Amazon Launching Christian Publishing Imprint, Waterfall Press

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Publishing is launching a Christian imprint, called Waterfall Press, that will publish religious-oriented fiction and nonfiction.

Waterfall’s nonfiction “will aim to provide spiritual refreshment and inspiration to today’s Christian reader,” and the fiction will include romance, mystery and suspense genres, according to a statement from Amazon on Thursday.

Seven in 10 Americans identified as Christian in 2012, according to a Gallup poll. Like the publishing industry as a whole, the religious book publishing industry has watched its revenue decline in the past five years, but the downturn is expected to reverse through 2018, according to IBIS World research.

Michigan-based Brilliance Publishing, part of Amazon.com’s swath of companies, will publish the titles. Brilliance already offers self-help and personal growth books under the Grand Harbor Press imprint.

“Brilliance has over 12 years of experience serving the Christian market as audiobook publisher of some of the most successful Christian authors writing today,” Mark Pereira, its president and publisher, said in a prepared statement. “We are excited to expand our offering to readers of faith-based material by publishing original Christian content with enduring appeal.”

Tammy Faxel, formerly of Tyndale House Publishers and Oasis Audio, will lead editorial for Waterfall Press.

Some of Waterfall’s first books include Mark Buchanan’s "The Four Best Places to Live," coming in February, which describes how to live spiritually in joy and peace; Cherie Hill’s "When You Need a Miracle," coming in April, which discusses having faith while confronting challenges; and Jay Hein’s "The Quiet Revolution," coming in June, which gives an insider’s perspective on how presidents have rallied Americans to serve their communities.

Shorter content, including works by Christianity Today editors, is also forthcoming.