Choo Thomas, best-selling author of Heaven Is So Real!, has died at 74.

Heaven Is So Real!, published by Creation House in 2003 then republished by Charisma House in 2006, has sold more than 1 million copies and has been translated into more than 40 languages. ¡Cielo es tan real!, Casa Creación's Spanish translation of the book won the Harold Kregel 2008 Book of the Year award for "most inspiring and impactful book" during the Spanish Evangelical Products Association Awards in 2009.

In the book, Thomas described in detail everything she said she experienced when visiting heaven numerous times with Jesus, beginning in 1996.

When asked if her heavenly experiences were visions or dreams, she said: "I know I've seen heaven, and I know that heaven is so real. Whether we place my experiences in the category of supernatural dreams, visions or actual experiences, I will leave to the theologians. All I can say is that they were very real to me."

Born in Fukukon, Japan, she was raised in Korea and was the only daughter of nonreligious parents.

A Korean-American, Thomas became a Christian in 1992, and two years later, she first saw Jesus' presence. In 1995, she began experiencing physical manifestations from the Holy Spirit while in church. In January 1996, a series of heavenly journeys caused Thomas to have a burden for souls, resulting in the salvation of her entire family. Thomas said the Lord told her that because of her book, at least a million people would be saved.

"When I see that people's lives are being transformed by Heaven Is So Real!, it is worth every disappointment I have gone through," Thomas once wrote. "I believe so many readers have felt that they have been with Jesus in heaven and had seen the things the Lord showed me with this book. That is why they received an anointing from this book."

She is survived by her husband, Roger; son, John Thomas; daughter, Teresa Lang; and four grandchildren.

The Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) announced its finalists today for the 2013 Golden Scroll Awards for Publisher, Editor, Fiction Editor, Novel and Nonfiction Book of the Year. Lysa TerKeurst, the New York Times best-selling author of Made to Crave and Unglued (both Zondervan), will keynote the AWSA Golden Scrolls Awards Banquet, Sunday afternoon, June 23, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, where the winners will be announced.

The Golden Scroll Publisher of the Year finalists, honored for outstanding ministry partnerships with their authors, are Crossway, Moody Publishers and New Hope Publishers.

B&H Publishing Group has announced a new strategy that employs partnerships in its fiction program. B&H plans to intentionally focus on publishing only those works of fiction that are tied to broader strategic endeavors, including initiatives with ministries, external film partners, LifeWay Films and the B&H Kids line.

“B&H is focusing on projects that align with our core strengths,” said B&H President Selma Wilson. “We are uniquely gifted in working alongside partners and utilizing all of the tools that LifeWay Christian Resources is blessed to have.  We are a team of people who want to spread the gospel around the world, and we believe we accomplish that best when we deploy our gifts to broader movements alongside strategic relationships.”

Eric Metaxas' 7 Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness (Thomas Nelson) debuted at No. 8 on the General best-sellers from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), tracking sales for the week ending April 27, according to Pubtrack Christian data. The book was to be released April 30.

The Top 20 General best-sellers were: 1. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 2. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 3. Daily Wisdom for Women, Jewell Johnson (Barbour Publishing); 4. Jesus Calling, Young, women's edition (Thomas Nelson); 5. Daily Devotions for Women(Barbour Publishing);6. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 7. The Life You've Always Wanted, John Ortberg (Zondervan); 8. 7 Men, hardcover; 9. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 10. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 11. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing/Moody Publishers); 12. Jesus Today, Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 13. To Be Told, Dan B. Allender (WaterBrook Press); 14. Journey to Joy, Josh Moody (Crossway); 15.  The Guardian, “Home to Hickory Hollow” No. 3, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 16.  Love Does, Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson); 17. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan);18.Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman (Zondervan); 19. Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords); and20. Follow Me, David Platt (Tyndale House Publishers).

‘New York Times’ best-selling book seen as ‘a necessary book to carry’ at Christian retail

Nobody—not Gary Chapman, not the folks at Moody’s Northfield Publishing, not the booksellers—had any idea that Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts would see increased sales each year since its release in 1992. No one suspected that this book, Chapman’s third after Toward a Growing Marriage (1979) and Hope for the Separated (1982), would spend 296 weeks and counting on the New York Times best-seller list.

“The more people who read the book, the more they want to practice this simple but profound message, but they also want to gift it to friends and family members,” said Greg Thornton, senior vice president of media at Moody Bible Institute. “It defies all publishing logic that each year we’re selling more copies than the previous year.”

Chapman agrees. 

“I had no idea it would skyrocket like this,” he said. “But the simple message of The 5 Love Languages has potential to help people. It’s encouraging to see how the book has gone into the Christian community as well as the community at large.”

In fact, sales are nearing 8 million for the print, e-book, audio and gift editions of the title. These sales are happening in Christian retail stores, online and in places such as Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart and even airport bookstores. But it was Christian retail that was base camp for the ascent of The 5 Love Languages. 

“Christian retail was the focal point of the book; it was where the demand was created and grown,” said Steve Gemeiner, director of sales for Moody Publishers. “They all carry it, advertise it and put it in their catalogs. The 5 Love Languages is not just a nice book to carry; it’s a necessary book to carry. It’s probably one of the most widely asked-for books that Christian retail can carry.”

The book does exceptionally well during the Valentine’s Day season, said Gemeiner, in part because bookstores across the nation highlight it in their ads and stores, and catalogs feature it on the cover. Add to that the deep discounts Moody Publishers offers, and The 5 Love Languages takes on a life of its own at Christian retail stores.

Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich., has sold 805 copies in store and online since February, with 407 in that month alone. Store Manager Sue Smith bought 1,000 copies using the generous Moody discount, knowing the store would sell them all. Chapman’s appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s television network OWN in January didn’t hurt—the book jumped to No. 1 on Amazon after the show—but Smith believes it’s the book that sells itself.

“It’s a Christian book by a Christian author; it makes sense, it’s practical, easy to remember and apply,” she said. “That’s what makes it so popular. I know a lot of non-Christians who read it and understand it as well.”

Reaching beyond the Christian market was part of the plan back in 1992 when Moody launched its Northfield Publishing imprint. Trade retailers knew Moody Publishers’ books were religious and would almost automatically exclude them from their shelves. But Northfield books did not assume a working knowledge of Scripture by the reader, so books by personal finance author Larry Burkett and Chapman soon found their way onto trade retailer shelves. 

The 5 Love Languages was one of the first Northfield titles, with its genesis at Moody. Chapman had been doing marriage seminars for years, with the five love languages a section of each seminar. An editor suggested lifting out that part and making it into a book. Chapman still does those seminars, and the original The 5 Love Languages has birthed more than a dozen additional books and The Love Languages Devotional Bible released by Moody in late 2012. 

The 5 Love Languages for Children has sold nearly 1.2 million in all editions; The 5 Love Languages for Teens and Singles have sold more than 1 million combined. The 5 Love Languages of Apology has sold about 300,000, and was to be re-released in May with a new title, When Sorry Isn’t Enough.

While Chapman hasn’t pushed to expand the Love Languages brand, he is eager to meet needs when he sees them, as well as work with co-authors whose expertise is greater than his own. Paul White co-wrote The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace (2011, reissued in 2012), adding his knowledge of business to Chapman’s knowledge of relationships. Jocelyn Green, author of Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody, 2009), co-wrote The 5 Love Languages Military Edition to be released in September. Chapman speaks as often as he can on military bases, and the military has bought thousands of copies of The 5 Love Languages.

“The reason I’ve worked with co-writers is because they’ve had something to offer that I didn’t have,” said Chapman. “I don’t necessarily plan to write with a co-writer, but if it’s a topic that I find someone with more experience, I’ll do it. I haven’t had any bad experiences.”

The international market is also strong, with more than 2 million copies of The 5 Love Languages sold in 49 languages. The principles translate easily, said Moody’s Thornton, adding that “all cultures seem to understand and appreciate the five different ways of giving and receiving love.” In fact, The Love Languages Devotional Bible had its beginnings when a Brazilian publisher requested license to create such a Bible written in Portugese. That prompted Moody to consider an English version; the Portuguese version will come out in 2015.

Moody, via its Northfield Publishing imprint, is looking to the future of The 5 Love Languages brand. The company is talking to Chapman about other books and plans to refresh backlist titles with new content, editing and covers as needed. The publisher has also helped create The Gary D. Chapman Chair of Marriage and Family at Moody Theological Seminary with an eye toward training pastors and leaders on marriage principles.

“We at Moody are so pleased to be associated with Gary in this longstanding, deep partnership that is serving an area of great need in the church,” said Thornton. “It’s a big benefit to us when husbands and wives give and receive love and have stronger and healthier marriages.”

Chapman, 75, has no plans to retire. He’s coming off nearly two years as interim pastor at his home church, Calvary Baptist in Winston-Salem, N.C., and hopes for more time to write. He still does two or three radio interviews a week and about 20 conferences a year. 

“My energy level is high, and life is very full,” he said. “The biggest challenge is knowing what invitations to accept and which to decline.”

In the meantime, Christian retailers continue what they started almost 14 years ago: “What happens is a manager or whoever reads it and it helps in their own marriage,” said Chapman. “When people come into the store and ask for a book about marriage, that person says ‘The 5 Love Languages is the place to start.’ ”

Sue Smith of Baker Book House agrees. 

“We know he’ll be good and we know the publisher has done a good job marketing the books,” she said. “Gary Chapman still owns the love and marriage section after all this time.”

Baker Publishing Group, B&H Publishing Group and HarperCollins Christian Publishing among top companies at finalist stage

Winners of the 2013 Christian Retailing’s Best awards sponsored by Christian Retailing will be announced at the International Christian Retail Show in St. Louis. To enable retailers and suppliers to participate easily this year, the presentation, which will start Tuesday at 10 a.m., will be held at the Town Center Stage on the show’s exhibit floor.

Finalists were announced in April. Baker Publishing Group, with its various divisions, took 15 finalists spots, and B&H Publishing Group claimed 14. HarperCollins Christian Publishing weighed in with 22 finalists, combining Zondervan with 12 and Thomas Nelson with 10. 

Introduced in 2001 and formerly known as the Retailers Choice Awards, the awards have been increasingly acknowledged as an important way of recognizing some of the most significant new life-changing products in the Christian retail industry.

For a complete list of the 2013 finalists, visit the awards website at www.christianretailingsbest.com.

Physical sales still account for two-thirds of total units sold in the category although digital growth continues

Christian music sales have seen a slight uptick as the entire music industry has posted its first revenue growth in 13 years.

“Overall, the Christian/gospel sales revenue has been relatively flat, with modest growth over the last two years,” Capitol Christian Distribution Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Greg Bays told Christian Retailing. “Revenues are generally up, with growth driven by audio and video streaming—including subscription services, which have grown considerably.”

Earlier this year, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) revealed that global revenues rose 0.3% in 2012 to $16.5 billion, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Although the revenue bump was modest, IFPI said that it was the first sign of industry growth since 1999. 

Another study from the NPD Group said that music file sharing declined “significantly” in 2012, noting a 26% drop in illegally downloaded music.

Bays said physical sales still account for two-thirds of total units sold in Christian music.

“So, as many others have noted, reports of the alleged death of the physical CD have been highly exaggerated,” said Bays, former chairman of the Christian Music Trade Association, which tracks the sales of Christian music. “Although growth in digital formats is expected to continue to outpace physical sales, there is still a lot of Christian/gospel music business to capture in the physical retail space.”

 Christian music had its best year on the Billboard 200 last year, with five Top 10 chart debuts, including albums by
TobyMac, David Crowder Band, Kari Jobe, Passion and Lecrae.  

 Bays noted that 2013 has started off with several Billboard 200 Top 10 debuts, including Chris Tomlin’s Burning Lights (sixstepsrecords), which debuted at No. 1 as did TobyMac’s Eye On It (ForeFront Records/Capitol) last year; Hillsong United’s Zion  (Hillsong Music/Capitol); and Passion: Let the Future Begin (sixstepsrecords/Capitol).

“In addition, Colton Dixon’s A Messenger [Sparrow Records/Capitol], delivered the best street-week sales for a contemporary Christian artist in SoundScan history,” Bays said. “With many other key releases coming across the industry throughout 2013, this should be yet another strong year.”

Gospel Music Association Executive Director Jackie Patillo said “we have every reason to be optimistic about where Christian music is heading.”

“More and more people are being exposed to Christian/gospel music than ever before,” she added. “In recent months, we have seen Red and Capitol Kings on Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show; Mandisa and TobyMac on Good Morning America; Jamie Grace, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin and Israel Houghton on The View. Mary Mary continues to have strong ratings on their reality TV show. These are all vital signs and a testament of progress that we anticipate will continue in 2013.”