Actor Nicolas Cage will reportedly star in what producers hope will be a new, improved movie version of the best-selling end-times thriller Left Behind (Tyndale House Publishers).

The project is being developed by Cloud Ten Pictures, which released the first film adaptation of the book in 2000, following it with two other installments from the successful series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins—which have sold more than 64 million copies since the first title came out in 1995.

Cloud Ten founder and CEO Paul Lalonde, who was one of the producers of the original, independently made movie that starred Kirk Cameron, is producing the action thriller that will be "in the mold of a classic disaster film" with Michael Walker, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Jay David Williams of Family Screen Partners is executive producing.

Producers are working with a budget in the $15 million range and are aiming to shoot the first movie in the trilogy in spring 2013 in Baton Rouge, La., The Hollywood Reporter reported.

Veteran stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong is in negotiations to direct the remake. Armstrong was Harrison Ford's stunt double in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Christopher Reeve's double in Superman and Superman II before turning to designing death-defying feats and action sequences.

Cage's acting credits include National Treasure, The Rock and Leaving Las Vegas, which won him an Best Actor Academy Award.

The second screen version of Left Behind: The Movie follows the resolution of a long-running dispute between Cloud Ten and LaHaye, who was unhappy with the filmmakers' releases. The film rights reverted to LaHaye and Jenkins in 2008 as part of a settlement, but were returned to Cloud Ten as of October 2010, the company said.

The remake will be "at the true Hollywood 'blockbuster' level that a message like this deserves," Lalonde has said. Company President André van Heerden has said that while the previous films had touched millions, "we know that the story can have an even bigger impact as a bigger-budget, end-times thriller on the big screen." Tyndale published the "Left Behind" series last year in four repackaged editions.

David Jeremiah's God Loves You (FaithWords) debuted at No. 9 on the General best-sellers from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), tracking sales for the week ending Oct. 13, according to Pubtrack Christian data. The book was released Oct. 4.

The Top 20 General best-sellers were: 1. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 2. I Declare, Joel Osteen (FaithWords); 3. Praying God's Word, Beth Moore (B&H Books/B&H Publishing Group); 4. Jesus Today, Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 5. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 6. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 7. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 8. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 9. God Loves You; 10. Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan); 11. Full Disclosure, Dee Henderson (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 12. Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, hardcover (Zondervan); 13. Heaven Changes Everything, Todd and Sonja Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 14. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 15. Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords); 16. Grace, Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson); 17. The Ultimate Conversation, Charles F. Stanley (Howard Book); 18. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 19. Crazy Love, Francis Chan (David C Cook); and 20. Change Your Words, Change Your Life, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords).

The Top 10 Fiction best-sellers were: 1. The Harbinger; 2. Full Disclosure; 3. The Bridesmaid, "Home to Hickory Hollow" No. 2, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 4. All Things New, Lynn Austin (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 5. When a Heart Stops, "Deadly Reunion" No. 2, Lynette Eason (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 6. River of Mercy, "Riverhaven Years" No. 3, B. J. Hoff (Harvest House Publishers); 7. Coming Home, Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan); 8. The Bridge, Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books); 9. The Breath of Dawn, Kristen Heitzmann (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); and 10. The Fiddler, "Home to Hickory Hollow" No. 1, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group).

The top five Bibles were: 1. The Story, NIV, deluxe, hardcover, New International Version (Zondervan); 2. KJV Reference Bible, imitation leather, black, King James Version (Zondervan); 3. NIV Church Bible, navy, large print, hardcover, New International Version (Zondervan); 4. NIV Thinline Bible, burgundy bonded leather (Zondervan); and 5. NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible, hardcover, New Living Translation (Tyndale).

Christine D. Johnson has been promoted to editor of Christian Retailing. Having worked with the magazine for more than 12 years, most recently as general editor, she assumed her new post earlier this month.

A graduate of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., with a master's in journalism and a Certificate in Biblical Studies from Columbia Biblical Seminary (now part of Columbia International University) in Columbia, S.C., she worked in Christian shortwave radio for eight years with Far East Broadcasting Co. in Manila, Philippines, and four years in Christian and classical music radio with WARO/WWCS in the Pittsburgh area.

She also taught online with the University of Maryland University College and worked with the former Zondervan Family Bookstores chain.

The magazine's previous editor, Andy Butcher, left earlier in the year after nearly nine years at the helm.

Christian Retailing distributes nearly 6,500 copies per issue. Inspirational Gift Mart, a supplement serving the Christian gift market, also is published quarterly. Since 2001, the magazine has sponsored the Retailers Choice Awards, which were presented this year at the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando, Fla.

Johnson welcomes comments from readers of Christian Retailing and Inspirational Gift Mart. She also invites readers to subscribe to the digital edition of the magazine and to sign up for Christian Retailing Update, the magazine's weekly e-newsletter by visiting the "Subscribe" section by clicking here. Contact her with any suggestions or comments at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Propelled by solid business at clothing and electronics stores, growth in September retail sales offered a promising outlook for the holiday months ahead, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, September retail sales increased 0.4% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 2.1% unadjusted year-over-year. This follows August retail sales, which increased 0.2% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 3.8% unadjusted year-over-year.

"In spite of the uncertainty and unease surrounding our nation's high unemployment and long-term fiscal challenges, consumers continue to spend and shop," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. "Robust back-to-school spending combined with a series of new, technology-led product launches certainly helped retailers in September. The American consumer is holding their own in this economic environment, but the question remains for how long?"

September sales showed total retail and food services sales, which includes non-general merchandise categories such as automobiles, stations, and restaurants, increased 1.1% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 5.4% unadjusted year-over-year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"With recent data painting a more optimistic view of consumer confidence, we can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel," NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. "While the latest retail sales data indicates continued improvement for the economy, increasing gas prices and the looming fiscal cliff still pose serious challenges to the momentum we've seen in consumer spending."

Bookstore, music store, sporting goods and hobby stores' sales increased 0.8% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 3.9% unadjusted year-over-year, NRF said. Clothing and clothing accessories stores' sales increased 0.6% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 3.6% unadjusted year-over-year.

CBA has promoted Curtis Riskey from executive director to president during a recent board meeting.

"The appointment is an affirmation by the board of Riskey's leadership, role in the industry and job performance in running the association these past three years," said CBA Board Chairman George Thomsen.

Riskey served as interim executive director after the unexpected resignation of longtime President and CEO Bill Anderson in October 2009. He was appointed as executive director in March 2010 with CBA adopting a new management model. Riskey has seen the sale of the organization's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., and CBA has also eliminated all its debt and is now debt free, the association said.

Riskey, 45, said he was humbled and honored by the support of the CBA board. He added that CBA will be focusing on strategic direction and growth for the industry of Christian retailers and their trading partners who create Christian resources and materials.

"The work we do as an industry is part of the mission of the church as it supports faith-building, personal growth and cultural revitalization," Riskey said. "CBA is an advocate for the industry where individual ministry and excellence of industry businesses continue to make a difference in people's everyday faith."

Riskey joined CBA in September 2007 for the newly created position of strategic solutions executive, relocating with his wife, Barbara, and three children to Colorado Springs from Oshkosh, Wis., where he owned BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) Books and Café.

In July 2010, he shuttered the 10-year-old, 12,000-square-foot store, citing the difficulties in running the business from a distance four months after taking on the leadership of the retailers association.

Riskey, a former Christian Retailing editorial advisory board member, has a business degree from the University of Wisconsin.

HarperCollins' new Christian division, comprised of Zondervan and the newly acquired Thomas Nelson, has announced the creation of a single fiction team, featuring books from both publishers and headed by Daisy Hutton, formerly vice president and publisher of fiction at Thomas Nelson.

"This is an era of unprecedented challenge and opportunity for fiction publishing," Hutton said. "The Thomas Nelson and Zondervan brands each have a rich heritage. We intend to build on that heritage by developing more distinctive, stronger identities for each brand. We will use the assets that both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan bring to the division to create a dynamic, scaled publishing program where authors will be both energized and nurtured."

Zondervan Executive Editor Sue Brower said the move will help Nelson and Zondervan. "We are looking forward to the establishment of one great fiction team under Daisy's leadership," she said. "We will all benefit from solid editorial collaboration and a strong marketing presence that this model now offers."

The fiction staff of Zondervan and Thomas Nelson offices will remain in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Nashville, respectively. Acquisitions will be managed centrally, with editors signing authors "strategically" for Nelson and Zondervan, company officials said.

"I'm very excited about the team and our vision for the future," said HarperCollins Christian Publishing Senior Vice President and Group Publisher David Moberg. "We have the opportunity to take Christian fiction to a new level by supporting two strong publishing legacies, while at the same time preparing to move into the new digital frontier. We intend to maintain separate teams for publishing, editorial and marketing for both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan where it makes sense strategically. However, I have no doubt that our fiction presence will only benefit from Daisy's leadership." 

Before the reorganization, Zondervan did not designate a dedicated fiction publisher because that responsibility was on Annette Bourland, who remains senior vice president of Zondervan Book Publishing.

Kerry and Chris Shook's One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life (WaterBrook Press) has reached a milestone with 500,000 copies in print. The first book from the mega-church pastor and his wife, Chris, was originally released in hardcover on February 2008, and is now available in audiobook, e-book, softcover and Spanish editions.

One Month to Live debuted at No. 3 on the New York Times Advice & Miscellaneous Paperback best-seller list. The book has been featured on Fox and Friends, USA Today and CNN and in the New York Times.

In December, WaterBrook Press will release the Shooks' One Month to Love, a paperback edition of the couple's 2010 book, Love at Last Sight.

Another success story for WaterBrook is To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary C. Neal. Acquired in May by WaterBrook Press, the book that became a national word-of-mouth phenomenon since it was self-published in November 2011 has sold a half million copies.

Since 200,000 copies of the WaterBrook edition were released May 28, the book has spent 18 weeks on the New York Times Advice & Miscellaneous Paperback best-seller list, with 11 of those weeks in the top spot.

The book is a firsthand account of the orthopedic spinal surgeon's death after a kayak accident in South America, visit to heaven and return to life.

Meanwhile, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group has launched what it calls the first "all-in-one" website about Christian fiction, including updates, recommendations, new releases, commentary and articles from novel writers.

NovelCrossing.com: the Intersection of Faith and Fiction features content from all publishers of Christian fiction, providing material on 10,000 titles from 50 different publishing houses.

"While there are a number of informative sites featuring Christian fiction book reviews and interviews, no one site combines a searchable database of books and authors, across all publishers in this category, with reviews, interviews, features and a community component," said Shannon Marchese, WaterBrook Multnomah senior fiction editor. "We built Novel Crossing to fill that gap. We wanted fans of Christian fiction to have a 'one-stop' destination for finding authors and new reads, for leaving comments and making friends who love the books they love."

Click here for more information on Novel Crossing.