Servant Books

Should Servant Books Publish Your Book?

Servant Books is an imprint of St. Anthony Messenger Press

Our Mission:Servant Books is dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, helping Catholics live in accordance with that gospel and promoting renewal in the church.

Our Books:We publish books on a wide variety of topics, including Christian living, the sacraments, Scripture, prayer, spirituality, popular apologetics, church teaching, Mary, the saints, charismatic renewal, marriage and family life, and popular psychology.

We do not accept proposals for books of poetry, short stories, drama, cartoons, children’s books, or fiction.

The style of writing in our books is popular and conversational rather than academic. We encourage our authors to use anecdotes and examples that offer practical advice and wisdom for today’s Christian adult. The people who buy our books are interested in deepening their spiritual life, growing in their knowledge of the faith, sharing that faith with others and serving the mission of the church.  

We publish 12-15 books a year. The following are some of our titles.

On Church teaching: information about and explanations of elements of Catholic belief, including doctrine and practice, morality, ethics and dogma. 

EXAMPLES

• The Untapped Power of the Sacrament of Penance: A Priest's View, by Fr. Christopher Walsh, ISBN 978-0-86716-658-3
• Men and Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, by Mary Healy, ISBN 978-0-86716-700-9 
• The Essential Catholic Catechism, by Alan Schreck,
  ISBN 978-1-56955-128-8

On prayer and drawing closer to God: books of prayer, explanations about various types of prayer and how to enter more deeply into prayer; aids to prayer, such as information about saints and prayer; or Catholic customs and prayer.

EXAMPLES

• The King, Crucified and Risen: Meditations on the Passion and Glory of Christ, by Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., ISBN 978-1-56955-289-6
• The Journey Within: Prayer as a Path to God, by Kathryn J. Hermes, F.S.P., ISBN 978-0-86716-611-8
• The Catholic Challenge: Six Keys to a Deeper Spiritual Life, by Therese Cirner, ISBN 978-1-56955-291-9

On Scripture and applying Scripture to daily life: resources to help Catholics grow in a love for and understanding of Scripture.

EXAMPLES

• Does the Bible Really Say That? Discovering Catholic Teaching in Scripture, by Patrick Madrid, ISBN 978-0-86716-774-0
• A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God's Covenant Love in Scripture, by Scott Hahn, ISBN 978-0-89283-829-5
• Dawn of the Messiah: The Coming of Christ in Scripture, by Edward Sri, ISBN 978-0-86716-720-7

On family life: books to help married couples grow in mutual love, help parents raise their children and resolve challenging situations, help families appreciate their Catholic identity and understand the Catholic perspective on family life.

EXAMPLES

• Good News About Sex and Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching, by Christopher West,
  ISBN 978-0-86716-619-4
• Discipline That Lasts a Lifetime: The Best Gift You Can Give Your Kids, by Dr. Ray Guarendi, ISBN 978-1-56955-368-8
• Natural Family Planning Blessed Our Marriage: 19 True Stories, by Fletcher Doyle, ISBN 978-0-86716-760-3

On general spirituality: books to help readers grow in faith, in a relationship with God; to find comfort or support in times of need; to apply a Catholic perspective to life.

EXAMPLES

• The Authentic Catholic Woman, by Genevieve Kineke,
  ISBN 978-0-86716-768-9
• The Truth About Trouble: How Hard Times Can Draw You Closer to God, by Michael Scanlan, T.O.R., ISBN 978-0-86716-621-7
• Living the Catholic Faith: Rediscovering the Basics, by Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., ISBN 978-1-56955-191-2
• Seeking Spiritual Direction: How to Grow the Life Within, by Thomas Dubay, S.M., ISBN 978-0-89283-810-3

On saints and modern heroes: books about great figures in Catholic history.

EXAMPLES

• Meet Fulton Sheen: Beloved Preacher and Teacher of the Word, by Janel Rodriguez, ISBN 978-0-86716-709-2
• John Paul II: A Life of Grace, by Renzo Allegri, ISBN 978-0-86716-657-6
• Through the Year with Padre Pio: Daily Readings, by Patricia Treece, ISBN 978-1-56955-277-3

On charismatic spirituality: books that focus on the work of the Holy Spirit in the church as manifest in the movement known as the charismatic renewal.

EXAMPLES

• When the Spirit Comes in Power: Rediscovering the Charismatic Dimension of the Christian Life, by Peter Herbeck,
  ISBN 978-1-56955-352-7
• Charismatic Spirituality: The Work of the Holy Spirit in Scripture and Practice, by Stephen B. Clark, ISBN 978-1-56955-390-9
• Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled with the Fullness of God, by Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., ISBN 978-0-86716-713-9

On youth: for Catholics ages 18 to 40 (we do not publish books for the young teen market) who want to better understand church teaching and practice today and who want to fill in information about Catholicism that may have been missed in their religious formation.

EXAMPLES

• Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit: A Young Catholic’s Search for Meaning, by Mark Hart, ISBN 978-0-86716-677-4
• Not Ready for Marriage, Not Ready for Sex: One Couple’s Return to Chastity, by Chris and Linda Padgett, ISBN 978-0-86716-745-0

Our Market: Who Buys Servant Books

The people who buy our books are adult Catholics: laypeople and priests and members of religious orders. They are parents, young adults, directors of religious education, catechists, teachers, people actively involved in parish life and ministry, small-group leaders, people who search for inspiration for their spiritual life or help with special problems. We look for books that will sell in trade and religious bookstores. We expect to sell at least 5,000 to 7,000 copies of a book.

How to Submit Your Book Proposal

Your book proposal should include:

• A cover letter in which you state the topic and the working title for your proposed book. Include your contact information in the letter.
• The proposal itself should begin with a two-to-three paragraph description of the book. Please include the approximate length or word count for the final manuscript, the number of chapters and any charts or design elements that you anticipate including in your book.
• We also need to know your intended audience—be specific. Don’t just tell us that the book is for Catholic women interested in prayer; tell us that it is for Catholic women ages 30 to 65 interested in growing in their faith through studying spiritual classics and meditation. Tell us what makes your book unique or sets it apart from similar books on the market.
• A table of contents.
• An outline or synopsis of the book, chapter by chapter.
• One or two sample chapters.
• Brief biographical information that states your qualifications for writing this book.
• Any outlets you have for promoting your book. For example, do you speak at conferences? Are you on radio or television? Are you a columnist for a newspaper or magazine? Do you have a Web site or blog that you update frequently and that receives a substantial number of visitors?
• A self-addressed envelope with the appropriate postage if you want your material returned.

Please double-space your chapters, using only one side of the paper. Also, number pages consecutively throughout the book rather than within chapters. Always keep a copy of the proposal for yourself. We do not accept responsibility for lost manuscripts or unsolicited material.

Our editorial team will review your proposal, and if it has potential we will discuss it with the publisher and the marketing team. This process can take 8 to 12 weeks.

Where to Send Your Proposal

Servant Books
Attn: Servant Editor
P.O. Box 7015
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
Fax: 734-332-0131
E-mail: servanteditor@americancatholic.org
www.AmericanCatholic.org

rev. 07/06