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The Hobbit

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Man, it's been a while since I've come to this forum.

Anyway, I've self-published my first novel "Cicada Song" and it's been a few months. People on Amazon are starting to comment and so far (of 8 reviews) it's coming back very positive. Something I found interesting though, between those and people who befriend me on Facebook after reading it, is how several people classify the book as a Christian novel.

Now, I'm a Christian but I've never really considered myself a "Christian Author." I know I put quite a bit of my faith into my story (even though I was away from God at the time) and it's apparently really liked by other Christian readers. Then I started thinking of all my other works. With the exception of my other eBook (and soon to be print) every other idea I have has a great deal of Christianity either in it or influencing it. It's usually more subtle but it's always there.

So now here I am thinking about submitting something to a Christian Agency. I don't realy know if my stuff is a proper fit but I'll be looking into it soon. Anyone have any good suggestions on where to find exactly what Christian Publishers allow and disallow in their stories?
 

ohthatmomagain

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I think it differs with different publishers. I had a Christian agent tell me my novel was 'too preachy', but it is being published by a mainstream (but clean fiction) publisher. Really, it's all in the guidelines and what they prefer. :)

Welcome to the 'club' ;)
 

Calla Lily

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Deb, that's disconcerting, but I can't say I'm surprised. Every year ACFW seems to become more like, "All writers are equal, but the writers on the Board (and their circle) are more equal than others."

The Hobbit, check the agency websites, and the publishers who let you sub without an agent. Like momagain said, it's all in the guidelines.
 

The Hobbit

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Thanks :)

I've actually never heard of a publisher that accepts without an agent. Every bit of research I've ever done says to find an agent because without a professional respresentative the publisher doesn't have time to bother wth it. I'll have to look into that.
 

ohthatmomagain

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Thanks :)

I've actually never heard of a publisher that accepts without an agent. Every bit of research I've ever done says to find an agent because without a professional respresentative the publisher doesn't have time to bother wth it. I'll have to look into that.

There are publishers that don't require agents. They aren't 'huge' houses, but they do get your work out there. OakTara, Desert Breeze, SapphireStar, Astraea Press, Entangled, Musa, Zondervan First etc-- Most of those are romance publishers, but I'm sure you could find a publisher who does Fantasy.

It's not ideal, but it is an option.
 
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Hi, as an author who is a christian I was happy to discover this thread. To introduce myself, I grew up the son of an Episcopal priest (till the bishop defrocked my father over different interpretations of scripture, using false accusation of abandonment and breech of contract...long long story) and go to an anglican church near my college with my brother. I have a diverse christian background, my mom and her family is all Ukrainian Orthodox, and over the years have been to many services in that denomination. I went to a Lutheran school for 3 years, and went to non-denominational christian school after that. The church I attend when I'm home and if I have a choice to is a Baptist church however. Though apparently according to my Comparative religions teacher I know nothing, because I'm not really knowledgable about the gnostic gospels...an hour into the study of christianity all we've done is read the Infancy gospel of thomas.

I am currently working on a military scifi novel that im outlining and thinking of loosely basing it on the story of Job. We studied the book of Job at my church over the summer in a series called "when life comes unraveled" and it just screamed "novel plot" to me. My MC's friends will be based on Job's friends and other things
 

Calla Lily

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:e2Order: Heads up, people!

Your fearless, mostly behind-the-scenes leader is going to be at Bouchercon this Wednesday through Sunday,pimping myself and my books.

--NO wild parties!
--NO blasting that gol-durn Christian rock music till all hours!
--CLEAN UP the wine bottles this time!
--You spill it, YOU call the rug cleaners! Remember what happened with the visiting pastors and the mystery goop on the couch cushions last time. (I still can't look that one octogenarian in the face.)
--NO fisticuffs over doctrinal disputes! All issues will be settled when I return with Bibles at ten paces. And a Greek Interlinear version with someone who reads Greek WILL be on-site or I declare all duels null and void.
--If I hear ONE WORD about shenanigans in my absence, EVERYONE will write a 10K essay about the End Times and Why I Don't Want to Meet a Human-Headed Locust.

Remember, I can port this thread to the Horror Hounds. They like noob-b-que.

:2angel:

Signed,

Your fearless leader, Mod of Christian, Horror, and the following SYW rooms: Query Letter Hell, Religious, Mystery, Horror. Muahahahaha!
 

Robin Bayne

~writes for Him~
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Okay, it's PARTY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Welcome new members!! I haven't been around at all lately, my hubs was sick nearly all of September. But he's finally okay and I want to get back to writing.
 

Calla Lily

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*surreptitiously plants hidden video cameras in the room*

*syncs the feed to her phone*

*prepares The Punishment Cell*

*puts a disaster recovery house cleaning firm on speed dial*
 

heyjude

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:e2Order: Heads up, people!

Your fearless, mostly behind-the-scenes leader is going to be at Bouchercon this Wednesday through Sunday,pimping myself and my books.

--NO wild parties!
--NO blasting that gol-durn Christian rock music till all hours!
--CLEAN UP the wine bottles this time!
--You spill it, YOU call the rug cleaners! Remember what happened with the visiting pastors and the mystery goop on the couch cushions last time. (I still can't look that one octogenarian in the face.)
--NO fisticuffs over doctrinal disputes! All issues will be settled when I return with Bibles at ten paces. And a Greek Interlinear version with someone who reads Greek WILL be on-site or I declare all duels null and void.
--If I hear ONE WORD about shenanigans in my absence, EVERYONE will write a 10K essay about the End Times and Why I Don't Want to Meet a Human-Headed Locust.

Remember, I can port this thread to the Horror Hounds. They like noob-b-que.

:2angel:

Signed,

Your fearless leader, Mod of Christian, Horror, and the following SYW rooms: Query Letter Hell, Religious, Mystery, Horror. Muahahahaha!

Don't worry, Lily. We'll be good. Really.

....

Is she gone? ::gets out lampshade::

Okay, it's PARTY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Welcome new members!! I haven't been around at all lately, my hubs was sick nearly all of September. But he's finally okay and I want to get back to writing.

Oh, wow. I'm sorry he was sick but so glad he's better! :Hug2: Have a lampshade.
 

Lavern08

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*Spikes the Punch with Nyquil*
 

David Poellot

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I was going to say something, but I forgot, because I'm feeling sleepy. All I had was a glass of punch!
 

Calla Lily

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I'm back. Pleased to see that the mayhem was kept to a minimum. Although there's a rumor of a couple of police reports...? My information gatherers are checking into this.

*scans room*

My, you people are good with the poker faces. However, Is that a bead of sweat trickling down a temple? Hmmm... There, too...

*turns up the lights*

*takes notes*

*sees suspicious variegated mounds under the couch and behind the bar*

*takes more notes*
 

heyjude

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Welcome back, Lily!

We did an excellent job of covering up, folks!
 

heyjude

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No colors! There are no interesting colors in jude's post!

Look! A camel!
 

Gravity

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*sees suspicious variegated mounds under the couch and behind the bar*

*takes more notes*

Oh, those variegated mounds. Well, actually, I'm to blame. You see, I brought some of my homemade canapes to the bash (small sesame buns stuffed with capers, Roquefort cheese, country ham, and circus peanuts), but oddly, no one seemed to like them.

They pretended to of course, but from the corner of my jaded eye I saw them getting rid of them in the most unusual ways; jamming them under the furniture, mostly, but I did see somebody slip your cat one (which he immediately horked up ... sorry about that).

So yeah, I'm the culprit.

But as Neal Young put it, "hey, hey, my, my ... rotten rolls will never die ..." :evil
 

Calla Lily

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*banishes Gravity to the slightly smelly room of Neil Young quoters*

*throws in circus peanuts after him*

*brings in Haggis to take care of the horked-up stuff*