Back to the Whiteboard

Did you notice we have updated photos? Mine kinda looks like I'm wearing a feather headdress.  Hmm.  I might have to do something about that. 


In Latayne's last post, she shared her students' responses as to what makes Christian fiction, well, Christian.  This has been a hotly debated topic from time to time, with no definitive consensus reached.  So the debate continues. Here are my whiteboard choices for Christian fiction:

• The story reveals the characteristics of God - love, sacrifice, redemption, grace, for example. These shine more brightly when contrasted with the evil, sin and godlessness in the story world.
• Gratuitive sex, violence and foul language cheapen storytelling and don't have a place in Christian fiction. There are ways to get around these without being explicit or titillating.  The story can still be true and relevant without leaving the reader with a film of ick. 
•  There are no fairytale endings, nor are all the loose ends tied up prettily, but the reader is left with a hopeful, positive resolution.  Despair, if present, is short-lived.
•  Characters are authentic, flawed, unique individuals on spiritual journeys.  They don't have to stop and pray before every move, but they do come to recognize God's hand in their lives and grow in some way.
• The story doesn't force an agenda or try to manipulate the readers' responses. The author trusts that if the story is told the way it was intended, God can be trusted to communicate with the reader. C.S Lewis' Narnia series is an example of great storytelling without preaching.
• If appropriate and not contrived, a character can make a statement of faith as part of the character arc, but a really well-written story handles this with a light touch. Most publishers clearly state their their guidelines in no uncertain terms in regard to the manuscripts they purchase. You should check the guidelines of publishers you have in mind before you get too far along in your story.
• Stories don't have to mention God or Christ by name to be Christian fiction. Aslan in Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a Christ-figure in that he takes the punishment for Edmund and overcomes death. But there is no footnote that says 'Aslan is really Christ.' I have seen other Christ figures in literature written by authors who are not categorized as Christian fiction authors specifically. That does not lessen the impact they made on me. God communicates in whatever way He chooses.

This is my basic but ever expanding, ever changing definition of Christian fiction. What would you leave out, or leave in? What would you add?  We'd love to hear.

The Pain of Promotion

I recently read a novel by an author I’d not read before, first name Annette. I selected it late one night from the sale pages of Christianbook.com when I’d run out of things to read. The first thing that caught my attention was that it was published by NavPress, the house that published my first two novels, so I read the opening pages and was intrigued enough to order it. The novel was surprisingly good, a refreshing find, completely out of the box for CBA, which instantly made me turn back to see the publication date. Aha. It was published in 2006. In my opinion, CBA has tightened its net, so to speak, in the intervening years, and I’m not sure this book would find a home in CBA these days. For more on that, you should read Latayne's excellent post from Friday, regarding Christian Fiction.

Coincidentally, I had an interesting conversation with a longtime employee of the Christian bookstore in my little town (anyone hear Simon & Garfunkel singing?) when I took more of my books in, which they graciously sell. Lynda is very complimentary of my fiction, because she feels it is real, addresses real issues, isn't neatly tied up in the end, and shows the reader she isn't alone in her struggles. But I haven't been able to get a CBA contract since 2008, so there you are.

 Annette did a remarkable job of writing a male protagonist (we discussed writing opposite-sex characters on this blog in August). She wrote real-world characters you could truly identify with, who had goals beyond getting the girl/guy next door, and problems that look a lot like mine. Problems that don’t always have good solutions. I applauded her guts and her ability, and sent her an email saying how much I’d enjoyed the novel. Her response kind of blew me away. She gave me permission to share some of what was contained therein.

Annette is the author of 13 novels, the first published in 1997. It sold roughly 140,000 copies. The others, combined, sold about the same number. Combined or not, I was struck with Serious Envy when I read her sales numbers. I’ve never come close to that, nowhere near, though I never stop working at it.

But it was her next statement that blew me away. She wrote, “As for why I stopped writing …”

Excuse me?!?

Stopped writing?!?

With that kind of success?!?

Yes. Stopped. She had three main reasons:

First, I absolutely cannot bear promoting. I'm quite private, more so as I've gotten older. (I'm 54). I am the only person I know not on Facebook. When I began writing, promotion meant speaking a bit, doing book signings, giving out bookmarks. I did do a blog for a bit, and didn't mind that. But now...I just can't do all that is expected and needed of an author. When I weighed the pain of promoting vs the joy of writing for publication, writing did not come out on top.  I do not see how someone unwilling to promote can publish today.


Second, writing was never a calling for me. I loved it. It came easily and naturally for me, and I had a talent for it. I read a few how-to books and subscribed to Writer's Digest, but I never took a writing class. I attended my first conference after I'd had 7 books out. It wasn't something I longed for or dreamed about. I was a voracious reader, but really never thought being an author was in the realm of reality. It was an amazing surprise.

But my true calling? Hospice nursing. I've been an RN since age 20. It is what I was born to do. It is where I have served, where I have done my best work. It was easy to let writing slip away when it wasn't my only thing, or even my main thing.

“My only thing, or even my main thing.” That line really struck me. Because aside from my relationship with family and God, writing IS my main thing and has been for 27 years. No, it doesn't begin to compare to hospice nursing or any number of other professions that truly help people, but it is my passion. Aside from unforeseen circumstances, I have no intention of stopping. But I completely get what Annette is saying. Debbie also wrote a great post last week on the truth about introverts. Many writers are introverts – and some are shy, to boot, as Lori Benton pointed out. That certainly describes me. So when Annette said she couldn’t bear self-promotion, I could relate so well. And yet, as she spelled out so clearly, someone unwilling to self-promote these days won’t get far as an author.

The environment we find ourselves in as writers today is somewhat of a dichotomy. On one hand, publishing opportunities are greater---and less costly---than ever before, if one is willing to go the independent route. Now that many authors are choosing to go independent, even those who have been multi-published traditionally, the stigma of self-publication has diminished.

On the other hand, going independent means the full weight of promotion falls to the author. And for those of us---which basically is all of us---who dislike self-promotion, it makes the writing life that much harder. Building a readership is like tossing a stone into water and watching the ripple spread out from the initial splash. Turning that ripple-effect into a tsunami is the goal, but how do you do that?

Bloggers and social media participants have formed an impromptu co-op, if you will, helping promote the work of other writers along with their own, but it still creates only a small ripple in a huge pond. And all that promotional work cuts deeply into the author’s writing time. One or the other is going to suffer.

Have you found a way to balance writing with promotion, and have you found a promotional tool that’s been successful for you? Is the fear of promotional responsibilities enough to give you pause as a writer, or perhaps deter you from going independent? What, if anything, would make you put down your pen for good?

Thinking Out Loud About What is and isn't Christian Fiction

I have two hours until 16 dinner guests arrive for a pre-Thanksgiving potluck. I spent too much time playing Martha Stewart. Truthfully, the last week's posts have truly challenged me to rethink the whole Christian fiction thing, and some of my thoughts aren't very comfortable or clear. So here I am in a swirl of thought. If you're willing, here's one little idea that keeps rising to the surface. I would love to hear what you think.

As a part-time librarian, I regularly come home with an armful of new fiction (my assigned section to weed and read). I read, almost exclusively, mainstream fiction. Within the last few months, I've happened upon several books that don't offer the sense of transformation that Bonnie talked about. And the reading wasn't very satisfying. Oh, the prose is poetic, the images strong and visceral, and the characters wildly conflicted, but they never lift their heads to find meaning in what happens to them. Ugh.

A question: Could they be Christian novels?

"What?" you say. "I thought these were mainstream novels and unsatisfying."

Yes, but can a story that shows what life is like without God, and does so accurately, be Christian in its portrayal of a fallen world?

Consider the Bible. Which of the Old or New Testament writers pooh-poohed rebellion and sin? Which of them shrank away from showing what life was like for the rebellious? How many times did Israel get carried away into captivity after forgetting their God? Did God mock the "righteous" by finding a faithful harlot at Jericho and then placing her in the lineage of our Redeemer? Yes! And why are there prophets? Because God's people kept forgetting about him and getting caught up in horrendous idolatry--asherah poles and child sacrifices, for instance. What about Lot's daughters? They slept with their father when their own marital futures were dashed. Eew! But the story shows what depravity comes from a viewpoint that is void of God. The Bible tells all! Man away from God is a bleak picture, one that has the power to make us run home to the Father. Counter examples of what a God-honoring life looks like abound in Scripture. If God's inspired writers aren't afraid of showing life without God in real terms, should I be afraid to do so?

Just so you know, I have no plans to write a novel that brings the reader to a point of hopelessness. I pray that I can write something with Bonnie's element of transformation. I do NOT want to write a novel that is cobbled together and considered readable by Christians because a few Scripture verses are thrown into the plotline. I AM saying that our definition of what is Christian may be too narrow. God is really, really big and able to redeem anything. Anything.

Thanks for letting me think aloud. So, am I completely off my rocker? Have you read anything lately that qualifies as truly hopeless? What have you read lately, while not being overtly Christian, left you with a sense of redemption?

Is the God of Fiction Too Small?

Only two more followers needed to reach the 200 mark! We so appreciate your partnership in exploring the craft of writing and the passion of reading. Number 200 wins one book from each of us. AND if you share your favorite flower in your comments, I'll choose someone out of a hat to win a three-book set of my Garden Gates series. I've sprinkled flowers from my garden throughout the text, my gift to you at the beginning of this Memorial Day weekend.

Dearest readers and friends~ You've been absolutely brilliant this week, offering comments to reinforce and challenge ideas about showing emotion in fiction and the place for sarcasm. More graciously, you've seeded new ideas. Thank you for coming ready to participate. If you missed a day, be sure to scroll down and read the discussions. It's never too late to comment. Maybe we should rename our blog Novel Matters et al.

My question for you today: Is there room for mystery--and I'm not talking whodunit--in Christian fiction? Let me explain.


Let's go back to Abram. (This is not a Bible study, but this is a question that springs from some Scripture exploration. Hang in there with me.)

Abram went on quite a wild ride with God. He was minding his own business back in Ur. He knew what to expect from life because he was entrenched in his culture. He was a landowner with some standing in his community. His father was around for 205 years to offer advice--"Go for the two-humped camel. You'll never be sorry for the extra cargo room." The household idols, like a punching bag, gave him a place to vent. His heartache was his wife's barrenness. His greatest test, surrendering the son who answered all of God's promises.

On the other hand, there were no laws. The Ten Commandments hadn't been given yet. No Tabernacle. No Ark of the Covenant. No exodus. No synagogue. In essence, God was a distant idea from the time of Noah.

Simply, Abram was a man in the desert with a barren wife.

Until God talked to him.

God didn't lay down the law, he made outlandish promises to an old man with a barren wife: "I will make you into a great nation...and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Oh, really?

And God did just that. (Thanks, God.)


God encountered Abram, soon to become Abraham, in an incredibly personal, extravagant, unexpected manner. He's still doing this through today Jesus Christ. Yay!

With this in mind--plus the fact, for one, that Jesus never healed the same twice--is there room in Christian fiction for a powerful, humongous God who defies explanation? Do you want to know any other kind? This is a God who doesn't always give the protag the man of her dreams? Who doesn't resolve life's questions in 95,000 words? Who may use disease, mayhem, and/or an irritating relative to express his power and love? And who, when he touches us, he will definitely leave a mark? He will show up in the most surprising places, like in the deserts of Ur, to a pagan who cannot accomplish God's promises on his own, although he tries. (Don't we all?)

Don't get your BVDs in a wad. I know. I know. The parameters of revelation in Scripture are sacrosanct. Also, hope is the best sort of resolution, very necessary in fiction--and the only resolution many of us are given--in fiction and life.

Our Novel Matters writers are masterful at that very thing. Lest we seem too self-serving, let me direct you to a book I've referred here before, The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson. If you haven't read it yet (Why not?), I don't want to ruin the book for you, but Jesus is a character in Lisa's contemporary women's fiction masterpiece. She tickled my imagination and made me hunger for the incarnate Christ. I want my fiction to do that, too.

Don't you?
So, what about it? Have you read something lately that expanded your perceptions about God? Please name them! Also, and I know you will, let me know if I'm running as fast as I can in the wrong direction. That's what we do for one another around here.

Be sure to thank a serviceman, past or present. My salute goes out to my step-dad, a WW II veteran and my brother-in-law, Bob, who served gallantly in Viet Nam. I'm also remembering my dad, William Irvin Kegebein, who supported the troops in Guam during the Korean War.

Who are you thanking? Feel free to add your salute here. It's let-it-all hangout Friday.

Getting Dirty for Christian Fiction

Time for a giveaway! I'll put your name in the hat for Seeing Things if you've commented on any of the Novel Matters posts this week. We love hearing your erudite voices.

If you missed Wednesday's post by Latayne (brilliant!) and the comments by our readers (also brilliant!), take a minute to enjoy a very thought-provoking discussion on the parameters we either self-impose or are imposed on writers by publishing houses or the market.

Believe it or not, this discussion has been going on for quite a while. Prior to 1964, the year of her death, Flannery O'Connor wrote an essay on the aim and purpose of fiction. The essay was included in a collection of her work posthumously, Mystery and Manners. She wrote:

Ever since there have been such things as novels, the world has been flooded with bad fiction for which the religious impulse has been responsible. The sorry religious novel comes about when the writer supposes that because of his belief, he is somehow dispensed from the obligation to penetrate concrete reality. He will think that the eyes of the Church or of the Bible or of his particular theology have already done the seeing for him, and that his business is to rearrange this essential vision into satisfying patterns, getting himself as little dirty as possible.
Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners

You have to love Flannery O'Connor. She calls out writers who shirk their responsibility to know the world they live in. I love her chutzpah.

I have to ask this question: How do we get "dirty" and honor God at the same time? (Notice I didn't ask how to please every reader at the same time.)

We look to Jesus.

No one saw the world more concretely than Jesus. A whore washed his feet with her tears. He not only made wine, he drank it. He touched leprous skin. He invited himself to a tax collector's house for lunch. And, I'm thinking, he heard naughty words there. Caked with blood, spittle, sweat, and dirt he took the nails for us. Gruesome. Violent. Definitely off-putting. That's crucifixion, the purest act of love.

To follow in the steps of Jesus, to write in a God-honoring, "dirty" way, we must see the world--as best we can--as Jesus sees it, with empathy, detail, and love. And so it is for the Christian writer to observe and portray the beauty and brutality and pain and suffering and redemption all through the eyes of love.

There will always be someone imposing rules. It's our nature. It's much easier to operate with rock-solid parameters. I believe our calling is higher. Our writing--and everything else in our lives--is a product of our relationship with Jesus--subject matter, theme, genre, word usage, voice. Every element is fruit of the faith with put in Jesus, the manner in which we allow ourselves to be loved and love so shallowly in return. Before art and through art, we love Jesus.

It takes a great deal of courage and a solid foundation of faith to look at the world as concretely as O'Connor suggests and as Jesus modeled. I pray for that courage and faith daily.

Can the kind of fiction O'Connor is advocating happen in today's CBA market? Who is getting "dirty" writing fiction for the CBA today and doing so artfully? How have you gotten "dirty" in your fiction? Is Flannery O'Connor, well, wrong?

Reading in the Land of Ought-to-Be

We’ve opened a huge topic here at Novel Matters this week, starting with Marybeth’s innocent question: Which books are on your “Keepers” list? These are the books you devoured and talked about incessantly to the annoyance of your family. Most titles offered by our readers came from the American Booksellers Association (ABA) or mainstream market, not the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) or inspirational market.

This led to Latayne’s question: Why aren’t CBA books found on “Keepers” lists more often? She bravely listed her reasons. Marybeth's and Latayne’s insights are thought-provoking. Consider going back to read both of these finely crafted blog posts.

Allow me to stir the pot a bit more by asking: Why do Christians who buy inspirational fiction prefer more formulaic storylines in an America of long ago?

I think there is a strong spiritual element to this question. Warning: I’m not a theologian. (Haven’t I said that here before?) I’m just trying to understand our market. Try this out and feel free to set me straight:

As Christians, we all live in a place of great tension. The Kingdom has come in the person of Jesus Christ. Eternity has started for us. We’re members of His family. We’re Heaven-bound and God-connected. We worship a living God, eternal and holy. We’re loved, saved, grace-doused. Hallelujah!

And yet . . .

We aren’t in Heaven yet.

Friends get cancer. Our children rebel. Husbands leave. Prayers aren’t answered the way we hope and certainly not as soon as we would like. Smut is everywhere. We’re seeing our values dissolve before our eyes. We can’t trust the schools, and some have been deeply wounded by the church (little c).

We are between what is and what will be. We live, for now, in the Land of Ought-to-Be. We have high expectations of living out our faith, but this proves challenging in its application. We desire praises and not profanities to flow from our lips; we’re desperate to be healed every time we pray, to love one another sacrificially, and to be Christ-like in the way we live, work, and play. But because we’re in the Land of Ought-to-Be, we fall far short of these expectations.

Some Christians have a lower tolerance for the dissonance of the Land of Ought-to-Be than others. Those on one end of the continuum crave a literary vacation spot where the world is on their side. They also need their faith and life-style affirmed.

On the other end of the continuum, readers are more comfortable with open-ended questions, and a view of the world that is as menacing—or more menacing—as true life.

Now that I have this working model of why some Christian readers like certain kinds of fiction, what am I to do?

Simple.

I write the stories God dangles before me like a jewel in the sun, pursue excellence in form and content of my prose, and pray my audience finds me. And BTW, I enjoy a literary vacation, but the story must be well-written.

Did I even come close to understanding this phenomena? What’s your take?

Salty Stories

I hear it all the time – it’s the big debate in Christian fiction, the one that writers and readers buzz about, the one that makes us stop typing and ask, “Is this passage preachy?”

I think it’s a good discussion, one we should continue to have because it helps us shape the industry of Christian books. However, it is a mistake to think that Christians are the only ones who need to ask if our literature is “preachy” and packed with messages that hammer rather than whisper.

General fiction has just as much reason to worry as Christian fiction does that it’s preachy.
I read broadly, as I suspect the vast majority of us do. In my fictional travels I’ve come across general market fiction that was so preachy it made me put the book aside. The adage that “no one likes to be preached to” is one mainstream writers need to heed every bit as much as religious minded writers do.

I’ve been reading The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, a book I wanted very much to like for many reasons. First, the author is Canadian (from Winnipeg). I read vast amounts of Canadian fiction (and I recommend you do too – there is a delectable “otherness” about Canadian fiction that is at once familiar and foreign), and I was happy to add Davidson’s name to the list, especially after I heard about the large advance he secured for this, his debut novel. The premise is so strong and compelling, it’s no wonder publishers snapped him up. So, I bought the book.

Remember – I wanted to believe. I wanted to love this book.

There are two things that keep me from falling in love with The Gargoyle. First, the writing – with a wobbly voice that never finds its track, to Davidson’s habit of writing in a way that minimizes emotional impact, to his lack of knowledge of the psychological, the writing left me feeling – well…cheated. Still, there are moments in the book that shine, and I would have overlooked (on tip-toe, mind you) the writing if only he would have refrained from his preaching.

But the real reason I couldn’t love the book was because several times I had to check the front cover to ensure I had not, by accident picked up a book titled “I am atheist, hear me roar” or something of that nature. He spoke his beliefs loudly and from the soapbox on the corner street Christians are so often accused of standing on. He didn’t let the story just tell the story of a man who didn’t believe in God yet couldn’t explain the things that were happening to him.

I don’t mean to pick on Davidson and his book. But, for the sake of blog post brevity, I wanted to highlight a concrete example of what I am talking about. All of us, regardless of the religious/political/ethical messages we wish to incorporate into our fiction, need to remember to respect the reader, and respect the story.

For the Christian, that means creating salty stories – fiction that is flavored throughout with the truth of God and His character. You would never sit down to a meal and drown it with salt, covering your plate until all you saw was white. We use salt in measure and allow it to bump up against the rest of the ingredients, soak in, and change the flavor of the entire meal for the better.

Jesus said we were to be salt and light to the world. These two things are perfect examples of how God wants us to write as well as live. Salt and light both are, in and of themselves, overpowering elements when taken in large quantity. Salt burns the tongue, light burns the eyes. But used wisely and in measure they are indispensable. Keep in mind though, it isn’t the salt or light that matter most, but the effect the salt has on the food, and the effect that light has on a darkened room that make them transformative elements.

What have you been reading or writing lately that uses salt in proper measure? How did the writer accomplish this?

Warning Labels for Christian Fiction?

Your days are numbered--18 to be exact!--to enter the Audience-with-an-Agent Contest. Yep, July 31st is the submission deadline for your novel manuscript. Click on the "Promotions" link to see guidelines and rules. If you're the winner, one of our fabulous agents from the Books & Such Literary Agency will review your manuscript, and if your manuscript is stellar, you may be offered representation. Don't pass up this fabulous opportunity!


Letters from readers are the payoff. Nothing offers a pat on the back like hearing that a story has refreshed someone's faith or introduced someone to the Savior.

Some letters do tender interesting objections, however. For instance, an author friend of mine received an e-mail from a reader upset with the Christian content in her novel. The reader wanted the publishing industry to label Christian fiction as such so unsuspecting readers wouldn't be subjected to proselytizing.

Hmm.

My friend was incredibly gracious to her reader, and as a result, the reader no longer seemed offended by the content of the novel. I hope to grow up to be as nice as my friend.

This isn't an isolated issue for writers of Christian fiction. I have a review for The Queen of Sleepy Eye on amazon.com that complains about the heavy-handed Christian content. True, the main character is a judgmental 17-year-old, but she learns grace the hard way.

Is this the thought police coming to call?

Are novels next on the list for warning labels?

Caution: Reading this book may expose you to ideas, beliefs, or ideologies you may not agree with. To avoid discomfort, locate the thought categorization label on the cover before purchasing. For those with a hypersensitivity to new ideas, watch television.

Forgive my sarcasm.

Here are the questions I would like to discuss with you today: Should Christian fiction be labeled as such? Is it harmful for the cause of Christ to chance drawing readers into a Christian novel unaware and having them resent it? Is presenting a picture of faith to a reader worth the chance that someone might be offended, no label needed?

From Comic Books to Savvy Reader - How Readers Changed Christian Fiction

Two things to keep in mind this month: Latayne is giving away five copies of her debut novel Latter-Day Cipher! You'll want to get in on that! And, I hope you are all working hard on those manuscripts for the Audience with an Agent contest. Wendy Lawton commented just the other day about how she is looking forward to reading your work. That has got to be a motivating factor! Don't forget to check out the submission details in the promotions section of Novel Matters. Formatting your submission correctly counts. Remember, you want your work to reach the desk of a literary agent. Professional standards for submission applies. Also, keep in mind you are submitting your work to us at Novel Matters first - so be sure to address your correspondence accordingly. We are all very excited to read your submissions. We're pulling for you, and praying for you too!


Debbie asked a wonderful question on Monday - What do you love about Christian fiction? My answer started me down memory lane, and I'd like to share my thoughts with you today.

My introduction to Christian books came early in life in the form of comic books. At first, this was largely a non-fiction foray. Comics like The Cross and the Switchblade, The Hiding Place, and God's Smuggler captivated me. I read In His Steps as a mini-graphic novel long before I heard of the classic version (the one without pictures). I read a comic book about missionaries who were killed by the tribe they were trying to reach for Jesus. Even the life of Jesus first came alive to me in the form of Christian comics.

Then came Christian fiction! Via Archie comics (yep, there really were Christian Archie comics). I read and re-read these stories so often that even now I can recall vast portions of them. To my eight to ten year old mind this was Christian books.


When I was eleven or twelve, I read my first Christian novel, one I borrowed from my older sister. called The Substitute (I can't recall the author's name, and I can't find the book online, any help would be appreciated!). It was biblical fiction - the story took place during the time Jesus walked around teaching and healing. I loved the book - and to this day I can recall several scenes. To my young mind, biblical fiction was Christian fiction.


In my twenties, I read a gentle, old-fashioned sort of novel - about a girl moving west to the untamed Alberta foothills - and I was confused. It wasn't biblical fiction, but it wasn't modern either. Ah, historical fiction. So, somehow I got the idea that Christian fiction should either be biblical fiction, or historical fiction. This notion wedged itself in my mind and became stuck. I decided I didn't like Christian fiction.


A few years later I walked into a Christian store (Christians were half price that day), and discovered shelves of fiction categorized by genre. Weren't there only two genres? I cracked a few spines (book spines that is) and began to build on my limited experience with Christian fiction. What I've learned since then is that hope-filled fiction lingers far longer than I imagined.


Some might argue that the reason I've found a haven in Christian fiction is because it has "grown up" over the years from a fledgling industry to a true literary force. And that would be correct. Others say that the introduction of 'edgy' story lines and 'gritty, real-life' characters has helped readers to connect with Christian content fiction. True enough.

But in reflecting on my experience with Christian fiction, I've learned more about myself than I have about books. I've come to understand that not every book on the Christian shelf was written with me in mind. That there are audiences of readers who like different things than I do, and that over the years, I've been part of a different audience at different times. My fiction wants changed, and so did the books. And, they will change again. Me, and the books.


One thing I believe Christian fiction has going for it more than general market fiction is that it asks itself the question: What is is the people care about? That is a far cry from only asking "what will sell?"


How has your taste in fiction changed? What do you see your fiction needs becoming in the future?

What do you like about Christian fiction?

I would like to send a big 'Novel Matters' welcome to our newest friends and hope that you will feel free to comment on anything which catches your interest in our posts.

Remember our "Audience With an Agent" contest which will result in six lucky writers having their manuscripts read by agent extraordinaire, Wendy Lawton of Books and Such Literary Agency. See our "Promotions" section for guidelines. The contest closes July 31, 2009, but we encourage you to submit your entries as early as you possibly can without compromising the integrity of your submission.

I recently received an email from a wonderful reader who apologetically confessed to viewing Christian fiction with a critical eye. She wanted to value Christian fiction, but was afraid that it might alienate non-Christians, or that the writing would not be as strong. She dreaded reading about 'supernatural conversions' that seemed unrealistic. But most of all, she was concerned about "preaching at people who need to see stories of hope and grace played out in a way that is more tangible and understandable to them than direct Scripture." I wondered how many other readers felt the same way.

I greatly appreciated her comments, especially in light of last week's topic about edgy fiction, or 'addressing the tough issues with honesty while upholding the Christian standard.' Christian fiction has certainly evolved and expanded since its conception. Today, there are many different genres and sub-genres, and they are often in a state of flux. For an industry that began modestly, the Christy Awards now recognizes anywhere from six to nine different categories of fiction each year. As the demand for genre variety continues to be met, the challenge is to reciprocally raise the bar in demand for quality.

My question to readers is, what do you like about Christian fiction and what suggestions do you have for authors? For authors, what impact, if any, might this reader's comments have on your writing?

Topic of the Week: Branding

Hello and top of the week to all you stimulating readers! Have we told you lately how much we enjoy interacting with you?

Don’t forget that if you post a comment on any of our topics this month you are in the running to win a Patti Hill library of four books. This lady was nominated for a Christy Award. She’s a terrific writer!

Our topic of the week is branding. Patti, Sharon, Katy, Debbie and I all attended a retreat last fall in which Jeanette Thomason gave a terrific presentation on branding. She identified it as 1) identity, 2) positioning or position in the marketplace and 3) distinctiveness.

On Wednesday, Sharon will give some wonderful insights about branding in general, from her own struggles with the concept and from Randy Ingermanson. However, for today’s post I’d like to examine the idea of a branding statement.

Jeanette said that such a statement should include key components (though not necessarily all) from the following list:

place in time
audience or market/s
category or types or genre
unique tone or tribe or flavor
topics or themes

When I wrote my branding statement (found in my January 19th post), I had to try to corral an established career that has covered all kinds of topics in many different genres. (I’m nothing if not versatile.) What did all this have in common? The fact that when I tackle a topic, I attempt to look it “straight in the eye." That idea became the core of my branding statement.

The publicity team at Zondervan loved my branding statement and are using it in publicity for my upcoming non-fiction, The Mormon Mirage. It had to work equally well, however for my upcoming novel Latter-day Cipher.

How about you? Do you have a branding statement? Or do you know of an effective one used by another author?

Introducing Debbie Fuller Thomas

Gentle writers and readers, this site is for you! We want to give a shout-out to some of our followers: Lady Catherina, Miss Daisy Anne, Melinda Patton, Jimmy Davis, C D, Karen, Lilac Grandma, Hope Wilbanks, Jan Parrish, and Nichole Osborn. More welcomes to come on Monday!

Conflict is central to fiction, but how do you create a work of fiction that is tense, difficult, and sometimes even frightening, yet make it a place readers want to go to, spend time in, and get to know well?
I think when readers fall in love with characters, they will follow them anywhere. When a connection is made, when the reader knows what the character wants and how impossible it is to get, they don't want the character to go in alone. Those of us who loved The Lord of the Rings followed Frodo right into Mordor. The fear, physical exhaustion and despair were palpable, but we climbed Mount Doom right beside him, and were left yearning for more when the story was over.

Where is the strangest place that you had a brainstorm and had to stop and write down an idea or snippet of dialogue?

My daughter used to accuse me of not paying attention to her Little League games because she could see from the outfield that I was writing in my notebook. My husband accused me of writing most of my first novel during his sermons, and he's probably right. But when I started Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon, it was on the way down to Disneyland with my family after my last radiation treatment for breast cancer. I had purchased a magazine to read on the road, and an article gave me a great idea. I think I felt like I had permission to resume my life at that point. I wrote in the car for seven hours, and finally had to stop when my family insisted that we go into the park.

Of your favorite books, what one do you wish you had written, and why?

I wish I had written Leif Enger's book "Peace Like a River" because of the beautiful prose, but more importantly, because he wrote about faith and miracles in such a way that they unfolded from the character's life, as one reviewer said, 'without a hidden agenda.'

What are your favorite things to do to take a break during a long writing session?
I really enjoy cooking comfort food. I'll put on a pot of soup, roast a chicken or make a pot pie (I always make my own pie crust). It makes the house smell so good. Then I might enjoy an older classic comedy like "The Philadelphia Story" or "Holiday Inn," or a newer classic like "What's Up Doc?"

How do you know that you have achieved what you're aiming for in a particular passage you're writing? (That is, before showing it to someone else - what rings your internal chime?
I think of Robert Frost's quote, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader." If I dig deeply and draw from my own desires and failures, and can transfer that to my characters and their situations, I feel successful. If they are flawed but they don't quit believing or striving to change, I know I'm on the right track. They can make me cry, but they can also make me laugh.

Tell us about the relationship between your writing and your spiritual life
When one suffers, so does the other. When I depend on God to be my 'muse' and ask him for the words and the story, He always provides. But if I get busy, or try to write on my own, it's worthless junk. Likewise, writing helps me to ask some hard questions of God. Why do kids die? Why do marriages go bad? How do we recognize truth when we see it? I think it's helped me to be a little more authentic in my relationship with God, and He's been graciously tolerant!

Getting to know Sharon K. Souza

Conflict is central to fiction, but how do you create a work of fiction that is tense, difficult, and sometimes even frightening, yet make it a place readers want to go to, spend time in, and get to know well?



It's funny that in real life we do all we can to avoid conflict, yet in fiction, as in movies, we're all about conflict. To paraphrase James Scott Bell, from Plot & Structure, we are to get our protagonist up a tree, then throw rocks at her. That one sentence helped me grasp the importance of conflict in fiction, and gave me license to be as heartless as I needed to be for the sake of the story. (Gotta love that!)

If there's nothing at stake, there's nothing for our readers to invest in, nothing to hold them to the story. We need to bring them to the place where they're saying to our characters, " Don't believe that!" "What are you thinking?!" That's what I aim for.

Where is the strangest place that you had a brainstorm and had to stop and write down an idea or snippet of dialogue?

When I go to bed at night, while I'm in that relaxed state before sleep, that's when inspiration most often strikes. I used to be like popcorn, jumping up to rush to my office to write down the ideas -- because I will forget -- maybe a dozen times a night. Popping up, popping up . . . Then a friend, bless her, gave me a pen that lights up. I keep it and a notepad by my bed and write my thoughts without having to get up. My husband can always tell what kind of night it was by how much is scrawled on the tablet.

I've jotted down ideas during a sermon, written ideas on napkins in restaurants, and on anything handy while riding in a car. But as for the strangest place, I sold my first article from an idea that came to me at a funeral. It seems I never get very far away from my stories.

Which one of your characters most resembles you and how did you draw from your life to create them?

My family tends to recognize me in my characters before I do, so judging by their input I'd say I'm not the character the reader would most like to be. But I do think I'm the character who eventually learns from her experiences. In defense of my family, they see me in a better light than I see myself, and they'd like that reflected in my writing. Sorry, guys, that's not likely to happen.

Tell us about the relationship between your writing and your spiritual life.

It's difficult to separate the two, because my writing is do deeply connected to my spiritual life. When I'm dealing with people who haven't yet connected with Christ on a personal level I tend not to be preachy. I usually ease my faith into the conversation, then always wonder if I've failed the Lord by not being bolder. I'm much the same way with my writing -- try not to be preachy or holier than thou. I just want to present an honest picture of Christ as I know Him, to share the love of the One who loved us enough to go to the cross. It's up the Holy Spirit to convict.

When you sit down to write, who is your audience?

I picture my audience primarily as women who have faced the hard issues of life and lived to tell it. I write about illness, infidelity, doubt, death, because most of us will walk through one valley or another before it's all over. I want women to know it's okay to get mad, cry, even laugh -- especially laugh -- in the midst of our trials, but at the end of the day to look up, because we're never alone. God is right there to take our hand if we'll let him. He is the most faithful friend we'll ever have.

How do you know that you have achieved what you're aiming for in a particular passage you're writing? (That is, before showing it to someone else - what rings your internal chime?

I'm really never sure until someone else has read it and, hopefully, responded the way I intended. But if I can go back after a while and experience the emotion I was shooting for, then I'm satisfied that I've done the best I can do.

Think of a novel you have not written - yet - but would like to one day. The best thing you will ever write before you die. Don't tell us what it will be about, but instead, tell us how it will make the reader feel.

It will cause her to smile though her tears, and linger, unable to close that last page, because it's like saying goodbye to a friend you may never see again.

Okay, we promised GIVEAWAY CONTESTS, and here is our first:
Leave a comment on anyone's post between now and Jan 30 for a chance to win Every Good & Perfect Gift or Lying on Sunday by Sharon K. Souza. Because Sharon writes stories about extraordinary friendship, tell us about your best friend.

Thank you for sharing your time with those of us at Novel Matters. Please come back, and let us know what you're thinking. We love to hear from you.

...and the introductions continue

This is Jennifer signing in for my first time on Novel Matters. I'll continue with the "getting to know you" portion of our blog, and hopefully you'll stop by and leave a note so we can get to know you, too!

What is Christian fiction?
Good, quality reading that doesn’t leave you feeling sordid or ashamed. The publishing industry, as with any entertainment industry today, tends to be riddled with questionable content. It’s important to have Christian fiction authors we can trust to provide good books that can be read with a good conscience.

What grade school, middle school, or high school class did you come closest to flunking? How has that marked you for life?
Geometry! I hated geometry. Fortunately, it’s not an essential skill in writing, and I can guarantee I’ll never write a novel about a mathematician.

Conflict is central to fiction, but how do you create a work of fiction that is tense, difficult, and sometimes even frightening, yet make it a place readers want to go to, spend time in, and get to know well?
I think humor is essential to any good book. Humor is always somewhere in the world, and can usually put a smile on your face even in pretty bad times. So I try to keep the tone light enough throughout the book that people can go through the difficult times with the characters but still not feel distraught when they’re reading.

Tell us about the relationship between your writing and your spiritual life.
I’m a big believer in the Lord being my everything, so I feel He not only gives me the time and capability to write, but that He also gives me my inspiration. When I sit at the computer I ask Him to give me the words to write.

What's your favorite brain food while writing?
Chocolate. Is that really a brain food??

Can you make up stories on the spot - at the drop of a hat?
Only silly ones. I’ve been a nanny for fifteen years, so I’ve had occasion to make up nutty stories on the fly. But I’m no serious storyteller.

How do you know that you have achieved what you're aiming for, in a particular passage you're writing? (That is, before showing it to someone else -- what rings your internal chime?)
If I see myself in it. The worst writing times for me are when I don’t feel I stayed true to my style of writing and storytelling. So if it feels off, the delete key gets a good workout.

What are your favorite things to do to take a break during a long writing session?
I like to shop. And I like to eat… which makes shopping more difficult since fitting into pants is an important aspect of that. But if I only have a short break, I’ll watch something on television, particularly sports and old movies.

Kathleen Popa, On Wrestling with Angels

What is Christian fiction?

I’m tempted to chafe at the term, “Christian Fiction,” because I’m not all that comfortable with the sense that we Christians have our own books that are just like other books, only safer. It makes me worry that we have given up on making a meaningful contribution to the great conversation going on out there, and have instead retreated to a little anteroom to talk among ourselves. Not only does this seem the wrong way to represent Jesus , but it also makes for bad art, if we go at it with the first thought of being safe. I’ll talk more about this in a later question, but I almost want to say there is no such thing as Christian fiction; there is only fiction and some of it is written by Christians.

But then I consider how often, in my writing, the fundamental way I view things has come through in ways I never planned. I’m convinced that’s true for other writers as well. So despite myself, I’ve concluded that a novel penned by a deeply Christian author would likely have a thematic undertone, like a soundtrack, a quiet little song that, in the brightest and darkest moments of the story, hints that there is something terrible and beautiful behind it all, that there is an immense, inscrutable God of overwhelming ferocity and unfathomable love.


Conflict is central to fiction, but how do you create a work of fiction that is tense, difficult, and sometimes even frightening, yet make it a place readers want to go to, spend time in, and get to know well?

I once heard someone pose an answer to critics who say we shouldn’t put monsters in children’s stories, because they might frighten the little readers. The response was that children are already afraid. They already know there are monsters in the world. That’s why they love stories about them, because in the stories they can get those monsters out of their heads and onto the page, and confront them from the safety of their reading nook.

We grownups are just children with layers added, only at our age, they put the monsters on the evening news, and now we are the adults, we are the ones who are supposed to keep things under control. Tense? Difficult? Even frightening? Oh yeah.

That’s why we so love to battle Sauron's armies until Gandalf comes charging in on his white horse. It’s why we love to enter Maycomb, Alabama, and peek out from the soul of little Scout Finch, who calls each man in the mob to his better self, and makes a friend of Boo Radley, the monster across the street.

Just be sure to keep that soundtrack playing.


Tell us about the relationship between your writing and your spiritual life.

Back to the idea of “safe” fiction: I think playing it safe makes for bad art and bad prayer. We need to dive into the deep waters of our subconscious*, and trust that God will not let us drown.

Too often, we keep to the surface. When things threaten to get painful, we pull out a Sudoku puzzle or surf the internet. (Don't ask how I know.) As writers we create stock characters doing predictable things. The issue is control. We have to know exactly what is going to happen. We definitely need to know what our story is about before we write it. Otherwise it could mess with the way we see ourselves and each other and even - ack! - the way we see God. Predictability is safe, at least.

It’s also boring. It’s like offering God a gloved hand, and commenting on the weather, when all along, he knows that our insides are screaming. The reader is no less bored, having come to the page hoping to battle with monsters and win.

Remember the psalmist, soaring with joy one moment and wretched with terror the next? Remember Jacob, wrestling with his angel? I think, of all people, the novelist is commanded to wrestle with angels.


Think of a novel you have not written - yet - but would like to one day. The best thing you will ever write before you die. Don't tell us what it will be about, but instead, tell us how it will make the reader feel.

William Blake was once asked, “When the sun rises, do you not see a round disk of fire something like a guinea?” Blake answered, “Oh no, I see an immeasurable company of the heavenly host crying “Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.”

When my readers come away like William Blake, I will have written my best novel, and I will lay down my pen. (Maybe.)

*A wonderful book on writing from the subconscious is From Where You Dream, by Robert Olen Butler.

Welcome to Novel Matters

Welcome to Novel Matters, where we seek to engage and explore irresistible fiction – specifically fiction written from a Christian perspective. It’s a perspective that explores the dignity, humanity and mystery of the human experience in light of God’s character.

We seven do not presume our work to be definitive. Rather, we strive to create sumptuous, lush fiction by using surprising and satisfying language, and creating unforgettable characters. And we aren't afraid to ask the difficult questions that linger in the reader’s mind long after the last page. We are students of the craft and desire to join with you in provocative discussions about novels that matter, stirring up the passion within author and reader.

The purpose of Novel Matters is to hone the calling and craft of fiction writing.

It's my (Bonnie's) privilege to be the first blogger on Novel Matters. We're starting off with a interview style tête-à-tête about who I am and a few ideas I have about writing, books, and creating irresistible fiction. I'm new to the world of publishing, my first novel, Talking to the Dead, will be released June 1, 2009 from David C. Cook. You can read the blurb on my other blog.

Each one of us will share a bit about ourselves in the weeks to come. And there will be more, so much more! Contests (with the most amazing prizes!), book giveaways, interviews. Be sure to bookmark this blog, or become a follower, so you don't miss a moment!

Let's begin. Bonnie Grove answers:

What is Christian fiction?
First a pet peeve: "Christian" isn't an adjective - it's a noun, or better, a verb. But on with my answer! Christian fiction has changed over the years, and will continue to change (as it should). It started out as a way of expounding on Bible stories and characters, etc., and now has become a market that embraces nearly every genre out there. But, in general, Christian fiction is stories that accept the God of the Bible as Ultimate Truth.

Of your favorite books, what one do you wish you had written, and why?
A Wrinkle In Time – The first time I “read” this book as a kid, I actually had it read to me by a camp counselor. I was transported. I could see every detail, feel every sensation – which is remarkable for a story that takes place in an unknown dimension. I don’t think I’d go so far as to say I wish I wrote it, but I aspire to write with the immediacy and intimacy I first encountered in this classic book.

Conflict is central to fiction, but how do you create a work of fiction that is tense, difficult, and sometimes even frightening, yet make it a place readers want to go to, spend time in, and get to know well?
Lots of things come to mind – but for me, it’s about respect. If I approach conflict with respect for the issues and people involved in it, and endeavor to show a multi-dimensional understanding of the problem, then I will earn the reader’s trust. I also steer clear of having all the answers about a problem.
Also, my work tends to explore issues and conflict I have lots of questions about, so much of what I write is me wrestling with questions I find compelling – and I’m sure many other people do too.

Where is the strangest place that you had a brainstorm and had to stop and write down an idea or snippet of dialogue?
Oh if I could turn my brain off in the shower! Head full of shampoo, eyes burning and YOWZA! Best idea ever pops into my head. So not fair. Anyone else relate?

When you sit down to write, who is your audience?
I write for women who have experienced unwanted change and/or loss.

Can you make up stories on the spot - at the drop of a hat?
You betcha. I love stories and I’ve been making them up my whole life. At heart, that is what I am, a storyteller. Drop your hat, and I'll tell you a story about it.

Think of a novel you have not written - yet - but would like to one day. The best thing you will ever write before you die. Don't tell us what it will be about, but instead, tell us how it will make the reader feel.
I see the reader finishing the book, reaching for the phone, and calling a friend to talk about the experience she just had – the enjoyment, the hope, the shattering grace she’s just encountered, and to share how God has whispered in her ear about His abiding love for her.

I look forward to hearing from you, sharing your thoughts about irresistible fiction, and engaging in this journey of words with you.