Contact:
Lindsey Rodarmer. (616) 698-3332, Lindsey.Rodarmer@zondervan.com
Rayne Tour Series by Bestselling Novelist Brandilyn Collins and Daughter Amberly Debuts in May 2009 with Online Sweepstakes, Action-Packed Book Trailer, and More
Grand Rapids, Mich., April 22, 2009– Zondervan, a world leader in Christian Communications, is adding an exciting new suspense series to its Young Adult (YA) fiction line. The Rayne Tour series is co-written by bestselling novelist Brandilyn Collins, known for her trademarked Seatbelt Suspense® and her daughter Amberly Collins, a college student. The first title in the series, Always Watching, is available wherever books are sold in May 2009.
Brandilyn and Amberly Collins love music and have always attended concerts together. When they were asked to collaborate as a mother/daughter writing team on a new suspense series, they knew it had to involve concerts.
“We have pictures of us attending concerts going way back to when Amberly was in junior high,” says Brandilyn Collins. “We know what the crowd experience is like. The excitement, the energy. What would it be like, we wondered, to be backstage? To be a teenage girl with a rock star for a mom? All the money and fame and traveling. Is that kind of life pure fun and adventure-or does it bring challenges the rest of us never even think about? And then-what if you threw a murder into the mix?”
The Rayne Tour series features Shaley O’Connor, 16-year-old daughter of a rock star. On tour with her mother’s popular band, Rayne, Shaley lives in a whirlwind of backstage secrets, hotels, security guards, and limos.
In the first book, Always Watching, Shaley stumbles upon the body of a friend backstage during a concert. Frightening messages arrive. Paparazzi stalk Shaley. Her private nightmare is displayed for all to see. Where is God at a time like this? As the clock runs out, Shaley must find the killer-before he strikes again.
Research for Always Watching took the mother/daughter team backstage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California to see the stage entrance, dressing rooms, the special building exit for performers, and more. Most importantly, they learned about concert security-something Shaley O’Connor will need in this series.
“When we were first offered this opportunity of co-writing a book I was 16 years-old,” says Amberly. “I was intrigued by the idea because I knew I could connect to my peers in a way an adult couldn’t. I could teach the power of God in an understandable and exciting way.”
The debut of The Rayne Tour series comes one year after Zondervan launched a new YA fiction line in May 2008, expanding its offerings in a publishing sector the LA Times recently called “booming.” Zondervan offers YA titles in genres including Chick Lit, Science Fiction/Fantasy and now, Suspense.
“We are so excited about this thrilling new series for teens by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins,” says Annette Bourland, Zonderkidz™ Senior Vice President and Publisher. “Our research shows that young adults want to read suspense stories, but many of the options available in the general market are very dark. The Rayne Tour series is a positive alternative for teens who want to be entertained.”
In 2007, the YA market accumulated nearly $25 billion in general market sales. Zondervan consumer research shows that 40 percent of teens read 2-3 books a month, while nearly a quarter (23 percent) read four or more books per month. According to Barna Group research, 85 percent of teens prefer fiction to non-fiction. Research also reveals that there are 24 million teens in the U.S. and 75 percent have engaged in at least one psychic or witchcraft-related activity during their teen years. In response to these mainstream trends, Zondervan’s YA Christian fiction seeks to publish well-written, entertaining books that meet the spiritual needs of teens.
Online Promotions-Sweepstakes, Book Trailer, Facebook and More
Pew Internet & American Life Project 2009 research shows that 93 percent of teens are online and that the use of social media – from blogging to online social networking to creation of all kinds of digital material – is central to many teenagers’ lives.
The Rayne Tour series is being promoted heavily to teen readers online. The LIVE LIKE A ROCKSTAR SWEEPSTAKES is a chance for teens ages 13-18 to win an $850 night out on the town, including dinner for six at a restaurant of their choice and limo service. To enter, teens must promote The Rayne Tour online. They can post information about the new series and the sweepstakes on their Blog, favorite social media sites, or other website. The first 200 entrants will receive a free copy of Always Watching. Official rules and entry details are available on this page of Brandilyn Collins’ website.
Zondervan also produced a book trailer for Always Watching. The suspenseful 60-second video trailer will visually show readers what to expect from this new series. It is posted on YouTube, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Tangle, and more. The trailer is also available on this page of Brandilyn Collins’ website. Other promotions include The Rayne Tour Series Fan Club page on Facebook and The Rayne Tour Series Shoutlife page.
About Brandilyn and Amberly Collins
Brandilyn and Amberly Collins are a mother/daughter team from northern California. Brandilyn is a bestselling novelist, known for her trademarked “Seatbelt Suspense.” Amberly is a college student in southern California. The two love attending concerts together. For more information, visit www.brandilyncollins.com and http://shoutlife.com/theraynetour.
Advance Praise for Always Watching
“This solid teen mystery, the initial entry in a new series, will appeal to young girls and adults who enjoy a good yarn.”
—Library Journal
“… a fast paced whodunit set against the intriguing backdrop of rock star celebrity. [Brandilyn’s] adult fans will find much to rave about, while new teen readers will love the youthful voice and perspective that Amberly Collins brings to the table ... Mother and daughter have stormed onto the YA scene in exhilarating style.”
—Jake Chism, The Christian Manifesto
The Rayne Tour
Book 1
Always Watching
$9.99, Softcover
5 ½ x 8 ½
224 pages
ISBN 978-0-310-71539-9
May 2009
Ages 13-16
Synopsis: This daughter of a rock star has it all—until murder crashes her world. During a concert, sixteen-year-old Shaley O’Connor stumbles upon the body of a friend backstage. Is Tom Hutchens’ death connected to her? Frightening messages arrive. Paparazzi stalk Shaley. Her private nightmare is displayed for all to see. Where is God at a time like this? As the clock runs out, Shaley must find Tom’s killer—before he strikes again.
The Rayne Tour
Book 2
Last Breath
$9.99, Softcover
5 ½ x 8 ½
224 pages
ISBN 978-0-310-71540-7
October 2009
Ages 13-16
Synopsis: The suspenseful and emotion-filled second book in the Rayne Tour series begins where the first book ended…with a dying man whispering four stunning words into Shaley O’Connor’s ear. Should she believe him? After two murders on the Rayne concert tour, Shaley is reeling. But she has no time to rest. If the dying man’s claim is right, the danger is far from over. Shaley’s quest for the truth leads to the mysterious and wrenching past of her mother and father. Could what happened to them so many years ago threaten Shaley’s life now?
Zondervan, a
HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
Bibles,
books,
audio,
video,
curriculum,
software, and
digital products through its
Zondervan,
eZondervan,
Zonderkidz,
Youth Specialties,
Editorial Vida, and
National Pastors Convention brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by
Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at
www.zondervan.com (mobile site:
zvan.mobi).
