Ace Collins lives to write! This is proven by the more than sixty titles he has created in the past two and half decades. Zondervan released two Ace Collins books in 2009 and another two in 2010. Ace's latest Zondervan novel is “Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Scroll,” which went into its second printing five days after release, has already received offers for film options. Ace has five more novels scheduled for release in 2011 and 2012. Three of those are with Abingdon Press and another is for Barbour. Finally, Collins just announced a new publishing contract for the “Reich of Passage.” Forest Bay will bring out this cutting edge action/adventure in March of 2011.

Ace's first novel, “Farraday Road” was released in October, 2008 and went into a second printing even before it hit bookstores. That book has generated than 28,000 Kindle orders. This mystery-action adventure was the first in a series based on the exploits of a champion of justice - Arkansas lawyer Lije Evans. The next in the Lije Evans Mystery Series was “Swope's Ridge” and it also garnered great reviews.

“Jefferson Burke The Secret of the Lost Scroll” was released in July 2011. Set in modern times, against the backdrop of terrorism, history professor Jeff Burke races against a powerful enemy trying to find a lost book of the bible that could alter the parameters of the world's three major religions. This is a book that combines Indiana Jones type adventure with Di Vinci Code and National Treasure mystery.

Beyond his fiction books Ace continues to pen several nonfiction books. In April, 2010 Zondervan released a book that Ace had wanted to write for more than a decade - “GrATTIDUE”. This work reflects the author's values and is a follow up to “Sticks & Stones - Using Your Words As A Powerful Force!” In that book the author shared the stories of some of the most incredible people he has met in his career - people who make a real impact on others. Another new Christmas book, “Stories Behind Christmas' Greatest Hits” was released for the 2010 holidays. In 2008 and 2009 Collins books that were shipped included, “Stories Behind Heroes of Faith,” and “25 Days, 26 Ways to Make This Your Best Christmas Ever.”

In 2008 the author hit bookstores with “Stories Behind Women of Extraordinary Faith.” This book was just released in Indonesia meaning Collins has now seen his books translated into Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, German and Spanish.

The “Stories Behind” books have been a staple of Ace's work for several years going back to “The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas” released in 2001 and still selling strong a decade later. This first Christmas book was followed by another bestseller - “The Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas.” This book not only topped the charts but has now been translated and released in China. “More Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas” was next and issued in 2007. In 2010 “Stories Behind Christmas Greatest Hits” completed the quartet of holiday favorites. These Yule Tide books has combined for 35 hardcover printings and more than 650,000 units in book sales. Other books in this series include “Stories Behind Hymns That Have Inspired America,” “Stories Behind The Songs and Traditions of Easter” and “Untold Gold - The Stories Behind Elvis's #1 Hits.” The latter was a hit in the U.S. and the U.K.

Collins began his writing career more than two decades ago

when he teamed with Louise Mandrell for “The Mandrell Family Album.” Since that time he has penned more than fifty books including bios of Evel Knievel, Bette Midler, Pam Tillis, The Dixie Chicks, autobiographies with Lauren Chapin and The Cathedral Quartet, how to books, a historical children series, a book on the star players of the old Negro baseball league and two best sellers with one of the biggest stars in the history of entertainment - the legendary Lassie. During his career Ace has written for a wide variety of publishers including St. Martin's Press, Viking-Penguin, Putnam, Harper-Collins, Thomas Nelson, Word, Zondervan and the Chicago Review Press. In the course of his writing Collins has also penned more than 2,000 magazine features for the likes of People, Us, Texas Monthly, Plus Magazine and Guideposts. For the past twenty-five years he has also been the editor and graphic designer for World Evangelism Magazine. He also hosts the nonprofit charity organization's radio and television broadcasts. Beyond that he is the radio color commentator for Ouachita Tiger basketball.

Collins has made scores of television guest appearances including Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, CNN, Fox and Friends, The NBC Nightly News, Entertainment Tonight, Court TV, E The Untold Story, At Home Live, The Early Show and Crook and Chase. Two of his books have been made into network TV specials. Ace hosted the ABC holiday offering Lassie 280 Dog Years On TV on ABC. His book “Father Does Know Best” was made into a NBC movie of the week. Besides TV appearances, the author averages more than 75 radio interviews a year.

Ace has won numerous awards for his writing including three Golden Quills, an America's Writing Award and the Angel of Excellence Award. The latter was for penning an inspirational feature in Plus Magazine. He has spoken to many groups and was a feature lecturer at the National Archives Author Series in Washington D.C.

The Arkadelphia, Arkansas-based writer has been married for thirty-six years to Kathy Collins, a former school administrator for the Bynum Independent School District and onetime Associate Director for the Center for Learning and Development in Waco, Texas, who is a now professor in the education department at Ouachita Baptist University. The couple has two sons; Clint, a graduate of Baylor University who is a restaurant manager in Waco, and Rance, a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and who is employed by Warner Bros. in Hollywood. Ace's hobbies include restoring and driving classic cars. He currently owns a 1934 Auburn 652Y Sedan, a 1936 Cord 810 Westchester and a 1965 Mustang Fastback. He is also a huge college basketball fan, the play-by-play voice of Ouachita Tiger basketball, a collector of movie memorabilia from the Golden Age of Hollywood and a lover of Art-Deco design.

Ace Collins Bio