Tyndale Blog

Book Review: The Competitive Edge – How to Win Every Time You Compete

noreply@blogger.com (Adam) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Published in: MassPsych Vol 52 No 2 Spring/Summer 2008

Reviewed by Michael Levy, Ph.D.

When I first decided to read this book by Dr. Jeffrey Brown (Tyndale House Publishers, 2007), I assumed that it was specifically geared to athletes to enable them to overcome blocks, and to help them compete more successfully and effectively. However, after reading The Competitive Edge, I discovered that this is not the only focus of the book. Rather, it is about dealing with competition in general, on or off the field, and living life with integrity. With so much competition in the business world and in all we do, the book is quite relevant to everyone, and while the book can be helpful to athletes and those who participate in sports, it is much broader in its scope.

Dr. Brown makes the point early on that competition, wanting to win, and dealing with not winning exists everywhere. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this is in the sports arena. However, success and facing failure exists in all realms, whether this is getting a book or paper published, obtaining a job promotion, winning a business contract, or winning a sports event. While success is important (after all who doesn’t want to win and be successful?), a person’s character and integrity are equally, if not more, important. Dr. Brown makes the point that if people live life with integrity, they will feel like winners every time regardless of the actual and final outcome. And on the flipside, if people win, but in the process compromise their character, it’s doubtful that they will they feel like winners.

To help people develop the competitive edge, Dr. Brown offers seven guiding principles, which he elucidates in much detail in each of seven chapters. These guiding principles include the following: knowing the rules of the game; recognizing the right decision and making it; defining goals that reflect one’s values; rethinking winning; knowing the psychological pitfalls of competition; making friends with failure; and using time to one’s advantage. For each general strategy, Dr. Brown offers a wealth of knowledge, information, and examples that expand upon each principle to enable the reader to both better understand what each principle means and how to incorporate the strategy into their lives. Numerous examples are drawn from athletes involved in competitive sports, but scenarios from the business world are also included. However, regardless of where the examples stem, it is very clear how the strategies that are offered have applicability to everything that people do.

Dr. Brown in some ways redefines what winning is, and suggests that rather than being obsessed with and focused on the outcome, instead he instructs people to focus on the process. It is how “the game” is played that is most important, as opposed to whether one actually wins. Maintaining the competitive edge and feeling like a winner is all about living life with integrity. While this is a principle many of us has learned throughout our lives, Dr. Brown clearly spells this out and helps the reader to more fully appreciate this statement. A number of useful strategies are also offered to help people better deal with situations when the final outcome is not what one wanted. In particular, the chapters that highlight the guiding principles “Rethinking Winning” and “Making Friends with Failure” offer a number of useful strategies people can use to better cope with “failure”. Useful self-talk statements are offered, as well as creative ways to think about failure and what this truly means and as important, what it does not mean. Again, while much of this advice comes from Dr. Brown’s expertise in sports psychology, his suggestions have extreme relevance to situations we all face every day off of the field.

The book is very easy to read and it is one that could be turned back to for booster sessions when needed. Very appropriate for those who compete in sporting events and want to learn how better to cope with the competitiveness and deal with less desirable outcomes, this book would also be very useful for others who deal with competition in their lives. In addition, it could be useful for people who are struggling with perceived failure, who are down on themselves, and who could benefit from reading a self-help book to enable them to come to terms with such issues.

I am a highly competitive person, and while I am not struggling at the moment with the competitive environment we all live in or specifically with failure, the book gave me something to think about and reinforced things I know, but sometimes can forget or fail to consistently remember. Reading the book also reinforced the idea of how important it is to live life with integrity and how this is what truly makes a person a winner.

I do have one caveat: interspersed throughout the book are references to Christianity, numerous proverbs from the Bible, and the idea that living life with integrity and character makes one a good Christian and is what God wants. While persons of this religious faith could find this to be useful, supportive, and reinforcing, the reader who is not from this faith or who is irreligious could get turned off to such references. While one could certainly read and learn from the book and simply look past such ideology, I could see some people glance at the book, read this language, and put it down as it simply does not jive with their spiritual or religious orientation. Thus, if this book was going to be recommended to a client, I would suggest that this is mentioned and discussed up front. If this was not done, for people who are not Christian, they would likely wonder why the book was suggested to them and might think that it was a mistake to recommend the book specifically to them.

In summary, “The Competitive Edge” by Dr. Jeffrey Brown is a user-friendly, easy to read book that can help people to deal better with the competitive environment they live in and the inevitability of not always obtaining the outcomes that are desired. The book emphasizes the key point that living life with integrity is what is most important. Doing this gives people the competitive edge and enables them to feel like winners at all times. As competition is ubiquitous, most anyone can gain something from reading the book. However, the book would be particularly helpful to those who struggle with being in a competitive environment, as well as those who feel like they have failed and need to better cope with this.

What's New in Tyndale PR

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:49:00 +0000

To help answer a question that several people are already asking, I decided to post the answer to explain further than 140 characters on Twitter will allow.

We now have a Tyndale Blog Network badge! You can copy the code to add the badge to your blog. Once you log in to the TBN, you will see the badge under the "home" tab. It will look like this:

When you click on the "Click here," you'll notice that nothing happens. I was wondering about this too when our web team made it for us. Basically when you hit "click here," the code is automatically copied to your clipboard but it will look like nothing changes. If you paste (control + v) into any kind of place where you can write text (Word, email, etc.) the code will paste there. So after you click on "click here," simply paste the code into your blog html. Hopefully that helps all you confused TBN members out there!

On another note, The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book by Chuck Norris himself is releasing next week! Follow @chuckfactbook on Twitter for the chance to win a copy of the book (we'll be giving away several copies) and to get behind-the-scenes looks at Chuck's media tour in November. Let's get Chuck Norris trending all over Twitter!

Chuck Norris Book Signing November 2

noreply@blogger.com (Todd Starowitz) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Actor and martial-arts icon Chuck Norris will be signing his new book, The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book: 101 of Chuck’s Favorite Facts and Stories (November 2009; Tyndale House Publishers), at Scripture Haven Bookstore in College Station, TX, from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2. Chuck Norris Facts is a quirky, but extremely popular, Internet phenomenon that has entertained millions of fans from all over the globe. Now, for the first time ever, The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book gives fans not only Chuck’s favorite Facts but also stories behind the Facts and the code by which he lives his life.

Book signing information is as follows:

Monday, November 2, 2009
Scripture Haven Bookstore
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Post Oak Mall - 1500 Harvey Road
College Station, TX 77840-3769
(979) 764-1069

In addition to his acting career, Chuck Norris is also a martial-arts icon and a best-selling author of numerous books, including Black Belt Patriotism and the autobiographical Against All Odds: My Story. Norris’s nationally syndicated column appears in Human Events, Townhall, and WorldNetDaily, among other outlets. Chuck and his wife, Gena, continue to be involved in many charitable, Christian, and civic endeavors, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He has served as spokesperson for the U.S. Veterans Administration and is a Veteran Foundation’s Veteran of the Year Award recipient. In 2007, he was made an honorary member of the United States Marine Corps in recognition of his visits to troops in Iraq. Chuck and Gena Norris are also advocates for an elective Bible education course now offered in 475 public school districts in 38 states.

Arguably Chuck Norris’s greatest mission, however, is to raise the value and standards of young people through his Texas-based KICKSTART organization, founded in 1990. KICKSTART (www.kick-start.org) is a character-building, life-skills program whose fundamental purpose is to give our nation’s at-risk middle school students the tools to strengthen their self esteem. In addition to martial-arts training, KICKSTART provides young people with the core values and philosophies associated with leading a productive and healthy life. Mr. Norris hopes to expand the program nationwide. For more information on Chuck Norris and the KICKSTART program, go to www.chucknorris.com.

Tyndale's Take on the FTC Blogger Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:29:00 +0000

Some of you have been wondering what our PR team decided last week about the new FTC Blogger Guidelines. We saw an article today from Publishers Weekly which actually clarifies the guidelines quite a bit. The guidelines are just that--guidelines. They're not laws or regulations that can lead to civil penalties if violated.

So fear not, dear bloggers! The FTC is not going to come after you for not disclosing that you received a free product in exchange for a review. However, at the end of the PW article, Pam Coughlan, a blogger, says the blogging community wants "to know how to do things correctly and with transparency."

Here at Tyndale, we agree that transparency is important. That is why we are including the following statement on all ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) and with all review copies of books we send out:

To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, please mention as part of every Web or Amazon review that Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book or ARC.

Many of you already thank Tyndale for sending you a complimentary copy of a book for review in your blog postings, so thank you for doing that! For those of you who don't already mention that you received a review copy of the book from Tyndale for review purposes, we simply ask that you please do mention that in your blog reviews from now on. It only seems right to be transparent in disclosing that information, and it shouldn't take up too much of your time to add a simple statement to your blog entry. If you want to see examples of how others have done this, visit some of the blogs listed below:

Please read the Publishers Weekly article if you haven't already and let us know how you feel about our take on this issue or any other thoughts.

Jeanette Windle Joining Author Signing Event in Hagerstown

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Jeanette Windle, author of Veiled Freedom, will join award-winning and best-selling Christian authors at the Hagerstown Holiday Book Festival. She will be signing books, along with other authors, at this event.

Event info:
Hagerstown Holiday Book Festival
Saturday, November 28, 2009
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Virginia Avenue Church of God
17306 Virginia Avenue
Hagerstown, MD

Find out more of this event at the website.

Watch Chuck Norris Push Down the Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Chuck Norris Fact #67: When Chuck Norris does a push-up, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the Earth down.

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to embed the video here (I don't have the actual file), so you'll have to watch it on good old YouTube. If you've ever wanted to SEE Chuck Norris push down the Earth, here you go!

Chuck's wife, Gena Norris, gives some background on this video:
"We love this video that was done for the boy it was intended for and did bring a big smile to his face during his final days here on earth, before he went to meet Jesus. That is why we made the video. It has also brought some comfort to his family."

The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book by Chuck Norris himself is releasing in November, so be sure to check it out for 101 of Chuck Norris's favorite facts.

Francine Rivers' New Novel, "Her Mother's Hope," Releasing March 16, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:34:00 +0000

Anticipation is rising for the release of Francine Rivers’s Her Mother’s Hope, the first full-length novel the internationally best-selling author has written since 2003. Tyndale House Publishers will introduce the book with a national marketing campaign surrounding a March 16, 2010, “street date” launch.

Her Mother’s Hope is the first of two historical novels in the Marta’s Legacy series, a saga inspired by strong women from Francine Rivers’s own family ancestry. The oft-unspoken, sacrificial love of a mother for her daughter is a crucial component to this story of four generations of women. Francine Rivers drew her inspiration from the biblical Parable of the Sower and the Seed for this series, while exploring how feeling loved and actually being loved can be perceived very differently. Breaking hurtful generational cycles is a foundational theme in the series.

Near the turn of the twentieth century, fiery Marta Schneider leaves Switzerland and a difficult childhood behind, determined to find life on her own terms. She’s driven by her father’s belief that she’ll never amount to anything more than a servant and her mother’s encouragement to chase her dreams. But nothing has prepared her for the journey ahead and the sacrifices she must make as she travels through Europe and Canada, and finally to the dusty Central Valley of California to raise her family.

Marta’s hope is to give her children a better life, but experience has taught her that only the strong survive. Her tough love is often mistaken for disdain, especially by her oldest daughter, Hildemara Rose, who craves her mother’s acceptance. As Hildie pursues her calling as a nurse, she falls in love and starts a family of her own amidst the turmoil of World War II. But when tragedy threatens the independence she’s worked so hard to build, both mother and daughter must face their own shortcomings and the ever-widening chasm that threatens to separate them forever.

With her hallmark touches of brilliant prose and gripping characterizations, Francine Rivers pens a rich, moving epic about faith and dreams, heartache and disappointment, and ultimately the resilience and tenacity of love.

“Francine Rivers has meticulously crafted a compelling story with an important message for every generation of women,” said Babette Rea, Marketing Manager, Tyndale House. “Tyndale House is privileged to publish Her Mother’s Hope, the first book in an inspiring and significant series about reconciliation and the restoration of life’s most important relationships.”

Francine Rivers has published several best-selling novellas and novels, including the Lineage of Grace series, The Mark of the Lion trilogy, and Redeeming Love. She has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her books have been translated into more than 20 different languages. Her novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous honors, including the RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, and the Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. In 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. She and her husband, Rick, live in northern California.

New FTC Rules for Bloggers - How will it affect you?

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:19:00 +0000

As many of you know, Tyndale has its own blogger review program like many publishing houses. Through the Tyndale Blog Network, bloggers can sign up and request specific books for review. We send a FREE copy of the book in exchange for a review posted on the member's blog and a consumer site (like Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, ChristianBook.com, etc.).

This week, the FTC announced new rules for bloggers that, if violated, could add up to $11k in fines. Effective December 1, bloggers receiving any kind of compensation (including free product) will have to disclose that information clearly on their blog when posting a review of the product.

For more information on these FTC rules, visit these links:
http://www.edrants.com/interview-with-the-ftcs-richard-cleland/
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=139457

Our Tyndale Publicity Team is going to be discussing this in our meeting next week. We'll have a way to remind our blogging friends of this new policy to avoid fines for both parties.

What do you think of this policy? How will it affect the way you blog or read blogs? Do you read reviews on blogs where you know the person received the product for free? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Loreane Tomlinson, mother of LT, Book Signing October 10

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:14:00 +0000

Loreane Tomlinson, mother of NFL great LaDainian Tomlinson "LT," will be signing her new book, LT & Me, on Saturday, October 10 at Family Christian Store in Waco, Texas. Here is the book signing info:

Saturday, October 10, 2009
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Family Christian Stores #89
105 S New Rd
Waco, TX 76710-6984
(254) 772-3350

If you're in the area, head out to this book signing!

VeggieTales Creator Phil Vischer to Release New DVD Series for Kids with Tyndale

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Tyndale House Publishers is delighted to announce that VeggieTales® creator Phil Vischer has signed with Tyndale to produce an entertaining and educational new DVD series for kids and families. From the man who made vegetables talk, sing, dance, and tell Bible stories comes “What’s in the Bible ?”—an ambitious new series that walks kids through the entire Bible. Tyndale will introduce the new 13 DVD series with the March 2010 release of the first two DVDs, tentatively titled In the Beginning (Volume 1) and Let My People Go! (Volume 2).

“We are excited to team up with Phil Vischer and his team at Jellyfish Labs on ‘What’s in the Bible?’” said Katara Patton, Acquisitions Director, Children and Youth. “Tyndale’s foundation is built on making the Word of God applicable and understandable to children. This new DVD series is a wonderful way to bring the Bible to life and to help kids know God and his Word.”

Phil Vischer and his Jellyfish Labs team have created a groundbreaking new series that could change the way kids and families learn about the Bible. Each DVD in the “What’s in the Bible?” series is filled with original music, animation, memorable puppet characters, and hilarious writing that will take kids on a wild and witty journey through the Bible.

“After ten years of teaching kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness through talking vegetables, it occurred to me that what families really need today isn’t just another way to teach Christian values, but rather a way to teach the Bible and Christianity itself with the same sense of whimsy and fun as VeggieTales,” observed Vischer. “I can’t imagine a more important effort to be engaged in right now—bringing the Bible to life for the kids of this generation. We believe ‘What’s in the Bible?’ can help families raise kids who know God’s Word and know how to live it in front of a watching world.”

“Looking back, it almost feels like the simple lessons of VeggieTales were the appetizer, and we’re ready now for the main course!” declared Vischer.

Content in the “What’s in the Bible?” series will be exclusive to the DVDs, but the characters will also appear on www.JellyTelly.com, Vischer’s faith-based daily Internet program in partnership with Focus on the Family.

Removing Excuses from the Bedroom

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Listen to Dr. Julianna Slattery's discussion on "Removing Excuses from the Bedroom," which aired September 21 and 22 on Focus on the Family's daily radio broadcast. Dr. Juli offers advice to married couples based on her new book No More Headaches: Enjoying Sex and Intimacy in Marriage.

Hear Part I.
Hear Part II.

Get a FREE copy of "The Secret of Indigo Moon!"

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:22:00 +0000

We are giving away 50 copies of The Secret of Indigo Moon, book 2 in the Dopple Ganger Chronciles by G.P. Taylor!

Watch the book trailer here to learn more!

In order to get your free copy, tweet that we are giving away 50 copies of the book and/or direct people to the book trailer.

Then email christywong@tyndale.com with your mailing address. The first 50 people to respond will get the book!

Let us know in the comments section of the blog if you tweeted about this giveaway (it'd be helpful if you included your Twitter handle too).

Thanks!

How Then, Should We Tweet?

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Hello, Twitter friends!

Tomorrow morning, I am giving a Twitter Tutorial to the publicity team here at Tyndale. I'd love some feedback from you about how we, as a publisher, can use Twitter to its best potential.

So what can we do to make Twitter work for us? What are some things we should change? What are we doing well? What are some good ways we can use Twitter and social media to help promote our authors and our Tyndale brand?

Any suggestions for using Twitter in the world of publishing are welcome! And if you're not following us on Twitter yet, our handle is @TyndaleHouse. If you want to follow me and send me some suggestions too, find me @christywong.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Loreane Tomlinson, Mother of NFL great, to Sign Books on September 27

noreply@blogger.com (Todd Starowitz) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Loreane Tomlinson, Mother of NFL great,
to Sign Books at Ralphs Grocery in La Jolla on Sunday, September 27

CAROL STREAM, IL—Loreane Tomlinson, mother of San Diego Chargers running back and NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson (“LT”), will sign copies of her new book, LT & Me, in La Jolla, California on Sunday, September 27. LaDainian Tomlinson will NOT be accompanying his mother at the signing.

Book signing information is as follows:

Sunday, September 27
Ralphs Grocery (#108)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
8657 Villa La Jolla Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 597-1550

Written by Loreane Tomlinson, LT & Me: What Raising a Champion Taught Me about Life, Faith, and Listening to Your Dreams is a proud mother’s story of how all her son’s seemingly impossible dreams came true. Loreane’s fascinating and poignant tales of raising LT through her days as a struggling single mom and watching him doggedly overcome obstacles in his quest for greatness will inspire you to bring out the champion in your kids—and in yourself.

Tyndale House Publishers has had great success recently with a number of football-related titles. Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life (July 2007) reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List, and with more than 1,000,000 copies in print, it is one of the best-selling sports-related titles in history. Dungy’s latest book, Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance (Jan. 2009), reached No. 2 on the Times’ Advice, How-To & Misc. List. Game Plan for Life (July 2009) by Joe Gibbs has spent six consecutive weeks on the Times’ list, while First Things First (June 2009) by Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, was also a Times best seller. Don’t Bet Against Me! (Sept. 2007) by Deanne Favre, wife of NFL great Brett Favre, spent 10 consecutive weeks on either the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction primary list (top 15) or expanded list (top 35). The Winners Manual (July 2008), written by Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, reached No. 3 on the Times’ Advice List.

Tyndale House Publishers was founded in 1962 by Dr. Kenneth N. Taylor as a means of publishing The Living Bible. It is now one of the premier publishing houses in the industry. Tyndale products include numerous New York Times best sellers, including the popular Left Behind series. Tyndale also publishes the New Living Translation Bible and many other resources for church and family. Tyndale House Publishers is located in Carol Stream, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago.

For media inquiries related to the book, please contact Todd Starowitz at (630) 784-5397 or at toddstarowitz@tyndale.com.
####

Tyndale House to Release The Official Chuck Norris Factbook

noreply@blogger.com (Todd Starowitz) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:13:00 +0000

Tyndale House Publishers announces the November release of
The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, a look at Chuck’s favorite Facts, from the man himself.

[Carol Stream, Ill.]—Tyndale House Publishers announced today that it will release The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book: 101 of Chuck’s Favorite Facts and Stories, written by Chuck Norris with Todd DuBord, in November. Chuck Norris Facts is a quirky, but extremely popular, Internet phenomenon that has entertained millions of fans from all over the globe. Now, for the first time ever, Chuck Norris gives fans not only his favorite Facts but also stories behind the Facts and the code by which Chuck lives his life.

“For the past three years, I’ve been asked repeatedly to select my favorite Chuck Norris Facts,” said Norris, a TV and film actor who has starred in more than 20 films and is well-known for his popular television series Walker, Texas Ranger. “For three years, people from everywhere have inquired in person and by mail about what I think about particular Chuck Norris Facts. For three years, I’ve been solicited to write this manuscript. So, finally, I’m happy to offer the world The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, 101 of my favorite Facts, with my personal reflections on each.”

Hundreds of thousands of humorous Chuck Norris Facts have traveled around the globe via the Internet, and they have gained an international audience of millions. You’ve heard the Facts:

Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
Chuck Norris doesn’t need a weapon. He is one.
When Chuck Norris does push-ups, he isn’t pushing himself up. He’s pushing the earth down.

In addition to the Facts, each entry includes an example of “Chuck’s Code,” the five core values that summarize his life’s purpose. They are represented by five Fs: Freedom, Family, Fitness, Faith, and Fight.

Promotion for The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book will include a comprehensive marketing campaign and a national media tour.Said Jon Farrar, Tyndale Acquisitions Director, “The facts themselves will be humorous, but he will have basically a 250-word commentary on each fact. He talks about his movie career and different things that have happened to him in his life. He’ll take the humor as a jumping-off point.”

In addition to his acting career, Chuck Norris is also a martial arts icon and a best-selling author of numerous books, including Black Belt Patriotism and the autobiographical Against All Odds: My Story. Norris’s nationally syndicated column appears in Human Events, Townhall, and WorldNetDaily, among other outlets. Chuck and his wife, Gena, continue to be involved in many charitable, Christian, and civic endeavors, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He has served as spokesperson for the U.S. Veterans Administration and is a Veteran Foundation’s Veteran of the Year Award recipient. In 2007, he was made an honorary member of the United States Marine Corps in recognition of his visits to troops in Iraq. Chuck and Gena Norris are also advocates for an elective Bible education course now offered in 475 public school districts in 38 states.

Arguably Chuck Norris’s greatest mission, however, is to raise the value and standards of young people through his Texas-based KICKSTART organization, founded in 1990. KICKSTART (www.kick-start.org) is a character-building, life-skills program whose fundamental purpose is to give our nation’s at-risk, middle school students the tools to strengthen their self-esteem. In addition to martial arts training, KICKSTART provides young people with the core values and philosophies associated with leading a productive and healthy life. Mr. Norris hopes to expand the program nationwide. For more information on Chuck Norris and the KICKSTART program, go to www.chucknorris.com.

Tyndale House Publishers was founded in 1962 by Dr. Kenneth N. Taylor as a means of publishing The Living Bible. Tyndale is now one of the premier publishing houses in the industry. Tyndale products include numerous New York Times best sellers, including the popular Left Behind series and Quiet Strength, the memoir by former NFL head coach Tony Dungy that reached No. 1 on the Times list and has become one of the best-selling nonfiction sports-related titles in history. Tyndale also publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, and many other resources for church and family. Tyndale House Publishers is located in Carol Stream, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

For media inquiries related to the book, please contact Todd Starowitz at (630) 784-5397 or via e-mail at toddstarowitz@tyndale.com. For all other inquiries related to Chuck Norris, please contact Jeff Duclos at (310) 374-0465 or via email at jaduclos@aol.com.

600 Churches Signed On to Carry Rosenberg's 9/11 Town Hall Webcast

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:03:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Beverly Rykerd
(719) 481-0537
Beverly@rykerd.com

600 Churches Signed On to Carry Rosenberg’s 9/11 Town Hall Webcast
Total Living Network Airing Live Program

CAROL STREAM, Ill. (September 9, 2009)— Churches throughout North America continue to sign up for Joel C. Rosenberg’s live webcast national town hall slated for Friday, September 11. Thus far, more than 600 congregations have agreed to carry the web cast town hall on “The Threat of Radical Islam and the Church’s Response” as a special event in their churches this Friday night. Radio host Janet Parshall, of Salem Radio’s “Janet Parshall’s America,” will to emcee the evening’s events which includes a 30-minute preview of Rosenberg’s new documentary “Inside the Revolution,” and a Q&A with Rosenberg and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Jerry Boykin, former deputy undersecretary of defense intelligence and founding member of Delta Force.

Webcasting live from Calvary Chapel Philadelphia from 7:00-9:00 pm EDT, the program will be carried live on the Total Living Network (TLN) and affiliate stations, reaching 10 million households and available 24/7 on the world wide web. In addition, the INSP network and NRB Network will air the event on a future date to be determined Thus far, 750 radio stations are confirmed to broadcast the program in either live or a delayed format.

The evening’s line-up includes Tom Doyle, author of two books on Israel and the Middle East, and revivalist Hormoz Shariat, a former radical Shia Muslim who became a follower of Jesus Christ after the Iranian Revolution, now has a Christian satellite ministry seen by 7-9 million Iranians every weekday night, and has been called the “Billy Graham of Iran.”

A partial list of churches carrying the webcast can be found at www.insidetherevolution.org. Viewers can also watch the program for free from their personal computers. Information and a trailer of the “Inside the Revolution” documentary, which releases from Tyndale House Publishers on September 11, can be found at the film’s website. For addition information on Joel Rosenberg, visit www.joelrosenberg.com.

# # #

Hey Dallas - see George Barna LIVE on the LIFE Today Show!

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Tyndale author, George Barna will be a guest on the LIFE Today show with James Robison. If you are in the Dallas area on Tuesday, September 22nd and would like to be in the studio audience for his appearance, you’re invited to attend.

The taping is at 7 PM CT and tickets are free, but you must reserve your seat. To do that, call 817-354-3655 or email audience@loi.org. The studios are located at 1801 West Euless Boulevard, Euless, Texas 76040.

Your Chance to be Heard on Adventures in Odyssey!

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:55:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to be in Adventures in Odyssey episode? This is your chance! We need some voices for an upcoming episode and we want to hear from you!

Here’s how it works:
1. Record yourself answering the question: “How am I inspired by Connie Kendall?”
2. Be sure your sound file is 20 seconds or less. Due to the number of entries, we can’t listen to files that are longer than 20 seconds.
3. Send an e-mail to questions@whitsend.org with the subject line of “Connie Clip.” (Always be sure to get your parent’s permission before e-mailing anyone.)
4. Be sure to attach your recording and the release form so we can include your voice in the show.

We’ll chose our favorites to be included in the season premiere (tentatively called “The Inspiration Station”) in March 2010. Be sure to listen to the show to hear which clips are chosen!

A Few Tips:
- Give it some thought. Entries will be judged on their creativity, humor, or poignancy as well as their voice quality.
- Don’t mention episode names or the show itself. These clips will take place “in Odyssey.” So instead of saying, “In the episode ‘Connie’…,” you could say, “I remember the time when Connie…”
- Sorry, no royalties or payments will be given for your voice clip. (But you will be forever immortalized in an episode!)
- Hurry! We need to hear from you by Friday, September 11, 2009!

Visit Whit's End for more info and for other fun AIO stuff!

Darien's Rise

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Some of you may have read the Passages series books, but now we have a new audio drama version of the stories for you.

Darien's Rise is the first of these Passages CDs, available in stores now. Here's a brief description:

Each Passages manuscript chronicles the adventures of kids from Odyssey, in different times, who travel to an alternate world called Marus. At first unbeknownst to the listener, each Marus manuscript is actually a Bible story retold in a fantasy setting. Through each tale, John Avery Whittaker (“Whit”) and Jack Allen investigate, unearthing a larger story that connects all six manuscripts. As the epic stories play out in Marus, Whit and Jack must race to solve the mystery of this hidden land. In Darien’s Rise, two kids from Odyssey find themselves transported to a strange new world. They are immediately caught up in a struggle between a power-mad king and his valiant young general. (This is the story of David and King Saul retold in a medieval setting.) Enter a land where belief in God becomes the adventure of a lifetime! All new content!

Learn more at the website.

Get ready for the Screwtape Letters!

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:14:00 +0000

If you're a C.S. Lewis fan, you're sure to enjoy the audio drama presentation of The Screwtape Letters, coming this October from Focus on the Family and Tyndale House Publishers.

Andy Serkis, who plays Gollum in Lord of the Rings, is the voice of the infamous Screwtape. If you're a member of the Tyndale Blog Network, you can request a review copy of The Screwtape Letters for FREE. This product includes over 4 hours of audio entertainment, including a 45-minute behind-the-scenes DVD.

The drama also stars Geoffrey Palmer (Tomorrow Never Dies), Laura Michelle Kelly (Sweeney Todd), Eileen Page (The Secret Garden), and other world-class actors. Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis and co-producer of the Narnia films, is the host.

You can view a preview of the behind-the-scenes footage here. The website will launch on September 15, so stay tuned for that!

Dopple Ganger Hotter Than Potter

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:27:00 +0000

This boy did a video review of book one in the Dopple Ganger Chronicles by G.P. Taylor. He says he liked this book better than Harry Potter!

Let us know your thoughts and be sure to check out book 2, The Secret of Indigo Moon, in stores next week!

September's Gonna be Exciting!

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:37:00 +0000

September is almost here, which means we have LOTS of new, exciting books coming to stores near you!

Check out this awesome book trailer for The Secret of Indigo Moon, book 2 of the Dopple Ganger Chronicles by G.P. Taylor.

Do you want to heal the brokenness in your family and prevent yourself from passing down the hurt to the next generation? Read about Drs. Tom and Beverly Rodgers' experiences on their blog, based off their new book Becoming a Family that Heals.

Those are just a few of our many fall titles. Be sure to check back for new ones!

p.s. If you have a blog and you haven't joined the Tyndale Blog Network yet, sign up today to have access to FREE books for review.

Marilyn Hontz on Words of Shame...& some personal thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Marilyn Hontz, author of Shame Lifter (March 2009), put up a great blog post today about words of shame and the power they can have over us.

Just reading Marilyn's doctor's office scenario made me hurt from the harsh words the receptionist said to her! It reminded me, though, that sometimes when I'm feeling annoyed or frustrated, I can speak to people (especially those closest to me) in such harsh tones. It's like an emotional release of our own inner problems and tensions onto those around us. Whether or not those people instigated the anger or frustration, the tone of the words makes a huge difference in how they are received and how the other person reacts to our words.

A little over 10 days ago, my family's 16-year-old pug, Jasmine, died. I remember how when Jasmine was younger (and still had her hearing), she would react to the tone of our voices. If we said "Oh, what a bad dog!" in a sweet, sing-songy voice, Jasmine would wag her tail and get excited. And if we yelled at her saying, "WHAT A GOOD DOG," she would put her ears back and give us those scared, sad pug-dog eyes. To Jasmine, it wasn't what we said, but how we said it.

Obviously this is different for human beings--we can comprehend the words people say as well as the way in which they say them. Although the words may be sweet, if they're said in an indifferent or negative tone, they could become sarcasm. The book of James reminds us of how powerful the tongue can be!

As I think also of the day after Jasmine died, I still went to work, going about my day as if nothing was different even though inside I was hurting from the loss of my precious friend. Even a couple co-workers asked me how I was doing and if I had a good weekend, but I simply replied, "Good" and "Yes, my weekend was okay," sharing only the good things that happened over the weekend (I didn't want to bring up my dog's death).

As I went about my day, I thought about how there are people walking around the office with hurt, and we just don't realize all the pain they're carrying because they don't show it to the world. So as I think about the receptionist in Marilyn's story and how Marilyn wonders if the woman could have been having a rough day or maybe struggles in her life, I'm becoming more aware that I need to be sensitive and attuned to the needs of people around me. While this is true in all aspects of life, I find it especially true for myself in my church youth group, where I'm a counselor. How can I recognize the needs of the individual teens I see twice a week? How can I encourage them in their walks with God and be a friend and mentor to them?

I want to be that kind of person, and I know I can only do it by the strength of my Heavenly Father. I'll start first by making sure His Word and words are firmly planted in my own heart so I can share them with others.

Tyndale to Publish Christmas Book by Recording Artist Matthew West

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:11:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce that popular Christian music artist and songwriter Matthew West is publishing a book with us this November called 101 Simple and Thoughtful Ways to Give This Christmas Away.

The book was inspired by "Give This Christmas Away," a song (recorded with Amy Grant) West was commissioned to write for the new VeggieTales Christmas DVD, Saint Nicholas - A Story of Joyful Giving, releasing this fall.

The book will feature the lyrics to the song “Give This Christmas Away” and Matthew West’s story of how he was inspired to write it. Each subsequent page of 101 Simple & Thoughtful Ways to Give This Christmas Away will contain one idea on the theme, plus an explanation on how to put it into practice, with a related Bible verse selected from the New Living Translation (NLT). The 101 ways will range from the seemingly insignificant ways—like holding the door for someone—to working with a ministry, such as Operation Christmas Child, and discovering what giving to that organization means in the life of a child.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the book -- and keep an ear out to hear the single, "Give This Christmas Away" on the radio!

Healing Your Family's Soul Wounds

noreply@blogger.com (Christy Wong) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Tune in to Focus on the Family's daily broadcast Thursday, August 20 & Friday, August 21 to hear Christian counselors Drs. Tom and Beverly Rodgers discuss how to heal your family's soul wounds and how to break the cycle of family brokenness.

Tom and Bev wrote Becoming a Family that Heals: How to Resolve Past Issues and Free Your Future, published by Focus on the Family and Tyndale. The book will be available in September. For more information, visit their website.