P. Graham Dunn’s Dealer Conference drew retailers interested in seeing new products, learning about the company’s laser personalization program and being inspired and instructed through the seminars on offer. The conference was held Tuesday to Wednesday, March 18-19, at the company’s Dalton, Ohio, campus.

Guest host Crystal Vilkaitis of Crystal Media won the praise of retailers who felt she offered practical advice for effectively using social media. Both of her Tuesday seminars—“Social Media for the Time-Challenged Retailer” and “A Perfect Match”—were well-attended.  The first guided retailers on how to mainstream their efforts so they could spend more time with their customers, and the second encouraged  integrating social media and email marketing to increase foot traffic into their stores.

Send the Light Distribution, the largest Christian distributor in the United States, has announced two significant additions to its sales and marketing team. Longtime Christian publishing sales professional Ed Barber has been appointed church accounts sales manager, while Debra Lyons is the new marketing manager.

Barber's position is a new one, focusing on the growing church supplies and church bookstore market for which Send the Light launched its Premier Partners program last year. Barber spent 27 years with B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, servicing national wholesale, key retail and independent CBA retail accounts. Prior to that, he worked for Boss Manufacturing Company and Campbell Soup Company.

The Parable Group and WestBow Press—the self-publishing division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan— announced today that they are accepting submissions for the Aspiring Authors Writing Contest. Top 10 finalists will be announced June 21 during Parable’s All Store Banquet at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta before the International Christian Retail Show.

“Now, more than ever, the world is in need of positive, inspirational Christian messages that help people deal with the challenges of our time,” said Steve Potratz, president of Parable. “I believe books can be used by the Holy Spirit to transform hearts one person at a time, one message at a time. This is why I’m intrigued by the growing movement of undiscovered authors eager to help other people through their books. We’re honored to help those fresh voices get heard.”

Actress and New York Times best-selling author Candace Cameron Bure will be joining the cast of the new season of Dancing With the Stars. The B&H author and Full House star will be partnering with dancer Mark Ballas on the 18th season of the hit ABC show, which premiers March 17.

“We are so grateful for Candace and for the many ways in which she uses the platform and gifts God has given her to point people toward Him,” said Jennifer Lyell, trade book publisher for B&H Publishing Group. “She is one of the most evangelistic authors with whom we've ever worked and has consistently shown her desire to honor Christ with the opportunities she is given. We are praying for Candace and look forward with anticipation to see how she uses this platform to bring great glory to Him on Dancing With the Stars.”

Christian Retailing invites anyone involved in the Christian trade to vote for the top products of 2013 in the Christian Retailing’s Best awards. The voting period runs through March 31.

Click here to vote.

The award-winning “Jesus Calling” brand has sold more than 10 million units. First released in 2004, Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson) is currently ranked No. 3 on the Wall Street Journal Hardcover Nonfiction best-seller list. This is the 10th consecutive week the devotional has held a top-five ranking on the list, at one point reaching the No. 1 spot. USA Today listed Jesus Calling in the top 100 books of 2013, selling more copies than Lean In and Fifty Shades of Grey.

“Each year Jesus Calling sells more than the year before,” said Laura Minchew, senior vice president and publisher of HarperCollins Christian Publishing Gift Books, Tommy Nelson Children’s Books and New Media. “People love this book and many have purchased five, 50 or 500 copies to give to others.”

Newsboys celebrated a career-defining moment this week, picking up 64 adds at Christian radio for the band's single “We Believe” from Restart (Sparrow Records/Capitol Christian Distribution). This is the biggest add week in the history of the four-time GRAMMY-nominated band, which has 30 No. 1 radio hits and more than 8 million units sold to its credit.