Renowned writer’s novel is ‘too Catholic’ for major publishers

The new novel Death of a Pope by internationally known author Piers Paul Read (978-1-586-17295-4, hardcover, $21.95, Ignatius Press) is filled with intrigue, love interests and conspiracy theories, but what really makes it a page-turner is a plot to destroy the longest continuous government in the world—the Papacy.

Read is a screenwriter and author of 13 novels and seven nonfiction works, most notably the 1974 book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors that was later made into a movie. Interest in that work was recently revived with the docudrama Stranded: I Have Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains, released to the U.S. market in October.

'Lifestyle of today’s family’ is at the heart of new product’s development

Rushed families who want to connect with their children have a new resource in Mary Manz Simon’s The Anytime Bible (978-0-439-65127-1), to be published by Scholastic in partnership with the American Bible Society in January. The 320-page book with an interior spiral binding will retail for $14.99.

Simon said she created this Bible product to give families who are always on the go a resource that allows them to share the Bible with their children, whether at the kitchen table, in the car or at bedtime.

The Sonflowerz—a Colorado-based sibling duo—has been playing music for nearly 10 years, but only recently signed a record deal. The pair’s debut, All Over the World (8-94228-00172-3, Avista Records), which was independently financed prior to signing the deal, will be distributed by Provident-Integrity beginning this month.

But the dominoes really started to fall after the duo won awards at the Gospel Music Association’s “Music in the Rockies” competition last summer, taking home trophies for best vocal duo and overall vocal group. Since then, the pair has recorded its first serious album, scored a record deal and has seen several singles show up on the Christian radio charts.