FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, and Windblown Media announced today that they are entering a co-publishing venture to bring the phenomenal bestseller The Shack by William P. Young to a vast global readership. The long-term venture will include future titles to be published by Windblown Media. Hachette Book Group will assume responsibilities for sales, marketing, distribution, licensing, and manufacturing.

Originally written by an Oregon salesman as a story for his children, then reworked in collaboration with two friends and former pastors, The Shack has become a runaway bestseller. The story of a man whose young daughter is abducted during a family vacation, and who four years later receives a note, apparently from God, inviting him back to the shack where his daughter’s blood had been discovered, The Shack reveals provocative and poignant views of God and how he relates to humanity. Unable to secure a publisher for the story, collaborators Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings formed Windblown Media and began distribution from Brad’s garage. Fueled entirely by word-of-mouth (Windblown Media has spent less than $300.00 in marketing the book), The Shack has sold more than one million copies since its release one year ago. Sales are growing rapidly week to week, and there are 1.1 million copies in print. It is the bestselling religious fiction book in the nation and currently sits at #8 on the USA Today bestseller list. Windblown Media is in talks with film studios who are eager to bring this riveting novel to the screen.

“Hachette has opened a tremendous door for us to ply our passion while they do the heavy lifting in production and distribution. We couldn’t be more excited at this opportunity and how it will allow us to take the momentum of The Shack and inspire readers who are spiritually hungry to find their own vibrant relationship with God,” commented Wayne Jacobsen, co-owner of Windblown Media.

David Young, CEO of Hachette Book Group, said “We are honored and thrilled to have been appointed as the sales, marketing, and distribution partner with Windblown Media to help further develop the sales reach, both domestically and internationally, for their wonderful book The Shack. Nobody can fail to be moved by William P. Young’s affecting and highly original novel. It is a great feat of storytelling and imagination that takes readers through a journey of pain and enlightenment that they will have never traveled before and will never forget.” 

Rolf Zettersten, SVP HBGUSA and Publisher of FaithWords, said, “We are extremely excited about the potential to partner with Windblown Media to develop its publishing imprint. The same team that developed The Shack has compelling plans for future books, including He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobsen and So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman under the pen name Jake Colsen.”

Brad Cummings and Wayne Jacobsen of Windblown Media were represented in the negotiation by Wes Yoder of the Ambassador Agency.

About Hachette Book Group USA:

Hachette Book Group USA is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest publisher in the world. Hachette Book Group USA’s product lines include adult, illustrated, religious, children’s, and audio books under the imprints Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, Yen Press, and Hachette Book Group Digital Media. Its bestselling authors include Ansel Adams, Sherman Alexie, Marc Brown, David Baldacci, Jimmy Buffett, Michael Connelly, Nelson DeMille, Malcolm Gladwell, Lisi Harrison, Robert Kiyosaki, Brad Meltzer, Joyce Meyer, Stephenie Meyer, Walter Mosley, James Patterson, David Sedaris, Anita Shreve, Nicholas Sparks, and Cecily von Ziegesar. HBG distributes publishing lines for Chronicle Books, Microsoft Learning, Arcade, Time Inc. Home Entertainment, Harry N. Abrams, InnovativeKids, Phaidon Press, Filipacchi Publishing, Kensington, MQ Publications, Strictly By The Book, Weinstein Books, and Gildan Media.

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Contact: Sophie Cottrell

VP, Communications Director

Hachette Book Group USA

212-364-1281

sophie.cottrell@hbgusa.com