"A beautiful story of love, faith and family. It reads from beginning to end like an intimate and familiar prayer.” — Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 11, 2102— Worthy Publishing announces it has picked up The God Box: Sharing My Mother’s Gift of Faith, Love and Letting Go, a New York Times best-selling memoir by author Mary Lou Quinlan and will re-release the title with renewed marketing effort. Originally self-published, The God Box hit the New York Times Bestsellers list just three weeks after release in April 2012. Amidst a sea of new releases, the book gained enough traction, aided by powerful marketing and glowing celebrity endorsements, to make a mark even without a major house behind it.
“The God Box touched us immediately,” said Betty Woodmancy, senior vice president of sales at Worthy. “Major retailers were telling us how much they loved this book. We have found very willing partners to continue promoting this exceptional memoir.”
The God Box: Sharing My Mother’s Gift of Faith, Love and Letting Go details Quinlan’s story of a remarkable discovery she made after her mother’s death: two decades of handwritten prayers tucked away in her mother’s 10 "God Boxes" filled with her hopes and concerns for family, friends and strangers, stored safely for release and resolution.
Finding these treasures crystallized a mission of sorts for Quinlan to spread the inspirational example of her mother’s simple faith. “She inhaled a worry and exhaled a prayer,” said Quinlan. “Seeing the tangible evidence of my mother’s faith was a huge motivation for me and for everyone who has been touched by this remarkable story.”
A seasoned advertising and marketing executive renowned for her know-how in marketing to women, Quinlan has been nicknamed the “Oprah of Madison Avenue” by the Wall Street Journal and has written three best-selling books on women in the marketplace. “Now, using my career expertise coincides with my calling to tell the story of the woman I loved best: my mother.”
Quinlan also will be performing a one-woman, one-act play, "The God Box, A Daughter’s Story," developed with playwright and director Martha Wollner. This fall, she is making appearances in multiple cities including Philadelphia, Chicago and other theatrical venues in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Proceeds from the events will be donated to local charities ranging from hospitals, hospices, and foundations for cancer research. “I wanted to pay forward my Mother’s generous spirit with the God-given talents she nurtured in me as a writer, speaker and actress.”
Quinlan has also launched a companion app, "The God Box," a free download for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app allows busy users to tap out wishes and worries and place them in a personal, mobile God Box. For more details, see TheGodBoxProject.com—home to a series of short films, a reading group guide, an active blog and a community.
About the Author:
Mary Lou Quinlan has written inspirational features for national magazines including Real Simple, O Magazine and More, and is the author of the books Just Ask a Woman, Time Off for Good Behavior and What She’s Not Telling You. The nation’s leading expert on female consumer behavior and the founder and CEO of the marketing consultancy Just Ask a Woman, she has conducted in-depth research on women’s lives since 1999 for corporations such as Wells Fargo, Pfizer and Kellogg’s. The keynote speaker at hundreds of conferences around the world, Quinlan has appeared on television programs such as CBS’ Early Show, ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today, and has been profiled in media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She holds an MBA from Fordham University and received an honorary doctorate in communications from her alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where she also holds a BA in English. Quinlan and her husband, Joe, live in New York City and Bucks County, PA, with their dog, Rocky.
About Worthy Publishing: Worthy Publishing is a privately held Christian publisher based in Nashville, Tennessee. Focused on a limited list of books each season, Worthy publishes in a variety of categories including fiction, spiritual growth, current events, biblical study, biography, devotionals, and Bibles. www.worthypublishing.com
CONTACT:
Morgan Canclini
morgan@worthypublishing.com
817.944.1071
Kelsey Hulgan or Jennifer Willingham
khulgan@demossgroup.com or jwillingham@demossgroup.com
770.813.0000 or 404.754.3474