Zondervan Taking Rice To the CBA

by Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 4/11/2005

Scott Bolinder's first trip to the Jerusalem Book Fair yielded an unusual rights deal for the Zondervan publisher.

While at the fair, Bolinder struck up a conversation with Esther Margolis, a Jerusalem Fair veteran and publisher of Newmarket Press. When talk turned to Newmarket's list, Bolinder was surprised to learn that the publisher's biography of Condoleezza Rice, although selling well in the mainstream market, had disappointing sales in the Christian marketplace.

Bolinder read Condi, by Antonia Felix,on the plane ride home and was convinced there was enough material about the role Rice's faith has played in her life that Zondervan could sell it successfully into the Christian market.

The deal for a Christian market edition, a first for Newmarket, was struck with Margolis in record time, Bolinder said, and the book is set for a September release. Zondervan is keeping the title the same, but giving the book a new cover. The publisher is also looking for the right person to pen a new foreword "that will introduce it to the Christian market," Bolinder said.

Although Zondervan does publish some HarperCollins books for the Christian market, Bolinder couldn't remember the last time he did a deal with another publisher. "We're not opposed to doing it again if the right book comes along," Bolinder said. No print run has been set yet, but Bolinder said that given how well books about President Bush have done in the CBA, the company has "pretty high hopes for" Condi.