NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 21, 2014) - Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter and author Carolyn Arends is partnering with her fans to produce the Canadian recording artist's 11th album, a Christmas CD titled Christmas: Story of Stories. Through the innovative crowd-funding program Kickstarter, fan donations met the initial $11,000 goal in one day. With 22 days left until the deadline, additional funds will help Arends reach her stretch goals.

"We are beyond grateful to have reached our initial funding goal of $11,000 in one day," Arends says. "At this point, we're at a position where the CD can be made, but additional funding will allow us to do so much more with respect to both recording and promoting the music. So we'll be continuing the Kickstarter campaign for a few more weeks. Because of the Kickstarter partnership, this is the first project I've recorded for which my fans and supporters are literally the record company. I've been hearing from friends and fans all over the world and it's filled me with gratitude for the gifts God has given us in music, creativity and community."

Christmas: Story of Stories is set for an October 15 release.

"Although this will be my 11th album, I'm at least as excited as I was recording my first, for several reasons," Arends says. "First, I love Christmas. One of the songs is called 'Everything Changes at Christmas' and that's the truth of it--people get warmer, friendlier and more open to the heartbeat of the gospel that time of year. Second, this will be my first full-length recording in five years. I've enjoyed my 'studio sabbatical,' which has been spent touring, teaching college courses, writing, and being a Regent College student. But now that I've completed my master's degree, I have the freedom to return to recording. I'm realizing how much I've missed it!"

Fans can pledge to the Christmas: Story of Stories Kickstarter campaign through the 2 p.m. C.T. Friday, June 13, deadline. To pledge, visit the project's Kickstarter page at KickstartCarolyn.com or visit Arends' website at carolynarends.com and click on the Kickstarter link on the homepage.

About Kickstarter:
Hundreds of individuals have raised capital through the Kickstarter business model, including Christian musicians Shaun Groves, John Schlitt and Cheri Keaggy. The movie adaptation of Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz received $345,992 (276% of its original goal) from more than 4,495 donors through Kickstarter to make it one of the largest crowd-funded films in history, according to Paste Magazine and Kickstarter's website. For more information about Kickstarter, visit kickstarter.com.

About Carolyn Arends:
Carolyn Arends has released 10 albums and is the author of three critically-acclaimed books. Fifteen of Arends' songs have become Top 10 radio singles on the Canadian pop and U.S. Christian charts. Arends has earned two Dove Awards, three Juno Nominations, and was recognized as the West Coast Music Awards' Songwriter of the Year.

Arends' most recent musical project, Love Was Here First (2009), was nominated for a West Coast Music Award and six Covenant Awards.

Theology is Aisle Seven, Arends' most recent book, published in 2012, is a collection of four years of Arends' award-winning Christianity Today columns. The e-book offers sharp, creative glimpses into a full-orbed Christian spirituality. Arends' prose has been recognized repeatedly by the Evangelical Press Association, The Word Guild and The Canadian Church Press Association.

Arends has a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from Regent College and a B.A. in Psychology and English from Trinity Western University. She lives in Surrey, BC, with her husband, Mark, and their two children, Benjamin and Bethany. In addition to her busy concert and speaking schedule, she is a college instructor and columnist. For more information, visit carolynarends.com.

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