Archive for the ‘Ambassador News’ Category

Buy a Book, Give a Child Shoes

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soles 4 souls logo newFor the month of February, Ambassador International is teaming up with Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. Every time you buy a signed copy of Jazzy and the Dog Walk you’ll also be putting a pair of shoes on a child in need. The charity distributes these shoes to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has delivered over 19 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes. The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.

There are over 300 million children who do not have adequate footwear, so Soles4Souls is trying to change this statistic, one pair at a time, and just $1 can help. For every $1 donated to Soles4Souls, we are able to distribute one pair of shoes. So, $1 = 1 PAIR = 1 LIFE, and with this generous campaign led by the author, Tica Tallent, Soles4Souls will be able to forever change the lives of hundreds of people with the gift of shoes. BUY NOW!

Happy Birthday George Beverly Shea!

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George Beverly SheaGeorge Beverly Shea turns 104 years old on February 1, 2013! Celebrate the life of this incredible man and musician by reading his most recent authorized biography: George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story, now available for the Kindle. With foreword by Franklin Graham, this book chronicles the amazing life of the man who has sung God’s word in front of more people than anyone in history.

Follow him onto crusade stages in all corners of the world including New York, London and Australia. Find out what happened when he forgot lyrics in front of a packed stadium in California. Discover personal stories about his friendship with celebrities like Johnny Cash, the Gaithers and Pat Boone.
This is the amazing account of how God used an insurance worker to spread the Gospel to every continent of the world.

In honor of his 104th birthday, the Billy Graham Library will be hosting a special tribute to Bev Shea for the next two months. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Shea for his decades of service and wish him a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

“Of all the gospel singers in the world today, the one that I would rather hear than any other would be George Beverly Shea.”
-Billy Graham (Evangelist) Montreat, North Carolina

 

Prayers for Izzy

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We invite you to pray with us for Landon and Allyson Powell, whose five month old daughter Izzy went to be with her Creator this weekend. The family has organized a memorial service for Wednesday, January 30 at Grace Church, 101 W. McBee Avenue in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The family will be receiving friends and family at 5pm, and the ceremony will start at 6pm.

Izzy struggled with several serious health issues from birth. Her parents nicknamed her their “warrior princess” because of the fight that she put up. The Powell’s have shown tremendous faith through this experience. On the Prayers for Izzy Facebook page Landon writes, “My prayer tonight is, that it doesn’t always take a story like Izzy’s to remind us how important our Faith is. That we can all live our lives daily, according to God’s will. That we can turn our hearts over to Christ, and let him use us in a way that will glorify Him! Just like he did with Izzy. He took her broken body, and used it to Glorify Him in a way none could have expected. And as hard as it is for a dad to say, ‘God, I am thankful!'”

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any gifts made in Izzy’s honor be made in the form of a donation to Donate Life South Carolina. It’s a charity the family has worked closely with and even little Izzy herself was an organ donor, giving a heart valve and cartilage. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 27263, Greenville, SC 29616. If you’d like to learn more about Landon Powell’s testimony you can read about it in God’s Lineup: Testimonies of Major League Baseball Players by Liz and Kevin Morrisey.

New Children’s Book Encourages Young Readers to Help the Needy

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Charming Children’s Book Donates Proceeds to Soles4Souls and Higher Ground Ministries

Jazzy and the Dog WalkFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, nearly 15 million children in the United States live below the poverty line. In her first children’s book, Jazzy and the Dog Walk (Ambassador International; January 2013; $14.99, hardcover), Tica Tallent sheds light on the issue of child poverty in order to remind readers what it means to care for others.

Jasmine (aka Jazzy), a young girl, with a love of clothes, jewelry, and music, reminds readers of all ages the importance of giving back.  After being troubled by a video in school showing young children who have no shoes, Jazzy is determined to do something. With the help of some furry friends and a miracle from a beautiful angel, Jazzy organizes a dog fashion show to raise money. “My hope is to inspire young readers to get involved in helping others,” explains Tallent. “And I want to bring attention to two of my favorite charities at the same time.” Following Jazzy’s example, a portion of each sale of Jazzy and the Dog Walk will support Soles4Souls and Higher Ground Ministries.

Tallent reminds readers the importance of being thankful and caring for others while simultaneously captivating young girls with frilly dresses, shining jewelry, and adorable puppies.  With a combination of beautiful illustrations and charming writing, Jazzy and the Dog Walk is sure to entertain and inspire again and again.

About the Author: Tica Tallent is a writer and freelance speaker who currently resides in Anderson, SC with her husband.  In both her first book, What is Beautiful: Secrets of a Personal Shopper ,and Jazzy and the Dog Walk, Tallent draws from her ten years of experience as an educator as well as her love of fashion.

About the Illustrator: Marquin Campbell studied drawing and painting at the University of Georgia before going on to study fashion design at Parsons in NYC.  She now resides in Greenville, SC as owner of Vino & Van Gogh art studio designing jewelry, painting, and teaching art classes.

To learn more about the author and her book Jazzy and the Dog Walk, visit ticatallent.com or Facebook.com/JazzyAndTheDogWalk.  For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

Novel Explores Life of Woman Healed by Touching Jesus’ Garment

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just one touchAuthor Imagines Story of a Woman Who Endured Suffering and Was Healed by Faith

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  In her debut novel, Just One Touch (Ambassador International; January 2013; $11.99, paperback), author Cynthia Goyang relates the story of the woman who pushed through the crowd in order to touch Jesus’s garment. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” – Mark 5:25-28 

Cynthia Goyang takes this short Bible story and creates a story of life and death, hope and salvation, and the power of faith.  Using her imagination, Goyang tells the story of this woman’s life prior to her encounter with Jesus and how it affected her life afterward.  “ I hope that readers will be encouraged to replace their fear for faith and reach out to touch Jesus Christ the Lord,” says Goyang. “My beginnings, like Sapira’s, were quite humble.  I grew up in a poverty-stricken, crowded household.  There were complete Colorado winters that we endured without electricity in our house.  But also like Sapira, my life changed dramatically when I surrendered it to Jesus.”

When a handsome, rich, young man asks to marry the poor potter’s daughter, Sapira believes that she is the luckiest girl in the world.  However, her life soon begins to unravel and she loses not only her family and wealth, but her health as well.  After suffering for years from a steady loss of blood, Sapira has all but given up hope until the day she hears about a man named Jesus.

About the Author:  Cynthia Goyang is a Christian, wife, and mother.  She and her husband Tony have three sons and enjoy spending time with their three granddaughters.  She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado as the second to youngest of ten children.  Cynthia met her husband while at school in Oklahoma and now resides in the West Texas town of Midland.  She is an avid reader and loves to use her pencil to illustrate the Lord’s principles.  Just One Touch is her debut novel.

To learn more about the author and her book, Just One Touch, visit her at cynthiagoyang.com or facebook.com/cynthia.goyang.  To connect with the author, please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

 

 

Score Free eBooks for Your eReader

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Were you one of the millions of people who unwrapped a new ereader this Christmas? If so, you’ll want to check out this video. Our publicist Alison Storm shares lots of resources for scoring free ebooks for your device! Did you know that research shows people who read digital books consume an average of 24 books a year while those who read print books finish 15? If your 2013 resolution is to read more, you may want to get your hands on an ereader!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year From Ambassdor!

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snowing_christmas_cardWhat a year 2012 has been! At Ambassador we’ve been reflecting on some of the amazing blessings we’ve experienced this year, both personally and professionally. As a company we have welcomed some new incredible team members and interns into the office. We completely redesigned our website, allowing us to better communicate with you. We added 160 new Facebook fans, 292 Twitter followers and launched a Pinterest account. We worked with dozens of new authors, publishing a wide range of Christian books for all ages. Our authors appeared on and in major magazines, TV broadcasts and radio programs. We revamped portions of our office space, held two on-sight book fairs and attended the South Carolina Book Festival. We hosted a booth at the International Christian Retail Show, attended several writers’ conferences and met some amazing people along the way.

And like many of you, 2012 hasn’t been all roses. We’ve had our share of trials as well, but we’ve been committed to Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on the miracle of salvation and when it comes down to it, that’s really all that matters. As a company we’re doing our best to spread the joy of Christ throughout the world, whether it’s through the people we encounter or the books we publish. We’ll joyfully continue on that mission in 2013.

To our readers, authors, colleagues and friends– Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Children’s Book Combines Entertainment and Learning Tools

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Author Teaches Kids the Meaning of the Word, Literal

Literal LilyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Remember what it was like to be a child? To be excited about the first day of school? Not always understanding the things grown-ups say? Author Kate Hanscom does in her new children’s book Literal Lily (Ambassador International; December 2012; $14.99, hardcover) as she explores the use of language in a creative and imaginative way.

The charming story follows curly-haired Lily throughout the day as she shops for her first ever day of school. Lily’s learning experience begins when her mother exclaims, “Rise and Shine” which Lily proceeds to take literally as she adorns herself in sparkles and jewelry.  As the story continues, she learns that phrases are not always taken word for word and that language can be a fun tool used to express how one feels.

Hanscom, a new mom, says the idea for the book came to her in the middle of the night while she was pregnant with her daughter Allie. “My niece served as the model for Lily and my mother-in-law illustrated the book,” Hanscom says. “So it’s truly been a family affair.” The book teaches children not only about the use of language, but also manners and daily routines through everyday scenarios and lively characters.

About the Author: Kate Hanscom resides in central Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. With the love and support of her family, Kate decided to fulfill her dream of publishing a children’s book. Self described as loving “bright colors, fancy paper, fresh-smelling candles, writing, music, swimming, making lists, flip-flops, a really good pen, and french vanilla coffee”, Hanscom allows her own personality to shine through Lily in her first children’s book.

About the Illustrator:  Lynda Hansocm earned a BFA from St. John’s University and an MAT from the Rhode Island School of Design. Working as an art teacher for years, Lynda taught young children and teenagers alike how to express themselves through artistic forms. She continues expressing her passion and talent through book illustrations such as Literal Lily and previous book Tough Tommy. She lives in Northern Connecticut with her husband and credits her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grand-daughter as inspiration.

To learn more about the author and her book Literal Lily, visit www.katehanscom.com or www.facebook.com/KateHanscomAuthor.  For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

10 Must-Follow Christian Authors on Pinterest

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Are you interested in reading Christian Books? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Are you eager to know all the books they wrote? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Do you want to know their interests and lifestyle? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! You will see all the books written by them there. What is more, you will know more about your favorite authors’ interests. The following list shows the brief introduction of the authors and the Christian books published from Ambassador International.

1. Carrie Daws, Ryan’s Crossing, Crossing Values: Over the years, God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being a stay-at-home mom and a writer.

2. Daphne Webb, Mississippi Nights: DM Webb lives, along with her two sons and a variety of pets, in the beautiful state of Mississippi. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

3. Holly Durst, Chocolate Socks: Holly’s love is writing children books. The idea for writing her first book came when Holly was given a gift of a box of chocolate and a pack of socks.

4. Jennifer Freitag, The Shadow Things: Jennifer Freitag writes fantasy and historical fiction from her home in South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two cats. Her inspiration flows from writers like C.S. Lewis and Rosemary Sutcliff, both of whose works have influenced her first novel, The Shadow Things.

5. Lindon and Sherry Gareis, Declutter Now!: Lindon and Sherry Gareis, founders of Action Plan Ministries, debut their writing career with Declutter Now! They are small group leaders and certified Christian Life Coaches from Glendale, AZ with hearts that desire to serve God in a mighty way. They love being outdoors, love being together, and are committed to a lifelong honeymoon…

6. Marcy Lytle, Life is Fluid: Marcy Lytle is currently editor of two local magazines in the Austin, Texas area. She is married to Jon, and they have two children, Kamrin (who is married to Tyler) and Conner.

7. Renee Metzler, Total Home Makeover: Renee Metzler is a freelance author who lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters and cat. After beginning her career as a mother and home manager in 2002, and feeling “lost,” she began to research secrets to the trade of home management, and the idea of Total Home Makeover was born.

8. Steve Goode, Marriage Triage: Stephen Goode is the Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Senior Adult Ministries at Northside Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stephen’s burden and passion is to lead married couples and individuals into a deeper walk with Jesus Christ.

9. Shawn R. Jones, Pictures in Glass Frames: Shawn is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she began her professional writing career. She currently worships at the Resurrection Center in Delaware under the leadership of Dr. S. Todd Townsend and Dr. Cleo V. Townsend.

10. Tica Tallant, What Is Beautiful, Jazzy and the Dog Walk: Tica Tallent has been an educator in public schools for ten years- having earned a Master’s Degree and was selected “Teacher of the Year.”She has now begun a new business – “Professionally Blessed” where she shares her love of fashion and motivates women and men with wisdom for living a complete life.

 

And don’t forget to follow Ambassador International on Pinterest as well!