Xulon Press Crosses the Million Book Mark
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The explosion of the Christian book market has given a major boost to niche self-publishing companies such as Xulon Press. Xulon, the premier on-demand publisher for Christian writers, and a subsidiary of Salem Publishing, has just printed and sold its 1,000,000th book since its founding in 2000.
"One million books is an exciting milestone," said Tom Freiling, founder and general manager for Xulon Press. "But we are even more excited about what the future holds. With the explosive growth we are experiencing, it wouldn't surprise me if someday we distribute a million books per year."
The landmark 1,000,000th Xulon title is David Harrell's Out of the Depths: A Survivor's Story of the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis, with a foreword by Oliver North. A terrifying first hand account of the sinking of the Navy vessel torpedoed just weeks before the end of World War II by a Japanese submarine, the story portrays the harrowing struggle for survival of the writer's father, Edgar Harrell, a young Marine left stranded for five days before his final rescue.
The advent of print-on-demand (POD) technology is revolutionizing the book industry and providing new Christian writers with an attractive alternative to traditional publishers, giving them control over design, editing and publicity as well as flexible publishing options for their books. Writers with a modest success in self-publishing often attract the attention of traditional publishing houses, leveraging their self-published work into lucrative book contracts.
Such was the case for Xulon author and home-school mother of nine, Melanie Jeschke, whose first book Inklings was inspired by her study of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and their Oxford writers group. Jeschke's success with the Xulon title led to a three-book deal with Harvest House, a mainstream publisher of Christian literature.
Patrick Heron's Xulon title, The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse, was initially rejected by mainline publishers before the author turned to Xulon Press to publish the work that investigates end-time Bible prophecies and relates them to current events. Nephilim has sold 20,000 copies since its release in November 2004, climbing to the #3 spot in Amazon's 'religion and spirituality' sales. The book has also been the subject of a television documentary and numerous media interviews.
Xulon is the largest on-demand Christian publisher, representing more than 3,200 titles from approximately 1,700 authors around the world. More information about Xulon Press is available at www.xulonpress.com.
Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications (NASDAQ:SALM), publishes CCM Magazine(R), Homecoming(R) The Magazine, YouthWorker Journal(TM), Singing News(R) Magazine, Preaching, FaithTalk(TM) and crosswalk.com The Magazine. Salem is a leading U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider and magazine and book publisher targeting audiences interested in Christian and family-themed content and conservative values. In addition to its radio properties, Salem owns Salem Radio Network(R), which syndicates talk, news and music programming to approximately 2,000 affiliates; Salem Radio Representatives(TM), a national radio advertising sales force; and Salem Web Network(TM), an Internet provider of Christian content and online streaming. Upon the close of all announced transactions, the company will own 97 radio stations, including 61 stations in 23 of the top 25 markets. Additional information about Salem may be accessed at the company's website, www.salem.cc.
Source: Salem Communications Corporation
Released March 19, 2007