A Christian book could be part of the plethora of sights for Super Bowl Sunday. Former Indianapolis Colts coach and best-selling author Tony Dungy will be part of NBC’s Super Bowl XLIII pre-game coverage Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla., so look for him to plug Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance (Tyndale House Publishers).

Earlier this week, Dungy began his national media tour to launch Uncommon—released Jan. 27—with an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Being a fan of music in general, I was familiar with the band The Fray. I had heard their songs on mainstream radio stations in the last several years. And you might have even heard their songs before too and didn't know it like "How to Save a Life" and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" that were featured on such shows as Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs and were catalysts for thrusting this band into the national limelight.

Travis Thrasher's next thriller, Ghostwriter, releasing in May through FaithWords, appears in the company's new Spring Summer 2009 catalog, its cover featuring a pen on a blood-stained, rough wood surface. According to the summary, the book centers on a suspense writer who finds himself in the center of real-life horror. Thrasher previously released Isolation with the company earlier this year.

Christian Retail offers for the week of Jan. 26

Mardel Christian Education & Supply presents an end-of-the-month "Bible Blowout" with 50% off selected editions-including the NIV Study Bible, non-indexed, in black or burgundy leather. Usual retail price $$69.99, it is offered for $34.99.

Other specials include The Bible Experience Audio Bible (New Testamentary) from Zondervan for $24.99 instead of $49.99, and the Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation, reduced from $69.99 to $34.99. Prices are good through Jan. 31.

Bible bargains in the Winter 2009 Christian Book Bargains catalog from Christian Book Distributors feature The KJV Open Bible, Large Print Edition, down to $21.99 from $49.99 and the Amplified Topical Reference Bible, reduced from $34 to $14.99.

Parable stores present the new children's VeggieTales Bible, NIV, releasing next month, on pre-order for $19.97. Regular retail price will be $24.99.

Who says you can't go home again? The trend of groups revisiting classic lineups continues with Michael English, Mark Lowry and David Phelps rejoining the Gaither Vocal Band. The move changes the face of the band to a five-member group, also including creator Bill Gaither and Wes Hampton. English, Lowry and Phelps were popular fixtures during their tenures before leaving to pursue their solo careers.

With a title sure to grab readers' attention, Fox News reporter Todd Starnes chronicles his weight-loss journey in his first book, They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick, releasing from Pathway Press in March. Starnes relates his journey being a 300 pound man to dropping down to 150 and running the New York City marathon. The book is comprised of humorous and inspirational essays like "Dear Jesus, Thank You For Butter," "Breaking Wind and Other Lessons in Humility" and "I Have Ugly Feet" and also features a forward from former Arkansas Governor and Fox News Channel television host Mike Huckabee.

Known for his edgy fiction, Ted Dekker also has a way of pushing the envelope in his blog postings, most recently addressing “The Challenge of Being Gay” (http://www.teddekker.typepad.com/, Jan. 8).

Having grabbed people's attention, he goes on to declare

With the growing popularity of Hillsong United you'll understand why news that the band will be touching on American soil in 2009 is so exciting.

So, that's why when I heard about the Hillsong United Encounter event April 17-18 at the Bank United Center, at the University of Miami, another Encounter conference in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 28-29 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and several tour dates in North America in August and September, I was thrilled!

Produced by Integrity Live Events, Encounter is chuck full of breakout sessions, speakers, teaching and concerts. The conference, geared toward pastors, youth leaders, worship leaders, musicians and students will "focus on the subjects of worship and justice and equipping young people to bring both to their local communities," Integrity Music announced.

Registration for the Miami Encounter has already begun online at www.integritylive.com, with early bird registration before Feb. 20 at $89 a person. Pre-registration for the Anaheim Encounter has also begun and runs through April 31st at a discounted rate of $69 per person. Details about other United North America appearances in '09 are also listed now on the Hillsong United Web site.

For more information on the mates from Down Under, check out their Web site, www.hillsongunited.com, or their MySpace page, www.myspace.com/hillsongunited.

Week ending Jan. 19

NavPress executive publisher Michael Miller (http://michaeldmiller.wordpress.com/, Jan. 19) kicks off an interesting discussion by referencing the top ten selling Christian books of 2008, according to statistics from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Heading the chart for the year was B&H Publishing's The Love Dare by Stephen & Alex Kendrick, followed by William P. Young's The Shack (Windblown Media). Also in the

Resources for making good on New Year's resolutions were a focus for Christian Book Distributors, encouraging shoppers

Veteran Christian music groups NewSong and Newsboys have recently announced the return of band members from their lineups in the 1990s. Russ Lee, lead vocalist for NewSong on the albums and tours for People Get Ready (1994) and Love Revolution (1997), is rejoining as lead singer and guitarist Jody Davis, a member of the Newsboys from 1992-2003 and was replaced by Paul Colman, has rejoined that group as guitarist. Colman has left to resume his solo career.

Is it a publishing game of "Chicken?" Two publishers, Authentic Publishing and InterVarsity Press, are going head-to-head the same month (February) with books in response to the wildly successful novel The Shack by William P. Young and both books, at this point, bear the same title - Finding God in the Shack. InterVarsity's release, by author Roger E. Olson, originally slated for May, features the subtitle "Seeking Truth in a Story of Evil and Redemption" while Authentic's release, by author Randal Hauser, doesn't include a subtitle. Will the books cause confusion among retailers and customers? Will either publisher change lanes? Stay tuned.

After weaving a tale involving professional football and terrorist attacks in his debut 2008 novel Monday Night Jihad (Tyndale House Publishers ), NFL veteran Jason Elam once again teams with author Steve Yohn on Blown Coverage, featuring central character and football star Riley Covington. During mini-camp for his football team the Colorado Mustangs, Riley discovers a plot to awaken sleeper cells to attack America and his family.

Elam, currently a placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons, played for the Denver Broncos for 15 years and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in global apologetics at Liberty Theological Seminary. Blown Coverage is his second novel.

Tyndale is planning regional promotions in the Atlanta area for the book, including radio spots on the city’s largest sports radio station 680 The Fan, online advertising at the Atlanta Falcon’s Web site and book signings at area bookstores (to be scheduled). In addition, the publisher is also a main sponsor for the Atlanta Falcon’s Fan Appreciation Day on Dec. 28. National promotion will include print and online advertising Christian and general market sports media.