the McGee & Me! video series. Bill is a director as well as a writer, and his films have won over forty national and international awards. He has written more than 50 books for kids, teens, and adults. Bill lives with his wife and two daughters in southern California.

Bill Myers is available for interview

About the Books

My Life as a Smashed Burrito with Extra Hot Sauce (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #1)

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3112-7     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3113-4     Audio ISBN 978-0-7852-3372-5

On-sale September 10, 2019     Paperback $8.99

My Life as Alien Monster Bait (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #2)

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3114-1     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3118-9     Audio ISBN 978-0-7852-3373-2

On-sale September 10, 2019     Paperback $8.99

My Life as a Broken Bungee Cord (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #3)

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3119-6     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3121-9     Audio ISBN 978-0-7852-3374-9

On-sale January 8, 2020     Paperback $8.99

My Life as Crocodile Junk Food

The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #4

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3122-6     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3123-3     Audio ISBN 978-0-7852-3375-6

On-sale January 8, 2020     Paperback $8.99

My Life as Dinosaur Dental Floss

The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #5

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3240-7     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3244-5    

On-sale May 26, 2020     Paperback $8.99

My Life as a Torpedo Test Target

The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #6

By Bill Myers

ISBN 978-0-7852-3245-2     E-book ISBN 978-0-7852-3247-6    

On-sale May 26, 2020     Paperback $8.99

##

About Tommy Nelson: Tommy Nelson® is the children’s division of Thomas Nelson. As a leading provider of Christian content, Tommy Nelson publishes a wide variety of high-quality, enjoyable products that are consistent with the teachings found in the Bible. Tommy Nelson’s award-winning products are designed to expand children’s imaginations and nurture their faith while inspiring them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. For more information, visit www.tommynelson.com.

27 June

Zondervan Books to Publish Riveting Memoir by Vietnam POW, Shot Down over Enemy Territory, on His Time in the Hanoi Hilton & a Forgotten Military Code That Changed Everything

Grand Rapids, Mich., June 26, 2019 – Decorated Air Force pilot Colonel Carlyle “Smitty” Harris (ret.) has signed with Zondervan Books to publish the untold story of his years spent as a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton and other detention camps during the Vietnam War. Tap Code: The Epic Survival Tale of a Vietnam POW and the Secret Code That Changed Everything,written by Harris, now 90 years old, andSara W. Berry, will release November 5, 2019. World rights were acquired by Acquisitions Editor Andy Rogers.

When Harris was shot down over Vietnam on April 4, 1965, he had no idea what horrors awaited him in the infamous Hoa Lo prison—nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.” Harris was the sixth American POW captured in the air war over North Vietnam. For almost eight years, Smitty along with hundreds of other American POWs—including John McCain and George “Bud” Day—suffered torture, solitary confinement and abuse. Before being shot down, Harris by chance learned an old, long-unused WWII communication code, called the Tap Code. Once imprisoned, he remembered the code and covertly taught it to many POWs, who then taught others as it quickly spread throughout the prison and became the most covert way for POWs to communicate without their captors’ knowledge. Simple but effective, the Tap Code quickly became a lifeline to hundreds of airmen during their long internment and ultimately helped change the course of the war.  

“The prison’s sixteen-inch masonry walls were designed to isolate prisoners,” writes Col. Lee Ellis (ret), former POW, cellmate and friend of Harris. “Smitty took great risk and through resourcefulness and creativity spread the code that enabled our covert communication… These vital communications lifted our spirits and gave us a united front throughout the camps… Smitty was the code bearer who enabled us to connect and communicate – the two most vital needs of every POW.”

Meanwhile, back home Harris’s wife, Louise, who was eight months pregnant with their third child when he was captured, was raising their children alone, unsure of her husband’s fate. One of the first POW wives of the Vietnam War, she told herself, “if Smitty can do what he is doing right now, I can do this…” She became a role model to many wives, advocating for herself and her children in her husband’s absence. Tap Code shares behind-the-scenes details of American history while weaving in Smitty and Louise’s inspiring story of true love, honor and courage as they endured the hardest circumstances they had ever faced.

Harris received many decorations during his Air Force career, including two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merits, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars for valor, two Air Medals, two Purple Hearts and two Commendation Medals. Most recently he was awarded the Eagle Award through the Gathering of Eagles Foundation. His tin cup from his days as a POW is now in the Smithsonian. He and his wife, Louise, are surrounded by their large family in Tupelo, Mississippi.

“This is a true story of ingenuity under pressure, strength and dignity in the face of the enemy, the love of family, and the hope, faith, and resolve necessary to endure even the darkest circumstances,” says Andy Rogers, acquisitions editor.

Zondervan is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications.  Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich.  For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

25 June

Tim Tebow Pens Foreword to The Seven Longest Yards by Chris & Emily Norton

Grand Rapids, Mich., May 29, 2019 — Chris & Emily Norton announced on their Instagram and Facebook accounts that longtime supporter Tim Tebow will write the foreword to their upcoming memoir, The Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Leaning on Each Other, that is scheduled to release from Zondervan on July 9, 2019. Tebow originally connected with Chris after a life-altering football injury gave him a three percent chance of moving anything below the neck again.

In the foreword, Tebow calls Chris “one of the most inspiring guys I know,” and remembers being inspired by their first short phone call while Chris was still in the hospital. “I was blown away by his determination to stay positive, to do the work, and to trust that God had a bigger story in mind,” Tebow said.

“We are beyond grateful for his support,” Chris wrote on his Instagram. “Tim has always been someone I have looked up to. He does so much to help others through his @timtebowfoundation, books, film #runtherace, and how he glorifies God by the way he lives his life.”

Tebow writes in the foreword, “They know the power of putting one foot in front of the other, both literally and figuratively. And this book is meant to inspire you to do the same.”

About The Seven Longest Yards

Injured in a college football game his freshman year, Chris Norton was given a three percent chance of moving anything below the neck again. He trained relentlessly, singularly focused on walking across the graduation stage which led him to meeting his then-fiancé Emily. His triumphant 10 steps were seen around the world by more than 300 million people – but little did they know, that was the beginning – not the end – of Chris and Emily’s incredible journey.

The Seven Longest Yards, Chris and Emily share their love story, including the challenges and struggles that cameras haven’t captured. For the first time, Emily opens up about her debilitating depression that began only a few weeks after Chris’ graduation walk. For two years, she sank deep into a battle against growing anxiety. But, just as Emily sacrificed to help Chris walk across stage at graduation, Chris was at Emily’s side – helping to lift her out of the depression that threatened their relationship and her very life.

Written with writer Mark Tabb, The Seven Longest Yards will be available July 9, 2019.

The upcoming documentary 7 Yards shares Chris & Emily’s inspiring story.

Chris Norton is an in-demand motivational speaker with a message of hope, resilience and faith. Chris was named to ITA Group’s list of “The Hottest Event Keynote Speakers for 2018,” that includes Michael Strahan, Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran and Magic Johnson. Currently residing in Florida, Chris wouldn’t take back the play that left him paralyzed due to the positive influence his story has had on millions of people worldwide. The Chris Norton Foundation has raised close to one million dollars to help others with spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders. The Foundation provides various levels of accommodations, equipment and opportunities, such as a free wheelchair camp for families this summer.

Emily Norton’s lifelong passion is to make a difference. Growing up in the small town of Muscatine, Iowa, Emily encountered many kids who came from unfortunate circumstances causing her to be heartbroken. Not one to sit by idly, Emily sought out ways to love and care for everyone who was hurting whether it was being a mentor, starting an after-school program for middle school girls called Girl Talk, visiting group homes or creating a talk show to share inspiring stories. Emily received her degree in family services from the University of Northern Iowa to pursue her dream of helping kids in foster care. Emily believes life is for helping others and making an impact. She is a proud mom to her 5 adopted girls and 17 other children they have fostered.

Award winning collaborator Mark Tabb has authored/ co-authored over thirty-five books including the number one New York Times bestseller, Mistaken Identity.

Zondervan is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

-end-

21 June

Science, Psychology, and Scripture meet in new book: Lovestruck

Nashville, TN (May 2019) – Our culture is in a crisis to understand and appreciate the beauty of sexuality. Scripture places a high value on sexual intimacy, but secular society promises that satisfaction can be found in cheap carnal indulgence. What is really true about the nature of sex? In Lovestruck: Discovering God’s Design for Romance, Marriage, & Sexual Intimacy from the Song of Solomon (Aug. 6, 2019; ISBN 9781400209644; $17.99), author, speaker, and Bible teacher Sharon Jaynes reclaims the narrative of romance by discovering God’s design from the Song of Solomon.

“For too long the church has treated sex as a taboo subject,” says Jaynes. “Scripture shows us that sex is not an evil that marriage permits but a gift that marriage protects.”

Through an in-depth study of the Song of Solomon along with scientific research and psychological data, Jaynes explores the story behind sexuality and the creative ways that God designed pleasure to be experienced. However, Jaynes’ approach goes beyond facts. “Many of the marriage books out today,” Jaynes explains, “focus on the how-tos of building successful marriages. Tips. Tricks. Tactics. And, yes, there’s going to be some of that here, but the main focus we’ll bring to the Song of Solomon is not the how but the why.” In Lovestruck, Jaynes answers essential questions that form the foundation of a lasting marriage, such as why God created physical attraction and why the passion in many marriages grows cold over time.

Lovestruck is a call for married women to reclaim romance and find fulfillment in sexual intimacy with their husbands. According to Jaynes, “the Bible boldly paints a beautiful picture of how sexual intimacy can be when we pursue love the way God purposed it to be from the beginning.” With scripture lighting PO Box 141000 Nashville TN, 37214 tel: 800.251.4000 web: www.thomasnelson.com the way, women in all stages of life and marriage can find hope and help in this daring book that invites readers into the profound journey towards true intimacy. For more information about Lovestruck, please contact Shea Nolan, [email protected].

###

Sharon Jaynes has been encouraging and equipping women through ministry for over twenty-five years. She served as Vice President and radio cohost of Proverbs 31 Ministries for ten years and currently writes for their online devotions and First 5 Bible study app. Sharon is also an international conference speaker, author of more than twenty books, and the founder of The Praying Wives Club™ and co-founder of Girlfriends in God, Inc. She has been romancing her husband, Steve, for thirty-eight years, and they make their home in Weddington, North Carolina.

###

About Thomas Nelson:

Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is a world-leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com.

21 June

Avoid the pitfalls and strengthen your spiritual core with Mary Kassian’s new book: The Right Kind of Strong

Nashville, TN (May 2019) –Walking through Paul’s description in 2 Timothy of the weak women of the church at Ephesus, award winning author and international speaker Mary Kassian reveals common traps that can steal a woman’s strength and shares how women can take steps to become the strong women God made them to be in her new book The Right Kind of Strong: Surprisingly Simple Habits of Spiritually Strong Women (Jul. 30, 2019; ISBN 9781400209835; $17.99).

The world teaches women how to be strong—but not always strong in the right kind of way. Written out of Kassian’s own personal experience, The Right Kind of Strong explores the Bible’s definition of strength and contrasts it to the picture the world paints. “The more I read the bible, the more it challenged my idea about what it truly meant to be strong,” Kassian says. “I was strong enough to demand my rights, yet not strong enough to relinquish them.” As she has studied what the Scriptures say on the topic of strength, Mary Kassian has discovered a deeper and far more profound kind of strength – the kind that allows her to trust God in all circumstances and embrace humility and obedience.

With practical examples, solid Biblical application, and real-life stories, Kassian breaks down the seven keys to side-stepping the traps that can sap a woman’s strength: catching the creeps, mastering your mind, ditching your baggage, engaging your emotions, walking the talk, standing your ground, and admitting your need. For the most part, Kassian explains, these habits are “small correctives to attitudes and ways of thinking that won’t take much energy to implement.” However, these simple yet profound changes allow wise women to reject the wrong kind of strong and embrace the kind of strength that Jesus modeled – the kind of strength than enables her to lay down her own life and seek God’s glory over her own. For more information about The Right Kind of Strong, please contact Shea Nolan, [email protected]. PO Box 141000 Nashville TN, 37214 tel: 800.251.4000 web: www.thomasnelson.com

###

Mary A. Kassian is a Word Guild award-winning author and international speaker. She has published several books and Bible studies, including Girls Gone Wise, Conversation Peace, and True Woman 101. Mary is a popular conference speaker at women’s events such as Revive and True Woman. She has appeared on numerous radio and television shows such as Focus on the Family and Life Today. She has also taught cluster courses at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where she was recognized as distinguished professor of women’s studies. Mary and her family reside in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

###

About Thomas Nelson: Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is a world-leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com.

21 June

Discover the joy of authentic friendship in Amanda Anderson’s new book: All My Friends Have Issues

Nashville, TN (May 2019) With relatable stories, scriptural truth, and psychological research, author and speaker Amanda Anderson reveals the keys to experiencing healthy, Biblical friendship in All My Friends Have Issues: Building Remarkable Friendships with Imperfect People (Like Me) (Jul. 9, 2019; ISBN 9781400208579; $17.99). Friendship has only gotten more complicated in the age of technology; for readers who have grown weary of trying to find the ultimate friendship or be the perfect gal pal, Anderson’s debut book offers healing and hope to move forward in healthy friendships.

Anderson is the wise wing-woman readers need to help them embrace their own flaws and accept their friends’ “issues” – failures, flaws, and fears – with honesty and grace. “Loving and being loved by others is my favorite part of being a human being,” says Anderson. “it’s also the hardest, most exhausting thing I do on a daily basis.” The author knows from personal experience that good friendship takes work, but she also knows that it is both possible and powerful.

According to Anderson, the three pillars of healthy friendship are authenticity, the ability to reveal and be loved for our true selves; encouragement, the commitment to support one another in both the highs and lows and spurring one another on to continue growing through it all; and accountability, the permission to remind one another of who we are and the truths on which we stand. She explores these three elements in depth, examining why they matter and how they can be developed over time. By vulnerably sharing her own hurts and unhealthy habits, the author reveals the common missteps that lead to dysfunctional relationships and how the reader can avoid making the same mistakes.

The goal of All My Friends Have Issues, says Anderson, “is to define what healthy, safe friendships look like, how to cultivate them, and how to nurture the friendships you already have so that you can experience more fun, meaningful connection, and spiritual growth.”

While friendships are meant to be fun, they are also a part of God’s design to bring about healing and exhort holiness. With scripture as a guide and Amanda Anderson as a traveling companion, there is hope for every woman to find freedom in authentic friendship and courage to become the person God intends her to be. PO Box 141000 Nashville TN, 37214 tel: 800.251.4000 web: www.thomasnelson.com For more information about All My Friends Have Issues, please contact Shea Nolan, [email protected].

###

Amanda Anderson wishes that the “Friends” theme song was written for her and girlfriends. A woman without sisters, she prizes her friends – ages 28 to 72 — highly for their wisdom, sense of adventure, knowledge of their own issues, and unconditional love. Amanda is a Bible teacher, retreat and conference speaker, blogger and freelance journalist in Orange County, CA. Her speaking ministry, Heart in Training, reaches young mothers, women’s ministries and 12-step recovery groups around the country. Having overcome a decade-long struggle with anxiety and depression, her messages now focus on learning to follow God and actually enjoy it: through rest, recreating, creating healthy boundaries, risking authentic relationships, and releasing perfectionism. When not writing or speaking, she is sewing quilts at her kitchen table, talking on the phone with her girlfriends, hunting for vintage treasures with her husband of 20 years, or embarrassing her two daughters by dancing in public.

###

About Thomas Nelson:

Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is a world-leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com.

21 June

HarperCollins Publishers hires Roberto Torres as General Manager for HarperCollins Mexico

(Mexico City, Mexico) June 17, 2019—HarperCollins Publishers announced Roberto “Bobby” Torres as its new general manager for HarperCollins Mexico. As general manager for HarperCollins Mexico, Torres will lead day-to-day operations, focusing on sales and distribution of Spanish-language product throughout Mexico and aide in the company’s focus of growing its presence in adjoining Latin American markets. Torres joins HarperCollins Mexico from Macmillan Education, where he served for seven years as regional marketing director and sales director for Mexico. His diverse career portfolio also includes business management roles in marketing, communications, and sales at Merik and Reebok of Mexico. The HarperCollins Mexico publishing operation represents a wide selection of Spanish-language product including HarperCollins Christian Publishing, HarperCollins Español, HarperCollins Iberica, and HarperCollins’ Global Publishing Program, in addition to its local publishing of Mexican authors and books in translations. As general manager, Torres will be responsible for managing and developing distribution and sales relationships with key vendors, retailers, and distributors in Mexico. He will set the vision and sales strategy that support selling trade books and Bibles, as well as sit on the HarperCollins International World Spanish Acquisitions Board to help select future titles to publish in Spanish. “HarperCollins Mexico is a critical component to the overall international growth strategy for HarperCollins Publishers. We are excited to have a team in place that can expand the reach of our authors’ works into the Spanish language market,” said Chantal Restivo-Alessi, CEO, International Foreign Language and Chief Digital Officer. “We have been in pursuit of a leader who understands marketing, sales and distribution in Mexico and the importance their influence plays in other Latin American markets,” said Cris Garrido, vice president and publisher, Spanish, HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Bobby’s experience in publishing, as well as his rich knowledge from a multitude of industries will set up our Mexico team for future success and growth, I’m thrilled he has decided to join the team.” Torres commented, “I am very excited for the opportunity to lead a wonderful team of professionals in Mexico, as I join one of the top publishers in the world.”

About HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 17 countries. With 200 years of history and more than 120 branded imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 16 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and the Man Booker Prize. HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) and can be visited online at corporate.HC.com.