Family Christian Stores has asked a judge to allow a vote on the company's plan to sell its assets and debts to an internally held creditor, a move that would allow the retailer to keep its doors open as it moves out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The request comes on the heels of Judge John Gregg's denying Family Christian Acquisition's auction bid, but allowing the creditors to vote in favor of the bid could help keep that option open. The main point of contention with Judge Gregg's refusal to clear the bid was behind-the-scenes dealings between Richard Jackson—who controls Family Christian Acquisition and FC Holdings, one of the chain's largest creditors, and was one of the three businessmen who bought Family Christian Stores before turning it over to the nonprofit Family Christian Ministries—and Family CEO Chuck Bengochea, dealings Gregg called "reckless" and "inappropriate" in his ruling.

Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty and Dancing With the Stars visited with her fans during a guest appearance Tuesday at the Mardel store location in Arlington, Texas.

“Due to an overwhelming response to see Sadie, Mardel had to issue wristbands for a guaranteed place in line,” said Kelly Black, vice president of advertising for the Christian retail chain. “Customers started to line up at 5 a.m. to get their wristbands for a chance to meet Sadie face to face!” 

The new film 90 Minutes in Heaven—the story of Don Piper, who died in a highway accident, experienced heaven and returned to face severe physical, emotional and spiritual challenges—has landed a distribution deal with Samuel Goldwyn Films.

The film is based on Piper’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name with more than 7 million copies sold. The film premieres in 800 theaters across the country Friday, Sept. 11.

Worthy Publishing Group has hired Wayne Hastings as senior vice president of marketing and research & development.

Hastings served as a senior vice president of marketing at Thomas Nelson, after which he was promoted to senior vice president and publisher of Bibles, reference & curriculum. In that role, he led the development of several best-selling and award-winning products and campaigns, including the Chronological Study Bible, The Word of Promise Audio Bible and the Million Bible Challenge campaign. 

Apple has lost its appeal against a 2014 court ruling that the technology giant had engaged in an e-book price-fixing conspiracy with five major publishers. On June 30, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2013 decision issued by Judge Denise Cote that the companies did, in fact, conspire to artificially inflate the price of e-books to the detriment of consumers.

"We conclude that the district court correctly decided that Apple orchestrated a conspiracy among the publishers to raise e-book prices, that the conspiracy unreasonably restrained trade in violation of the Sherman Act, and that the injunction is properly calibrated to protect the public from future anticompetitive harms," wrote Debra Ann Livingston for the court. "In addition, we reject the argument that the portion of the injunctive order preventing Apple from agreeing to restrict its pricing authors modifies Macmillan and Simon & Schuster's consent decrees or should be judicially stopped. Accordingly the judgment of the district court is affirmed."

Several key Christian books were honored at Foreword Reviews’ 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards, judged by a select group of librarians and booksellers from around the country and announced at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Representing hundreds of independent and university presses of all sizes, INDIEFAB winners were selected after months of editorial deliberation with more than 1,500 entries in 63 categories.

Filmmaker Phil Vischer, a pioneer of Christian children’s media, has announced the launch of “Galaxy Buck,” Vischer's first new narrative storytelling video series in more than a decade. Featuring characters from the Vischer's best-selling series, “Buck Denver Asks … What’s in the Bible?,” the “Galaxy Buck” space trilogy aims to take the good news about God’s love to the far reaches of the galaxy.

"Buck Denver and Friends learned a whole lot while making ‘What’s in the Bible?’ and now it’s time to put that knowledge into practice,” Vischer said. “Where better to do that than in deep space? ‘Galaxy Buck’ gives us a whole universe to explore while showing kids what following Jesus looks like in real life.