Digital shift brings a new opportunity for CBA retailers as big-box stores cut back

When describing the state of Christian fiction today in a single word, “flux” springs to mind. Dictionary.com defines it as “continuous change, passage or movement.” Christian fiction print sales have taken a beating at brick-and-mortar stores in the past few years, declining in dollars and shelf space in big-box retailers and Christian stores alike, while e-book sales have gained ground due to “flash” sale pricing and the increase in popularity of e-readers. That has turned the fiction category into a roller-coaster ride not only for retailers, but also for publishing houses. 

Guideposts announced in July the end of its fiction retail sales; Moody Publishers’ young fiction imprint, River North, said it will cut back on new titles this year; and B&H Publishing Group “reset” its fiction line in May, announcing it will only publish new fiction that ties in with ministries, external film partners and the like. It was only six years ago that B&H announced it would be investing heavily in fiction, hiring well-known editor Karen Ball and launching the website www.pureenjoyment.com the following year.

On the up side, this fall Zondervan is launching new Young Adult (YA) imprint Blink, which will publish mainly fiction for teens (with select nonfiction and autobiographies); the FrontLine imprint of Charisma House Book Group hit the fiction big-time with runaway best-seller The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn; and Howard Books announced it is beefing up its fiction offerings this year after signing a 10-book deal with Christian fiction’s reigning romance queen, Karen Kingsbury, whose hardcover novel The Chance debuted in the No. 1 spot on the New York Times best-seller list in March. 

Even with all the ups and downs, Christian publishers report feeling hopeful about fiction overall—hopeful that sales at Christian retail can rebound, that the effects of digital downloads are becoming more predictable and that Christian retailers should be able to poise their stores once again to be the go-to destination for Christian novels rather than big-box competitors.

TURNING THE TIDE

Christian Retailing spoke to representatives from the editorial, marketing and publicity teams of several Christian publishers, including HarperCollins Christian Publishing (parent company of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan), WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, Howard Books and Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group) about the state of Christian fiction today, what trends they foresee and how Christian retailers can rebuild their sales in this category. 

“I think it is probably not an overstatement to say that the Christian fiction category has been the most aggressively challenged category in CBA because of the shift to online publishing,” said Daisy Hutton, vice president and publisher at HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s fiction division. “Our category has lost more shelf space, and we feel like we have been really fighting for the hearts and minds in this category.”

“I think we can say that it is stabilizing,” said Noelle Buss, fiction publicist for Bethany House. “While the market has been very volatile over the last few years, we are now seeing a leveling off and some rebounding.”

“I think we are coming into a time of right-sizing, as opposed to downsizing,” said Shannon Marchese, senior editor of fiction for WaterBrook Multnomah. “In part, it’s because of the explosive growth of Christian fiction 10 to 15 years ago, followed by declines in the last seven years. I think we’re coming into a right-sizing era now. We’re not throwing as much against the wall to see what will stick.”

Christian fiction sales quadrupled from $1 billion annually to $4 billion from 1980 to 2000, jump-started in the late-1990s by the best-selling “Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, according to a study presented at the 2009 International Christian Retail Show. 

When the post-rapture series took off, Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, Target and Sam’s Club hopped on the bandwagon and began aggressively stocking Christian fiction, and Christian retailers found themselves struggling to keep up with the discounted pricing. Then online powerhouses Amazon and Christian Book Distributors began to help themselves to large pieces of the Christian fiction sales pie; and in the last few years, e-readers and digital downloads carved out yet another big chunk of sales dollars. As orders shifted to online retailers and digital downloads, fiction sales at general market and Christian brick-and-mortar stores suffered.

The 2013 BookStats report from the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group shows that e-books have grown 45% since 2011 and now constitute 20% of the trade market. The largest e-book sales category? Adult fiction. Strangely, Christian market publishers feel that may actually bring a ray of hope to Christian retailers. Why? Because since readers are turning to their tablets for the latest titles, big-box stores are now pulling back, stocking fewer print titles for shorter amounts of time. CBA publishers say this gives Christian stores a renewed chance to pick up sales, if they are willing to give the category another look.

“With a smaller footprint in the big-box stores, there is definitely the opportunity for Christian retailers to offer more diversity,” Marchese said. “Consumers will look to them to be the place to go to find that depth and diversity.”

The ongoing challenge for publishers is to connect with consumers in many places and spaces in order to help them find Christian fiction amidst the wealth of fiction, nonfiction, films, television shows, newspapers, magazines, games, websites that constitute consumers’ daily media menu. 

“There has been such a resurgence of epic fantasy in the larger culture, and I have wondered why that hasn’t spilled over to stronger book sales in the category,” Hutton said. “Part of the answer, I think, is that in that category, we’re not just competing with other Christian books or even general market books, but also every TV show, every film and every video game in this space. Consumers just have so many choices now for how they spend their time being entertained, and we are competing directly for their attention with those other forms of media.”  

CBA publishers are trying to drive consumers to buy Christian fiction in any format they can manufacture, be it virtual or physical—so that they can keep publishing, period. Readers no longer discover books they like or uncover new authors they might want to follow at local bookstores. Instead, fiction audiences are developing their reading tastes online through “word of mouth” on Facebook, blogs, author websites and book-dedicated websites. 

“Ask people how they are finding new authors, and they say ‘online’ or they got a recommendation from someone who found the author online,“ said Steve Oates, vice president of marketing, Bethany House. “There is no longer one gathering place for us to find our audience, so we have to go to 15 or 20 of them and think about how to reach readers in all of these spaces.”

Thousands of bloggers review Christian books, “blog tours” abound to get the word out about new authors and titles, and many a website is dedicated exclusively to Christian fiction. Zondervan created BookSneeze.com, a site where bloggers can request free books in exchange for reviews on their blogs and on retail sites like Amazon. For consumers, LifeWay hosts the Christian fiction blog “A Novel Bookshelf,” and WaterBrook Multnomah launched NovelCrossing.com last year, a site dedicated to becoming the “intersection of fiction and faith,” as its tag line reads. The site offers reviews of books from many publishers, author interviews, an interactive community and graphic resources to “pin” on places like Pinterest, Facebook and blogs. 

“NovelCrossing.com is less than a year old, so the proof is not in the pudding yet,” Marchese said. “But we are hopeful.”

INVESTING IN AUTHORS

Christian fiction does seem to be succeeding in content. The quality of stories in the Christian market has increased significantly in the last decade, and publishers are branching out into many genres, as well as putting new spins on the tried-and-true.

“What’s interesting to me is the new books that fit into an older genre but have something that makes them a little bit unique,” said Beth Adams, senior editor for Howard Books. “We have the Amish title Promise to Return [by Elizabeth Byler Younts, October] about a young Amish man who gets drafted in World War II. Because the Amish are pacifists, he is sent to a public service camp, where he realizes that he wants to enlist and go fight. This book fits squarely into the Amish category, yet it has a unique quality that makes it stand out.”

“Amish is incredibly strong for us, but the requirement more and more is for something that makes those books distinctive,” agreed Hutton. “We are past the point where we can turn out vanilla titles. We also want to find books that transcend genre, and those are often the hardest to publish because they don’t fit into any one slot.”

Hutton points to the upcoming contemporary debut novel Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay (Thomas Nelson, November) as a good example.

“It is one of the more literary books that we would ever publish, yet it has strong commercial sensibility and lots of hooks,” she said.

“Romantic suspense is really growing for us,” Oates said of Bethany House, which publishes popular suspense author Dee Henderson. “And historical fiction has helped us. Some of the top authors are rebounding, and we have been curiously watching the sort of nonfiction-fiction titles like The Harbinger and The Shack. But those kinds of books are either huge or don’t do much.”

“We are focusing less on trends and more on voices,” Marchese said of WaterBrook Multnomah. “We are focusing on a group of 12 to 15 authors with really strong voices. We found a great new voice, Tim Lewis, whose first book is coming out this fall. His book Forever Friday is in the same vein as Nicholas Sparks.”

Publishers agree they are all continually looking for the next big thing—big idea, big audience, big voice. They look for new authors at writers’ conferences, through agent submissions and via blogs and self-published books in digital stores. As competition becomes stiffer, first- and second-time authors usually must have a built-in audience for a publisher to sign them or keep them on their list.

“If a new author’s first book is not a hit, we are not seeing as many get a second and third chance,” Marchese said. “If an author’s first series didn’t launch like we wanted it to, but it got great reader feedback and had just what we want to hear spiritually, we want to keep investing in that author. We need to. But that part feels harder.”

“It may be harder to invest in those authors, but it is definitely something you have to do,” Buss agreed.

TRACKING WITH TEENS

One area that has always had room to grow in Christian fiction is Young Adult. In the general market, teens pick up fiction at Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart or order it online. In the Christian market, teens generally don’t shop on their own at Christian retail. The teen books that sell in the Christian market tend to be nonfiction, books that parents pick up for their kids to read or youth pastors use in their youth groups. If teens do walk into Christian stores, publishers say they sometimes shy away from fiction because it is often shelved next to the kids’ section.

“YA has been a very difficult market. I don’t think that’s new news to anyone,” said Jacque Alberta, acquisition editor, YA fiction for Zondervan and Blink. “Part of that has to do with shelving and part with who is going to the stores. We have had success with YA nonfiction [such as] perennial purity titles, student adaptations of best-selling authors’ books and books that youth pastors can use in their ministry. But we have not seen a lot of teens shopping at Christian bookstores, so fiction has been harder.”

In a move to capture a slice of the YA audience, Zondervan debuts new imprint Blink this fall, with six titles that will not contain overt Christian content, but instead will have “moral content” and be “hopeful” in tone.

“There will be nothing overtly violent or sexual,” Alberta said. “Our guideline is that you should be able to give a Blink book to a 14-year-old without worrying. There will still be adherence to Christian values, but not done in as overt a way.”

Blink books have been developed with the general market in mind to offer teens and parents alternatives to the graphic content found in popular teen fiction today, but Christian retailers also have been enthusiastic about the line.

“I’ve been on the Zondervan team for five years, and since I started, it has always been our initiative to help CBA stores get teens into their stores and to help it be a successful category for them,” said Sara Merritt, senior director of marketing for Zondervan and Blink. “We offer to have authors come in and do signings. We’ve had Christian retailers ask if authors can do video interviews, and we talk to retailers about shelving strategy and how moving YA could help sales. We want the Christian retailer to succeed.”

YA books need to be near music, T-shirts and jewelry—or at least away from the children’s section, publishers say, noting that teens don’t see themselves as kids and don’t want to be associated with the children’s department.

Among the Blink debut novels for fall are Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon, a fantasy romance loosely based on the classic musical Brigadoon; Merlin’s Shadow, a book by Robert Treskillard that takes a new look at King Arthur’s court; Running Lean by Diana L. Sharples, the story of a teen couple dealing with real-life personal issues and tragedies; and a dystopian title, Remnants, by well-known CBA author Lisa T. Bergren.

Alberta says outside of Blink there has been some YA movement in the historical category, as long as it offers a “new way of looking at the past.”

“Like the Tudors, as seen by some of the secondary characters,” she said. “I think we will see more of that, especially with common core educational standards coming into play.”

“We have seen some movement in YA if the author has a presence in the homeschool market, if the author is tied into the homeschool shows,” Marchese said. “Chuck Black is on the Multnomah list, and his books do well. We will have a new book with him next year.”

CLICKING WITH CUSTOMERS

For Christian retailers, fiction is a category with room to grow—if they can entice customers to put down their digital devices and drive to the store. E-book sales may be here to stay, but that doesn’t mean all brick-and-mortar Christian stores are doomed. With each arrival of a new media format, there have been predictions that older formats would die. In some cases, that prediction has come  true. Cassette tapes did replace 8-tracks. CDs replaced cassettes. DVDs replaced VHS tapes. However, television did not signal the end of movie theaters. Redbox and Netflix have not shuttered all theaters either. Instead, time has shown that consumers like to watch movies across many channels. 

Likewise, the newest digital devices and delivery systems have just squeezed into the existing media mix, perhaps taking more sales than their fair share, but not necessarily taking over. Yes, consumers read news online, but many also still like to hold a newspaper or magazine. E-readers are handy for carrying an entire library around all at once, but not many want to take them to the beach or the pool, not to mention that it’s hard to wrap an e-book and take it to a friend’s birthday party. 

The problem for physical retailers is that online content needs to point customers to their stores, not just fuel online sales. It’s easy for consumers to read a review, decide they want the title and click through to buy it and begin reading immediately. But for Christian fiction consumers, the ease and unlimited virtual shelf space can be both a blessing and a curse. There is more to choose from than ever before, but that certainly doesn’t mean all the books are good or that they can all be trusted to provide clean, hopeful or gospel-based content.  

Christian retailers can win back customers by offering online marketing and old-school customer service they can trust, by finding readers online through Facebook and Pinterest, and by offering digital coupons, flash sales, exclusive events and other in-store-only opportunities. Retailers can keep customers engaged by Tweeting; investigating ways to participate through sites like Shopkick, Foursquare and Groupon; and by surveying their customers about their online communities and spaces. Publishers say they’ll help by connecting stores with their customers’ favorite authors through book signings, online chats, links to author websites and custom editions, with several publishers making exclusive editions available to retailers.

Once customers have an online incentive to walk in the door, stores can make sure they get exactly what they need. Possibly more than any other book category, fiction is a section frontliners need to know. Fiction readers love to talk to other fiction readers. They want recommendations from others who clearly demonstrate a knowledge and passion for it. Good, old-fashioned hand-selling is still a key ingredient to fiction sales. 

“We have unique content and a message the world is hungry for,” Adams said. “And fiction readers are the most loyal readers out there. If you get them hooked on a book or an author or a genre, they’re going to come back. I think that’s what makes fiction fun.”

Christy Award-winning novelist believes romance is an ‘essential’ genre for believers

Some may think the term “Christian romance” is an oxymoron. Not at all. While for some, the word romance conjures steamy covers and pages filled with less than edifying prose, committed readers know that that stereotype is a gross misrepresentation of the genre. As a writer of Christian romance, I can assure readers and retailers alike that this genre is not only appropriate, but also essential—and it’s important that Christian retail stores “buy in” and support the category.

In brick-and-mortar or online stores, a great percentage of books that sell fall into this category because they have the relational elements readers want. That does not mean all romance novels follow a single formula, however. Considering only the categories that fit the Christian market, there are historical, Amish, dystopian, comedic, legal, medical and suspense—to name a few. Each category brings different aspects to the experience that attract readers with various interests and preferences. That said, the core of the romance genre is the relationship between the characters.

Whether it is falling in love, rekindling love or restoring love—what every Christian reader of romance wants and expects are a man and a woman whose love story will be the driving force of the fiction experience. In great works like Gone With the Wind, with its sweeping scope of the Old South and the Civil War, the most burning (forgive the pun) issue was not Atlanta, as in the great cinematic event, but whether Rhett and Scarlett could ever find happiness. For most women and a surprisingly high number of men who read this genre, the relationship of the characters is the foundation around which the plot and setting and theme occur. In this way, the love story is the avenue for everything else the author wants to convey. 

‘MAKE IT MESSY’

Unlike secular versions, Christian romance novels include faith elements. With other writers, I have discussed what part faith plays in our novels and to what degree it is, or should be, included. For some, if the expressions of Christianity, i.e. prayer, church attendance and discussion of beliefs were taken out, the story would not stand. In others, the story provides a clean reading experience with no overt Christian lingo or practices that might offend non-believers while offering a wholesome alternative to less edifying reads. Both serve a purpose intended by the author and appreciated by the reader.

In between those two, or maybe on the edge of both, I like to make it messy. Life happens in relationship. In my writing, I find it important to incorporate the grit of living a Christian life in a fallen world. For some characters, there may be a yearning for meaning. For others, life events have made it hard to believe in or trust a God that lets bad things happen. Some characters might be embittered or afraid, or are my personal favorite—the rogues. What makes a reader want to journey with these people? The love story. Even if both characters are damaged, as so many in our real world are, they find hope in opening themselves to each other and to God. 

‘INVOLVE ALL ELEMENTS’

The beauty of the Christian romance is that we have the freedom to involve all elements of the human experience. The emotional element—with all those great feelings that get tweaked and tugged—engages the readers’ own sympathetic responses. Readers tell me they laughed and cried, cheered and raged, and even found themselves praying for the characters because the story evoked such a powerful response. They went without sleep, left the house messy and read straight through to the end because they felt so much for the characters that applied to their own lives. 

In the stories Jesus told, he engaged the crowd by triggering their emotions, often by shocking their foundations, but always by touching something personal to them. In a similar way, a Christian romance can impart a message of hope and healing between the characters that translates to the reader. It can present a call to perseverance for those in difficult circumstances, to forgiveness for the wounded or to trust and belief that God is essential. All these things can penetrate by the engagement of the emotions in a way that a didactic lesson might fall short.

The second part of our human experience is physical—yes, Christian characters are flesh and blood. They experience temptation and desire. They feel the pleasure of touch and the joy—and angst—of attraction. God built us to delight in each other. Portraying that realistically in a Christian romance lends credibility to all the other aspects. In the words of one reviewer: “Heitzmann is one of the best at depicting sexual attraction between characters in Christian fiction—and the women are as capable of passion as the men” (FaithfulReader.com).

The spiritual aspect threaded through and underlying the other elements is the third and pivotal reason that Christian romance is sought by readers. A character’s relationship with God, even if it is adversarial, brings a depth to the love story that secular novels lack. Within the context of the male and female characters seeking and finding love for each other, there can be spiritual impediments or connections that either threaten or enhance that process. Readers often tell me that going through this process with the characters brought them to a better understanding of the impact of faith in their own relationships. 

‘ATTACH TO AN AUTHOR’

In creating the fabric for my stories, I include subplot relationships that readers want featured in new novels. This brings up another element in Christian romantic fiction that is the potential for sequels or series. As retailers know, one book that leads to another is a good thing, though I think it is important to remember that readers really want the continuum available. 

Whether in historical or current time, Christian romance deals with real-life aspects of relationship that lend themselves to book club discussions. 

One consideration for bookstores is to encourage these discussions on their websites or through in-store handouts. When readers attach to an author, book or series, there is a great potential for continuous relationship between the author, the retailer and the reader.

Bill Ballou owns The Solid Rock in Kearney, Neb., with his wife, Ila. In 2012, CBA presented the store with the community outreach award for efforts that included supporting relief projects in Haiti and raising funds to enable a disabled teen to attend college.

How long in Christian retail: Since 1974, I owned a store. I was also in retailing with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and with Word of Life.

How you first came to Christian retail: In the year I came to know the Lord, 1963, that fall I went to Bible school and took a job with BGEA working in their book department, mainly in mail order and retail, in Minneapolis.

First job of any kind and your age then: Besides working on a farm, I worked in a grocery store in Rapid City, S.D., sacking groceries, then I was head of the candy department.

Describe yourself in three words: Fun-loving, encouraging, networker.

Favorite hobby: I am a professional yo-yoer, and I enjoy woodworking and flower gardening. 

Favorite place: I am so adaptable, so it’s really where I am at the present time. I’ve had many wonderful experiences traveling.

Favorite verse: Several in Galatians 5 reminding us of our freedom in Christ. Verse 1 says in part, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Pet peeve in retail: Somebody who doesn’t stand behind their products.

Mission in life: I want to be a positive example of a Christian and not to bring a reproach to Christ and the gospel by what I say or do.

Mentor or role model: Randy Alcorn, for a positive stand on Christian issues, and Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, for his humanitarian efforts. In general, people who have a positive influence.

Share a recent idea or event that has worked in your store: One idea that worked was offering to be the source for patriotic fan banners for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Lincoln Highway that was held in Kearney, Neb., from June 28 through July 3. I was on the planning committee and suggested the banners to dress up the main street for this historic event, one that USA Today put in their top five for the summer as a “event to see.” We sold about $2,000 worth of goods (150 banners approximately) while offering fellow merchants the quantity discount that the manufacturer offered. We gained a good sale and good will with our business associates—many of whom are seldom in our store.

How about one that hasn’t worked? One thing that didn’t work was a coupon offer in two neighboring newspapers offering gas money of $5 for a $15 sale and $10 for a $50 sale. Christian bookstores in the two areas had closed within the last two years and we want to try to bring people in—at least for the “first time.” Once they visit our store we feel they will come back. We had three $5 and two $10 redeemed. We are going to try another approach with the same intent. It may have just been bad timing as we felt it was a fair coupon offer. 

Which soon-to-come product are you most excited about? I am excited about the plethora of new study Bibles the suppliers are offering with some exciting features. Several would tie for my top appeal. Also, Barbour has a new author, Lance Easley, who wrote Making the Call. In our football-crazed world, this might generate some sales.

How can our readers pray for you? That I would be a mentor. My wife, Ila, and I want to represent Christ daily with our employees, customers, community and family, to be a positive influence for Christ in all areas.

Store website: www.hisrock.com.

Participants benefit from accountability and accessibility with today’s study offerings

While daily Bible reading may be trending down, interest in small group book and Bible studies remains intense—a fact that one editor believes signals that this market is alive and well.

Recent research, including a survey released last fall by LifeWay Research, has identified a long-term decline in Bible reading. Only 19% of Protestant churchgoers reported reading their Bible daily. However, NavPress Senior Editor Jeremy Maxfield pointed out that weekly (59%) and monthly (82%) Bible readership is still high.

“Even if an actual decrease in market does exist, what other business would not try to serve and grow a potential market share of 40% of the nation’s adults engaged in a niche interest at least once a week?” asked Maxfield, editorial director of the company’s church resources division.

Nancy Guthrie, author of the Crossway series “Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament,” attributes this fervent participation to the accountability that helps participants stay on track with their Bible reading.

“We also need the wisdom of those who have studied more than we have and the insights of others to help us to understand and apply what we read to our lives,” said Guthrie, whose fifth title in the series releases next May.

The benefits of this interaction are fueling interest in small groups as well as congregation-wide emphases, said an executive with Abingdon Press.

“With Adam Hamilton’s recently released The Way, a church can launch a fall kick-off with all ages involved,” said Susan Salley, associate publisher for ministry resources. “From a group study and video to worship downloads for sermon preparation to a kids’ app, there are many tools to choose from.”

As church growth through small groups has accelerated—particularly via multi-site megachurches—P&R Publishing has targeted more titles to meet those needs, said Ian Thompson, vice president of sales and marketing.

“If it is possible for a book to be used by a small group, we make it so,” said Thompson, whose company annually publishes 40 new releases, about a third designed for small groups.  

ACCESS AND APPS

Publishers see other trends in small-group studies, most notably DVDs accompanying printed materials.

That is the case with such titles as a forthcoming participant guide and DVD for Joanna Weaver’s classic, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World (WaterBrook Press, Nov. 19); Hamilton’s Love to Stay (Abingdon, August); gospel singer Babbie Mason’s This I Know For Sure (Abingdon, Sept. 1); and the DVD linked to Liz Curtis Higgs’ new edition of Bad Girls of the Bible (WaterBrook, July).

Salley said participation improves with easily accessed material, prompting the Nashville publisher—and many others—to mesh print and video via apps and facilitate online communities.

Still, books can extend the teaching period beyond group time, said P&R’s Thompson, whose company often produces printed studies in partnership with video producers. 

In addition, over-reliance on DVDs can dull group interchange, cautioned Amy Nappa, executive editor for adult and church leadership at Group Publishing.

“While the DVD study is popular with some, there are many others—especially younger adults—who are not interested in someone talking at them,” Nappa said. “They want to participate in the conversation. People never get tired of sharing their stories.”

Not surprisingly, the three latest titles in Group’s “E-412” series this summer are solely comprised of 80-page, six-lesson paperbacks: Better Together, Leading Out and This Means Love.

WOMEN AND MEN

Women represent the leading audience for small-group materials, said Jim Stropnik, marketing manager with Concordia Publishing. 

Among the titles releasing this month appealing to women are a pair by author Margaret Feinberg for the “Women of Faith Study Guide Series,” God’s Living Word and In His Eyes (Thomas Nelson).

Harvest House Publishers releases two this month from Stonecroft Ministries, Discovering the Joy of Jesus: A Guide to Philippians and Growing in the Christian Life: A Guide to James, while David C Cook offers The 30 Day Praise Challenge, with Becky Harling challenging women to praise God 20 minutes a day for a month. Questions are online for Harling’s study.

Other studies for women include Becoming Myself (David C Cook, Aug. 1) by best-selling author Stasi Eldredge and The Women of Christmas by Higgs (WaterBrook Press, Sept. 17), which originated with the author’s Bible study blog. 

Studies for men and women include a pair from InterVarsity Press that look at putting God first in one’s life: A Guide to the Blessing Life by Gerrit Dawson (IVP Books, September), a companion to The Blessing Life trade book, and Free by Mark Scandrette (Likewise, August), which includes a group study guide in the book. InterVarsity is also creating eight downloadable Free videos that are accessible by code to those who purchase the book.

Pastor Greg Laurie follows up spring’s Essentials (NavPress) study with Following Jesus in September, and Brett McCracken looks at interacting with popular culture in Gray Matters (Baker Books/Baker Publishing Group, August).

BRAND AND BUTTER

Industry figures see a number of ways to promote these studies, with Maxfield suggesting retailers publicize group discounts. He said the goal is building a trusting relationship, not just a sale.

“When people see (the NavPress) brand, our desire is they know what they are getting, regardless of the author or topic,” Maxfield said.

Before promoting, Abingdon’s Salley said a retailer must understand the particular church’s goals, such as starting home groups, reaching young mothers or reinvigorating Sunday school.

With some programs including a dozen components, Salley said retailers can help leaders see the possibilities.

“One way is to offer review copies so a leader can watch the video and have time to lay out all the resources,” she said. “Another is to direct customers to online reviewing. Many publishers have extensive clips and samples available.”

Nappa thinks retailers should host small-group meetings. 

“Think of it like a book club,” said the Group editor. “Offer a discussion group that uses content from a discussion-based study and see what happens, or post information from local churches to let customers know what churches are offering different Bible studies.”

Enthusiastic responses can fuel repeat business for stores. Many Bible study veterans have contacted Guthrie to relate how her Old Testament series helped them see the “big picture.” 

“They tell me every week they have ‘I never saw that before!’ experiences,” Guthrie said. “These are books that they thought they knew and understood so well.”

From novelty to nostalgia, a variety of new books celebrate the holiday’s true meaning

As retailers gear up for the critical holiday season, Christian publishers are making books available that foster nostalgia and illuminate the real hope that the birth of Christ brings.

Many of the holiday fiction titles are either historical, Amish or both, providing the sense of returning to simpler times. From Zondervan comes Tricia Goyer’s first Christmas novella, A Christmas Gift for Rose, which features a young Amish woman born in the midst of the Great Depression. 

Daisy Hutton, vice president and publisher of fiction at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, says readers enjoy stories about how Christmas was experienced in the past.

Our Christmas celebrations, Hutton said, “center around the retelling of stories from the past and the collective experience of the power of those stories in the current moment. This sense of continuity comforts us. … We look for those timeless experiences that make us feel a part of something larger, something timeless and eternal.”

In nonfiction, Ann Voskamp, best-selling author of One Thousand Gifts, takes readers back to the Old Testament to explore Jesus’ lineage in The Greatest Gift from Tyndale House Publishers. Using the Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree, Voskamp’s holiday book retraces the history of mankind paired with daily readings pointing to why Christ was born and why we celebrate His birth. 

Also reminding readers of the first Christmas story and the peace it offers the world is a gift book by Katherine Paterson, acclaimed author of Bridge to Terabithia and other novels, who twice won the National Book Award and twice the Newbury Medal. Published by Westminster John Knox Press, A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season is a collection of short stories Paterson originally wrote to be read during her church’s Christmas Eve service.

Stacie Kizer, marketing and publicity associate for the Presbyterian publishing company, explains that this is a different kind of Christmas book: “People from all walks of life are represented [in the collection] in a very relatable way. Each story, while not always resolved, leaves the reader with a feeling of comfort and encouragement in the midst of difficult circumstances.”

Following are a selection of this year’s Christmas book offerings:

CATHOLIC

ADVENT WITH ST. FRANCIS
Diane M. Houdek 
Franciscan Media
9781616367053
$3.99, July 16

For daily reflection and application, Houdek pairs the Scripture readings for Advent with the words and deeds of St. Francis of Assisi to help readers grow in their faith and spiritual practice.

THE ADVENT OF CHRIST
Edward Sri 
Servant Books (Franciscan Media)
9781616366513
$12.99, July 16

With entries for each day of Advent and through the Christmas season, this book of reflections guides readers through the treasures of the Gospels and takes a fresh look at the Christmas story.

CHILDREN’S

FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS STABLE
Juliet David; illustrated by Steve Smallman
Candle Books (Kregel Publications)
9781859859506
$19.99, Sept. 1

This large hardcover book opens to display a full-color, 3-D nativity scene with opening flaps, pop-ups and press-out figures to add to the scene. A 16-page book telling the story of Jesus’ birth is also included.

ITSY BITSY CHRISTMAS
Max Lucado; illustrated by Bruno Merz
Thomas Nelson
9781400322626
$14.99, Sept. 10

In this 32-page picture book, Lucado tells the story of two mice, Itsy and Bitsy, who hear that a King is coming to Bethlehem and set off to find him. Although they are told along the way that they are too little and unimportant for a king, they learn that Christ has come for everyone—big or small, young or old.

MY CARRY-ALONG CHRISTMAS
Jocelyn Miller
Lion Children’s Books (Kregel Publications)
9780745964171
$9.99, Sept. 1

With a die-cut carry-along handle, this Advent activity book includes crafts, puzzles and stickers to keep kids busy.

PEACE ON EARTH: A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Mary Engelbreit
Zonderkidz (Zondervan)
9780310743408
$17.99, Oct. 1

Along with her engaging illustrations, Engelbreit celebrates the season with classic carols, poems and the story of Jesus’s birth.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Joyce Meyer; illustrated by Mary Sullivan
Zonderkidz (Zondervan)
9780310723547
$15.99, Sept. 24 

Meyer tells youngsters about the miracle of Christmas in this fourth installment of the “Everyday Zoo” series. Hayley Hippo and her quirky animal friends set out to put on an annual pageant, but learn that Christmas isn’t about glitz, but about Christ.

COOKBOOKS

TASTE OF CHRISTMAS COOKBOOKS
Rebecca Currington (Snapdragon Group)
Barbour Publishing
$4.99 each, September

Each paperback in this quartet of cookbooks contains recipes and holiday inspiration for bread lovers, chocolate lovers, cookie lovers and candy lovers, respectively. They include: Have Yourself a Toasty Little Christmas (9781624161346), I’m Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas (9781624161339), O Christmas Cookie (9781624161353) and Walkin’ in a Winter Candy-Land (9781624161360).

FICTION

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ROSE
Tricia Goyer
Zondervan
9780310336785
$15.99, Sept. 24

Inspired by a true story, Goyer’s first Christmas novella tells the story of Rose, born during the Great Depression and raised in an Amish family. When Rose learns she was born Englisch and was abandoned, she is filled with questions. 

A PIONEER CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Lauraine Snelling, et al. 
Barbour Publishing
9781624161902
$19.99, September

Set in the 1840s, the nine romances in this book are written by Christian fiction authors, including Lauraine Snelling, Kathleen Fuller and Vickie McDonough.

A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS WISH
Melody Carlson
Revell (Baker Publishing Group)
9780800719654
$15.99, Sept. 14

Rachel Milligan is caring for her 7-year-old niece, Holly, when Holly’s parents suddenly die. When an Amish relative is awarded guardianship, Rachel takes Holly to the Amish community to seek custody, but also encounters family secrets and experiences the healing of old wounds.

AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Murray Pura
Harvest House Publishers
9780736952378
$10.99, Oct. 1

When young Rebecca Shrock’s brother, Levi, returns from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, things get complicated. Levi has been rejected by his old flame and shunned by the Amish community of Paradise for joining the military. As God works in hearts, will there be faith and reconciliation at holiday time?

ANNIE’S CHRISTMAS WISH
Barbara Cameron
Abingdon Press
9781426733895
$14.99, October 

When Annie’s family takes her to New York City to experience English life and decide whether or not she will be baptized in the Amish faith, a young Amish man who has long been attracted to her grows concerned that she won’t return to their quieter life. Will Annie go home, or stay and pursue her dreams? This title is part of Cameron’s “Quilts of Lancaster County” series.

CHRISTMAS AT HARMONY HILL
Ann H. Gabhart
Revell (Baker Publishing Group)
9780800719821
$15.99, Sept. 15

Fans of Gabhart’s Shaker stories will recognize Harmony Hill, where this tale is set in 1864. When Heather Worth discovers she is expecting while working as a laundress in her husband’s army unit, he insists she go home, where her father refuses to forgive her for marrying a Yankee. She retreats to a Shaker village where she and her aunt are in need of love and forgiveness as Christmas approaches.

THE CHRISTMAS QUILT
Vannetta Chapman
Abingdon Press
9781426752773
$12.99, Oct. 15

Featuring Annie, from Chapman’s best-seller A Simple Amish Christmas, this contemporary romance follows Annie’s preparation of a crib quilt for her sister-in-law, who is expecting. When the baby arrives early, Annie discovers the quilt may hold more significance than she imagined. This book is part of the “Quilts of Love” series.

THE DAWN OF CHRISTMAS
Cindy Woodsmall
WaterBrook Press
9780307732132
$14.99, Oct. 15

Sadie is pressured by her Old Order Amish family to settle down after four years of mission trips to Peru. She joins forces with Levi, a confirmed bachelor, to keep their families from meddling, only to discover that the walls they have built around their hearts are crumbling.

TWICE LOVED
Wanda E. Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing
9781624162671
$12.99, September

It’s Christmas 1945 when widow and single mother Bev Winters discovers unexpected kindness and romantic love. Also included are 1940s’ recipes, handcrafts, stories and trivia.

GIFT BOOKS

A STUBBORN SWEETNESS AND OTHER STORIES FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
Katherine Paterson 
Westminster John Knox Press
9780664239152
$15, September

This compilation of stories is about realistic characters who have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas due to loss, pain or life circumstances. In unexpected ways, each realizes that even in darkness the joy of Christmas shines bright.

ON THIS HOLY NIGHT
Max Lucado, Rick Warren, David Jeremiah, John Maxwell, Jack Hayford, Bill Hybels
Thomas Nelson
9781400323456
$14.99, Oct. 8

Six well-known communicators explore various aspects of the Christmas story in this gift book.

SILENT NIGHT

Barbour Publishing
9781624162640
$7.99, September

In this full-color devotional gift book, readers learn the stories behind 40 Christmas carols.

NONFICTION

ADVENT A TO Z
John Indermark and Sharon Harding
Abingdon Press
9781426760273
$11.99, September

This 26-day study is based on Advent-related words with each reading organized around a word that begins with a successive letter in the alphabet. Also included are discussion-starters, games, crafts, meditations and outreach projects.

FINDING BETHLEHEM IN THE MIDST OF BEDLAM

James W. Moore
Abingdon Press
9781426760822
$12.99, Sept. 17

With five sessions, this study focuses on how the Messiah breaks into the chaos and confusion of life and brings Christmas.  A youth study and a children’s study are also available

GOD’S BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS
Billy Graham
Thomas Nelson
9781400323357
$2.99, Oct. 1

Graham celebrates Christ’s birth in this devotional booklet with  excerpts from the best-selling This Christmas Night, hymns, scripture and poetry by his wife, Ruth Bell Graham.

OPEN HEARTS IN BETHLEHEM

Kenneth E. Bailey
InterVarsity Press
9780830837571
$10, July

This drama presents the biblical story of Jesus’ birth, rather than what some traditional portrayals offer. A music CD including five original folk songs is also available.

THE GREATEST GIFT
Ann Voskamp
Tyndale House Publishers
9781414387086
$19.99, September

Using the Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree, Voskamp traces the history of mankind from Adam to Christ to help readers celebrate God’s greatest gift.

THE WOMEN OF CHRISTMAS
Liz Curtis Higgs
WaterBrook Press
9781601425416
$14.99, Sept. 17

This Bible study explores the stories of the women who played key roles related to the birth of the Savior: Elizabeth, Mary and Anna.

SPANISH

HISTORIAS DE NAVIDAD PARA LA HORA DE DORMIR (CHRISTMAS STORIES FOR BEDTIME)
Renae Brumbaugh; illustrated by David Miles
Barbour Publishing
9781624162220
$5.99, Sept. 1

Christmas Stories for Bedtime includes 30 stories drawn from Scripture, challenging children to consider the meaning of the first Christmas.

Thinking differently can make this holiday season a big winner for your store

As retailers, we have all seen the traditional list for getting your store ready for the biggest retail season of the year, so here are some ideas to challenge you to think differently.

Display products in an unusual way. Today’s society is accustomed to fresh and outlandish ideas. Showcase your store this year by giving shoppers the gift of the unexpected. Pinterest could be your new best friend when looking for display ideas. Shop garage sales and pick up poinsettias and an extra Christmas tree (yes, this time of year is perfect to find bargains) and figure out a way to wow your customers with limited funds. Create excitement so your shoppers can’t wait to come back next year! Use your old props in different ways. Use color creatively. Who says Christmas can’t be lime green instead of evergreen? Put up an extra tree and decorate it uniquely that people can’t help but stop and look. Entice them. Follow up their “This display is great” comment with “Wait until you see what we are doing for Valentine’s Day and Easter!” I’ve added an old-fashioned wood sled, antique ice skates and a unique wreath this year—what’s in your attic or at your adult child’s house that you can use?

Change your thinking. Be intentional about markdowns. We all purchase items that don’t fly off the shelf, so give them a helping hand. Move them, mark them down or bundle them with something else. If your calendars aren’t moving, start at 10% off, then 20% off fairly early in the season to get them moving, depending on how you purchased them. If you take markdown credit from the vendor, this doesn’t apply. If you purchased at higher discount, the object is to have few remaining in January, same with boxed Christmas cards and ornaments. Minimize what needs to go 50% off the day after Christmas and protect your bottom line. Think ahead by taking notes and photographs of leftovers for next year so your ordering is more accurate. Try a two for $10 or two for $19.99 specials to get multiples to move. We only had 12 calendars that we had to mark down to 50% off this year; the rest sold at 25% off. We ran a 20% off special for all ornaments several weeks before Christmas because we felt we had too many.  Much better to sell them at 20% off than 50%!

Build on the family shopping experience. Suggest additional items that go well together. For instance, if mom is buying dad a Bible, suggest that son or daughter pick up a Bible cover or marking pens. If dad is buying a necklace for mom, suggest a music box from their son or daughter to go with it. Get creative. Our No. 1 suggestion for elderly relatives who don’t really need anything is a box of cards or fancy notes. Suggest a personalized or scriptured pen to go with them. Suggestions are big this time of year, so practice with your staff to make sure they embrace the concept—and feel comfortable using it. Suggest books in a series and recommend that they return for the next title for Valentine’s Day. Plant the seeds for a return trip! 

Showcase departments to optimize sales. The status quo isn’t working, so I am using this slower time of year to reset my store into more of a lifestyle setup. Stagnant sales may be due to a lack of energy focused on refreshing my store. My favorite grocery store took out a huge area of tall fixtures, replacing them with more fresh produce crates that have a lower profile.  It’s fun to shop, so why not carry that into my business as well? As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I think this concept holds true for our stores as well. Repurpose, reuse, repaint and refresh for more impact! It’s amazing how many people think you have new product, when all you’ve done is moved it to another location. A side benefit to shifting items around is that they get cleaned better and look fresher. The time to do it is now, not once the season is upon us. I’ll be glad to share pictures if you share yours.  I love getting fresh ideas from others!

Make a flexible but thoughtful plan. What can you do to generate new customers? My No. 1 technique has been to place a sideways or upside-down tiny ad in our local coupon booklet. Note the key words for these kinds of ads—inexpensive and large demographic. At Christmas, I place an ad for a “FREE GIFT FROM BENEATH OUR TREE.” Then I watch with amazement at how many people stop in to pick up a freebie. I purposely purchase closeouts for promotions throughout the year, and the leftovers are wrapped during the year and tossed in our Christmas box. Everything from promise books, bookmarks, necklaces, notecards and CDs are wrapped and ready. These items cost under 50 cents each, but result in goodwill and new customers. Yes, you get a few that stop by only for the gift, but it’s a win if they come into the store. I’ve even had people thank me with tears in their eyes because they didn’t have anything to give a loved one at Christmas. Lavish the love without breaking the bank! Think also of those vendor dollars available for advertising and how to use them. Research now how much is available, and make a plan to use them.

“Let us wrap it for you!” Consider offering gift wrapping for free. We move gift wrapping to the front of the store and offer only one type of wrap at Christmas. Men, especially, love to do one-stop shopping! I’m not sure anyone else in our town still offers this service; does anyone else do it in yours? Make your store stand out as the top place for gifts. Online won’t offer free gift wrap, and neither will Wal-Mart. Buy a huge roll in the off season, so for about $100, tape and a little labor, you can add the grand finale to your customers’ shopping experience. Be sure to get inexpensive adhesive bows. Hopefully you don’t have a lot of time to mess with tying ribbons! This is a crowd-pleaser. Free wrap can make even the discontented shopper smile!

Have gift cards at the ready. They’re a popular and easy gift when a shopper is uncertain what to choose. Be sure to stock them in a prominent location near your checkout. Having a nice little folder to put them in adds to the perceived value.

Focus on the true reason for rejoicing! What we do does make an eternal difference. Be light and salt in this dark world. We are here for a purpose. Let’s do our job well and bring glory to God by having stores that are welcoming to those who haven’t yet found Him, and embracing and encouraging places to those who have. My prayer for you is that God will provide everything you need this coming season, so that He is glorified. 

Community engagement through the popular journaling and product-reviewing sites creates buzz—for good or bad

People around the world began posting their thoughts in journal format on the World Wide Web starting in the late 1990s. Short for “weblog,” the “blog” format grew in popularity, and today Wikipedia claims there are close to 200 million blogs in existence.

Biggest book category may be ‘crowded’ but does much more than take up shelf space

One of the Christian publishing’s most wide-ranging and prolific categories, Christian Living is taking on a grittier edge, symbolized by select New Hope Publishers’ titles tied to a new anti-pornography campaign.

Every link in the Christian retail chain is needed to serve a world in need

Christian retailers are realizing more and more that they can be change agents in their communities and beyond. Several have found success in leading movements to evoke change, especially at the local level, as they foster support for community engagement with ministries and charitable initiatives.

St. Louis event to emphasize outreach efforts, understanding future customers

Two significant outreach efforts by best-selling author Max Lucado and renowned evangelist Billy Graham will be emphasized at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). A second major focus—understanding the future customer—will have major emphasis during CBA’s marquee summer event, held June 23-26 at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis. 

Publishing quality children’s books that sell demands considering all shopper motivations

Getting parents to exchange their hard-earned cash for a kids’ book can be a challenge in a down economy, but moms and dads will still plunk down the money if they are motivated.

Unusual events draw new and longtime customers to the place-to-be location

Planning and getting the word out about a special promotion or event takes no small amount of time and money—as many Christian retailers can attest. If an event goes well, it can drive new and returning customers into your store, generate sales and get some positive word-of-mouth going in your community. But, if things don’t go so well, it’s extra clean-up and back to the drawing board. So what does it take to make a solid event? 

Christian Retailing talked with six retailers who gave their take on the answer to that age-old question.

Christian retailers anticipate impact of Obamacare rules and regulations

As the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014, Christian Retailing spoke with some key Christian retail store owners and managers to find out what they were doing to prepare for the impact of Obamacare regulations.

Maximize your store’s profits in order to boost and broaden your mission field

With sales of music and books trailing off in today’s Christian retail store, we must face reality. In that light, there are two approaches we can take—give in or continue to serve our communities, but in a new and different way. 

Value-added versions of books encourage family togetherness and engage commuters

While Heaven Is for Real’s 8 million in print sales far outdistance the audio version, author Todd Burpo considers dramatized readings an important extension of the book’s ministry. The audiobook prompts considerable conversation at book signings and product tables, including tales of families listening while on vacation.

“I am impressed that these ‘family moments’ are shared with us repeatedly,” said Burpo, a Wesleyan pastor. “I expected and still appreciate the ongoing conversations with commuters headed to work or the elderly who have difficulty seeing enjoying the audio, but this new twist for family trips has surprised us.”

Jonathan Cahn’s The Harbinger, which continues to sell strongly more than a year after its release, is another example of a best-seller whose influence has extended via audio.