New York Times bestselling Christian novelist Karen Kingsbury (pictured, via) has signed a ten-book co-publishing agreement with Simon & Schuster’s Howard Books imprint.  Dubbed the “Queen of Christian Fiction” by Time magazine, Kingsbury has written more than 50 novels–including Like Dandelion Dust and Unlocked.

Howard Books editor-in-chief Becky Nesbitt negotiated the deal with Alive Communications president Rick Christian. Pocket Books will produce the titles in mass market paperback and Simon & Schuster Audio will take charge of the audiobooks. The first book is scheduled for 2012.

Kingsbury had this statement in the release:  “Simon & Schuster has shown a tremendous commitment to me, my reader friends and my fiction. I am thrilled to be working with such a talented team and the novels ahead will be some of my biggest and best ever.”