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.