Howard Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster (S&S), has signed a multi-book agreement with New York Times best-selling novelist Karen Kingsbury.

Kingsbury's first book under the 10-title deal is scheduled to be released in December 2012.

"With this agreement, Simon & Schuster has shown a tremendous commitment to me, my reader friends and my fiction," Kingsbury said. "The novels ahead will be some of my biggest and best ever."

Kingsbury has written more than 50 books, including her latest, Unlocked, released in October 2010 by Zondervan. The new partnership "signifies our dedication to bringing quality fiction to the marketplace," said Jonathan Merkh, Howard Books vice president and publisher.

Under the agreement, mass market paperback editions of Kingsbury's books will be published by Pocket Books. Simon & Schuster Audio will produce the audio editions.

Dubbed by Time magazine the "Queen of Christian Fiction," Kingsbury has more than 15 million books in print.

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