ECPA's Rush To Press

A Champion for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities:
Boris Vujicic, Father of Life Without Limbs Founder,
Set to Release Book with WaterBrook Multnomah

Contact: Beverly Rykerd, Publicity Director
brykerd@penguinrandomhouse.com
(719) 268-1935 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 22, 2015)—Boris Vujicic, father of New York Times best-selling author who is best known for having no arms or legs Nick Vujicic, has signed a book deal with WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, a division of the Crown Publishing Group at Penguin Random House. Designed as an intimate look at the grief, struggles and victories of caring for a child with severe disabilities, Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child is scheduled for release from WaterBrook Press on April 19, 2016, in print and digital formats. 

In 1982 in Australia, Vujicic and his wife Dushka gave birth to a son born unexpectedly without any limbs. As they grappled with the shock of their son’s disability, they learned quickly how to care for and encourage a child with significant challenges. Nick became the first special needs child integrated into the mainstream educational system in Australia and in 1991 was awarded Junior Citizen of the Year for ‘courage beyond his years’ and was nominated for the Young Australian of the Year award for outstanding achievement. 

He credits his parents for helping him to rise above depression and bullying through their encouragement, often telling him, “You can either be angry for what you don’t have or thankful for what you do have.” Their son would later go on to become an internationally known evangelist, motivational speaker and bestselling author, who inspires millions, both disabled and able-bodied, to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. 

Alex Field, WaterBrook Multnomah vice president and publisher, and Bruce Nygren, senior editor, jointly acquired the project. Vujicic is represented by Nena Madonia of Dupree/Miller & Associates. 

“From the moment the proposal arrived, we were intrigued with both the story as well as the encouraging, come-along-side tone of the book,” editor Nygren said. “Nick Vujicic has inspired millions worldwide with his ‘can do’ spirit, and he gives lavish praise to his parents for his success.  In this, book Boris tells what it was like to raise a son like Nick, as well as offers hope to any parent of a child with a disability or special need.” 

Boris Vujicic, who once served as a pastor, and his wife Dushka have three adult children and currently reside in Southern California. The family plays an active role in Nick Vujicic’s nonprofit organization, Life Without Limbs. Boris also recently appeared in the TLC special “Born without Limbs” which featured Nick and his growing family. Nick is the author of the New York Times best-seller Unstoppable as well as international best-sellers Stand Strong, Life Without Limits and Love Without Limits, which he co-wrote with wife Kanae. His books have sold more than 1 million copies worldwide in 30 languages. 

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ABOUT WATERBROOK MULTNOMAH
WaterBrook Press is an imprint of The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Penguin Random House (http://global. penguinrandomhouse.com/) is the world’s most global trade book publisher. It was formed on July 1, 2013, upon the completion of an agreement between Bertelsmann and Pearson to merge their respective trade publishing companies, Random House and Penguin, with the parent companies owning 53% and 47%, respectively. Penguin Random House comprises the adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital trade book publishing businesses of Penguin and Random House in: the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa, and Penguin’s trade publishing activity in Asia and Brazil; DK worldwide; and Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial’s Spanish-language companies in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, and Chile. Penguin Random House employs more than 10,000 people globally across almost 250 editorially and creatively independent imprints and publishing houses that collectively publish more than 15,000 new titles annually. Its publishing lists include more than 70 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors. 

For more information on this release, please contact Beverly Rykerd at the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Publicity Office at 719-268-1935 or brykerd@penguinrandomhouse.com