Tyndale’s Digital First Initiative by Author Pam Hillman

With ebook sales rocketing skyward, established publishers, authors and readers alike are taking a second look at electronic publishing. Tyndale House Publishers answer is the Digital First Program. 

Tyndale House Publishers is a Christian publisher that publishes Bibles, fiction, and non-fiction. They’re probably best known for publishing the Left Behind series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, along with a host of amazingly talented and prolific authors. I am very blessed to have been picked up by them because
they are one of the most established and well-respected publishing houses in the industry. 

This past spring, Tyndale decided to offer a new model of publishing called “Digital First”, which is just what it implies, digital first with print books to (hopefully) follow. With ebooks quickly surpassing print books in sales, they asked a select group of agents to send proposals from their unpublished authors who had completed manuscripts ready to go. My agent sent one of mine, and I, along with four other unpublished authors, was offered a contract. My book, Stealing Jake, released July 1, 2011 as an ebook. Generally, it takes 12-18 months for a print book to hit the shelves, but Tyndale put these ebooks on a fast track to publication and had them available in about six weeks. 

Tyndale launched the program in July 2011 with four fiction titles and one non-fiction title. Digital First’s initial ebooks include Delivery by Diana Prusik, Cash Burn by Michael Berrier, Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman, The Reinvention of Leona Harper by Lynne Gentry and a non-fiction title, 40 Days without Food: Divine Goodness to a Starving Soul by Russ Masterson.

Right after the announcements came out, someone asked me this burning question, “Why did you go through Tyndale to do an ebook, when you could have gone directly to Amazon?” 

Seriously?

First reason, because Tyndale launched a Digital First Initiative, and I was blessed enough to be one of the 5 debut authors chosen to launch the program.

Next, are you ready for this? My publisher is Tyndale House Publishers! Oh.My.Lucky.Stars! 

I could stop right there, because that’s reason enough in and of itself, but if you want more, here you go: 

• My book was edited by Tyndale editors. They were awesome! The entire process was as smooth as silk.

• My cover was designed by Tyndale cover designers. And I love it!

• My book is backed by Tyndale’s good name. Whoa! Tyndale has marketing and publicity power. That I don’t have… Tyndale did all the work to get my book listed on Amazon, CBD, B&N, and Mobipocket.

• And finally, I am a Tyndale author, not just another name on Amazon.

How much is that worth to me? I can’t even begin to measure that. I have no clout or pull with readers. Sure, some of my friends and family would have bought my book if I put it up on my own, but then that would have been the end of it, unless I got lucky as a few do. (And more power to them!)

And if this Digital First Initiative is as successful as it’s shaping up to be, I might even see Stealing Jake in print next. This is a win-win situation for the Digital First authors and for Tyndale, and I’m over-the-moon excited to be partnering with one of the most respected publishing houses in the industry on this new venture. 

Here are three wonderful articles that shed more light on Tyndale’s Digital First Initiative: 

http://www.christianpost.com/news/tyndale-house-launches-ebook-publishing-initiative-50771/ 

http://writerinterrupted.com/2011/07/05/whats-direct-to-ebook-publishing/ 

http://writerinterrupted.com/2011/07/07/direct-to-ebook-author-pam-hillman/

When Livy O’Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walking along the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she used to be known as Light-fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behind
her and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she’s helping to run an orphanage. Now she’ll do almost anything to protect the street kids like herself.

Sheriff’s deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he ran into Livy–literally–while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberies and a growing number of street kids in town–as well as a loan on the family farm that needs to be paid off–Jake doesn’t have time to pursue a girl. Still, he can’t seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better . . . but Livy isn’t willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.

Interwoven throughout is a group of street kids arrested in Chicagoand sold as child labor. Leading this band of ragamuffins is young Luke, a scared, determined orphan intent on rescuing his little brother at any cost.

Stealing Jake was offered for a limited time on Amazon, B&N & CBD. It was #1 on the top 100 Free Kindle
list at Amazon for 7 days! Mind boggling and a testament to Tyndale’s clout as a publisher of quality fiction.

To celebrate the release of Stealing Jake, I’m giving away a Kindle. Deadline to enter the contest is September
30^th.

Award-winning author Pam Hillman writes inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American West
and the Gilded Age. Her debut book, Stealing Jake, won the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Genesis contest and was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart contest. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and family. www.pamhillman.com, www.calicotrails.blogspot.com,
www.seekerville.blogspot.com

I have received no compensation for this post and have no material connection  with any product(s) mentioned. Embedded links are strictly for the convenience of my readers.