Beth Wiseman's New Novel Part of Digital Experiment From Thomas Nelson Fiction

(Press Release) NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 28, 2012—Expected to surpass a million books in print in 2012 after less than four years as an author, novelist Beth Wiseman is one of the fastest growing new Christian fiction author brands of the past few years. After successfully gaining a loyal readership for her Amish fiction, she began to feel a call to take on a new challenge: a contemporary story not set in an Amish community. The result is a powerful new novel, "Need You Now," in which Publishers Weekly says she "ambitiously tackles major contemporary issues."

In an effort to encourage both readers new to Wiseman and her established Amish fiction fans to experience the new story, Thomas Nelson is releasing the book on a unique schedule. The first half of the novel will be available digitally first, offered for just $0.99 from all major eBook retailers, starting February 28. In mid-April, the second half of the eBook, the full eBook and the physical tradepaper book will be available for sale.

"As eReader devices become more affordable and thus plentiful, the more readers we have, and the more we're able to experiment with how best to reach that growing part of our consumer base. We fully embrace the eBook revolution and are working to make sure Thomas Nelson Fiction leads in discoverability of our authors in this time of exponential
eBook expansion. This promotion is a first for Thomas Nelson, but also, as far as we know, a first for Christian fiction in terms of releasing the first half of a novel a month early for $0.99," says Allen Arnold, Sr. VP and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction. Wiseman will release both Amish and other contemporary fiction from this point on.

Wiseman's dedication to her readers remains the same with this new venture. "I hope readers will take away from 'Need You Now' what they do from all of my Amish novels. No matter what story I write, I'm always going to write inspirational Christian fiction. There will always be a message of hope," she says.