A "Christian sex book" won the top honor during the 25th annual Word Guild Canadian Christian Writing Awards, announced June 12 in a black-tie event at World Vision's headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.

The awards honored the work of 28 Canadian Christian writers in book and article categories for work published in 2012.

Sheila Wray Gregoire won the Grace Irwin Prize—a $5,000 literary award—for The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex (Zondervan), which was written for married women.

"An intimate and often detailed guide for young women, but a must-read for all married persons and those planning marriage," said Ray Wiseman, who headed the Grace Irwin judging team. "Well done, Sheila, for daring to write a 'how-to' book that ministers to a crying need in the church."

Gregoire, who accepted the award, asked: "Do you know how strange it is to be the Christian sex lady?"

Canada's most prestigious literary prize for Christian writer, the award is given in honor of the late author, classics scholar and ordained minister Grace Lilian Irwin.

Margaret Terry's Dear Deb: A Woman With Cancer, A Friend With Secrets and the Letters That Became Their Miracle (Thomas Nelson) won in both the General Market and Life Stories categories.

Lawrence Brice was honored in the Instructional Book and Apologetics/Evangelism categories for Confident Faith: In a World That Wants to Believe (Deep River Books).

The contest received 285 entries—146 books and 139 shorter pieces—from writers across Canada and overseas, according to organizers. Besides book categories, the award categories also featured entries for articles, columns, poems and song lyrics.

Visit http://www.thewordguild.com/resources/media/ for a complete list of winners.

Leading apparel company Kerusso is having a Father's Day Sale, which will help survivors of the May 20 tornado that devastated much of Moore, Okla. Meanwhile, Mardel Christian & Education customers support Oklahoma tornado survivors when they purchase the chain's exclusive Hope T-shirt.

Kerusso is offering a 10% discount on all its products, including iPhone covers, travel mugs and dog tags.

"Help share God's love in Moore—10% of sales on Kerusso.com will be donated to the Salvation Army to help in Moore," company officials said.

Made of a lightweight poly/cotton blend, the Mardel tee features a red heather wash and contemporary unisex fit.

All profits from the sale of the shirt will be donated to Convoy of Hope to help fund relief efforts in Oklahoma. Available online only, the shirt comes in S-2XL sizes for $15 each. The chain is headquartered with sister company Hobby Lobby in Oklahoma City. To learn more about Mardel or to purchase a tee, go to www.mardel.com.

To learn more about Kerusso's sale, go to www.kerusso.com.

CBA and Covenant Group have announced a partnership to promote Covenant's new online, industry-wide initiative that aims to direct consumer traffic from Christian publishers' websites towards Christian stores.

Available to both Christian independents and chains, not just Covenant-member stores, Find It Local Today (FILT) will be promoted by CBA at the International Christian Retail Show, to be held June 23-26 in St. Louis.

Retailers who join FILT must pay a one-time set-up fee of $100 per account, and a minimal ongoing subscription fee of $10 per month or $100 annually. At least 400 retail locations is needed to launch the service, organizers said.

"The response from both the publisher community and Christian retailers has been overwhelming," said Chuck Wallington, Covenant Group founder and president who came up with the idea for FILT earlier this year. "When CBA reviewed the program, they immediately recognized the potential benefit it could bring to our channel, and have literally done everything possible to help us increase the reach and effectiveness of the program.

"We are delighted to partner with CBA on this new venture, and so appreciative of their desire to do anything that strengthens the stores in our industry," added Wallington, who is also owner of Christian Supply in Spartanburg, S.C.

CBA President Curtis Riskey said added: "Christian stores are rapidly adopting new technologies to serve consumers who have new expectations about how to connect with retailers. This technology is a way for any consumer to find a Christian store and buy locally. We are pleased to support such bold initiatives and look for continued growth of technical capability and sales to local Christian stores."

More than a dozen leading Christian publishers, including Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Baker Publishing Group and Tyndale House Publishers, have agreed to feature the FILT link on their websites when it is launched.

Research presented during the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Leadership Summit in April revealed that publishers' consumer-direct sales market share has increased 4%.

Covenant Group—the country's second-largest independent Christian chain after Mardel Christian & Education—provides marketing and support services to stores.

For more information, visit www.FindItLocalToday.net.

Like last year's show, the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (RBTE) convention saw light traffic from vendors and retailers for the 22nd annual gathering, held May 28-30 at the Pheasant Run Resort in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles, Ill.

RBTE President Bob Byrns told Christian Retailing that the liturgical event saw an 18% decline in exhibitors—65 suppliers—and an 8% decrease in retailers—72 stores—from 2012, which had been significantly down from 2011.

Like last year's event, several publishers who had long exhibited at RBTE also skipped the convention, including Church Publishing, Abingdon Press, Westminster John Knox, Oxford University Press, Jossey-Bass and HarperOne. Baker Publishing Group skipped RBTE this year. The majority of Catholic publishers exhibited, but two didn't attend, Byrns said.

"The concern [from retailers] was that there were fewer vendors this year than in previous years, and they would like to see these vendors return," he said. "In spite of less stores, a handful of publishers came to me and said, 'We have had a good show; thank you.'

"There is nothing more disappointing and painful for RBTE to hear than 'We did not have a good show and probably will not return next year,' " Byrns added. "The good thing is no one came to us with that comment—at least not yet. We are awaiting our survey results."

InterVarsity Press (IVP) National Sales Manager Bob Hetico said the publisher had a good show.

"IVP has had a long relationship with RBTE and we continue to support the show," he said. "Thanks to international orders, sales were considerably up over 2012. If we take away those international orders, we still realized a modest increase in domestic orders/dollars over the year before at RBTE."

Byrns noted that the 2014 RBTE convention is "to be determined." RBTE could be merged with another organization, continue the show as is or create a two-track meeting, with a day dedicated to retailers and another primarily for those in professional and volunteer church ministry.

"Stay tuned," he said. "We are in conversations with several ideas for the future."

HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), the parent company of Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, announced today the formation of Zondervan Gift Books. The new division will place "a strong focus" on inspirational gift books, devotionals and journals, company officials said.

"I'm very excited to take this step," said HCCP Senior Vice President and Group Publisher David Moberg. "Our team has a big vision for the Zondervan Gift Books and we are creating some exceptional products to launch this new line."

Laura Minchew—HCCP's senior vice president and publisher who leads Thomas Nelson Gift Books and Tommy Nelson, Nelson's children's imprint—will "create and lead the new Zondervan focus," company officials said.

"Zondervan has such a tremendous author base," Minchew said. "The new gift team will work with some of these outstanding communicators to introduce their message to a broader audience through fresh outlets and in new formats."

Rebecca Warren, who previously served as senior editor and digital content manager for the Penguin Group USA in New York City, has been named senior editor of Zondervan Gift.

"Having the opportunity to create exceptional and inspirational Christian content is truly a blessing, and I am grateful for this chance to work with and learn from such a talented and creative team," said Warren, who also served for three years at Penguin Books UK in London.

Minchew noted that hiring a "key player" like Warren shows HCCP's intent to place "a strategic focus" on inspirational gift products.

"Rebecca is a strong asset that will allow Zondervan Gift to creatively carry out an author's mission and purpose," Minchew said.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), the parent company of Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, announced today the formation of Zondervan Gift Books. The new division will place "a strong focus" on inspirational gift books, devotionals and journals, company officials said.

"I'm very excited to take this step," said HCCP Senior Vice President and Group Publisher David Moberg. "Our team has a big vision for the Zondervan Gift Books and we are creating some exceptional products to launch this new line."

Christian publishers and CBA in Colorado Springs, Colo., have been impacted by a massive wildfire that began Tuesday, June 11, forcing the evacuation of more than 38,000 people and destroying 360-plus homes.

More than 15,000 acres in the Black Forest area, located outside Colorado Springs, had burned and the blaze, the most destructive in state history, was not contained at all, USA Today reported. The cause of the fire was unknown, but there was no evidence of lightning strikes in the area. Firefighters engaging the blaze—one of three burning out of control across Colorado—were hampered by high temperatures and stiff winds, USA Today reported.

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group Publicity Manager Beverly Rykerd told Christian Retailing that the company's offices were closed today, although the building was part of a voluntary evacuation area. WaterBrook Multnomah has a staff of 45 people in Colorado Springs.

"Several staff members live in areas that are currently in either voluntary or evacuation areas," said Rykerd, whose home is in a evacuation area. "It is an evolving situation. It has been very encouraging to hear from people offering their prayers and offering their homes as a place to stay. We are grateful and trust in the Lord's protection."

CBA President Curtis Riskey said the Association for Christian Retail stayed open today.

"The fire is mainly located approximately five miles northeast of the CBA offices," he said. "CBA is not in danger of this wildfire. Our CBA team has been impacted and we are awaiting the assessment. We currently don't know for sure [whether any of CBA staff's homes have been lost]. However, we are all grieving the great loss from within our community."

The Black Forest fire was not far from the location of last June's devastating Waldo Canyon Fire that destroyed 346 homes and killed two, USA Today reported.