Developing a passion for God’s Word in young readers

But there are rewards for those that take on the challenge—children’s Bibles in their broadest definition accounted for 18% of all Bibles sales in the first quarter of 2011, according to the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s (ECPA) data tracking.

With 22% of the market for that period, Thomas Nelson has sold more than 14.5 million Precious Moments Bibles, featuring Sam Butcher’s iconic teardrop-faced children, in the last 30 years. “Children’s Bibles have grown every year and are a significant part of our children’s product line,” said the company’s vice president and publisher, Bibles, Gary Davidson.

Five publishers accounted for 82% of the first-quarter ECPA market, with Zondervan leading (36%), then Tyndale House Publishers, NavPress and B&H Publishing Group following Nelson. Others active in the market include Crossway, David C. Cook, Concordia Publishing House and Baker Publishing Group.

The children’s Bible grouping can be a bit “blurry,” noted Ryan Dunham, senior vice president of sales and marketing for David C. Cook. “What we call children’s Bibles are for the most part Bible storybooks” that simplify the Scriptures for non- or early readers.

TEXT EMPHASIS

True children’s Bibles, using the full text of translations, really only start at around age 6 “when they are beginning to read on their own and want to carry a Bible that looks more like their parents,’ ” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher at Zonderkidz, the children’s divison of Zondervan. Children’s Bibles of this type made up 7% of first-quarter Bibles sales, reported the ECPA, with an average price point of $20.51. 

 Zondervan’s focus for ages 6-10 is its New International Reader’s Version (NIrV), a third grade reading level edition of the New International Version (NIV).  Naturally, as Bourland observed, “a translation children can easily read and understand is one of the most important ingredients.” 

 While components like visuals and additional content are important in helping foster children’s love for God’s Word, “the editorial philosophy should always be to draw the child into the Bible text” itself, Bourland added.

Her emphasis was echoed by Davidson, whose company also publishes the International Children’s Bible (ICB) at a third-grade level. “A Bible kids can read and understand is most important for kids to take God’s Word to heart, as well as application to the child’s life, interactivity with the scriptures, comprehension level of the material.”

“If you don’t help kids get the message of Scripture, it doesn’t matter how great other features are,” said Jeffrey Smith, director of marketing, Bibles for Tyndale House Publishers, whose New Living Translation (NLT) has featured in editions like the Kid’s Life Application Bible.

However, Davidson also noted the importance of “packaging to help catch their interest,” pointing to the company’s success with its sparkly Princess Bible, now being followed by a series of sequin-covered releases. 

“We research trends from other industries and then reflect kids’ tastes into the look of our Bibles,” he added. “It is important that kids not be embarrassed to carry a Bible and the cooler it looks, it might just inspire kids to spend quality time reading God’s Word.”

TWO TARGETS

Though youngsters are the eventual recipients, parents and grandparents are the typical purchasers of children’s Bibles, which, therefore, have to be created with adult interests in mind, too. “You are selling to the adult (the payer) and the end user (the kid),” said Shawn Kuhn, vice president of P&K Bookstores.

Having two “consumers” can create a tension in meeting different demographics, noted Dunham. “We most definitely take this into consideration,” said Bourland of Zonderkidz, “but we have found that the more fun and engaging we make the Bible for kids, the more excited parents are about purchasing it for their child.”

 “Adults are the primary audience so that affects how we market our product,” observed Kris Wallen, vice president of ministry services for NavPress, publisher of My First Message, which has sold 80,000 copies since its 2007 release. “We want to reach the primary audience.” For those adults who typically do the buying, price point and quality are also important, added Dunham.

Parents may also be looking for a connection with the translation they use.  Or the reverse—since acquiring the God’s Word Translation in 2008, Baker Publishing Group has heard from parents who “continue reading God’s Word for Boys and God’s Word for Girls after they put their children to bed,” said Publicity Manager Deonne Beron.

Publishers have not surprisingly seen success with Bibles that tie in to existing popular children’s brands like Precious Moments. In addition, Zondervan brought out the VeggieTales Bible in the NIV and is prepping The Berenstain Bears Holy Bible in the NIrV for an April release. Both Zondervan and Nelson have produced princess-themed Bibles.

Stand-alone editions have done well, too. Notable among them have been NLT Bibles from Tyndale, which recently became the first to use QR codes, in the iShine Bible, to link young readers to additional online content. Zondervan’s biggest achievers include NIrV and NIV editions of the Adventure Bible—third-highest seller in the ECPA list—and the 2:52 Boys Bible and The Faithgirlz! Bible. Gender-specific Bibles are proving particularly strong for ages 9-12, Bourland said.

CLEAR CHOICES

In-store, frontliner knowledge about the options and features is important. “It’s all about engaging customers and asking the right questions,” said Smith. “Asking who the Bible is for and suggesting the one that features the note sets for the unique needs of the child.” Shelf-talkers that direct shoppers the right way when staff is not available are helpful, too, added Dunham.

Endcap promotions and face-out positioning help parents see “an age range of products,” advised Davidson, who pointed out that “many families have more than one child, and being able to give them choices for their purchases that are similar is helpful.”

Children’s Bibles need to be in the main Bible department, but well defined in their own section, “otherwise they tend to get lost in the sea of adult Bibles,” said Bourland. She also suggested organizing by translation and featuring different titles at key buying seasons, such as back-to-school and Christmas.

With the high volume of gift purchases among children’s Bible sales in mind, Jim Stropnik, marketing manager at Concordia Publishing House—with more than a century of publishing in the subcategory—observed: “I’ve seen some success with cross-selling alongside some of the gift items, which can result in an increase in the size of the customer’s purchase.”

Kuhn, for whom children’s and youth Bibles are “a growing segment of the Bible business,” observed that “they do well in their own sections.” 

Todd Burpo's runaway hit, Heaven is for Real, being made into a movie, e-book-selling options coming to Christian stores and personal product picks—listen in as the magazine’s editorial team looks to the month ahead.

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Give me 10 minutes in which to revive your passion for Christian bookselling.

Sounds a bit like one of those awful late-night infomercials, maybe? Well, I don't want you to send any money, just grab a pen and a piece of paper and sit quietly for a few minutes. I believe this simple exercise could help fan the flames of your Christian literature ministry.

Now, jot down the titles of the 10 books you have read that have made the most impact in your Christian life. Don't get too hung up on it being the definitive list. This isn't a precise science, and the chances are the list may vary a bit if you try to come up with one again next week. That's OK—the answers will be right then, too.

But don't be tempted to include the titles of books that you think will impress your friends. Or those that you are planning to read (one day). Or those that you started but never finished.

The point is to stop and reflect for a moment. Consider that these books have shaped you into the person you are today; who or where might you be without having read them?

Here's my Top 10 and why:

In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. Long before "what would Jesus do" got reduced to a bumper sticker, I was challenged by the idea that what we sometimes like to make so complicated in living the Christian life can be boiled down to one question.  And I was thrilled that one of the characters exploring what that meant was a newspaper editor. 

Prodigal Press by Marvin Olasky. This fascinating study of the rich Christian roots of American journalism gave historical weight to Sheldon's novel. It spurred my hunger to see more evangelicals commit to redeeming the "bad reporting" that Numbers 13 and 14 makes clear can lead people out of the purposes of God.

God in the Slums by Hugh Redwood. This 1930s account of the work of the Salvation Army in squalid inner city London inspired me not just because of its accounts of Christian love in action, but also because of its author—a tough-minded national newspaperman whose own life was transformed by his writing. 

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliott, a fascinating, unsettling account of the fervent heart for God that fueled Jim Elliot and his four colleagues in their sacrificial commitment to sharing the gospel, ultimately giving their lives. It made me question how far my faith would take me: yet to find the answer.

Is That Really You, Lord?  by Loren Cunningham. As a young Christian, this book by the founder of Youth With A Mission opened my eyes—and ears—to the concept that God speaks intimately to His children and invites them to join Him on a radical adventure of faith. I'd later spend 10 years serving with the organization.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. I tried very hard not to like this book and dismiss it as a lad-fad, but I couldn't shake its core challenge to consider what it really means to be a man. I didn't go running off into the woods, but it did awaken a (healthy) ongoing dissatisfaction with safe "suburban" spirituality.

Love & Respect by Emerson Eggerichs. For me, he nails one of the core pitfalls of marriage—the "crazy cycle" dance that goes on when each partner misses the other's cues and needs. Worth reading alone for the light-bulb insight into why so many of us guys go quiet when our wives are waiting for us to say something.

A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. Having worked in and around Christian ministries and organizations for more than 30 years, I have seen enough "great" men and women of God become ogres and tyrants away from the platform or spotlight—but this rebukes any cynicism and reminds me that my response matters, too.

 Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. His gift for communicating a reasoned and reasonable faith was never more clearly exercised than in this book, which helped establish me in the early days of my discipleship. Belief may be supernatural, I was reassured, but it is also rational.

The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll came into my life at a time when legalistic weeds were starting to tangle my feet. I still have to watch my step, but the author's folksy insights taught me to watch out for the creepers of adding—whether personally or for others—to what Jesus did at the cross.

I can't imagine where or who I might be without these books. And I am grateful for those who wrote, published and sold them. I'm reminded that being part of an enterprise that has this sort of impact is noble and worthy of the challenges and demands involved.

How about you? What's on your list? May it restore in you a sense of the privilege you enjoy in being part of helping others build their own life-changing lists.

From formats and advances to platforms and markets, these shifts need watching

When we were first asked to speak on trends in Christian publishing for an international audience of Christian publishers and retailers, we set to work researching it. With the aid of about 50 colleagues in Christian publishing, various periodicals, popular business books and publishing surveys, nine trends rose to the top.

1. Customers are buying in a variety of ways

How do you purchase books? Drive to your local bookstore? Log on to your computer and order through CBD or Amazon? Pick up a book while shopping at Wal-Mart or Costco? Download a book on your e-reader?

"Books are not dead," said one publishing agent we interviewed. "They're just shifting in how they are published and where they can be purchased." 

Implication: We need to review channel strategies.

Action: Begin to serve one new channel.

2. Digital publishing is growing rapidly

Have you read about the woman who was given an iPad for her 99th birthday? Mrs. Campbell uses her new iPad for rereading classic novels and writing limericks.

For readers, this is the best time in history. We've never had more choices, media types or better quality. For publishers, it's a time of big headaches and wonderful opportunities. We're trying to figure out multiple formats, digital rights, contract e-rights and internal corporate complexity.

Will books go away? We don't think so. Think about how we cook. More than 90% of U.S. households have a conventional oven and a microwave, but we use each of them for different purposes. Reading is like that. When curling up on the sofa, we might choose to read a book. While riding public transportation, we might prefer using an e-reader or smartphone. Readers have choices. 

Implication: E-publish or perish.

Action: Begin creating digital versions of your products, if you haven't already. 

3.Print on demand and self-publishing are expanding

Two methods of publishing we're seeing more of are print on demand (POD) and self-publishing. POD improves product availability, reduces operational costs and risks and helps older titles whose future sales might not be large enough to justify another print run. Almost 75% of the books published in English in 2008 were self-published. The trend continues. 

Implication: New methods of publishing offer opportunities for new voices.

Action: Locate and establish a POD relationship.

4. Marketing is shifting

In March 2009, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube overtook the use of e-mail. Marketing will continue to shift, while "word of mouth" continues to sell.

In addition to traditional "outbound" marketing—periodicals, radio—"inbound" marketing, in which consumers make the first contact with businesses, is on the rise. We use it regularly—such as when we read on TripAdvisor.com that a hotel we were considering had rats in the air-conditioning ducts. Inbound marketing helped us avoid the rodents. 

When asked recently what advice he had for the publishing industry, Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly recommended looking where people are spending their attention and doing things for free.

Implication: We need more than traditional marketing.

Action: Promote a group of titles using social media.

5. Publishing categories are changing

What types of books are popular these days? Memoirs, niche publishing such as sports and health, leadership, Amish and repackaged classics, among others. What types of books will always sell? We agree with Chris Johnsen, president of Christian Art in South Africa: "A publication that addresses the fears and anxieties of the consumers will sell." 

Implication: We must know our market and our place in it.

Action: Explain your rationale for having certain categories. Add or delete as needed. 

6. Publishers are focusing on authors' platforms

Publishers are looking for big names and successful authors. This can be good—and bad. Big names sell a lot of books, but there's danger in publishers making decisions based on the audience the author brings with him or her at the expense of the content in the book.

New voices are needed—authors who can articulate the gospel of Jesus Christ in compelling ways to new generations who lack a basic knowledge and understanding of the Bible. 

Implication: We need to be careful about content and find some new voices.

Action: Publish one new author this year.

7. International markets are growing

Publishers continue to see encouraging global growth. English is spreading, companies from around the world are entering into partnerships, the China market is emerging, low-cost books and Bibles are being produced for developing countries, and publishers in other countries are cultivating indigenous authors. 

One of the biggest challenges in international publishing these days is distribution. We're wise to listen and learn from our customers and employees in regards to new international opportunities. Nestlé seems to be doing that well. It recently launched its first floating supermarket—on the Amazon. It's a retail barge that takes their products to more than 800,000 customers.

Implication: Visits to our global partners and clients are essential.

Action: Establish a two-year travel plan to visit key global markets.

8. Companies are reevaluating staffing

Especially in an economic downturn, we're seeing more young and inexperienced employees, fewer senior employees and more contract employees. According to a survey by Human Capital Institute last year, 90% of U.S. companies outsource at least some of their work. In the last 20 years, the average amount of work outsourced has grown from 6% to 27%. 

Whether we're employees or consultants, collaboration is a vital skill. Learning how to work well with other staff is a must. 

Implication: Contract employees might save us some money.

Action: Consider hiring contract employees for a particular job or task.

9. Advances and royalties are being structured differently

Many publishers and agents are looking for the top 20% of best-selling authors to generate 80% of the income stream. This raises the bar, yet makes it more difficult for talented new voices to come forward.

As e-book sales increase and hardcover sales decline, advances are shrinking. Some publishers are splitting advances—25% on signing, 25% on acceptance, 25% on release and 25% a year after release. New structures will continue to unfold.

Implication: Evaluate advance/royalty structures regularly. 

Action: Review the past few years of advances and royalties. Consider where you might save money. 

The digital publishing revolution isn't just about newly written books. The Bible has been presented as an award-winning audio project in recent times and is proving increasingly popular among e-reader users. We discussed the growth of the non-print Bible market, and the opportunities and implications, with leading suppliers in the category. 

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Publishers connect with teens in their 'real world'

When he wrote his heart-pounding thriller, Germ, best-selling author Robert Liparulo never imagined the novel for adults would spark fascination among junior and senior high school students. 

The fan mail the book generated led to personal appearances, electronic interviews and a newly discovered appreciation for teens' love of story. This interaction ultimately inspired Liparulo to write "Dreamhouse Kings," a two-year, six-book series that concluded last May with the release of Frenzy.

Today, teens play a key role in his work, with a 10-member focus group vetting his juvenile fiction manuscripts. Liparulo also gets feedback from his 13-year-old son, who claims celebrity status at school because of his father's books.

"I realized I love this age group," Liparulo said of his entry into the young adult (YA) market. "They weren't interested in the 'business' of writing. They wanted to know all about the very thing that made me want to be a writer: story."

Not only do these 13- to 18-year-old readers understand the symbolism behind "Dreamhouse," they engage in story and characters in ways adults don't, Liparulo said. Since writing is such a lonely profession, their feedback reassures him that what he's doing is worthwhile.

"These guys are very sophisticated when it comes to story," Liparulo said. "I'm so grateful I have a young readership out there. They're quick to send emails, and they don't hold back their praise. It seems I have hundreds of 'No. 1 fans.' "

Canadian journalist Mags Storey has similar feelings. She loves teens' emotional honesty, dramatic lenses for examining the world and the way they challenge everything.

"I think we need to respect that and help them find answers which make sense to them," said Storey, author of the award-winning If Only You Knew (Kregel Publications, 2009). "I truly believe that teenagers are incredible people, with the potential to change the world."

It is a world she believes they are more prepared to face than many parents realize. Storey recalls the teen who shared about her mother's refusal to let her read romances, even though the girl was secretly dating.

Storey realizes some parents feel strongly that their children should only read how-to books on dating and morality. Yet she thinks that fiction has an amazing ability to break down walls and cause deeper reflection. 

One reason for this outlook is the stream of emails her mystery novel—winner of the Grace Irwin Award for the best book published by a Canadian author, as well as the romance and YA categories at the 2010 Canadian Christian Writing Awards—has prompted from teenage girls.

"I think they like that I'm honest about how messy and complicated life and faith can be sometimes, because that's the real world they're trying to live for Jesus in," Storey said. "My favorite email comes from a 15-year-old pastor's daughter, who said, 'This book says everything I always wanted to say about my faith, but was too scared to admit.' "

FANTASY FICTION

These authors' success bolsters Dale Anderson's belief that fantasy fiction is a tool to attract more young readers to Christian retail stores. 

The executive director and publisher of AMG Publishers liked the promise of this genre so much that seven years ago he converted its Living Ink imprint from Christian living to YA fantasy fiction. 

"This category is great," Anderson said. "The Washington Post recently had an article saying that Christian fantasy fiction has caught fire. Ignited by Harry Potter, it sent Christians looking for alternatives. We've had numerous testimonies from (teen readers) about their renewed interest in reading the Bible and turning to faith in Jesus Christ."

Even though music, jewelry and apparel drive YA spending, teens are still quite interested in books and Bibles. A recent study by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association found that in 2009 shoppers ages 13 to 17 bought 6% of the fiction and nonfiction and 11% of Bibles at Christian stores. That doesn't count items parents purchased for them, which would drive those numbers higher.

This is another reason Anderson believes so strongly in the kind of fantasies spun by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, which remain popular long after those authors' deaths.

"We believe God is using this genre," Anderson said. "Millions of people have read (their) books and been inspired. We think it's time to renew this vision and to promote Christian themes such as faith, hope, integrity, and honor … and that good prevails over evil."

Bryan Davis, whose Raising Dragons (2004)—first in the "Dragons in Our Midst" series—has sold more than 100,000 copies, is the leading author on the Living Ink roster. 

Winner of the 2010 Clive Staples Award for The Bones of Makaidos (2009), Davis is working on Song of the Ovulum. The July release launches "Children of the Bard," a four-book series.

Recent releases from AMG include Scott Appleton's Swords of the Six, first in "The Sword of the Dragon" series (February); The Book of Names (February) and Corus the Champion (April) by D. Barkley Briggs, the first two of the "Legends of Karac Tor"; and Map Across Time by C.S. Lakin (February).  

AMG's sales and marketing director, John Fallahee, said Davis' works have been picked up by such accelerated reading programs as Lexile and Renaissance and drawn good marks for quality, showing that even public schools embrace them.

"We're reaching a whole new audience that wouldn't have been reached any other way," Fallahee said. "Storytelling is a time-long tradition for any culture. 'Chronicles of Narnia' tapped into that tradition and now our authors are continuing it. Whether in church or out of church, kids are captivated by stories." 

Allen Arnold agrees. The senior vice president and publisher of fiction at Thomas Nelson lists "Dreamhouse," Ted Dekker's "The Lost Books" collection of six novels and four graphic novels and Andrew Klavan's "The Homelanders" trilogy as the kind of storytelling that captivates YA fans.

Teen girls also admire the "A Charmed Life" series by Jenny B. Jones and novels by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma. Arnold credits the popularity of these authors to strong storylines and accessibility.

"Teens won't read a story simply because it has a good message or their parents ask them to," Arnold said. "It has to connect on a very real level with them and be authentic. And they need the story to be in the format and accessible how they want to experience it: e-books, audio downloads, graphics, text, price. … If they can't find it how and where they want to purchase it, the sale is lost."

Innovative design and interactive elements are other popular features, according to the senior editor of Warner Press.

Karen Rhodes said the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) affiliate decided to plunge into YA books in 2008 because of the groundbreaking nature of Allan and Christopher Miller's "The Codebearers" series. 

Not only did both brothers contribute to the story and illustrations, they have blogged and maintained a Web site to connect with teens, she said. The third title, Hunter Brown and the Eye of Ends, released in January.

"We've had parents who said, 'I couldn't get my kids to read before this,' " said Rhodes, who is considering publishing two other YA-oriented manuscripts. "I'm very hopeful (about the genre). I believe they'll be drawn to anything that puts together a book and technology."

Still, there is nothing for Christian teens that matches the buzz behind such general-market powerhouses as "Harry Potter," "The Twilight Saga" and "The Hunger Games." However, Arnold thinks that day will come through a bold, original series.

"When it hits, it won't be from the author or publisher trying to copy the secular YA titles with a bit of Christian content thrown in," Arnold said. 

A DEVELOPING MARKET

The market has come a long way since 2003, when NavPress launched its Think imprint into a "black hole" of products for teens and young adults, said Rebekah Guzman, the company's editorial director.

The company's goal is to produce innovative resources that speak to independent thinkers, yet has truth to motivate them to live out their faith, Guzman said. She sees enormous rewards from reaching young adults, saying that publishing messages that lead to life transformation is priceless.

"Teens don't want to be told what to do; they want to figure it out on their own," Guzman said. "The Christian YA audience is highly influenced by peers, media and culture. We win their hearts by taking them and their faith, friends and lives seriously."

Yet that sometimes proves challenging, particularly the tension that exists between being gritty enough for teens while not crossing boundaries of good taste.

While it may clash with Christian sensibilities, it is essential to show Christ in the midst of difficult, realistic situations, such as teen pregnancies, self-mutilation and eating disorders, Guzman said.

"That is what teens today are facing," she said. "YA content in the general market is getting edgier, and Christian fiction is changing, too."

One general market title that has generated pre-release buzz is written by a professing Christian who reads the likes of John Calvin and Augustine. Veronica Roth's Divergent (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, May) is the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers. 

Set in a future Chicago, her debut title looks to a society where 16-year-olds must choose between five factions that cultivate a particular virtue—a choice that will brand them for the rest of their lives.

Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher at Zonderkidz, has observed the "stellar" writing in general market YA titles. "The ABA has seen a great deal of success because the quality is so high, and the writers and their books aren't afraid to take chances and explore ideas and themes that might sometimes seem edgy, but in fact explore and address things teens face and relate to," she said. 

"And there's no reason why Christian publishers can't publish the same level of amazing writing, plots and characters, as well as address themes and concerns teens are looking for," she added.

Bourland said that teens are able to handle books that take on the gritty and real. "This is a generation that grew up in the wake of 9/11: they know the world isn't always a safe and happy place," she recalled. "In the CBA, YA hasn't always been as keen to show the broken as it is, but that is starting to change. And it has to in order to reach the teen reader—be it fantasy or a contemporary novel, the book has to be real, and not sugarcoat a plot. 

"The wave may be publishers providing books that are not afraid to show a broken world, be that realistically or through a created world as Suzanne Collins does with Panem (in 'The Hunger Games'). And because we as Christians know who the ultimate power and controller of our world is, we can show there is hope and a future and light even when things look darkest."

Zonderkidz takes on some real-life issues in books like May's Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston. In the coming-of-age novel, Emily Curtis and her dad are driven from their home after Emily's mom dies and the family can't pay all the medical bills. In Nancy Rue's latest "Real Life" title, Limos, Lattes & My Life on the Fringe (Zonderkidz, May), Tyler Bonning struggles to fit in with her peers at prom time.

The balancing act publishers face when it comes to content poses a perennial challenge, said Jennifer Leep, editorial director at Revell. The Baker Publishing Group division released two YA devotionals, God Guy by Michael DiMarco (2009) and Devotions for the God Girl by Hayley DiMarco (October 2010). 

The husband-wife team runs Hungry Planet, a YA publisher known for its innovative design and with nearly a million copies in sales. Two titles from Hungry Planet and Revell—Sexy Girls (2007) and B4UD8 (Before You Date, 2010)—have won the Christian Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Hayley DiMarco's God Girl Bible, in God's Word Translation, released last month.

Not only do vendors have to walk a fine moral line, Leep said they must appeal to two different audiences: teens who want to read the books and adults who are often the book buyers. 

She said the DiMarcos have done that by satisfying parents who want teens to grow spiritually and YA readers who want to grow closer to God. In addition, teens listen to someone who takes time to understand their world, Leep said.

 "We've seen the same principle at work with other teen titles we've published, particularly those tackling perennial teen topics such as dating," she said. "Here again, parents want their teens to be getting solid, biblically sound advice. And it's a topic teens are interested in reading about, provided an author seems to 'get' them and the content is presented in a format that keeps their attention."

Still, Christians can't sacrifice quality to see the same explosion in the category as in the general market, said Shannon Marchese, senior editor, fiction at The WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. 

Because many general market titles include dark themes, the Random House division is committed to offering creative, entertaining reads that offer hope, Marchese said. 

As examples of Christian success stories, she points to Donita K. Paul's "The DragonKeeper Chronicles," a five-book series with more than 300,000 copies sold; Chuck Black's six-volume "Kingdom" series and Robin Jones Gunn's "Christy Miller Collection" novels.

Despite WaterBrook's long history with YA books, it still faces challenges in reaching an audience that is constantly shifting. 

"As with a number of demographics these days, marketing strategies from recent years do not connect directly with the intended reader," Marchese said. "The challenge is establishing contact with that 13-to-18-year-old reader and beginning a relationship with them in which they see you as a valuable content provider."

MORE THAN FICTION

Fantasy fiction isn't the only segment reaching teens. Multnomah Books has a pair of popular nonfiction titles by twins Alex and Brett Harris. The brothers' "Rebelution" blog led to their first book, Do Hard Things (2008), followed by Start Here (March 2010).

"The success of Do Hard Things and others like it suggests to me that a growing number of teens are suspicious of messages that major on production value or trends and minor on enduring truths, even if those truths are difficult," said Executive Editor David Kopp.

Another nonfiction entry from WaterBrook Press addresses such topics as moral boundaries, romance addictions and what to do if a boyfriend is using porn. What Are You Waiting For? by Dannah Gresh released in January. 

Others have tackled real-life issues. Among Thomas Nelson's 2010 releases were A Guy's Guide to Life by Jason Boyett (June) and A Girl's Guide to Life by Katie Meier (June), both revised books, and perennial best-selling author Max Lucado's You Were Made to Make a Difference. He co-authored the September release with his daughter, Jenna Lucado Bishop.

In February, Nelson released repackages of teen speaker Chad Eastham's The Truth About Dating, Love & Just Being Friends and veteran author Susie Shellenberger's Girl Talk With God.

New nonfiction releases from NavPress include The Grad's Guide to Surviving Stressful Times compiled by the Think staff (March); and An Exposé on Teen Sex and Dating by Andy Braner (May). Though aimed at parents and youth leaders, the latter could end up reaching YA audiences.

"We feel the key to winning this audience's attention is to resonate with relevance," Guzman said. "We focus on keeping current with the issues and topics young adults are dealing with rather than trends that may come or go quickly in this fast-paced culture." 

Award-winning artists voice their thoughts about challenges and concerns

Christian music continues to touch and change lives, even as those involved in its creation and distribution wrestle with changes in the industry.We turned to some leading artists for their opinions on the issues. We asked 2010 Dove Award winners:

 What is the greatest challenge facing Christian music?

How has the digital revolution impacted you?

Will the Christian music world change because of the digital revolution, and if so, how?

What has encouraged you most in the last year?

What can Christian retailers do to support and make the most of the category?

Jason Crabb // Country Recorded Song of the Year, "Somebody Like Me"

Special Event Album, Glory Revealed II

Greatest challenge: Media outlets. It's difficult for Christian music to compete with secular music space in many of the retail outlets that sell our product.

Digital impact: It's so easy to download our music to computers, iPhones or MP3 players and not have to pay for it, so it has impacted record sales drastically. Think of it like this: If you were the owner of Wal-Mart and people walked in and grabbed whatever they wanted off the shelf and walked out without paying for it, how long could you stay in business? I've read where 95% of digital downloads in the U.K. are illegal and over 75% here in America are illegal. With numbers like that, you can see how it's impacting me as an artist and my record label.

 Changing scene: There is no way to protect yourself from getting music stolen from you. The No. 1 person to ask would be artist and record company representatives. There are positives and negatives. Instead of people buying records now for two or three songs, they only have to buy those two or three songs online. You have to make sure you choose great songs, but definitely the negative outweighs the positive.

Personal encouragement: First and foremost, hearing (of) people giving their lives to the Lord; testimonies that my music has helped people through tough times and tough days, how it has encouraged them to keep fighting, how my music has impacted their lives and others—that is what encourages me to keep doing what we're doing every day.

Retail support: I would love to see a group of people from artists, record companies and retailers, from every genre of Christian music, to come together and brainstorm ideas on how we could all better one another.

Group 1 Crew

Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year, "Movin'"

Greatest challenge: The greatest challenge facing Christian music today is its ability to cross genres and accommodate a world of listeners who want quality sound that fits their lives. We need more diverse sounds, more acceptance of various styles that are all coming together with one goal—to spread our ministries and help listeners find their faith.

Digital impact: The digital movement has revolutionized how we can connect with our fans. It has also helped us get our name out there to music lovers with added benefit of instant gratification.

Changing scene: We absolutely think the digital revolution will ignite change in the contemporary Christian music market as well as all of the different music genres.

Personal encouragement: What has encouraged us the most is the ministry that is going on with our music. Fans are finding hope, faith, love and deliverance from dark situations through the music that our industry releases. That is amazing! To impact people in such a way is an incredible feeling ... a true honor.

Retail support: Simply continue to support the records released by our format and embrace digital possibilities on the retail front.

The Isaacs 

Bluegrass Album of the Year, Naturally

Greatest challenge: The greatest challenge facing Christian music today is the lack of radio airtime. When fans don't get to hear their music over the airwaves, it's hard for them to know what they like so they can go out and buy it or download it.

Digital impact: Digital downloads are good because people get to enjoy the music almost immediately after purchasing. But, on the down side, we as the artists suffer financially from the loss of hard-copy sales. The profit margin with actual CDs is much greater for us than digital downloads.

Changing scene: The Christian music world has already changed due to the lack of hard-copy CDs being sold at retail.

Personal encouragement: We're encouraged because we know that people are still buying our products at retail. In our economy today, it's hard for people who buy tickets to come to a show and then spend more money on CDs and merchandise. We do, however, still do reasonably well in sales at our shows.

Retail support: Christian retail stores need to offer a wide variety of Christian music, not just the top-10 artists. Also, in secular retail stores, the Christian music industry needs to make sure we too have ample space to display our music.

Randy Phillips (pictured left in photo)  (Phillips, Craig & Dean)

Inspirational Album of the Year, Fearless

Greatest challenge: The digital age of downloading an individual song versus buying a CD has changed record companies and the way industry does business. The economy has turned touring upside down. The future of full-scale concerts and a hard ticket seems to be morphing into something else. The music groups that will survive and thrive are the ones that can reinvent themselves and do music in a different format and paradigm. God is up to something. We've got to figure out what it is. The challenge is the fear in a global economy that is reshaping music, reshaping methods. But the gospel of Christ in music will prevail. God always finds a way to get His message to the people He loves.

Digital impact: I buy a song instead of an album. As a writer, I am pleased concerning downloads, but as an artist, I am torn. People are not grasping the entire spectrum of songs by listening to six songs. Most artists are trying to tell a story from the opening song to the last song. Taking a slice out of the middle gives you instant thrills/chills, but the listener is missing the journey.

 

Changing scene: Nashville has completely changed in terms of the Christian record industry. Faces have changed. Companies have merged, downsized, restructured. Nashville is a different place. Sometimes a sleeker model is good to make us more effective, sometimes it's reacting to the times. Life seems cyclical to me, and I believe things will come back (for the) better.

Personal encouragement: "Revelation Song" being No. 1 for 17 weeks straight. When you've been a Christian artist for 20 years, you get the sense that people want something unknown—fresh, new faces—so to have a song like that (that) radio embraced and audiences embraced was just so energizing. It encouraged me to keep being faithful to the calling, to be skillful and trust that God is full of surprises.

Retail support: Christian retailers understand that Christian music—unlike other music—affects earth and eternity. When someone walks in their store burdened or trying (to) explain loss, a retailer can point them to an artist or a song that completely changes the atmosphere into a God-embrace. As a pastor, I've never seen so many people full of fear and despair about our nation, our economy, the uprisings in the Middle East—what a great opportunity to show them that God sits upon the circle of the earth. He is in control.

Sidewalk Prophets

New Artist of the Year

Greatest challenge: This question is really important and worthy of note. What seems to be the greatest challenge facing Christian music is trying to keep a strong presence as the entire music industry shifts into new forms of distribution and engagement. The positive impact of Christian music will always have value, but as the digital age grows, it will become increasingly important that we as Christians be as innovative as ever to spread the gospel. This doesn't necessarily mean we create our own digital subculture, but instead we should be beckoned to create art that is so rich in content that it turns the heads and opens the hearts of people who may have never heard of Christ and His love for us.

 Digital impact: The digital revolution has opened so many new ways to connect with people. Whether it's videos on YouTube.com, songs on iTunes or great content on a Web site, these are great tools we can use to communicate with. For Sidewalk Prophets, using video to communicate our hearts has been one of our favorite things to do. It gives us a chance to let people who may never meet us in person to see that we are real people just living and loving life together. It's one thing to be able to perform on stage and share your heart, but it's completely refreshing that with the tools available now, we can communicate our hearts via the Internet through video, audio.

Changing scene: The Christian music world has already changed so much because of the digital revolution—the speed at which all things digital has flourished caught everyone off guard. Our guess is that we're anywhere between five and 10 years behind because no one was prepared for how huge the digital revolution would be. It's a volatile time for music as a whole, but not a "scary" time. In fact, these next few years are going to be interesting as great minds finally catch up and begin to figure out how to best utilize digital media. We should all be concerned if it doesn't change. As long as we're moving forward and being innovative, only good things can come from change.

Personal encouragement: The most encouraging thing has been the increasing amount of ways music can be seen/heard through digital media. In the near future, mobile devices (particularly cell phones) will become the top way for us to communicate. With everyone building new "apps" and cool ways to distribute content, this is becoming a huge and critical way for artists to connect with fans.

Retail support: The real goal is finding a way to meld physical retail locations and digital retail locations. One setback is that you can only invest so much into a person's life, digitally. Retailers who follow Christ need to put relationships at the top of the priority list. Face-to-face, loving relationships are what should and will define Christians. If we're able to build thriving outlets in our local communities, this will open the doors for a strong digital presence. This will not work vice versa—when we eliminate the true relationship between brothers and sisters in Christ and become strictly a "virtual" outlet, then we are slowly but surely losing grip on the reason we were created. Digital media is a great tool and it's best utilized when it's implemented to strengthen and enrich community and not used as a substitute for true community.