Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback and Super Bowl XLIV Most Valuable Player, will be releasing his memoir, Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity, with Tyndale House Publishers, the Illinois-based publisher announced today. The autobiography, which is scheduled to release Tuesday, July 6, 2010, will chronicle the incredible comeback story not only of one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, but also the rebirth of a city and a team that many had all but written off. Chris Fabry (who also penned Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel’s NYT bestselling The Winners Manual) will collaborate with Brees in writing the book. Coming Back Stronger will feature a multi-city book tour and a comprehensive marketing campaign. 

“The comeback stories of Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints, and the city of New Orleans has inspired the nation,â€� said Ron Beers, Tyndale Sr. Vice President and Publisher. “But there is so much more that people don’t know. Unfortunately, we’re living in an economy where a lot of people are being forced to stage their own comebacks.  Drew’s story and message of perseverance in the face of adversity is something that everyone can learn from.â€� 

When a potentially career-ending shoulder injury left quarterback Drew Brees without a team, the NFL wondered, would Brees ever come back? When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, leaving 85 percent of the city under water, many wondered, would the city ever come back? And when their stadium was transformed into a make-shift refugee camp, forcing the Saints to play their entire 2005 season on the road, people questioned, would the team ever come back? 

It takes a special person to turn adversity into success and despair into hope—yet that is exactly what Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees has done—and with the weight of an entire city on his shoulders.  In Coming Back Stronger, Brees’ inspiring message of hope proves that with enough faith, determination, and heart, every one of us can overcome the obstacles life throws our way and not only come back, but come back stronger.  

Brees is the 2009 Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. A native of Austin, TX, Brees attended Westlake High School and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, and as a senior in 1996 led his football team to a perfect 16-0 record and the 5A State Championship while garnering 5A Offensive Player of the Year honors. 

He attended Purdue University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management from the prestigious Krannert School of Management while lettering in football from 1997-2000. A two-time Heisman finalist, Brees led the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl appearance during the 2000 season. In that same year he won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top collegiate player as well as being named Academic All-American Player of the Year and a recipient of the National Football Foundation’s post-graduate scholarship. 

In Brees’ five years with the San Diego Chargers and four years with the New Orleans Saints, he has been elected to four Pro Bowls while being named 2004 Comeback Player of the Year, 2006 All-Pro Team, 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and Super Bowl XLIV Champion and MVP. 

As much pride as Brees takes in his on-field performance, he takes even more satisfaction in his community service endeavors. Drew and his wife, Brittany, established the Brees Dream Foundation in 2003 and since then have raised and/or committed over $5 million to help advance cancer research, care for cancer patients, and rebuild schools, parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields in New Orleans, San Diego, and Purdue/West Lafayette, Ind. communities. Drew currently lives with his wife Brittany and son, Baylen, in New Orleans. 

In accordance with the Brees’ wishes, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of Coming Back Stronger will go to support The Brees Dream Foundation’s ongoing efforts to advance research in the fight against cancer and provide care, education, and opportunities for children in need.

  

We are giving away 5 copies of Son of Hamas. Here’s how to enter:   

Tweet this: Learn how to win a free copy of the @tyndalehouse book Son of Hamas – visit www.tyndale.com/blog for more info on the book and the giveaway    

Or    

Post a link on your blog or webpage to this blog post and post the link in the comments section    

Winners will be announced at 4:00PM CST tomorrow March 16th.    

TRUE STORY REVEALS THE BRUTAL LIFE GROWING UP AS A “SON OF HAMAS” 

We’re entering the third week of the What’s In the Bible? Blog Tour! If you haven’t entered to win a copy of In the Beginning or Let My People Go!, you can visit some of these blogs to read their reviews of the series so far and to enter their contests:

http://digiscrapping.net/blog/2010/03/15/whats-in-the-bible-blog-tour-giveaway/

http://canadianladybugreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-dvds-giveaway.html

http://prsteps.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-dvd-giveaway.html

http://keepingupklapper.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-blog-tour-and-giveaway.html

http://motheroftwo-jenmom.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-and-giveaway.html

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/AnnikaElizabeth/771820/

http://snoodlings.com/2010/03/15/whats-in-the-bible-week-meet-the-characters/ (It’s What’s In the Bible WEEK here!)

http://blog.scripturemenu.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-new-childrens-video_15.html

http://www.mytwoblessings.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-dvd-series-phil-vischer.html

http://bornagainandblessed.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-blog-tour-and-giveaway.html

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/cuckoo-deals-exlusive-giveaways/whats-in-the-bible-2-childrens-dvds/

http://beautyofthebible.com/2010/03/16/review-whats-in-the-bible-episodes-1-and-2/

http://jimkane.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/review-of-whats-in-the-bible/

http://www.christiandeliberations.com/2010/03/xciii-dvdr-whats-in-bible-by-phil.html

You can also read Randy Alcorn’s review of the series at his blog (http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/2010/03/phil-vischers-whats-in-bible-dvds.html). Thanks for the endorsement, Randy!

 

Thanks to all of you who participated in our Chuck Norris Birthday contest! There were a lot of great entries, but we could only choose five winners.

And the winners of the Chuck Norris Birthday contest are…

Elizabeth Doogan (on Facebook): “Today is a day that, 70 years ago, changed the world. On this day the world’s most deadly weapon was created: the roundhouse kick.”

Anthony Trendl: “No one throws Chuck Norris a party. He throws it…far.”

Steve: “When the birthday candles on Chuck Norris’ cake saw him coming, they blew themselves out.”

Craig: “Chuck Norris didn’t turn 70…he twisted it until it cried ‘Uncle.”‘

Kevin Rojas: “The last time Chuck Norris blew out some candles, we called it climate change.”

Congratulations! You’ll be receiving a SIGNED copy of The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book. You’ll be receiving an email requesting your mailing address. Thanks for sharing your Chuck Norris birthday facts with us and for wishing Chuck a happy 70th birthday!

 

Chuck Norris is  celebrating his 70^th Birthday today!
 

So we’re giving away copies of The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book to celebrate.

 There are two ways to win a copy of Chuck’s book:

- Share your best Chuck Norris birthday fact in the comments of this blog or on our Tyndale Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carol-Stream-IL/Tyndale-House-Publishers/35919771991?ref=ts).
- Create your own birthday greeting video for Chuck Norris and post the link to the video in the blog comments.

We will choose five of the most creative birthday facts or videos to receive a copy of The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book. Please keep your videos and birthday facts family-friendly! Any inappropriate content will disqualify your entry.

The contest ends at 4:00 PM CT today. Good luck, and happy birthday to Chuck!

It’s week two of the What’s In the Bible? Blog Tour! Keep checking this post throughout the week for links to more blogs where you can win copies of In the Beginning and Let My People Go!

http://ashabutterflys.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-and-giveaway.html

http://calumhenderson.com/kids-youth/whats-in-the-bible-answers-tricky-questions/

http://www.noordinarymomentsblog.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-giveaway.html

http://seizethebookblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/dvd-review-whats-in-bible-by-phil.html

http://ouroutofsynclife.blogspot.com/2010/03/win-free-dvd-of-whats-in-bible.html

http://kennedyandzach.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-new-dvd-series-just.html

http://blessedkid.blogspot.com/2010/03/dvd-review-whats-in-bible.html

http://ldgermany.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-free-giveaway.html

http://iambelievinggod.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/phil-vischers-new-dvd-series-teaches-biblical-truth/

http://readornotread.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible.html

http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/03/video-review-giveaway-whats-in-bible.html

http://jandkharrison.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review.html

http://foodforthoughtwithasideoflaughter.blogspot.com/2010/03/dvd-review-whats-in-bible.html

http://finamoon.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-by-phil-vischer-review.html

http://passionatechildrensservant.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review.html

http://koreamom.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-and-giveaway.html

http://www.momsbalancingact.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-dvd-review-and-giveaway.html

http://trinitykids.myblogspace.ca/?p=31

http://berlysue.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-by-phil-vischer-my.html

http://www.fundamentallyreformed.com/2010/03/11/whats-in-the-bible-dvds-by-phil-vischer/

The What’s In the Bible? Blog Tour is underway! Each week in March, 20 more bloggers will be posting their reviews of Phil Vischer’s new What’s In the Bible? DVD series. The best part? You can enter to win one of the DVDs on these blogs!

So head over to these blogs, read their reviews, and enter their contests! I’ll add links as more blog reviews come in.

http://eliashib.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/whats-in-the-bible/

http://www.jennifersikora.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-and-giveaway.html

http://jettiesramblings.blogspot.com/2010/02/whats-in-bible-by-phil-vischer.html

http://sunflowerfaith.com/2010/03/01/whats-in-the-bible-dvd-review-andyes-a-giveaway/

http://afewshortcuts.com/2010/02/bible-review-giveaway/

http://thelifeandtimesofwanda.blogspot.com/2010/02/whats-in-bible-blog-tour.html

http://veggietalesshop.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/whats-in-phil-vischers-new-project-whats-in-the-bible/

http://redlilycafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-tour-whats-in-bible-blog-tour-and.html

http://www.mammainthescene.com/?p=1010

http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-dvds-and-giveaways.html

http://tiredneedsleep.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-blog-tour-review-and.html

http://quilldancer.com/2010/03/02/a-great-video-a-great-giveaway/

http://unassuming-grace.blogspot.com/2010/03/movie-review-whats-in-bible-with-buck.html

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/momof7kids/769257/

http://www.homeschoolmarmreviews.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-review-and-dvd-giveaway.html

http://takeck.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-book-dvd-review.html

http://chingchangchoi.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-by-phil-vischer.html

http://www.mamiofmultiples.com/2010/03/review-giveaway-whats-in-bible-helping.html

http://daveanasbookcase.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible.html

http://whatyoureadingnow.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-in-bible-dvd-series-by-phil.html

Be sure to visit www.whatsinthebible.com for more information on the series or head to your local Christian bookstore to get your copies of the first two DVDs today!

**WINNERS ANNOUNCED**
We had a lot of great entries in our conversation heart contest today. Thanks to all who participated! The talented Adam Sabados chose the winners for today’s contest. Here are the winning conversation hearts:

Tammy: I <3 U!
Renee Johnson : I Agape U.
Lucy: I see you

Winners should have received an email from me letting you know which book you won. Congratulations!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’re going to host a special Valentine’s Day giveaway! If you win, unfortunately you won’t get your book until after Valentine’s Day, but hopefully the resources we provide will encourage and challenge you as you live a life of love every day of your life. 

Here are the prizes for today’s winners (one book per winner): 

 Blessing Your Husband by Debra Evans 

 

Cupidity by Hayley & Michael DiMarco 

The Busy Couple’s Guide to Sharing the Work & the Joy by Kathy Peel

How to Win:
You know those little conversation hearts?

If you were to come up with a new saying to put on a conversation heart, what would it be? The three most creative responses will win one of the three books above. Just leave your response in the comments below along with your email address so we can contact you if you win.

The contest ends at 4:00 PM CT. Good luck!

*Update: The blog tour is full. Thanks to all of you who signed up to participate! You’ll be receiving an email with further instructions soon.*

We are very excited about the release of What’s In the Bible?, a new DVD series from Phil Vischer, the creator of VeggieTales. Phil is passionate about being able to teach kids more than just Christian values; he wants to help them discover that the Bible is more than just the stories of Jonah and David by teaching them what is actually in the Bible and how all the stories fit together.

Kids today consume a staggering five hours of media each day, and may spend about one hour a week in church. Seven out of ten American adults believe kids receive inadequate spiritual instruction. For conservative Christians, the number rises to nine out of ten. It’s no wonder the Church is so biblically illiterate:

• 64% of Americans said they did not read the Bible because they are too busy.
• In a report on America’s religious illiteracy, USA Today reported that 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married.
• A 2000 study showed that 60% of evangelical Christians believed that Jesus was born in Jerusalem rather than Bethlehem.
• Only half of American adults can name even one of the four Gospels

Phil’s series, What’s In the Bible?, is part of the solution to the problem of biblical illiteracy. This 13-part DVD series will take you through the entire Bible—Genesis through Revelation—in a format that provides the best of biblical education for kids. The first two DVDs, In the Beginning and Let my People Go, will take you and your kids through Genesis and Exodus through hilarious new characters, catchy songs, and engaging animation.

We are recruiting 100 bloggers to be a part of our What’s In the Bible Blog Tour! To sign up, request In the Beginning from the Tyndale Blog Network. Participants will be required to post a blog review of the series on their personal blog in March and on ChristianBook.com or CBD.com.

The first 100 bloggers to request the DVD will receive:

• A preview copy of In the Beginning and Let My People Go to review
• Links to the What’s In the Bible video trailer, coloring pages, and character images to include in a blog review
• A certificate for a free copy of each DVD to give away on your blog

 If you sign up to join the tour, you will be contacted about an assigned week in March to post your review. Please contact Christy Wong at christywong@tyndale.com with any additional questions.

Carol Stream, Ill.—Tyndale House Publishers today announced that it will launch its entirely revamped corporate Web site (www.tyndale.com) on Monday, February 1, 2010. With the virtual explosion of social networking communities available to consumers, Tyndale understood that a relatively static Web site featuring primarily one-way communication was not fully meeting the needs of its visitors. To satisfy the demand for a corporate Web site that would place a larger focus on harnessing external discussions and provide an ear for the voices of its customers, Tyndale felt it should enter into an interactive, multiple-platform dialogue. Development for the overhauled Web site began in June 2009 with the primary purpose of implementing an improved user experience.

“Tyndale’s role as a publisher has evolved from pushing content in a one-way conversation to a two-way conversation with our valued consumers,� said Debbie Johnson, Senior Advertising and Promotions Manager. “We’ve embraced the growing popularity of social media by cultivating a vibrant community that allows our authors, readers, and employees the ability to actively interact with each other.�

Many of Tyndale’s customers, authors, and retailers feature their own blogs, Web sites, social networking profiles, and other mediums that share interactions relating to Tyndale products. By continuing to present information without listening or reacting to these voices in a central forum, Tyndale was missing opportunities to showcase existing conversations. The new www.tyndale.com hopes to engage its consumers at a much more personal level.

Several of the new features of www.tyndale.com include:

• Easier Navigation—The new Tyndale site takes a large departure from the look of the current site. Changes were made that allow much more content to be held on a page, while retaining a high level of organization.
• Multimedia Content—It features video interviews, book trailers, audio podcasts, and a variety of other rich media content that Tyndale Web site users will have the ability to share on their Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook pages; via e-mail; and through a variety of other social networking outlets.
• Product Reviews—It allows Tyndale to listen to its customers by encouraging product comments, hosting online book discussions, and highlighting book reviews from Tyndale’s existing community of bloggers.
• Find Your Favorite Author on Twitter, Facebook, and Personal Blogs—By showcasing content from blog sites, Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds, Tyndale’s new Web site makes the communication tools of each consumer’s favorite author readily available.
• Share Your Tyndale Story—It allows consumers the opportunity to share stories of lives that have been changed by Tyndale products.
• Author Interview Calendar—It features an author interview calendar so that consumers may be notified when their favorite authors will be on national or local television or radio broadcasts.
• Spanish Translation—Much of the text on the new site will also be available in Spanish.

 

Tyndale House Publishers was founded in 1962 by Dr. Kenneth N. Taylor as a means of publishing Living Letters and eventually The Living Bible. It is now one of the premier publishing houses in the industry. Tyndale products include numerous fiction and nonfiction New York Times best sellers. Tyndale House is substantially owned by Tyndale House Foundation. As a result, the company’s profits help underwrite the Foundation’s mission, which is to spread the Good News of Christ around the world. Tyndale also publishes The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). Tyndale House Publishers is located in Carol Stream, Illinois.