Why do you write for the Christian market?

My series, "A Prophet's Tale," is historical/Biblical fiction based upon the minor prophet Jonah ben Amittai. Hence, I thought it appropriate for the Christian (or, perhaps, also Jewish) market(s). It tracks the Scriptural account and its lessons/themes are drawn from a Biblical perspective. I don't think the ABA would be particularly interested; however, to be fair, I've not thoroughly researched the ABA market.

My WIP, Katia, (due out this fall) while also carrying a Christian worldview, would be much more pallatable to the general market, as it has a secular backdrop--the fall of the Berlin Wall. Interestingly, when I pitched Katia at a CBA conference in Seattle last May, the first thing the editor asked (and he asked everyone this in the forum) was exactly your question, but for a different reason. He asked if it was necessary to publish this in the CBA, or could it be marketed in the ABA. His thought process was that, with the ABA having a much larger readership, novels carrying the Christian worldview would have greater impact on the secular community where the message is really needed. My current publisher is not solely CBA affiliated, but it is a Christian publishing house. Therefore, I hope Katia will have a chance for broader exposure.

There's a lot of frustration within the CBA between authors and the publishing houses. Authors want to write on a wide variety of topics and deal with them honestly and forthrightly (if I may appeal to my friend John Robinson at this point, WRT some of the earlier posts he's made on this topic). The publishing houses, being market driven, want authors who write what their readership seems to want: "bathtub fiction," in the words of one of the editors at the conference. Fluffy romances, preferrably based in the United States, designed for escapism for 35-50 year-old women. None of that is meant to be a slam, by the way, those are the exact specifications the editors and agents at the conference cited.

I can't write that, so I don't know if I'll ever appeal to a big CBA house, unless the readership profile shifts focus. The war between art and commerce is as old as both of those disciplines. I don't believe it'll ever go away. You just choose a side.

Anyway, I hope I didn't highjack your thread. I think these are the kinds of thoughts you might be looking for. If I missed the mark, sincerest apologies. If I were to give any suggestions on your address, you might poll your audience to start with on their Christian reading preferences and see if the trend lines up with what the CBA thinks it is. That would be interesting. You might even lay out the CBA specifications and see how they react to it.

Wish you the best with your presentation. Would love to be a fly on the wall...

Bruce, brother, I think you nailed it. Heading Home, which releases this coming Monday (!) will probably be my last purely "Christian fiction" novel, for the reasons you said above. Even then, it took ten years to find a publsiher who got what I was attempting, and didn't want to edit the grit out of it.

The two I have coming out next year, Relentless (suspense) and The Radiance (science fiction) will be released as general market/Christian crossover novels (much as Dean Koontz is doing).

I'm digging the freedom to write the stories the Lord has given me, and not have to "sweeten them up" for a readership I'm not aiming at in the first place. Most cool.

John, just ordered a copy of Heading Home. Looking forward to reviewing it.

(Sorry, Ishtar, I've really hijacked your thread now...)

Thanks, Bruce! I appreciate it!

I write for the Christian market (although anyone outside of the Body is more than welcome to read my stuff, and quite a few have) because I write what I like to read. I write romances, I like unusual settings and time periods, and I love to read a romance that doesn't have what I call the "squick factor." I dislike lame romances and those that only show how fast the couple can jump into the sack, almost equally. I write a bit edgier than many romance authors in the Christian market. John's comment is equally valid for romance -- I spent quite a while looking for a publisher who would let me tell these particular stories set in medieval times, and was fortunate enough to find one who would work with me.

That's why.

My answer would be very close to Deb's-- I enjoy reading and writing romance that doesn't take me down roads I'm uncomfortable with. I enjoy writing romance stories that I don't mind my mother reading. Plus, I'd love for one of my non-Christian friends to someday read one of my stories and tell me they found meaning in it : )

I wrote my novel for my wife after she suffered a miscarriage, and subsequentually, a loss of her faith. I wanted her to understand that God has a plan in all He does, even the heartrending events in life.

So a story needs to hit me in the heart and make me ache so bad I need to write it.

My husband answers your question in his preface (see below). He felt they need to rise to C.S. Lewis' challenge.



" "Ideally, Screwtape's advice to Wormwood should have been balanced by archangelical advice to the patient's guardian angel. Without this the picture of human life is lopsided."
C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters
Preface to the paperback edition
PREFACE

Among the words in my parents' copy of The Screwtape Letters, these sentences had the most profound effect on this 10 year-old son. Coming to know C.S. Lewis for the first time, I became fascinated with the theme of spiritual struggle expressed through correspondence.

Thirty-three years and countless faith shifts later, the time had come. The Michael Letters feels almost blasphemous coming from a novice writer in the aftermath of Lewis' magnificent literary achievement. Although I have no illusions about matching Lewis' satirical wit, I still hope to do the original work justice.

The objectives, methods, and values of archangels could not be more different from those of Screwtape and Wormwood. For this reason, Screwtape's writing style provided little guidance. I could not attain the standard of "every sentence would have to smell of Heaven", nevertheless I sought to capture the distinction of angelic divinity in Michael's writing.

Raised under Roman Catholicism, I've always felt uncomfortable with Lewis' use of the term "devils" to describe the fallen angels. To me, "devil" means only one spirit, namely Satan or Lucifer. In my upbringing, the fallen angels were known as "demons".

The Michael Letters required its own unique vocabulary. Naming choices for evil spirits proved controversial among Christians. Some felt that calling demons "our fallen brothers" was inappropriately affectionate; others appreciated that same affection. The use of "Lucifer", the Devil's pre-banishment title (lit. "Light Bringer"), raised similar objections. These titles seem to best embrace the Christian virtues of forgiveness and of loving one's enemies. They most appropriately "smell of Heaven"; I make no apologies for these choices.

The toughest decision was whether to write about the specific "patient" in Screwtape from the other side, or to detail another. The choice became apparent when trying to cover new ground. Michael's understudy Jacob works in present day (c 2010) America."