Thursday, June 29, 2006

Interesting Publishing Trend

Two interesting and separate stories in Publishers' Weekly "Religion Bookline" this week -- I don't know if two such events could be properly called a "trend" yet, but it seems to be tending that way.

Two excellent Christian publishers, InterVarsity and Baker, have recently announced new publishing ventures aimed toward twenty-somethings. IVP is actually launching a new line called "Likewise," as in "Go then and do likewise." Quote from the publisher: "We are trying to empower this particularly activist generation and age, when people are more inclined to be audacious in their faith, by providing them resources to be thoughtfully active and actively thoughtful." IVP is already actively cultivating writers from this age group to write for this age group.

Baker's going to produce a new series of books in partnership with Emergent Village, appropriately called "Emersion." Quote from PW on the publisher's understanding of the genre: "Baker calls “’the emerging church conversation’ a movement of those seeking to explore new opportunities for Christianity, and how the church will meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”

Two very good publishers. Important, timely approaches. Exciting generation. Stay tuned for some good reading!

3 comments:

Erin said...

Hmmm, sounds interesting. I'd say I fit right in that target demographic!

Beth said...

Come to think of it, you sure do! I sometimes forget the difference in our ages....wishful thinking, perhaps, as a lot of the time, I still feel "twenty-something" inside myself (though my body's definitely feeling almost forty these days...)

I really do like both IVP and Baker. As the acquisitions manager for a seminary library for four years, I spent a lot of time around Christian publishers, and these two produce some of the most thoughtful books there are. IVP almost never comes out with a clunker. Baker's most impressed me with their academic line and with their imprint Brazos Press.

I have some twenty-(and probably by now thirty-) something friends from sem. who have been very involved in some of the "emerging" church conversations. Interesting and thought-provoking issues often addressed there.

BTW, thanks for hanging in there and reading my blog as often as you do, as well as leaving such encouraging comments. At this point, you're my only consistent reader that I know of, and it's nice to know I'm not just writing to hear myself talk. :-)

Erin said...

I know what you mean about having someone to read what you write; I've always tried to keep a journal but have never managed to be consistent with it until I thought someone might actually be reading. It's always a pleasure to read yours!