In addition to Kingsbury, 20 additional famed fiction and non-fiction authors Andrew Farley, Debra White Smith, Kathleen Fuller and Amy Clipston and more will be speaking at the Life & Faith Tour venues about their latest novels, meeting their fans and engaging in what the festival is all about: giving back. For a full list of authors scheduled to appear, click here.

"There's nothing better than spending a full summer day being inspired by today's top Christian artists and speakers,” says Kingsbury. “The best thing about the Life and Faith Tour is that we'll be hanging out together - my family and yours! Imagine what your city will experience if 100,000 of us gather in one place, for one day to praise our God! It's the kind of event and life-changing day that will encourage you and your family, but it will also change the city you live in!"

Kingsbury will be making multiple appearances at each event, sharing her testimony on the main stage while shedding light on the One Chance Foundation, an organization that helps to provide financial support to those in need specifically helping the development of Christian Education, scholarships for students wishing to attend Christian schooling, the support of adoption ministries and grants for families seeking to adopt.

Also appearing at the Life & Faith Tour will be established author Austin Carty, well known for appearing on the competitive CBS reality show Survivor in 2006. Since then he has become a highly sought after inspirational speaker and travels the country addressing audiences both young and old, Christian and secular. Audiences find his irreverent spin on reverent topics to be both insightful and refreshing.

Having toured on some of the industry’s most popular tours from the Rock and Worship Roadshow, The RELVOLVE tour, Winter Jam Spectacular and Skillet’s Awake & Alive tour, the pop rock band Hawk Nelson will join the Life & Faith Tour at the Richmond and Atlanta venues. They will be performing songs off their latest release Live Life Loud.

In addition to Kingsbury and Hawk Nelson, six-time Grammy ® Award winner Amy Grant, multi-platinum selling band MercyMe, CMA Award winners Diamond Rio, Grammy Award ® winner Israel Houghton, Point of Grace, David Crowder*Band and Natalie Grant will be entertaining the crowds at each venue. The fun continues with performances by The Nelons and Triumphant Quartet, Southern Gospel acts, Christian ventriloquists and comedians, authors, motivational speakers and more. This is truly an event for the entire family.

Tickets are available now for the Life & Faith Tour, a Christian festival with a major fundraising component to benefit the local community, born out of the simple desire to give back and leave a community in better shape than it was when they arrived. $10 of each ticket purchase automatically goes to a local organization of their choice. If the ticket buyer doesn’t choose a beneficiary, a default charity will benefit, ensuring that the community benefits from every ticket sold. As a beneficiary for the tour, it is an opportunity that not only raises funds for their own organization, but it also benefits others in the surrounding communities as well. Organizations will range from local churches and youth groups to the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Feeding America, Jeff Gordon Foundation and other worthy civic groups. Furthermore, for every 70k people who attend, the tour will provide the funds to build a Habitat of Humanity home in that state.

To find out more about the Life & Faith Tour, including confirmed appearances, how to purchase tickets and register to become a beneficiary please go to www.lifeandfaithtour.com.

ABOUT KAREN KINGSBURY…
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s #1 inspirational novelist. There are more than 15 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 40 novels, ten of which have hit #1 on national lists. Karen's recent title, This Side of Heaven landed in the #5 spot on the CBD Bestselling Fiction List. Also, Karen's novel, Sunset landed #2 on the New York Times Best Seller's List. Karen has also written many best selling series including The Redemption Series and the Firstborn Series. Her fiction has made her one of the country’s favorite storytellers. Several of Karen's novels are being considered for major motion picture movies. Her emotionally gripping titles include the 9-11 Series , Even Now, Ever After , and Between Sundays. Look for her latest novels Take Three and Take Four, part of the Above The Line Series in stores in 2010.

ABOUT HAWK NELSON...
This powerhouse, pop rock foursome hailing from Canada has won the hearts of thousands since their debut release. In 2009, Hawk Nelson performed fans across the country with the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, REVOLVE tour, the Rock and Worship Roadshow and Skillet's Awake & Alive tour. Despite their insane touring schedule, the guys recorded their fourth studio album, “Live Life Loud," which released September 2009. This release was the third top album on the overall Christian chart, the 18th digital album in the nation, the second digital album on the Christian chart and debuted with eight singles in the Top 200 digital tracks during street week. "Live Life Loud" followed the successful release, Hawk Nelson Is My Friend, which debuted at #34 on the Billboard Top 200 selling more than 18k units in its first week. Hawk Nelson has also appeared on NBC’s drama “American Dreams,” a cameo appearance in the Nickelodeon film “Yours, Mine, & Ours” as well as had their songs featured on NBC’s Stanley Cup promo spots, WB’s Smallville, Summerland, & Laguna Beach. In addition, the band has formed a lasting relationship with TOMS Shoes. TOMS Shoes provide shoes for children in poverty stricken areas with the motto “One for One.” For the band’s effort, every pair of shoes purchased via Hawk Nelson’s website, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to someone in Haiti as the band’s ongoing involvement with the Hands & Feet Orphanage. In 2010, Hawk Nelson's "Live Life Loud" was nominated for two GMA Dove Awards (Music Packaging & Short Form Video). For more information visit www.hawknelson.co m and follow the band on Twitter @HawkNelson.

For more info on Hawk Nelson, visit the JFH Artists Database.