Stormie Omartian hopes to continue decade-long sales success with new ‘Prayer Warrior’ fall release

Mega-selling author Stormie Omartian was known as a fitness instructor in the early ‘80s. Thirty years later, she seems to have found the fountain of youth, but it’s not exercise she is known for now—it’s the power of prayer.

When Omartian and husband Michael were writing Christian music and producing albums for Sparrow Records, she thought to ask Sparrow’s president about producing an exercise video and a book to offer her many supporters. It was his response that led to her remarkable publishing journey.

Omartian’s exercise albums reached Gold status and the videos sold millions, so by the time her first book, Greater Health God’s Way, came out in 1984, it sold just as well. That’s when Harvest House Publishers asked Omartian if she had other books in mind. She did, of course, with the first, her autobiography, Stormie, released in 1986. Today, her many books, including the wildly popular “The Power of a Praying” series, have sold nearly 26.5 million copies, including foreign editions and ancillary titles.

“In the beginning, wherever I was speaking a Christian bookstore was close at hand,” Omartian said. “I did events in the stores and met the owners, who were so wonderful, sweet and supportive.”

While her heart breaks for those stores forced out of business by the economy and the rise of big-box competitors, she recalls that “they would talk to customers and recommend and promote my books. They were really instrumental in getting my books out there.”

For LifeWay Christian Stores, Omartian is one of their key brands, promoted extensively in their 163 stores in displays and catalogs. In fact, according to Rachel McRae, LifeWay’s book buyer, the chain likes to have an Omartian book in front of customers all the time.

“Stormie Omartian has a huge following and is a great traffic-driver in LifeWay stores,” said McRae. “Stormie’s readers align with our core LifeWay customers. Women 35-55 are the core of who she writes for and our core customers.”

The Power of a Praying Parent was released in 1995 and was the first book in her blockbuster series. 

“At the time, it was kind of risky because parenting books were hit or miss,” said LaRae Weikert, vice president of editorial at Harvest House. “We dove off the deep end, and the rest is history.”

The Power of a Praying Wife was released two years later and became, by far, the best-seller in the mix, with
3.8 million copies sold. When worldwide translations, additional editions and ancillary products are included in the total, sales of that title alone surpass 7 million.

“That book has had such a huge impact on Harvest House and on Christian retail,” said Weikert. “It broke a 21-year publishing record in 2002 for being No. 1 on the CBA best-selling list for 27 consecutive months.”

Omartian remembers calling Harvest House when Wife hit the top of the best-seller list. 

“I thanked Bob Hawkins for the work Harvest House did to get that book to No. 1, but he humbly said that they hadn’t done it,” she recalled. “He said God did that. But I also know Christian retailers recommended that book, and it made such a difference to have that word-of-mouth. A verbal recommendation makes such an impact, and I so appreciate what the retailers did.”

Wife also was named a finalist for the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s (ECPA) Charles “Kip” Jordon Christian Book of the Year for three consecutive years, 2001-2003.

Omartian’s “The Power of a Praying” books have consistently been recipients of ECPA’s Gold and Platinum sales awards, and continue to produce sales more than a decade after their releases. In fact, five titles in the series—The Power of a Praying Parent, Husband, Wife, Woman, The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children and ancillary products—will be re-released with new packaging and author updates early next year.

“I’m going through all of them and updating to the present, adding a chapter to each book, plus adding to the prayer/study guides and the books of prayers,” said Omartian. “Certain things hadn’t happened yet when I wrote them. For example, when I wrote Parent, my children hadn’t married yet, but now both of them are married. To look back and see how those prayers were answered has been miraculous.”

She laughs when she talks about the many letters and emails she receives asking for a book titled The Power of a Praying Grandparent.

“I’m waiting with my pen and paper in hand, but I don’t want to write it without the experience,” she said. “I tell them I’m waiting for the experience.”

Barb Sherrill, vice president of marketing at Harvest House, said that “bookstores just want new books. Stormie is still very popular and successful. Every time we offer something new, they are excited about it. Bookstores include it in their promotions, eblasts and catalogs.”

Every major bookstore chain and marketing group—from Mardel to Parable Group to Barnes & Noble and beyond—is eager to promote Omartian’s books to their customers.

“Everyone helps create a great launch,” said Sherrill. “This has been going on for more than a decade, and that’s how long her career has been strong and successful. It’s incredible her footprint is as large as it is.”

Omartian has a host of other books outside of her “The Power of a Praying” series, including September 2012’s Lead Me, Holy Spirit and its accompanying products. 

Prayer Warrior will release this month, along with several additional products.

“Both of these were very difficult to write because they can be touchy topics for people and can be scary,” said Omartian. “Both took a lot of time, careful reading of Scripture and prayer. I wanted Lead Me, Holy Spirit and Prayer Warrior to be user-friendly and encourage people to not be afraid of the Holy Spirit and spiritual warfare, and to understand the Spirit’s work in each of our lives.”

As for forthcoming books, “we’re always talking about future projects with Stormie,” Weikert said. 

Several projects are in the works, though nothing is public yet. 

“Stormie has been a key author for us all these years,” she added. “When you think of Harvest House, you think of Stormie Omartian. We’re so proud to be part of what God has given her.”

For McRae at LifeWay, a new Omartian book is cause for excitement. Her new titles sell well, which fuels sales of backlist titles and ancillary products. McRae is forecasting great sales for the upcoming Prayer Warrior for fall and into the holiday season.

“We love Stormie and we’re glad she loves us,” said McRae. “We’re always glad when there is a new book coming out. We save space in stores and catalogs for Stormie’s books.”

Omartian continues to credit the efforts of Christian retailers with helping to sell her books and continues to urge her readers to pay attention to Christian retail stores.

“I always encourage people to pray for their bookstore,” she said. “If they have a bookstore in their neighborhood, pray that the store would thrive and stay open because we want them to do well. Pray, but go visit and buy when possible.”

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