17 June

HarperCollins Christian Publishing announces three editorial promotions for Fiction Group

Becky Monds named associate publisher, Laura Wheeler named acquisitions editor, and Jodi Hughes named senior editor

(Nashville, Tenn.) June 17, 2021— HarperCollins Christian Publishing announced today the promotions of Becky Monds to associate publisher, Laura Wheeler to acquisitions editor, and Jodi Hughes to senior editor for the company’s fiction program, which publishes titles under the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan brands.

Monds is an industry veteran, joining the company thirteen years ago as an editorial assistant and serving in various editorial capacities, most recently as editorial director before being promoted to associate publisher for the Fiction Group. She has edited Christy Award winners including The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron and The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings, as well as New York Times bestseller The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson.

As associate publisher, Monds is responsible for managing and developing the editorial staff, working with authors, overseeing the publishing schedule for all fiction products, and managing the brands for both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan fiction titles.

“Becky is beloved by her authors for her insightful editorial guidance, by her direct reports for her care and encouragement of them as whole people, and by coworkers for her willingness to be a team player and good corporate partner,” said Amanda Bostic, v-p and fiction publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Our whole team relies on her wisdom, her instinct, and her gracious spirit, and I could not be more thrilled to formalize the leadership she has already been providing for our team.”  

Wheeler, the new acquisitions editor for the fiction team has worked in publishing for ten years, having served in editorial roles at Abingdon Press and Hachette Book Group before joining the company in 2018. In this new role, Laura is responsible for acquiring and editing 12-15 novels per year as well as building and maintaining relationships with authors and agents.

Bostic remarked, “Laura’s instincts for developing stories and for recognizing trends in the market, her capacity to juggle multiple projects without flinching, and her ability to foster strong internal and external relationships have all proven that she is more than ready to take on this new role as acquisitions editor.”

Hughes, recently promoted to senior editor, has been with the company for ten years and has held multiple editorial roles for the fiction team. As senior editor, Hughes will continue to manage editorial functions which includes overseeing metadata and serving as a line editor.

“Jodi has been a valued member of our team since day one,” said Bostic. “Her attention to detail has served her well as she has managed our titles and our metadata, and as she has developed into a trusted and valued line editor. We are so excited to be able to recognize her ongoing contributions with this well-deserved promotion.”

For more information about HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s fiction books, please visit tnzfiction.com, or follow @tnzfiction on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact:    Chelsea Taff

                 Manager, Corporate Communications

                 tel:     615.902.2137

                 web:   [email protected]

18 November

The Painted Castle wins 2020 Christy Award

Thomas Nelson congratulates winner, Kristy Cambron, and three finalists

(Nashville, Tenn.) November 18, 2020 — Thomas Nelson today announced The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron is a Christy Award winner in the Historical Fiction category. The company also recognized three additional finalists. The Christy Awards, which honor fiction authors in nine categories, were presented by the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA) through a live webcast on November 12, 2020.

The three additional Thomas Nelson titles that were recognized as finalists in various categories are:

  • The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts in Historical
  • Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
  • The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson in Young Adult

“The Christy Awards are a marker of excellence in Christian fiction, and I am thrilled to see our authors recognized for their work,” said Amanda Bostic, v-p and publisher for Thomas Nelson fiction. “We’ve had the honor of publishing Kristy Cambron since her debut novel released in 2014. It is a joy to see her talent and passion for storytelling honored with a Christy Award.”

To learn more about the Christy Awards, please visit www.christyawards.com.

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

Contact:    Chelsea Taff, Assistant Manager

                  Corporate Communications

                  tel:     615.902.2137

                  web:   [email protected]

08 May

Thomas Nelson to release new verse mapping Bible study

Award-winning author Kristy Cambron creates new series to unpack scripture in a simple, accessible format

(Nashville, Tenn.) May 8, 2018—Realizing the interconnectedness of scripture throughout the Bible requires a level of research and resource that many Bible readers feel they are lacking.  The assumption is this level of in-depth biblical knowledge falls to the academy, pastor, or theologian.  Award-winning author, Kristy Cambron, has set out to break the mold in a new verse mapping curriculum study series, released through Thomas Nelson.

Verse mapping helps unpack the context of scripture more simplistically to help readers have a deeper understanding of God’s Word.  The first two studies in the series, “Luke: Gathering the Goodness of God’s Word andActs: Feasting on the Abundance of God’s Word   will empower individuals to go beyond simply reading the Bible to researching and uncovering how to apply the Word in everyday life.  Cambron focuses on a five-step process to improve your study time with God through verse mapping:

  • Verse: Select a verse to map
  • Design: Write your verse in several translations and identify key words or phrases
  • Develop: Look up key words and discover any underlying meanings
  • Actions: Research and document the people, places and context referenced
  • Outcome: Write a one- to two-sentence summary of what you learned and anchor the verse to your life

“We are so excited to partner with Kristy Cambron on verse mapping,” said John Raymond, vice president and publisher of Trade Curriculum for HarperCollins Christian Publishing.   “This creative new approach to Bible study will bring scripture alive for so many people and it will help HarperCollins Christian Publishing accomplish our mission of meeting the needs of people by publishing resources that promote biblical principles.”

In both studies, Cambron provides step-by-step instructions on what readers need and how to get started in verse mapping. Designed for independent study, all sizes of groups, and all age-ranges, verse mapping is for people who want more depth when studying God’s Word. Consisting of six video sessions each, both “Luke: Gathering the Goodness of God’s Word” and “Acts: Feasting on the Abundance of God’s Word” guide the reader through verse mapping a small section of scripture. The accompanying Bible study guide includes diagrams for verse mapping, discussion questions and group activity prompts.

“If you’re not a seminary-trained theologian by education, don’t worry—Verse mapping is for anyone with a heart to know the Word of God more,” writes Cambron. “What matters is not how much knowledge you have before you begin, but where the journey takes you. The goal is to experience a deeper, more personal walk with Jesus, with the Bible as the field manual on your story road with Him.”

For more information on verse mapping visit versemapping.com.