Search results for: 'down s'

Emma Collins
10 Oct 2019

How true friendship breaks down the stigma of mental illness

Thursday 10th October is World Mental Health Day, a day to help raise awareness and encourage open conversation. This year's theme is suicide prevention. Rachael Newman was aged just six when she had her first suicidal thought. In her book Learning to Breathe she shares her journey into and out of the darkness of depression. In this extract from ...

Laura Barry
15 Sept 2025

Witney Book Launch: Rachael Newham & Rachel Bearn Share Their Inspiring New Books

Join SPCK authors Rachael Newham and Rachel Bearn in Witney on 27th September for an evening of inspiration, faith, and the launch of their new books Beloved is Where We Begin and A Year to Slow ...

25 Jan 2018

4 Key Ingredients for Success

Does your organisation have the right ingredients for success? Primavera Quantrill writes about our recent 1698 Club ...

19 Feb 2018

5 minutes with Kate Bowler

We stole 5 minutes of Kate Bowler's time to find out more about the story behind her new book Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've ...

Sarah Head
27 Mar 2018

Mental Health in Children and Young People

Sheldon Press is delighted to be publishing Mental Health in Children and Young People, written by specialist psychiatrist Dr Sarah Vohra, is a practical guide to empower parents and carers spot mental illness in young people ...

Catherine Reynolds
8 Jun 2018

Long Story Short: Why We're Living

Happiness. Safety. Significance. Three things society tells us we’re living for, but what do they all ...

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16 Jun 2018

My Day on the Shop Floor

16 – 23 June is Independent Bookshop Week – and we’re participating! Over the course of this week, we’ll be sharing content about our favourite independent bookshops. To start off the week, our Commercial Director Alexandra McDonald blogs about the one – one! – shift she worked in a bookshop. ...

19 Jun 2018

Independent Bookshops: more than just tea and cake

We spoke with Ali, Team Leader at Quench Christian Bookshop Wokingham, and Head of Retail for both the Wokingham and Maidenhead shops, about her experience with running a ...

6 Jul 2018

What story is your life telling?

By Leila Jennings ‘Narrative is the central function … of the human mind. We turn everything into a story in order to make sense of life.’ - James Bryan Smith Andy Frost’s new book, Long Story Short, provides insight into the narratives that we use to define our path in life. Many of us see life as the pursuit of ...

2 Jul 2018

A chat with Peter Graystone

Our author Peter Graystone is on our blog today as part of our month-long exploration of More Ways To Read The Bible. We’ll be looking at books that consider different ways you can engage with ...

3 Jul 2018

When doodles become designs -- illustrations for Out of the Silence by Terry Waite

Terry Waite’s Out of the Silence was illustrated by his friend Jenny Coles. One simple drawing led to her drawing all of the pictures in his book. Here, she discusses how that evolved and what the process was ...

11 Jul 2018

There’s a heatwave. Is it Christmas yet?

We’ll be promoting children’s titles over the months of July and August. Summer holidays are always a fun time to go to the library or bookshop and pick favourite books to read. We all have fond memories of reading on holiday, by the pool, on the beach, at the cabin, and even at summer camp. Summer is the time when we get to read the ...

30 Jul 2018

International Friendship Day - A Chat with Alexa Tewkesbury

Alexa is an author, editor and proofreader who has been writing extensively for children since 2002. Three picture books for SPCK Publishing, Noah and his Ark, Daniel in the Lions’ Den and Jonah and the Whale, were released in 2017. As well as children’s books, Alexa has also written the screenplays for the animation, It’s A Boy!, ...

30 Jul 2018

Simple Comforts

Jane Clamp’s Too Soon will be released mid-August. Here, she writes about finding comfort in the face of pain and ...

1 Aug 2018

A Chat with Stephen Cottrell

1 August is Play Day, which encourages the value of play and imagination. Our author Stephen Cottrell has always told stories to his children. Now, he has written a children’s story too. Read about the origins of his new book The Sleepy ...

10 Aug 2018

Living a Heroic Life

Summer is often the time we wish for throughout the year and, if especially if you have kids, can’t wait to get away for some rest and relaxation. How do you spend your summers? Do you use it to jet off to the beach? Maybe you spend time at home with family and a barbeque. Maybe you take your children on an adventure. Before the summer comes ...

Naomi Shakespeare
17 Aug 2018

6 Ways to Help Families Who Are Less Fortunate

‘We’ve been so busy feeding everybody else that we’ve forgotten about ourselves!’ said Aunt Miranda. ‘I didn’t think of that,’ said Ellie. Sylvia Green’s delightful and heart-warming picture book, We’re Hungry Too, helps adults and children alike to think about caring for creation, ...

31 Aug 2018

A Chat with Cole Moreton

Today is National Maritime Day. Cole Moreton’s forthcoming book The Light Keeper is set in London and The South Downs. Here, he chats with us about his writing and the setting of his new ...

10 Sept 2018

What Not To Say To People Who Have Depression

We all wish we could help our friends and family who are hurting. Sometimes, the things we say to try to comfort them can actually do more harm than good. Rachael Newham, author of Learning To Breathe, considers what we should and shouldn’t say when speaking to someone who has ...

17 Sept 2018

God values who we are

Liz Carter, author of the forthcoming Catching Contentment, shares her thoughts on our book club pick I Thought There Would Be Cake by Katharine ...

21 Sept 2018

International Day of Peace - Sean Stillman finds peace on the road

For International Day of Peace, Sean Stillman ...

24 Sept 2018

I thought there would be cake too!

Tim Gough is the author of Rebooted, which looks to the Bible to reframe how youth ministry works for our generation. We gave him a copy of I Thought There Would Be Cake, our book club read for this month, and he had lots to ...

15 Oct 2018

Work that we're called to do

Barbara Fox chats with us about the genesis of her new book Midwife of Borneo, in which she tells the story of the life and work of Wendy Grey ...

26 Sept 2018

The Wisdom of Dr Dawn Harper on Fitness Day

Dr Dawn Harper is on our blog for Fitness Day, sharing her wisdom about the benefits of regular exercise. We all have to find the fitness that works well with us and makes us feel motivated. When we find what we enjoy, we look forward to our ...

2 Oct 2018

The work we're called to do

Has anyone ever said to you, ‘Maybe acupuncture is your calling?’ Perhaps you’ve you thought to yourself, ‘Medicine is my calling.’ What difference does work take on when we feel it’s something we’ve been called to do? April Holden explores this theme in her new book They Called Us Love, which publishes ...

15 Oct 2018

Wave of Light - Baby Loss Awareness Week

It was only two years ago that I found the Wave of Light on Facebook. Now in its sixteenth year, on the 15th of October women who have miscarried are encouraged to light a candle to commemorate their lost ones, posting their photos on social media with the hashtag #WaveofLight. I joined in, lighting a single stubby candle in honour of my four, ...

8 Oct 2018

Catching Up With Cole Moreton for Libraries Week

Cole Moreton is on our blog for Libraries Week. His new book The Light Keeper publishes in May of next ...

11 Nov 2018

Reflections on the end of the Great War

On Remembrance Sunday, Alan Billings shares his ...

10 Oct 2018

What Not To Say When Someone Has Experienced A Miscarriage

It's World Mental Health Day today. The loss of a baby can cause unimaginable pain and grief. We might think we can understand what someone else is going through, but we don’t know. Jane Clamp considers what to say and what not to say when someone has lost a baby in early ...

10 Oct 2018

How can I help my child to open up?

Dr Sarah Vohra, author of Mental Health in Children and Young People, blogs for us on World Mental Health Day. It can be a real struggle to open up to others about our concerns and problems, and there’s no worse feeling than not being able to help when you know someone is struggling. Dr Vohra provides practical advice to help ...

16 Oct 2018

Sylvia Green's Tips for Reducing Food Waste

Sylvia Green has been a children’s author for many years. Her books include several ‘Christmas animal’ books published by Scholastic. We’re Hungry Too is her first picture book for SPCK. It is a full colour picture book with a fun story that encourages children to learn about caring for the natural world and ...

22 Oct 2018

What can compel us to write nonfiction?

What makes a good biography? Barbara Fox reflects on her work in journalism and how it led to the writing of Midwife of Borneo. Though she’d planned to write fiction if she ever wrote a book, her editing and journalistic skills helped her to write nonfiction. While we can often plan to write one book initially, we can sometimes end up ...

2 Nov 2018

5 Questions for Catherine Fox

Continuing on with our #NaNoWriMo theme, we caught up with Catherine Fox and chatted about writing, books, and ...

6 Nov 2018

Where do writers get their ideas?

In keeping with our #NaNoWriMo theme, we interviewed Sarah Meyrick, author of The Restless Wave, about her idea for her new novel. How do you begin with an idea and turn it into a ...

20 Nov 2018

Alexa Tewkesbury's 3 wishes for all children

Alexa Tewkesbury has written several children’s books for us. It seems only fitting that she’d be on our blog for World Children’s Day, sharing her wishes for today’s ...

20 Nov 2018

5 lighthearted books for Christmas

For most people, Christmas is the perfect time of year to unwind, relax and spend precious time with family. With this in mind, SPCK has handpicked five easy lighthearted books for the ...

5 Dec 2018

Volunteering activities for the whole family - #IVD2018

How can families volunteer together to help others who are less fortunate than themselves? Sylvia Green names some great suggestions on International Volunteers ...

5 Dec 2018

Managing MS Naturally

Tessa Buckley grew up near Epsom race course in Surrey. As a child, she spent a lot of time writing and illustrating stories. After leaving school, she studied interior design at Chelsea College of Art and worked in architecture and design in London until 1989, when she was forced to give up her career after developing multiple sclerosis. That was ...

10 Dec 2018

You Didn’t Tell Me I Had To Do Something!

Sean Stillman, author of God’s Biker, shares his thoughts for Human Rights ...

7 Dec 2018

Is my gift enough?

SPCK’s Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about generosity. It benefits everyone ...

10 Dec 2018

5 Questions for Stephen Cottrell

Stephen Cottrell, author of The Sleepy Shepherd, chats with us about books, writing, and his plans for ...

13 Dec 2018

Connection and Compassion at Christmastime

The holidays can be particularly hard for people who are in recovery from addiction. Christopher Dines considers ways that we can help ourselves and others during the holiday season, especially when we look to prevent ...

21 Dec 2018

Q&A with Janet Morley

Janet Morley, author of Haphazard by Starlight, is on our blog today chatting writing and Christmas ...

22 Jan 2019

Catching up with Michael Cassidy

Michael Cassidy, author of Footprints in the African Sand, blogs for us about his role in the dissolution of the ...

28 Jan 2019

Ruining the Moment

James Cary, author of The Sacred Art of Joking, blogs for us during Storytelling ...

4 Feb 2019

What Not To Say To Someone Who Has Been Subjected To Abuse

4 – 10 February is Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Natalie Collins, author of Out of Control, shares what to not say to someone who has been subjected to ...

6 Feb 2019

#ReclaimSocial – Post Positive in 2019!

Social media has so much potential to be a force for good. We can re-connect with old friends easier than ever before, share important news articles and keep distant family up to date with changes in our lives. Social media has also been central to campaigns and protests, as demonstrated by the viral #metoo campaign. But it is impossible to deny ...

12 Feb 2019

What is freedom?

What is freedom? Diffusion workshop at HMP North Sea Camp Did you know that SPCK provides free easy-to-read books to prison reading groups? Our Diffusion books are specially written to help prisoners who need to improve their reading confidence so that they are better able to find employment on release. We also work to change, attitudes, thinking ...

13 Feb 2019

Struggling to find space? Follow Jesus into the desert.

The desert is a vast and beautiful. The colours of the sky and the sand and the piercing blue against the reds and the yellow, are intense. A few years ago, on an 8 days retreat in the Egyptian desert, three days of which were solitary and fasting, I was struck by the space and sheer beauty of the desert. It was a struggle to get away, with four ...

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8 Mar 2019

I'm a bit like a mosquito

On International Women's Day, Hope Rising 365 author Meg Cannon is on the blog to talk about the women whose wisdom and wonder inspire Meg ...

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5 Apr 2019

Prayer Experiment Activity

What do you think of when you think of prayer? For a lot of people, it brings up images of being told to sit still and close their eyes while someone else ‘says a prayer’; or of reciting words from a page. Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, author of The Prayer Experiment series, teaches a fun prayer experiment to try with your ...

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11 Apr 2019

Michael Cassidy - My Life and Times: Part 2

This is part 2/2 of this blog post. Part 1 can be found here. We are very committed, like SPCK, to reach people and disciple them by books and Christian literature. ...

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15 Apr 2019

Spanning the Decades

Sarah Meyrick introduces our new blog series where she takes you through the decades of her new novel, The Restless Wave, as well as inspiring stories from her own family ...

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16 Apr 2019

Q&A with Simon Barrington

In celebration of World Voice Day, we caught up with Simon Barrington, co-author of Leading - The Millennial Way which is out this Thursday. Pre-order your copy ...

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26 Apr 2019

Spanning the Decades: 1940s

Sarah Meyrick's third installment of Spanning the Decades features the research that went into The Restless Wave and her own personal history with Church Stowe, available for pre-order ...

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1 May 2019

Natural Holy Places: Britain's Top 10

Nick Mayhew-Smith, author of The Naked Hermit, rounds up a five-year journey into the wild sacred spaces of Britain with a top 10 list of the most enchanting holy ...

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3 May 2019

Spanning the Decades: 1960s

Sarah Meyrick's fourth Spanning the Decades post for her new book The Restless Wave, available for pre-order ...

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13 May 2019

Mindfulness, Spirituality & Mental Health Awareness Week

Tim Stead, former Vicar, mindfulness teacher and author of See, Love, Be – Mindfulness and the spiritual life writes for Mental Health Awareness ...

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16 May 2019

Spanning the Decades: The Restless Wave

Sarah Meyrick's final post for our Spanning the Decades series is all about families and how to survive them. Order her new book, The Restless Wave, available ...

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16 May 2019

The Road to 'The Meaning of Life'

Alister McGrath chats with us about his new book Richard Dawkins, C.S. Lewis and the Meaning of ...

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21 May 2019

Prayer Experiment - Thank You Jar

With our partner publisher Baker Books, we've paired these two titles to help you find creative ways to pray for your whole family! Like this Thank You Jar activity from Miranda Threlfall-Holmes' The Prayer Experiment ...

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21 May 2019

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Debra Green, author of Mountain Moving Prayer, is the National Director and founder of ROC which aims to work alongside the church in ways that demonstrate the Christian faith-in-action. She chats about how encouring faith to live out in ...

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31 May 2019

I can’t read or write at all: Diffusion reading group at HMP Downview

Did you know that SPCK provides free easy-to-read books to prison reading groups? Our Diffusion books are specially written to help prisoners who need to improve their reading confidence so that they are better able to find employment on release. We also work to change, attitudes, thinking and behaviour so that prisoners can build more positive ...

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7 Jun 2019

Q&A with Debbie Flood

SPCK’s Partnerships Director, Primavera Quantrill, spoke to Olympic Rower Debbie ...

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27 Jun 2019

Working with Richard Rohr

In his decades as a globally recognized teacher and Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr has helped millions understand and engage with matters of faith and spirituality. Alison Barr, Commissioning Editor and Publisher at SPCK tells us what it's like working with such an internationally renowned ...

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4 Jul 2019

Coffee with Sarah Meyrick

Sarah Meyrick recently published her second novel, The Restless Wave. Set across three generations, the book emcompasses themes such as love, family, faith and history, with some of her inspiration coming from her own family history. We managed to find a quiet few minutes to catch up with Sarah and talk about all things ...

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22 Jul 2019

16 and a Half Ways to Upgrade Your Faith

We’ve all been there. One minute we’re sky-high in our relationship with God, and the next we’re questioning whether he’s listening to us at all. But what if there was a way to get past the ups and downs? Youth Pastor Bob Wallington suggests ways to help us maintain a relationship with God in his book 16 and a Half ...

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10 Jul 2019

The Light Keeper - blog post from Cole Moreton

Find out more about Cole Moreton's upcoming book The Light Keeper and how to win a night's stay at the Belle Tout ...

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5 Aug 2019

The Man I'll Pray You'll Be

Author and mum Rachael Newham hopes for many things for her little boy, many of which are reflected in Martin Saunders' new book The Man You're Made to ...

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19 Aug 2019

The Challenges of Urbanization

From one end of Eurasia to the other, societies are now either already highly urbanized or in the process of becoming so. In The Human Odyssey Stephen Green explores the challenges that are posed by this change. In the following blog post Stephen introduces us to his chapter on 'The forces unleashed by ...

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19 Aug 2019

Storytelling at Greenbelt by Murray Watts

Storytelling has always been a big part of Murray Watts' life. It started with his mother reading him the works of Hans Andersen and Grimms' Fairy Tales, which later led to his live broadcasts of monologues and parables on Radio Merseyside in 1971. It's now come full circle to the publication of 'Yours Truly', a collection of 18 brilliant and ...

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28 Aug 2019

Augustine’s Confessions, the story of his journey to adult Christian faith

On 28th August we celebrate the feast of St Augustine of Hippo. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a Roman African, early Christian theologian and philosopher from Numidia. Saint Augustine of Hippo is just one of twenty Christians that Rowan Williams reflects upon in his new book Luminaries. In this extract we learn about 'Augustine's Confessions' ...

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9 Sept 2019

Exploring Patterns of History - an extract from The Human Odyssey

The long human odyssey of self-discovery has reached a crucial stage: everything we do affects everyone and everything else - and we know it. In this extract from Stephen Green's new book The Human Odyssey he explores patterns of history and questions whether these patterns justify the narrative of a human journey - an odyssey which, for ...

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12 Sept 2019

New for September 2019

6 New books for September 2019. From autobiographies to anthologies there's something for everyone, so grab a hot drink and embrace the benefits of hygge with a new read for Autumn ...

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21 Sept 2019

Busting the Myths of Dementia

Alzheimer's Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness, provide support and demystify dementia. The impact of Alzheimer's Day is increasing but there is still lack of information surrounding dementia. Louise Morse, co-author of Dementia from the Inside writes about the common myths of dementia and explains how the biggest hope is to ...

Emma Collins
30 Sept 2019

National Poetry Day with Janet Morley

In the lead up to National Poetry Day we speak to Janet Morley about her latest anthology Love Set You Going: Poems of the ...

Emma Collins
3 Oct 2019

New for October 2019

With a chill in the air it's evident that Autumn has arrived so why not snuggle up with a new book this month. October sees the release of a great selection of books. New publications include The Very Brief History of John Henry Newman and the third children's book by Paul Kerensa, Joe's Bros and the Bus that Goes. Learn more about new books for ...

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4 Oct 2019

What can we learn from our animal friends? Meet Danny, the Irish Setter

All over the world, everywhere, humans and animals form great bonds that give them both another kind of gift of life. This is one of the reasons why Joan Chittister wrote the book, Two Dogs and a Parrot. For World Animal Day we're sharing an extract from the book where we meet Danny, the unruly Irish ...

Emma Collins
14 Oct 2019

Why you should read this book... Q&A with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child

We catch up with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child. She tells us what inspired her to write the book and what we as readers can take away from the ...

14 Nov 2019

An Inspiring Story of Courage and Strength

As we approach Christmas and the end of 2019 it's the ideal time to reflect and prepare for the new year ahead. Whilst we reflect on our lives, there will be many things we are grateful for, as well as those we take for granted. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is not always easy to do but when we immerse ourselves in a story, especially a ...

Emma Collins
29 Nov 2019

Christmas gifts that children will love

With Christmas fast approaching we've handpicked some of our favourite children's books to help you find that perfect gift. Don't forget to check out our Christmas store where we have a great selection of resources to help you prepare for the season ahead, as well as books for personal and group devotion, and gift ideas for those you ...

Emma Collins
10 Jan 2020

Taking Action to Save Water

Water is a key theme throughout Saying Yes to Life: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020. Whilst Ruth Valerio reflects on light and water in relation to the Days of Creation (Genesis 1), she also relates this back to the environmental, ethical and social concern that we face today with Climate Change. In this extract from the book ...

Emma Collins
14 Feb 2020

Your Own Call Less Ordinary

What next after university? In this extract from Rich Wilson's A Call Less Ordinary he shares his experience of coming to the end of his time at university and how it was around this time that he became aware of God's ...

Emma Collins
19 Feb 2020

An Irrepressible Journey

‘I sometimes feel we are sold a myth that we somehow download our purpose in our twenties and then work on that until we “achieve our dreams”,’ speaker, writer and coach Cathy Madavan shares with SPCK ahead of the launch of her new book, Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling ...

Emma Collins
3 Mar 2020

Why the title 'Irrepressible'?

"These twelve principles mean a lot to me and have formed so much of my thinking over recent years. I hope they will give other people some practical handholds and a good dollop of hope". Cathy Madavan, speaker and author of Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling life tells us why she wrote the book, why ...

Emma Collins
16 Mar 2020

Our Lady of Vladimir

Ahead of Mothering Sunday we're sharing an extract from Love Set You Going by Janet Morley. In this extract the poem Our Lady of Vladimir by Rowan Williams is featured alongside a reflection by ...

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30 Mar 2020

Vincent van Gogh The Bedroom - A Reflection from Sister Wendy Beckett

Today is the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, a post-impressionist painter who is one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art. A few of SPCK's books reference van Gogh. One of which is Sister Wendy's 100 Best-loved Paintings. In this blog post you will find an extract from the book where Sister Wendy reflects upon van Gogh's ...

Emma Collins
7 Apr 2020

Escapism Reads for Uncertain Times

In these uncertain times being able to immerse yourself in a good book can be a welcome escape. In this blog post you will find book suggestions from our fiction imprint: Marylebone ...

Emma Collins
14 Apr 2020

Mindful Walking

With many of you going out for daily exercise, how many times would you say that you were mindful of your surroundings? Graham User writes that he has two approaches to walking, one that focuses on the amount of steps and time it takes him, and the other to pay attention to his surroundings such as patterns in the sky, birdsong or sounds of ...

Emma Collins
16 Apr 2020

A Significant Milestone for the African Theological Network Press

Dr Angus Crichton, SPCK's Global Advocacy Manager gives us an update on ATNP, the African Theological Network Press. ATNP is one of SPCK's charitable programmes, an ecumenical venture, committed to serving the church in Africa and the ...

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23 Apr 2020

Social Imagination, African Politics and the African Theological Network Press

This World Book Day we're sharing another ATNP update from Dr Angus Crichton, SPCK's Global Advocacy Manager. The African Theological Network Press (ATNP) is one of SPCK's charitable programmes, an ecumenical venture, committed to serving the church in Africa and the ...

Emma Collins
30 Apr 2020

Q&A with David Wilbourne, Author of Just John

David Wilbourne has been a 'John Habgood observer' for 37 years. Just John: The Authorized Biography of John Habgood has been a long time in the making, as we learn in this Q&A with David it took four years to complete just one chapter. Find out in this first part of our Q&A what it was like to write this biography and whether David, ...

Emma Collins
5 May 2020

You are not alone, an extract from Baby Change

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness during and after pregnancy. In the introduction to Baby Change, Anne Calver writes that she '...did not find anything to help parents emotionally, mentally or spiritually as they prepared for and transitioned into life as mums and dads'. In ...

Emma Collins
21 May 2020

Thomas Graumann, the boy who fled the Nazis

It is with great sadness that today we hear of the passing of Thomas Graumann, one of the last children rescued by British humanitarian Nicholas Winton. Thomas' story was published in the book Twice Rescued Child, co-written with Tricia Goyer. Last year we caught up with Tricia and she told us what it was like working with Thomas and ...

Emma Collins
28 May 2020

Tears, Locked Doors and Doubt - an extract from God and the Pandemic

Today sees the publication of Tom Wright's new book God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and its Aftermath. In this extract from the book Tom Wright draws parallels between the tears, locked doors and doubt that are present in the Gospel of John with the tears, locked doors and doubt that we are experiencing ...

Emma Collins
18 Jun 2020

Mental Health and Wellbeing during a Time of Uncertainty

In this time of uncertainty, it is even more important to pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing, checking our blind spots and being honest with ourselves and others. It is this honesty that make Rob Merchant’s Broken By Fear, Anchored In Hope such an important book for this season. Here, Rachael Bell and Simon Ponsonby ...

Emma Collins
30 Jun 2020

How Talk Can Transform Us

'The idea of talking to someone for eight hours might have been daunting for some people, but this is what Rowan and I have been doing for more than a decade'. Greg Garrett tells us about the many conversations he had with Rowan Williams, and how these conversations became a book, giving readers the chance to be a 'fly on the ...

Emma Collins
23 Jul 2020

Lesson 90: Be Nice

Tola Doll Fisher reflects on Ephesians 4.31, and how it can be used to remind us to not engage in behaviour that can negatively impact another's mental health. This extract from her book Still Standing is Lesson 90: Be ...

Emma Collins
7 Aug 2020

The Medical Clergyman

Who do you go to when you’ve got a fever or broken limb? Your local vicar probably wouldn’t be the first person you would think of. Before the year 1858, medicine could be practised by a wide variety of people. A scientifically minded clergyman was one of them. In this extract from Caves, Coprolites, and Catastrophes, historian Allan ...

Emma Collins
13 Aug 2020

But Where Are You Really From?

‘Where are you from?’ I’m asked.‘The UK,’ I reply. ‘I mean where are you really from?’ ‘Zambia,’ I reply. In this blog post you will find a short video of Amanda Khozi Mukwashi reading from the opening chapter of her book But Where Are You Really From? The extract is also ...

Emma Collins
25 Aug 2020

Enemies can be our best spiritual friends - a reflection from Fr Laurence Freeman

'The crisis has exposed fundamental flaws in our view of the world, our environment and social structures. We are all in the same storm, rich and poor, north and south. But we are clearly not in the same boat'. Fr Laurence Freeman reflects on the effects of Covid-19. This reflection was originally published in the WCCM newsletter and has been ...

Emma Collins
8 Sept 2020

Our first response needs to be silence - a reflection from Fr Laurence Freeman

'The pandemic has reminded us of our inherent solidarity as a human family. It has also exposed the forces at work – like bad government, greedy money-makers and the obscene gulf between rich and poor - that demand correction or punishment'. Fr Laurence Freeman reflects on the effects of Covid-19. This reflection was originally ...

Emma Collins
15 Sept 2020

From the quiet science lab to the macho police college

'Leaving the quiet, sterile environment of science research for the macho, militaristic culture of Hendon was a massive culture shock. You could smell the testosterone in the air the moment you passed through the gates into the campus'. In this extract from Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop, Leroy Logan tells us about his first night at Hendon Police ...

Emma Collins
30 Sept 2020

National Poetry Day 2020 - Hope by George Herbert

National Poetry Day is celebrated every year on the first Thursday of October, and encourages everyone to enjoy, discover and share poetry. With this in mind, we are sharing a poem by George Herbert called Hope, with a commentary from Mark Oakley. This is an extract from Mark Oakley's volume My Sour-Sweet Days: George Herbert and the Journey of the ...

Emma Collins
5 Nov 2020

Who doesn’t like making top-ten lists?

In this extract from We are Satellites by Martin Saunders, we learn how lists of favourite films, books, music or games all have one thing in common, and that is: the creative arts. With creative arts having the same common root of human creativity, where does that creativity come ...

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3 Nov 2020

Utterly Brilliant! Timmy Mallett in Conversation with Tony Prince

Join Timmy Mallett in conversation with Tony Prince on 18th November at 7:30pm on Zoom. Timmy will be talking about his amazing solo cycle ride across Europe on the ancient pilgrimage route - the Camino de Santiago - and capturing the adventure in paintings as he travelled. Register here to avoid ...

Emma Collins
1 Dec 2020

Christmas Gift Ideas for Him

If you're in need of some inspiration for a book to gift him this Christmas, let us help you find that perfect read with our Christmas Gift Ideas for ...

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22 Dec 2020

Our Need for Renewal - Reflecting back on SPCK’s 2020 Annual Lecture

SPCK’s well-received AGM and annual lecture on 19 November gave us all, “much to ponder and act on.” as one attendee told us. The virtual event was hosted by broadcast journalist, Genelle Aldred in conversation with four esteemed SPCK authors who shared their understanding of ‘renewal’ and responded to questions from ...

Emma Collins
23 Dec 2020

How to keep yourself busy this Christmas

If you're facing Christmas alone, or need some inspiration for keeping busy this Christmas we hope that this list of activities will help to put your mind at ...

Emma Collins
4 Mar 2021

'A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change'

#ChoosetoChallenge is this year's theme for International Women's Day. With this mind, we are sharing an extract from Josephine Butler: A Very Brief History. Josephine challenged social attitudes to women and campaigned for women's rights. In this extract, author Jane Robinson tells us about Josephine's far-reaching influence, and how one of her ...

Emma Collins
24 Mar 2021

We're launching a new imprint!

Launching in July 2021, Form will publish books that help busy readers to cultivate spiritual rhythms and practices in everyday ...

Emma Collins
18 Mar 2021

Q&A with Rebecca Parkinson, author of Goodnight World

In this blog post we catch up with Rebecca Parkinson, and find out more about her latest book Goodnight ...

Emma Collins
12 May 2021

What would the Ascension look like in a sitcom?

It’s a strange thing to consider, but what would the Ascension look like if it was portrayed in a ...

Emma Collins
10 Jun 2021

What makes all-age worship so difficult?

In this adapted extract from Worship for Everyone, Nick and Becky Drake address the challenges of all-age worship, and suggest practical steps to help overcome ...

Emma Collins
7 Jul 2021

Q&A with Ruth Valerio & Paul Kerensa

We chat to Ruth Valerio and Paul Kerensa about their new book Planet Protectors: 52 Ways to Look After God's ...

Emma Collins
22 Jul 2021

Re-imagining how we worship

Now that we can gather together again, Nick and Becky Drake share their thoughts on returning to the church building and how we can re-imagine how we worship ...

Emma Collins
6 Aug 2021

The New Rules of Social Media

When used correctly, social media can be a helpful tool for youth leaders. There is of course a dark side to social media. In this extract from Leadership 101, Tim Alford, National Director of Limitless provides 5 top tips for using social media ...

Joanne Poutney
3 Aug 2021

Free Webinar Launch Event - Communicate for Change

To celebrate the launch of her new book Communicate for Change, join Genelle Aldred from 7-8pm on Thursday 9th September as she talks to panellists about how to hold power and privilege in balance with one another, and what it really means to be an ...

Emma Collins
21 Sept 2021

Fake News and Clickbait

How many times have you clicked on an online article, only to find it has no relevance to the title it was given? In this extract from Communicate for Change, Genelle Aldred explores the rise of clickbait, and the effect that negative stories can have on our opinions of groups of ...

Laura Barry
14 Apr 2022

Easter Reading For All The Family

Celebrate Easter this weekend with a selection of reflections, meditations, and Bible story books that the whole family can ...

Emma Collins
16 Jun 2022

Loneliness Awareness Week 2022: what can faith teach us about isolation and despair?

For Loneliness Awareness Week 2022, we’re highlighting some of our books that speak profoundly to mental illness, and how to pursue faith amid loneliness and ...

Laura Barry
1 Nov 2022

Join SPCK author John-Paul Flintoff on an Online Pilgrimage

Join John-Paul Flintoff, author of Psalms for the City, on an online pilgrimage as he etches exquisite and quirky illustrations on to the streets of ...

Laura Barry
8 Nov 2022

Remembrance Sunday

To mark Remembrance Day, taking place this Sunday, we've created a free Remembrance Day Service to use at home or at ...

Emma Collins
14 Dec 2022

Book reading by the Archbishop of York

Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, will be in York Minster’s Lady Chapel from 10.30am on Saturday 17 December to give a reading from his children’s book, The Sleepy Shepherd. ...

Laura Barry
16 Jan 2023

Blue Monday Week: Save 10% on Mental Health Resources

Banish January Blues and save 10% this Blue Monday Week on inspirational and uplifting Mental Health Resources. ...

Laura Barry
16 Jan 2023

Guest Post: Lily-Jo's Blue Monday Tips for Talking to Children About Mental Health

Lily-Jo, a children’s mental health expert and author of Talking to Children About Mental Health, shares with us her top tips for helping you AND your child through the January ...

Laura Barry
26 Jan 2023

Bishop Jill Duff Lighting The Beacons Book Launch

Find out more about Bishop Jill Duff launching her book Lighting the Beacons - out this ...

Laura Barry
26 Jan 2023

Joshua Luke Smith Hosts Stories & Psalms - Free Event

Joshua Luke Smith, author of Something You Once Knew, is hosting Stories & Psalms at Kings X Church on January 30th at 7:30 pm. Find out more here. ...

Laura Barry
23 Mar 2023

SPCK Authors at Spring Harvest 2023

Spring Harvest is back on April 10th to April 14th, and we're thrilled to be publishing Flipped, the official theme book, and The Beatitudes, the official workbook. To celebrate, we're offering 20% OFF books from all attending ...

Laura Barry
6 Apr 2023

Amy Scott Robinson Discusses her Adventuring Girls series

Amy Scott Robinson, author of the Adventuring Girls series, discusses traditional fairytales, fierce heroines, and what she hoped to achieve with her Adventuring Girls series. ...

Laura Barry
1 Jun 2023

SPCK Authors at New Wine United 23 26-30 July

Join SPCK Authors Cathy Madavan, John McGinley, Malcolm MacDonald, Bishop Emma Ineson, and Paul Harcourt at New Wine United 23. ...

Laura Barry
29 Jan 2024

The Best Self-Help Books to Brighten Your January

Looking for best self-care books to support your mental health? Here, we round up our top ten books about mental health, anxiety, depression, stress, and personal growth. ...

Laura Barry
30 Jan 2024

Our Bestselling Lent & Easter Books for Children

Explore our bestselling Lent and Easter books for children. Add our favourite Easter books to your basket - perfect for entertaining little ones this Easter! ...

Laura Barry
24 May 2024

Discover our New May Releases

Explore our fantastic new releases for ...

Laura Barry
15 May 2024

SPCK Authors Rowan Williams & John Lennox Speaking at The Hay Festival

SPCK Authors Rowan Williams and John Lennox will be speaking at The Hay Festival: How The Light Gets ...

Laura Barry
30 May 2024

SPCK Authors At St Andrews Literature Festival

St Andrews Bookshop will be hosting their first ever annual Christian literature festival! We're thrilled that several of our authors will be speaking at the ...

Laura Barry
5 Jun 2024

Discover Our New June Releases

Explore our amazing new releases this ...

Laura Barry
24 Jul 2024

SPCK Authors Speaking at Creation Fest 2024!

Discover the amazing SPCK authors speaking at Creation Fest this year - Lauren Windle, Shell Perris, and Natalie ...

Laura Barry
1 Jul 2024

Pam Rhodes at Battle Proms

SPCK author Pam Rhodes will speaking at Battle Proms this ...

Laura Barry
25 Nov 2024

Guest Post: SPCK Author Natalie Collins

SPCK Author Natalie Collins writes about the importance of ending men's violence against women on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against ...

Laura Barry
26 Mar 2025

Stories She’ll Love: Meaningful Books to Gift This Mother’s Day

Celebrate Mother’s Day with meaningful, faith-filled books for every woman who’s shaped your story — from mums and mentors to daughters and ...

Laura Barry
10 Jun 2025

We Need to Talk About Race: A Bold New Christian YA Book and More June Releases

Discover bold, fun, and essential new Christian books for every generation, from empowering YA reads to trusted church ...

Laura Barry
29 Jul 2025

A New Editor for Theology Journal

SPCK announces the appointment of George Pattison as the new editor of Theology journal, ushering in a new chapter for one of the world's leading platforms for accessible, peer-reviewed Christian ...

Laura Barry
3 Nov 2025

Who Am I? Rediscovering Our True Identity This Advent

In Who Am I?, Bishop Nick Baines invites us this Advent to pause, reflect, and rediscover our true identity in Christ—the God who seeks us out with love, grace, and surprising ...

Laura Barry
4 Mar 2026

My Creator Calling: A Poem from Hope Rising 365 by Meg Cannon

An encouraging poem from Meg Cannon’s Hope Rising 365 explores how God meets us in our weakness and calls us from darkness into hope and new ...

Laura Barry
6 Mar 2026

What Is the True Mark of Christian Discipleship?

Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, reflects on the Emmaus story and why sharing the good news of Jesus lies at the heart of authentic Christian ...

19 Nov 2018

How We Use Our Profits

SPCK has been publishing Christian books for over three hundred years – in fact, it’s the third oldest publishing house still operating in the UK! So it won’t be too surprising if you’ve come across our books before, or only know us as a ...

2 Dec 2018

How can we prevent slavery?

Ben Cooley, CEO of anti-trafficking charity Hope for Justice, has a vision to live in a world free from slavery. Since it was founded 10 years ago, Hope for Justice has grown to become one of the world’s leading NGOs in this sector, active across four continent. Thanks to a team of former senior police investigators and detectives, lawyers, ...

6 Dec 2018

A Very Brief History of SPCK’s Charitable Work

Our Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel reflects on the values that led to the creation of SPCK, and how those values are still what drive us today. ...

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12 Apr 2019

News from the Independent Publishing Guild Awards

I am delighted to announce that we have been nominated for the Digital Publishing Award, and Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year (having received this two years in a row)! Learn more about how our school assemblies website is helping teachers grab the attention and engage young people. Today, millions of young people are facing pressures ...

Emma Collins
9 Oct 2019

Black History Month and Extraordinary Saints

Black History Month allows us to take time to consider the individuals who have been relegated not just to the side-lines of history but forgotten through the ages. Sharon Prentis, Intercultural Mission Enabler and Dean of BAME Affairs for the Church of England in Birmingham tells us that whilst there has been a marked improvement in acknowledging ...

Emma Collins
16 Dec 2019

Jane Austen and SPCK

On 16th December 1775 the English novelist Jane Austen was born. You may wonder why we’re acknowledging Jane Austen’s birthday. What was Jane's involvement with SPCK? Find out in this blog ...

Emma Collins
16 Jul 2020

'Not just a travelogue...' - Nick Owen reviews Utterly Brilliant! by Timmy Mallett

With lockdown measures gradually easing, there are many changes as to what we are now allowed to do. Changes to places where we can now visit are not the only changes that are occurring, our reading habits have also changed! At the start of lockdown many readers’ preferences were either books that they could escape to or books that could ...