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Posted by: Chris Well at 9:07PM EST on June 28, 2007
Varietyreports that Doug TenNapel is writing and directing the claymation feature The Neverhood, based on the DreamWorks videogame he created. (Sidenote: The videogame's soundtrack was written by Terry S. Taylor, of The Lost Dogs, The Swirling Eddies, and Daniel Amos fame.)
The film is one of the first three projects announced from Frederator, the new production company launched to create animated 2-D genre films. Also announced were a feature-length film of Samurai Jack, and The Seven Deadly Sins, a hip-hop project with Don King hired as the first voice actor.
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Posted by: Chris Well at 10:06AM EST on June 28, 2007
Those who hit the local multiplex opening day for the latest entry in the "Die Hard" series, Live Free Or Die Hard got an earful of Flyleaf during the film's opening action sequence. (The band's track "I'm So Sick.")
By the way, CCM Magazine editor Jay Swartzendruber and his wife, Jamie, both loved the film -- says Jay, "We were shocked to discover we liked it more than the first three." He joked, "And hey, with a 'PG-13' rating, it's almost family-friendly."
Maureen
Lang thought she’d write about her experience with Fragile X Syndrome
(a genetic form of mental retardation) “someday.” After all, having a
child who requires round-the-clock care doesn’t make for the upbeat,
escapist reading most romance novelists prefer to write about. Still,
Lang wanted to include Fragile X in a story because so few people have
heard of the disorder that affects her 12-year-old son. So she put the
tale in the middle of a love story (The Oak Leaves).
The
Victorian romance of Cosima Escott is interspersed between the pages of
a glimpse into the contemporary life of Talie Ingram as her world is
forever altered by her son’s diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome. About the Author:
Maureen Lang's first novel was a romance, penned (literally) when she was around ten
years old. It was titled "To Have and To Hold" and was hand printed
since she wasn't at the time allowed to use the one and only typewriter
her family owned. (This was way before computers.) She bound her
first book, a limited edition novel, with soft brown deerskin and
passed it around to neighborhood kids. Those kids are probably
responsible for the fact she's still writing today. They liked it and
wanted to read more — thus launching the career of a romance writer.
About the Book:
Talie Ingram has an ideal life: a successful, devoted husband; a
beautiful one-year-old son; and another on the way. But her world is
shattered when she discovers a shocking family secret in the
nineteenth-century journal belonging to her ancestor Cosima Escott.
Only in reading Cosima’s words can Talie make peace with the legacy
she’s inherited and the one she’s passed on to her son.
From
the very beginning, Lang, a romance novelist and author of Pieces of
Silver, deftly navigates back and forth in history… It’s Cosima's
lingering voice—her determination and faith—that inspires Talie to
reconcile her son's diagnosis of fragile X syndrome (a disability
Lang's own son suffers from) with her belief that God is merciful. — Publisher’s Weekly
A tender account of unconditional love and the deeper joy that
results from overcoming the odds, Lang's latest is recommended for all
collections and is an essential read for those with fragile X syndrome
in their families. — Library Review
If there’s
one thing Maureen Lang would like readers to take away, it’s that God
loves us all, even through the trials He allows into our lives. And one
more thing … the next time you happen to see a family with a disabled
child … send a smile their way!
Look for a copy of The Oak Leaves at your local or on-line bookstore today.
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Posted by: Chris Well at 5:45PM EST on June 22, 2007
When Don Levine created the Original G.I. Joe in 1963, he revolutionized the world of boys' toys and changed the face of the toy industry forever. With over five billion dollars in worldwide sales, G.I. Joe remains one of the most treasured and collectible action figures in the world.
Now, Levine has introduced a new line of action figures called Almighty Heroes, specifically targeted to the Christian marketplace. "It is my desire that these inspirational action figures and fashion dolls create excitement for kids and develop their interest in the characters and messages of the Bible," he says.
In development for more than two years, the Almighty Heroes line offers something for both boys and girls, featuring Old Testament characters such as Samson, David, Noah and Moses, along with 12" fashion dolls of Queen Esther and Deborah the Warrior. Each character comes with its own Bible storybook as well as accessories. The pre-school boys' action figures retail for $12.99. For girls, the Queen Esther and Deborah the Warrior dolls come with their own parchment stories from the Bible and retail for $24.99 each.
Levine says these dolls are designed to be both beautiful and durable, withstanding the most active environment. Currently, Levine's company is gearing up to introduce its fall line-up of 35 new toys based on the Almighty Heroes action figures and Bible stories. Plans are in the works for a television and DVD series of the characters with details forthcoming.
Don Levine himself is Jewish, and grew up learning the stories of the Old Testament heroes. "The battle of Good versus Evil is what makes these characters stand out," says Levine, who now heads up Family Values, LLC, a company committed to finding, creating and sharing the absolute best family-focused resources, and bringing them into the homes of today's modern family. The goal is to bridge the gap of education and play by developing innovative and fun toys, music, resources and role play merchandise for kids of all ages.
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Posted by: Chris Well at 11:00AM EST on June 22, 2007
New from best-selling novelist Angela Hunt, The Elevator (Steeple Hill):
THREE WOMEN ... ONE MAN ... A GATHERING STORM
In the path of a devastating hurricane, three very different women find themselves trapped in the elevator of a high-rise office building. All three conceal shattering secrets —unaware that their secrets center on the same man.
The betrayed wife, eager to confront her faithless husband, with rage in her heart and a gun in her pocket. The determined mistress, finally ready to tell her lover she wants marriage and a family. The fugitive cleaning woman, tormented by the darkest secret of all. As the storm rages ever closer, these three must unite to fight for their lives in the greatest test of courage—and faith —any woman could ever face ...
“Prolific novelist Hunt knows how to hold a reader’s interest, and her latest yarn is no exception . . . Readers may decide to take the stairs after finishing this thriller.” -- Publishers Weekly
" ... a brilliantly plotted novel...the hurricane approaching the Florida coast is no match for the storm brewing inside the claustrophobic confines of a high-rise elevator. ...Be prepared to lose some sleep until you reach the last page!" -- Liz Curtis Higgs, best-selling author of Thorn in My Heart
"Hunt traps three women in an elevator during a hurricane, dangling them, and the reader, from a tangled web of interconnected deceit, failure, crime and fear. ... The Elevator creates the perfect set-up to keep you turning pages long after the rest of the house has fallen asleep. ...Loved it." -- Lisa Samson, award-winning author of The Church Ladies, Songbird and Straight Up.
The author shares a bit about the book:
"Where’d the idea come from? Easy—the cover of Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down. I had picked up that book for my book club to read, and I found myself staring at the cover, which featured the shoes of four different people against a background of sky. Then I naturally began to think about people trapped in a crucible ... like an elevator. And though that’d be tense, what would make the situation worse? Maybe the arrival of a hurricane? Next thing I knew, I pretty much had the plot synopsis in my head. All that remained was working it out ... and finding a way to keep a reader’s attention (a bit of a challenge when most of the book is set in an elevator!)"
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Posted by: Chris Well at 3:53PM EST on June 21, 2007
The Los Angeles Times has a great story on the new film Evan Almighty, hitting theaters tomorrow -- including the ramifications for filmmakers if it does well:
Hollywood's leap of faith with 'Evan Almighty'
Universal Pictures hopes to honor -- not belittle -- religious devotion with its ark-building comedy.
“Carell plays Evan Baxter, a television anchorman recently elected to
the U.S. House of Representatives. He has vowed to "change the world,"
but it's clear his campaign slogan is an empty promise. He drives a
gas-guzzling Hummer, buys an outsized mansion with cabinets that are
tooled from 300-year-old Brazilian hardwood and agrees to sponsor a
massive land-grab bill he hasn't yet read.
As the film opens,
Baxter's wife tells him she has prayed that their family (including
three boys) will grow closer. Before turning into bed, Baxter gets on
his knees, and, after expressing thanks for his new home and car, he
calls on God for guidance. "Please help me change the world," he prays.
The
next morning, Baxter's alarm clock blinks Gen 6:14 ("Make for yourself
an ark of gopher wood," the passage reads), and other biblical
references start coming from all directions.”
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Posted by: Chris Well at 2:43PM EST on June 21, 2007
DESIGN YOUR OWN MOCK CCM MAGAZINE COVER! Get out the crayons and protractors, kids, because your
mission is to design your very own custom CCM Magazine cover!
Starting July 1, you have the chance to show the world your mad design skills.
So design your cover, hit CCMmagazine.com in the month of July, and upload your
entry! (And get all your friends and family to VOTE!!!)
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Posted by: Chris Well at 2:41PM EST on June 15, 2007
We're now up to 26 entries for our "David Crowder Look-(Sort of)Alike Contest," including two inanimate objects, several with fake beard-and-glasses, and a few who may actually be using their real hair. Vote now! (You can vote once a day.)
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Posted by: Chris Well at 5:03PM EST on June 14, 2007
Christian Retailingreports that publisher Thomas Nelson plans a first-ever million-copy first printing for the upcoming Max Lucado book 3:16: The Numbers of Hope.
“Nelson has published most of Lucado's books since 1990. Although the
San Antonio pastor's book sales are approaching 55 million, Nelson Vice
President of Marketing Larry Carpenter said Lucado is not content to
rest on his laurels.
"He has written what he feels is the most important book he has ever done," Carpenter told Christian Retailing. “There's never been a definitive book written on John 3:16. No one has ever done a Prayer of Jabez-type book explaining the 26-word passage.”
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Posted by: Chris Well at 3:35PM EST on June 13, 2007
TAG Artist Group is proud to present a special summer concert series at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant (120 4th Ave. South, Franklin, Tenn.) displaying the talents of the extensive TAG artist roster, which includes mainstays of Christian music as well as up-and-coming artists. The concerts take place each Thursday night in June beginning at 6:00 p.m. CST and are open to the public. Admission is by donation. For more information on this event, please call Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant at 615-794-5527.
GMA Dove Award winner Cheri Keaggy, along with special guest and acclaimed independent singer/songwriter JJ Heller, kicked off this special concert series on June 7, 2007, celebrating the launch of Keaggy's new album, Because He First Loved Us, which released June 12, 2007. Darrell Mansfield, one of the world's premiere blues harmonica players, will commemorate his 30+ year career and the upcoming release of his new album, Shades, by taking the stage on Thursday, June 14, 2007, with special guests GMA Dove Award nominee Rick Cua, acclaimed bassist Jackie Street and the Dan H Band. Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter Mitch McVicker will showcase songs from his upcoming CD, Love Will Rise, the following week on June 21, 2007. Then Rick Cua will wrap up the June series on June 28, 2007, by introducing the audience to songs from his upcoming CD, Won't Fade Away, and he will be joined by special guest JJ Heller.
Formed in 2004, TAG Distribution offers a home to new and established artists who are ministering on a national level and are having a national impact. As the fastest growing independent Christian distributor, TAG Distribution is home to Phil Keaggy, Ashley Cleveland, Dino, Cheri Keaggy, Bryan Duncan, Cherie Adams, and Bloodgood; as well as Sean Smith, Tara Leigh Cobble, JJ Heller, Matt Brouwer, Cam, J-Roc, Matt Earl, Ill Harmonics, Clay Crosse, Randy Stonehill, John Cox, Greg Troyer and Janelle.
Pictured (L-R): Dan H, Carlena Matthews (General Manager, TAG Artist Group), Cheri Keaggy, JJ Heller, Dave Heller and Darrell Mansfield
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Posted by: Chris Well at 4:25PM EST on June 11, 2007
CONFIRMED FOR AUG 30-SEP 2 IN ASHEVILLE, NC
(NASHVILLE, TN) June 7, 2007—With the goal of equipping, educating and helping independent artists take their career to the next level, Feedback Conference has announced a stellar line-up of speakers, worship leaders and industry professionals for its August 30th-September 2nd event in Asheville, NC.
The four-day event will include practical teaching from music industry professionals and some of today's most sought after speakers, relevant resources and tools for artists to grow within their ministry, as well as a showcase opportunity for the best artists with a prize package valued at over $25,000
About the Author:
When Don Levine created the Original G.I. Joe in 1963, he revolutionized the world of boys' toys and changed the face of the toy industry forever. With over five billion dollars in worldwide sales, G.I. Joe remains one of the most treasured and collectible action figures in the world. 
In development for more than two years, the Almighty Heroes line offers something for both boys and girls, featuring Old Testament characters such as Samson, David, Noah and Moses, along with 12" fashion dolls of Queen Esther and Deborah the Warrior. Each character comes with its own Bible storybook as well as accessories. The pre-school boys' action figures retail for $12.99. For girls, the Queen Esther and Deborah the Warrior dolls come with their own parchment stories from the Bible and retail for $24.99 each. 
Levine says these dolls are designed to be both beautiful and durable, withstanding the most active environment. Currently, Levine's company is gearing up to introduce its fall line-up of 35 new toys based on the Almighty Heroes action figures and Bible stories. Plans are in the works for a television and DVD series of the characters with details forthcoming. 
TAG Artist Group is proud to present a special summer concert series at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant (120 4th Ave. South, Franklin, Tenn.) displaying the talents of the extensive TAG artist roster, which includes mainstays of Christian music as well as up-and-coming artists. The concerts take place each Thursday night in June beginning at 6:00 p.m. CST and are open to the public. Admission is by donation. For more information on this event, please call Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant at 615-794-5527.