I didn’t attend the final day of the Christian Book Expo yesterday in Dallas. Instead, Gail and I visited my parents in Waco. However, I promised I would share my summary thoughts on the event.

I began yesterday with a breakfast meeting with a couple of other publishing CEOs. We got together to see if we could coordinate a large-scale promotion that would benefit our entire industry.

I can’t say more at this point, because we are in the early stages of discussion. Nevertheless, I was encouraged by the fact that there seems to be a growing realization that we might be able to make the pie bigger for all of us, rather than just continuing to steal market share from one another.

The first-ever Christian Book Expo (i.e., “CBE”) began yesterday in Dallas Texas. I’ve decided that I will post my daily activities, so that you who can’t attend can follow along vicariously. In case you missed it, I blogged about the details of this book festival a month ago.

Yesterday morning started out early with the GPA Invitational Golf Tournament. This is an annual event designed to raise funds for the Global Publishing Alliance (i.e., “GPA”). We played at the beautiful Tour 18 golf course in Flower Mound, Texas, just outside of Dallas.

I played in a foursome with Max Lucado. The tournament was a scramble format, and the weather could not have been better. Our score was not that great, but we had a blast. Hanging out with Max is always such a treat.

In less than a month—March 19–22, 2009—the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) will host the first-ever Christian Book Expo (“CBE” for short) in Dallas, Texas. Unlike traditional publishing trade shows, this one will be open to the public. That means YOU can attend.

Activities at the three-day Expo will include workshops, seminars, mini-events and evening programming—all led by authors. In fact, more than 200 authors have agreed to participate, including bestselling authors Max Lucado, Donald Miller, Andy Andrews, Patsy Clairmont, Terri Blackstock, Lee Strobel, Gary Chapman, Stephen Arterburn, J.I. Packer, Don Piper, Mary Manz Simon, Henry Blackaby, Ruth Haley Barton, Stormie Omartian, Colleen Coble, Sheila Walsh and Elizabeth George.