Goings and Comings at Thomas Nelson

-- Publishers Weekly, 7/9/2008

PW Daily reported on June 30 that bestselling Christian author John Eldredge (Walking with God) was leaving his longtime publisher, Thomas Nelson, and has inked a two-book deal for a pair of currently untitled nonfiction works with Doubleday Religious Publishing. Eldredge, according to his agent, Curtis Yates of Yates & Yates, "will not be publishing any new major releases with Thomas Nelson in the foreseeable future."

In a statement Brian Hampton, Nelson's senior v-p and publisher of corporate brands, said the house still has "future projects under development" with the author and "will also continue to partner with John to keep ten years worth of life-changing material active in the marketplace." 

Eldredge, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Ransomed Heart Ministries and a mainstay on bestseller lists; according to Doubleday there are more than nine million copies of his books in print.  Eldredge's statement noted that "it was time to explore new opportunities in the general market." 

In Mid-June, another Thomas Nelson bestselling author Ted Dekker inked a two-novel deal with Hachette's Center Street imprint. Both books will be thrillers and the first is slated for an April 2009 release. According to Hachette, Dekker's 22 novels have sold more than three million copies. Dekker is still under contract with Nelson through 2012 and his contract allows him to do one general fiction title with another house each year. Nelson fiction publisher Allen Arnold stated that the clause is intentional, as it will "serve the Dekker brand best and satisfy the fans most."