You are ready to take the plunge and bring the book you’ve written to readers who will embrace its message. But how do you bring those words to life? The right publisher working shoulder to shoulder can help make this crucial decision a reality.

This is the time to seriously consider a coach who comes alongside authors to encourage them to keep their eyes on the prize, who possesses a passion for bringing words to life.

Tim Beals understands publishing a book is infinitely more work than many authors may realize. It’s also so much more satisfying when you reach that goal and hold your published book in your hands. The experience is quite literally beyond words.

Tim believes the best books transform. What does that mean? It’s a tall order, but one that can be achieved. More than just words on a page. These books transcend the well-worn phrase, “a good read.” They are unspeakably good. They are beyond words.

Particularly when they poignantly demonstrate how to rise above your circumstances, moving you from where you are to where you long to be.

Tim has made that his life’s mission. It’s an undertaking that has its genesis during his formative years.

“Early on, I loved being read to,” says Tim. “I memorized a lot of poetry and Scripture. My dad had over 4,000 volumes in his personal library. I was surrounded by words and their ability to delight and instruct.”

It seems the die was cast for Tim to immerse his career, and life, in books.

His parents were missionaries to the Central African Republic, which is Tim’s birthplace. His family moved to the United States in 1964 where his father taught missions and anthropology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and his mother taught in the business department at Cornerstone University, the same learning institution where Tim has been an associate professor of writing, editing, and publishing since 1989.

Tim earned his undergraduate degree in English and philosophy at Cornerstone University in 1981 and went to work for HarperCollins Christian Publishing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, first as a proofreader and then as an editor.

Tim continued to stretch his academic prowess. He earned a master’s in professional writing from Western Michigan University in 1986 and later earned his business degree at Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business.

He then worked for Our Daily Bread Publishing as its first full-time managing editor from 1989 to 1999. There, he worked with the Oswald Chambers Association before returning to HarperCollins in 1999 to work in its Bible department as associate publisher until 2003. That’s when he went to work for the Christian relief and development organization, World Vision, as their first publisher of trade books and Bibles, a position he held until 2005.

In 2005, after twenty-five years in the publishing industry, Tim decided he had the network and experience to serve a variety of publishers and authors by launching his own businesses—Credo Communications, a literary agency and publishing consultancy, and Credo House Publishers, an independent book publisher.

As president and publisher, Tim fills his days working closely with authors and publishers, near and far, bringing words to life. He is sometimes a coach, sometimes a cheerleader, but always a part of the team. Tim believes that a book is less like a product—a thing—and more like a person—even a friend—the very offspring of an author’s heart and mind and soul—a shepherd of sorts who enables people to push themselves beyond the status quo.