Mandisa and Tye Tribbett each received three GRAMMY Award nominations Dec. 6. Tasha Cobbs, Natalie Grant and Matt Maher also excelled with a pair of nominations each.

Mandisa’s Overcomer release (Sparrow Records/Capitol Christian Distribution) brought her accolades with two nominations for the title track as Best Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) Song and Best Gospel/CCM Performance, and one for the album as Best CCM Album.

Excel Publishers has released its first e-book since the publisher's September launch, Authentic Fire: A Response to John MacArthur's Strange Fire by Michael L. Brown. The house’s debut release confronts one of the most explosive current debates among Christians.

As a charismatic Bible scholar and theologian, Brown responds in Authentic Fire to the November release of Strange Fire (Thomas Nelson), where MacArthur charges the charismatic church with irreverence to the Holy Spirit, heresy through prosperity teaching and other offenses. In direct contrast to the “collective war” launched by MacArthur, Brown’s book shows that the New Testament gifts of the Spirit are for today and demonstrates the unique contribution to missions, theology and worship made by the charismatic church worldwide.

T.D. Jakes, Myles Munroe and Kirk Franklin were among the Christian authors and artists responding in the wake of the Dec. 5 death of South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu—also a Zondervan author—and The Nelson Mandela Foundation, together with Lead SA and Brand South Africa, will hold a special tribute in Mandela’s honor in Johannesburg today to celebrate his legacy. Tutu and local artists will lead the evening’s tributes to be delivered through song and the spoken word.

Taylor’s Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope by Todd and Tara Storch (Revell/Baker Publishing Group, 2013) was named a finalist for the Books for a Better Life Award in the inspirational memoir category. Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the TimesCenter in New York City on March 10, hosted by television personality Meredith Vieira.

Christian publishing industry veterans Woodley Auguste and Debbie Marrie have been named vice president of marketing and vice president of product development, respectively, for Charisma Media’s Book Group, Charisma House, effective Dec. 1.   

As vice president of marketing, Auguste will provide marketing and publicity strategy leadership and spearhead new marketing projects for Charisma House’s five core imprints within the print and digital space.

Barbour Publishing announced today that Kregel Publications' Editorial Portavoz will begin distributing their entire Spanish language imprint, Casa Promesa. The distribution agreement started on Dec. 1 and includes the Hispanic market in the United States as well as internationally.

“We are very excited with the partnership. Portavoz has a great reputation in the industry and an exceptional selling team,” said Nola Haney, sales manager for Barbour Publishing. “Their expertise is valued and trusted among customers.”

Pastor John Hagee’s Four Blood Moons (Worthy Publishing) has hit the New York Times best-seller list. It is the fifth of Hagee’s books to appear on the list.

“We have been honored to publish Pastor Hagee’s remarkable books,” said Byron Williamson, president of Worthy Publishing Group. “Four Blood Moons has soared to levels we were confident from day one he could reach.”