Carey Newman

Carey Newman is executive editor at Fortress Press and is actively acquiring in biblical studies, ancient Near East studies, Second Temple Judaism, early Christianity, and Christology. Prior to joining us at Fortress, he was the director of Baylor University Press. Dr. Newman has served as senior editor for academic books at Westminster John Knox Press in Louisville, Ky. Before joining the editorial staff at WJK, he held academic appointments as assistant and research professor of New Testament at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and assistant professor of New Testament at Palm Beach Atlantic College in West Palm Beach, Fla. Dr. Newman has 15 years of pastoral experience at churches in Texas, Florida and Kentucky. He earned his doctorate in religion from Baylor and holds a master's degree in theology from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) and a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His undergraduate degree is from the University of South Florida. He is married to Dr. Leanne Lewis, a 1985 Baylor journalism graduate.They have two daughters, Savannah, 27, and Eliza, 25. How did you end up in publishing? It was an accident—pure and simple. While I was playing a round of golf one day, Marty Soards (Louisville Presbyterian) said, “You would make a good editor.” He called his former college roommate, Davis Perkins, who was then the president and publisher of Presbyterian Publishing, and within a week or two I had a job at Westminster John Knox Press as an editor. Why have you decided to stay in publishing? For all the money and fame, of which there is so much 😊! Seriously, once ink gets in your blood, it is very hard to wash it out. I have found vocation in helping others imagine and realize their books. What’s something you wish authors knew when getting into the publishing process? That a dissertation is not a book, nor is a book a journal article writ large. A book is not reducible to its argument. A book is a story about a subject that insists a set of truths upon its readers. How many books do you estimate you’ve had a hand in publishing? And which books have you worked on that have stuck with you the most? I have had the privilege of being the midwife to over eight hundred books. That’s a lot. And thus it’s hard to pick any favorites. Choosing among my authors is akin to choosing which of my children I love most—even if Eliza thinks it’s her. I’ve heard that you’re working on a book of your own! Can you tell us a bit about it? You have good intel. Yes, I am working on a book that addresses the artistry of academic writing. This will not be a “how to.” There are plenty of those to be found—and some of them are even good😊. Mine is more of a poetic grammar. We will see. Like all books when being written, mine still makes its home in shadows of impossibility.