News / Education
CrossBooks combines best of traditional, self publishing
LifeWay offers author solution to producing Christian books
Launched this spring by LifeWay as an "alliance publishing" venture, CrossBooks is seeking out new and veteran authors to produce Christian books that run the gamut from Bible commentaries to children's fiction.
"The book publishing business is going through a challenging period in which creative new relationships between authors and publishers are gaining favor," said Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay. "CrossBooks gives authors greater influence in the content, design and marketing of their works while at the same time reducing the publisher’s costs and speeding production time. We’re finding there are many gifted Christian authors whose stories need to be told but who may not have a traditional publisher or who may not want to self-publish. CrossBooks, as a new genre of publishing, is a ground-breaking solution."
Here’s how it works:
- An author submits a manuscript at CrossBooks.com and selects a print-on-demand solution, ranging from a basic package to a comprehensive package that includes marketing and other features.
- CrossBooks editors provide theological and editorial reviews and work with the author to complete the manuscript, design a cover, lay out the book’s interior, and propose marketing opportunities – all of which the author approves.
- Within 60 days the book is completed and available for purchase on CrossBooks.com, from other online retailers and at Christian bookstores.
- Because CrossBooks operates under a print-on-demand model, inventories are kept to a minimum, authors receive a significant royalty and the books never go out of print.
- Depending on the package chosen and other variables, authors generally recoup their full investment after sales of 500-1,000 copies.
Among CrossBooks’ first offerings are Difficult Times, Encouraging Words by Draper; Living Between the Ditches, an inspirational work by Dr. Betty Hassler; Amos (the first in a Minor Prophet Series featuring the Holman Christian Standard Bible) by Dr. Fred Wood; and Safe & Sound, a children’s book by Carey Drake.
CrossBooks will feature these and other books at the Southern Baptist Convention June 23-24 in Louisville, Ky., and the books will be sold at the LifeWay Christian Store at the convention. In addition, CrossBooks has launched a nationwide ad campaign, "We’re Looking for a Few Good Authors." More information is available at Crossbooks.com.
