A group of women in our church used to plan a Ladies Night Out. Those outings often coincided, rather conveniently, with the release of the latest Mel Gibson movie (back then, it was the Lethal Weapon series). You see, these 30-something housewives LOVED Mel. Frankly, I thought it was a little weird. Should I have felt that way?
Well, it’s the same way I feel about Christian Romance.
By most accounts, somewhere around 70 – 80% of the Christian fiction market is comprised by Romance. (It’s difficult to find exact numbers, but most estimates are usually always in the 2/3 range.) What’s selling says a lot about consumers. Likewise, the fact that Romance constitutes 2/3 or more of the Christian fiction market says a lot about Christian consumers. I just don’t happen to think the implications of that are entirely healthy.
So am I suggesting Christians shouldn’t read Romance? Absolutely not. Am I suggesting that Christian Romance isn’t well-written? Not at all. Am I implying that Christian Romance writers have some kind of misguided, malevolent intent? No. What I’m saying is that when Romance is the primary genre defining the Christian fiction market, there’s a potential problem.
You see, we Christians like to frame ourselves as “discerning” readers; our industry is “different” than other industries. But how? If you compare secular and religious markets, you’ll find relatively the same percentages — about 70 – 80% of the secular market is carried by Romance. So save for the exclusion of language and sex, and the inclusion of spiritual themes, how is the Christian Romance market really any different from the secular Romance market? In other words, the same ratio of Christian to non-Christian women think Mel Gibson, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, or Orlando Bloom (or some combination therein), would make a great leading man. Provided he was “saved.”
OK, Mike. If you think Christian Romance shouldn’t corner the Christian market, what should? What type of fiction would be indicative of a “healthy” Christian readership? Good question. And not one I have a great answer for. (Remember, this is a lamentation.)
Let me offer four suggestions as to what might be indicative of a more healthy Christian reading public:
- Christian readers should be more interested in stories with density rather than fluff. Again, this is NOT to suggest that all Christian Romance is fluff, but that the Romance genre, as a whole, tends toward superficiality and predictability (see any random chick flick as reference).
- Christian readers should be more interested in intellect rather than emotion. No, emotion is not bad. Emotionalism is. And Romance typically has a lot more to do with the heart than the head. Which is a problem for people who believe “the heart is deceitfully wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).
- Christian readers should be more interested in something that is thought-provoking rather than entertaining. I don’t believe entertainment is necessarily bad. Nor do I believe all Romance is purely entertainment. What I am suggesting is that Romance, as a whole, doesn’t seek to provoke thought as its primary objective.
- Christian readers should be more interested in stories that are theologically sustainable rather than existentially satisfying. That’s a snooty way of saying, our stories should lead to more lucid beliefs about God and Man, than a temporary feel-good fix.
Please understand, I am not intending to slam Christian Romance. Heck, my wife reads it! I know there are many fine Christian Romance writers and thoughtful Christian Romance novels. But whenever this subject is broached — especially by a male author — it inevitably offends and polarizes people. Frankly, I think that offense is indication that the Christian reading / writing community may have a problem.
As a Christian male, a reader and writer of fiction, I must admit that when I walk down the Christian Fiction aisles, I am a little embarrassed. So many bonnets. So many longing eyes. So many fair young ladies. In distress. And so many strapping young [Christian] men to see them through. It’s a little like Ladies Night Out. Only a Christianized version. I’m sorry if that offends you. But it’s the way I feel. And I know many other Christian men feel the same way.
I just can’t help but wish that our market would reflect something a little different.
Anyway, that’s some of my thoughts. I’m interested in yours…
* * *
Question: Do you agree with me that when Romance is the primary genre defining the Christian fiction market, there’s a problem? What do you think the proliferation of Romance reveals about the Christian market? And if Christians should be reading something other than Romance, what should they be reading? Or am I completely mis-reading this situation?
Not misreading it at all Mike. The problem is this: is the chicken or the egg at fault. Publishers gravitate toward the sure thing. They push what they know has worked in the past. Readers also can be very myopic in that they never expose themselves to anything beyond the comfortable.
One of my missions at my site http://tegeorge.com/Unveiled has been to expose readers to author they haven’t considered. One reader who only read romance, won a set of Mike Dellosso’s novels on my site and now she constantly asks for more. She’s waiting right now for some book called The Resurrection by another Mike.
Funny thing is I constantly hear there’s nothing out there beyond the bonnets when there is. All I know to do is keep on waving my hands and scream, “Look over here! Have you read Dekker, or James, or Dellosso, or Wilson, or Duran (soon), or ….”
Tim, I tend to think the problem — if there really is one here — is with the consumer not the producer. If there was more demand for something other than romance, it would eventually make itself known. There just isn’t. Personally, I wish Christian readers were more interested in authors like Mary DeMuth, Sibella Giorella, Athol Dickson, Flannery O’Connor, Tosca Lee — just off the top of my head — authors with more literary and spiritual depth and complexity. But I’m the same one who loves artsy movies and cringes at the shape of most of our contemporary box office.
Great minds think alike O|O
I tend to agree toward the side of the consumer. Once again I continually try to expose readers to alternatives. Perhaps publishers can do what TV has done: produce shows on cable channels where niche audiences are loyal and allow time for shows to grow. ScFy (are however they spell it now) does this with shows like Haven and AMC did it this year with Rubicon.
Mike,
I think you wanted to encourage discussion, so here goes. I disagree. I know, I find it hard to believe too. What I disagree with is the basic premise: that the reading of romance by women (or men) is akin to Ladies Night Out. I actually think it is much simpler and more pure than that. I think we all crave love–isn’t that the Bible’s strongest message? God so loved the world… And aren’t men told to love their wives? Why? Because women need love. We all do really. So I honestly think that the craving for romantic fiction is a constant reminder of the fact that we are in pursuit of a bride/husband relationship with God. This is something that is hardwired into us, just like eating or procreation. It won’t go away, no matter how much we debate it.
However, I do agree that we shouldn’t be consuming fluff on a regular basis. I crave books that make me think and I love books that help me to understand God more deeply. And I like books that are just plain fun. But for me, the best books combine these elements.
The best book to me would combine elements of romance with other elements like suspense or fantasy or science fiction or mystery. And I also think the best books will have layers of meaning regarding the romantic elements.
I bet that the readers of romance would argue that there are deeper themes in the books they read. I don’t read romance so I can’t give you any examples.
Playing Angel’s Advocate here. =)
Merrie, thanks so much for your thoughts (and for bringing a much-needed female perspective!). I do agree with you that, the popularity of romance illustrates (1) an essential human longing and (2) the unique female constitution. I also agree, as I hope I’ve made clear in my post, that not all romance falls into the realm of mindless fluff. My counter-questions would be: Do you think most Christian Romance actually captures and addresses that essential “love longing,” or does it exploit it? And, even if romance is such an essential part of the human make-up, do you think the 2/3 tilt that drives the Christian market is a bit too much? Thanks for visiting, Mer!
“Do you think most Christian Romance actually captures and addresses that essential “love longing,” or does it exploit it?”
Boy, tough question since I don’t read Christian romance or general market romance. I’m going to have to say that I bet a lot of the authors are hoping to convey the longing we have for Christ. I think their hearts are in the right place.
Another thing we didn’t address (or if we did, I missed it), however, is the fact that romance is the type of fiction (as well as fantasy) that sells well during a depression or recession because people want something to take their minds off their problems. A little romance or alternate reality to help forget about a foreclosure.
Do I think that 2/3 is a bit much? Well, yes. But that’s because I like other genres more. I’d love to see 2/3 of the market focused on fantasy and science fiction instead. 🙂
As a reader, the bottom line is: are there still good books out there for me to read? So far, I can say, absolutely, yes.
I bet that the readers of romance would argue that there are deeper themes in the books they read. I don’t read romance so I can’t give you any examples.
I don’t read them either. It’d have to be a pretty strong case, though. Unfortunately from what I’ve seen, other themes are sacrificed in favor of the “love” arc (which may or may not really be love, depending, but that’s entirely another discussion).
You know, a great theme in Scripture is, in fact love. However, it is not romantic love (whatever that is) but the steadfast, unyielding, everlasting lovingkindness of the God of Creation.
It was Ted who first pointed out to me there’s a difference between a love story and a romance. A love story is not necessarily romantic (re: eros) by nature.
And I think that’s really where people in general miss the point. It’s also the reason some people put weird interpretations on particular sentences in the Bible (re: David & Jonathan; Jesus & his disciples).
Yeah. Both the prophets and Paul use the relationship of a husband and wife to describe the relationship between God and his people. But that is not the only one Scripture uses.
If God can be Father, Son, Spirit, Sower, Lamb, Lion, Judge, Advocate, Winedresser; if Jesus can be Brother, Bridegroom,Co-heir, Master, Friend, Lamb of God and Lion of Judah, Anointed Messiah and the Great Warrior King, then I think we sell the picture far, far short if we only describe him as any one of these things.
And if it is wrong to say “God is Love” and deny the other aspects of his nature (“God is the Great Sovereign”), then I think it’s also equally wrong to say that “God is love and he only relates to us as a husband does his wife.”
It’s simply not the whole picture….and I think that’s the biggest error.
Most readers of romance (at least the ones I know) would acknowledge the situations in romance novels are unrealistic, but the books are emotionally true. In the best romance novels, both hero and heroine have to overcome some personal obstacles (grow) in order to be together. I think some romance novels are great, but a lot lose my interest quickly.
Kaci, I also had to realize that difference. I love love stories. romance novels are not always great love stories. (though they can be)
Amy, I’ve been thinking a lot about your point that “the situations in romance novels are unrealistic, but the books are emotionally true.” Sometimes men (or should I say this man), look at the trappings of genre romance (the stereotypical setups, characters, and resolution, the “unrealistic” elements you mention) and dismiss any “emotional truth,” as you put it. I’m wondering if, like Merrie suggested above, there isn’t a deeper emotional / spiritual / relational “hunger” that is part of the equation, one that allows, frankly, for a suspension of disbelief.
It’s true too that almost every story has a little bit o’ romance in it. Even if from afar.
Love, romantic love, brotherly love, sacrificial love, it’s in our bones and our marrow. It’s a spark of the divine, and whenever we see it, even twisted bad versions of it, we respond with a strong almost addictive response.
Or maybe that’s just me. heh.
Either way, I think there’s so many kinds of love stories to tell, from romantic ones, to all the other kinds as Kaci pointed out. And love doesn’t even -have- to the theme. I do think it’s dangerous to get stuck in a rut where one theme rules all. But then again, that’s the Bible is it not? God’s Love is the whole story.
But yeah, i enjoy exploration of all kinds of themes and ideals, and i think it is part of a christian writer, publisher, reader to do that. Explore.
I used to be a voracious reader of romance novels. In fact, it was to the point where that was all I read. I won’t go into the psychological details of why (an emotionally distant father does play into it), but I finally realized a few years ago that these romances were doing me a great disservice. When my husband and I were having problems, I would watch romantic movies or read romance novels and think, now why can’t it be like that? The answer? THAT doesn’t exist. Movie love, happily-ever-after’s, etc., doesn’t happen. The whirlwind courtship, the mind-blowing physical attraction, the knowledge that THIS IS YOUR SOUL MATE and if you’re even a bit unsure about them being your soul mate, then run, run, run, until you find THE PERFECT ONE…well, all of this is fantasy.
Do we need fantasy in our lives? Yes. And I think romance novels fulfill that need…but in small doses. For ME, I was trying to find that kind of love in my own life. Therein lay the danger…for me. Others are able to separate the different types of love (real love vs. fantasy love), but I was unable to. (Maybe if I’d had a father who actually gave me hugs growing up and told me he loved me…well, things might have been different. But no need to go into all that.)
What has turned me off from the general romance market and really, on romance in general is the focus on the “sexual tension.” Now I agree that physical attraction is an important component to a successful relationship. But it is not THE component that makes it work. I can’t read romance anymore simply because of the “heated glances” and “sizzling touches” that infiltrate them. It just doesn’t appeal to me anymore.
It’s ironic, considering I used to be a member of Romance Writers of America, was the president of my local chapter, and wrote, read, and breathed romance.
As a writer, I want to explore more than just the relationship between two people…a lot more. Which is why I now write more mainstream novels (admittedly with a love story in them), but the focus of the novel is NOT on the relationship. I am much more happy this way.
And all of this rambling is to say one thing: I would rather see more LOVE STORIES as opposed to ROMANCE novels. There is a big difference.
Did I make any sense at all? 🙂
Wow, Melissa! Thanks so much for your transparency. I know it’s not true that all women who read romance do it out of a vacuum (i.e., dysfunctional relationship with father or husband), but my hunches are that some, perhaps many, do. Thanks so much for sharing a little bit about your story.
Thanks, Mike. 🙂 I realize my meandering thoughts probably didn’t address the question at the heart of your post, and I don’t know that I have a good answer as to why romances dominate even the Christian market. I think sometimes the strict guidelines that go into Christian romances tend to leave some authors’ hands tied as far as what they can and cannot write about. This is a shame, and I know you’ve covered in some of your posts about Christian writers presenting the truth as opposed to a white-wash version of it.
Anyway, I really hope I didn’t come across as anti-romance novel, because I’m not at all. Some of the best books I’ve read have been romance novels. But they are just not for me any longer.
Interesting discussion!
I wrote my first book, Tamed, as an evangelism tool for reaching the older Twilight crowd, although my book is about Nephilim, not vampires. In it, I cover topics from abortion to date rape to dating in general, but the main point of the book is that salvation is granted by God to even the worst sinners. It cannot be earned. The sequel is loosely based on the book by Tim Keller, Prodigal God. For me, the romance/thriller genera gives me the opportunity to reach women with the gospel. It worked with my antagonistic neighbor. She never would allow me to speak to her about Christ, NOT AT ALL! But she read the book and came back to buy four more for her friends. That was a shock.
My introduction to Christian fiction was Lori Wick, Francine Rivers, Gilbert Morris, etc. because that’s primarily what I had access to via the church library. So, my introduction to writing Christian fiction was likewise in romance.
HowEVER. The moment I started seeing other authors doing other things, I was ready to admit my total boredom, and go read something else. I am not the standard Christian woman, for starters–came from an atheist/agnostic background full of critical thinking and “heavy” literature, and that’s what I’m more attuned to.
I just had the impression that being a Christian meant reading and writing were going to be a certain way, because that’s what I was presented with in my early 20’s.
I think that was unhealthy.
I think so primarily because what I do now has a lot more credibility with my non-Christian loved ones, and guess what–people are the only thing we can take with us to heaven, not our entertainment, our passing emotional comforts and so forth.
To balance that, starting out writing romance was good for me when I was younger, in that it made me focus on my marriage and what was Godly about it. It caused me to appreciate my husband more, and feel more connected to him. I think that *was* healthy.
However, nearly ten years later, I’m not writing for twentysomething young ladies who are uncertain how much of “the world” is to be avoided, as I was when a newer Christian. I know who and what I am, and what I’m here to talk about.
I’d rather look at other biblical angles to love, because I think it’s not cultural leadership to simply make a somewhat sanitized, churchian take on eros. Some books do better than that, some are just the Victorian-style polite society version.
But as Tozer was wont to say, the church has ceased to speak forth and has settled for merely following. We have something unique and powerful in the types of love God manifests that are not present in the world’s thinking. That’s what I’d like to see more of in our expressions of faith.
Well, Mike, it is probably in part because us men, by and large, aren’t enamored with romance novels. We lament the dirth of good fantasy and sci-fi on Christian shelves. There are those of us out there working on that, but as you’ve noted, publishers are going to publish and bookstores are going to stock what the Christian customer wants, and that appears to be in large part romances. I guess I could probably do better if I wrote them.
Now, we’re just talking the fiction market, mind you. Any particular woman may read X number of romance novels a year, and then maybe X+Y many non-fiction novels, self-help books, spiritual books, etc. So it has hard to generalize about whether these women out there reading so much of this stuff are “unbalanced” in any way in their reading habits. I’m sure some are. And ironically, I think there’s not much of a demand for the other genres because many men have given up on finding and reading Christian fiction. Part of that is due to the fact that many men, as a group, read less fiction than women.
The other side is, based on the above, that publishers cater to the women’s taste more than the men, so men who do look there to find something, find very little that appeals to them.
That said, I think a woman who reads romance novels in mass quantities isn’t going to have a realistic view of the world. I’ll note two experiences.
The first girl I dated in college was a big romance novel reader (I think primarily secular). When I didn’t have an overwhelming desire to rip her clothes off and have sex, she ended up dumping me. I didn’t fit the mold.
Later, my wife read some secular romance novels, then shifted to more Christian romance novels. But she gave them up as well. She said they were frustrating, because they built up all this sexual tension but then it never went anywhere. At least in the secular one’s the tension was released.
Now, I’ve read very little romance myself. One secular novel, is about it. And it did come across to me as fairly unrealistic. And ended in a bland way. Such stuff doesn’t appeal to me much. As you mentioned Mike, there are I know some quality romance stories and authors out there in the Christian market place, and I wish them all the best. I’m sure some of them are witnessing to God’s love through their stories, and who can say that’s bad?
Interesting post to ponder.
Rick, I think your point that “… many men, as a group, read less fiction than women” is probably closest to the heart of the matter here. My guess is that the ratio of Christian men to women readers is virtually the same as non-Christian men to women readers. And by and large, women gravitate primarily toward Romance novels, or novels which have romance elements. Perhaps this just takes us back to the age-old question of why men don’t read more. Either that, or why don’t women read something other than Romance?
I should qualify that. I don’t know for sure that the total amount of reading is done primarily by women, though I would lean to that being true as well by some percentage. But I think men by nature tend to focus on non-fiction more than women did. Self-help books, practical day-to-day “solve my problem” type books. So they tend to read more of those than they do fiction.
I know for a good part of my life, that was true of me. Fiction isn’t “real” so it can seem like a waste of time to invest a few hours reading one purely for entertainment (but they won’t mind watching the movie, lol).
Of course that’s an over generalization, and there will be plenty of exceptions. But the market in fiction has been ruled by women and children/teens for a long time. But, most of what I’ve read since 2005 has been fiction. But now its a practical matter! It helps my career. So I can’t get away from that still!
The surreal thing, Mike (as you will soon discover) is walking down those same aisles and, between two bonnets, finding a book with your name on the cover.
Hah! A Duran between two bonnets.
LOL. Okay, I love this comment thread! Mark’s right. There’s nothing so strange, yet it’s a good kind of strange, as walking into a bookstore and seeing your book on the shelves. And I’m looking forward to seeing your “bonnet-buster” in the stores, Mike.
Looking forward to seeing your next book too, Mark.
🙂
Mike, women do read other genres! As a matter of fact, most of the women I know–me included–read fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, mysteries, mainstream, YA, and even horror. (And I read zero romance.) Honestly, if 2/3 of the market is romance-reading women, and at least a quarter of all the readers of the other genres are women (and I think it may be higher than that), then it truly does boil down to men not reading a lot of fiction. I agree with Rick–men tend towards nonfiction.
The reason the Christian market reflects that is simply that being Christian doesn’t suddenly make someone an intellectual. And, no, for crying out loud, I am NOT calling romance readers “dumb” by saying that. Merely stating that one does not read romance in search of intellectual stimulation. Not every book can fulfill every need, nor should they.
I think what he’s pointing out is that 1. Women read romance more than anything else, which doesn’t exclude them from reading other books. It’s simply the genre that women enjoy most. 2. about Christian fiction being intellectual, what Mike’s saying is that Christian novels should have a greater meaning than writing about a couple of good-looking young people with raging hormones and too much time on their hands- but they’re Christian, of course. Not to put down romance, just pointing out that maybe Christian novels shouldn’t just go skin-deep like that.
@Mike hope I didn’t misquote you, or sound redundant, or anything like that.
A thought: Could one explanation for the disparity be that evangelical readers of romance sense a much stronger need for an alternative literature than do evangelical readers of other genres? You don’t hear a lot of people saying, “I used to love literary fiction (or crime, or horror), but then the books got too steamy.” That’s a fairly common refrain from evangelical romance readers, though. If lack of demand is responsible for the make-up of the shelves, the readers’ desire for an alternative (or lack of one) might be the key. This would also explain why authors in genres where there’s no alternative desire tend to be the ones who want their books shelved with others in their genre rather than the catch-all Inspirational nook. Their readers aren’t looking for an alt shelf, whereas evangelical romance readers are.
Mark, that is a very good point. Makes a LOT of sense.
Although, there are Christians, I think, who look for “alternatives” to secular books in other genres. It may not be for the “steam” factor, but more to get away from language or anti-Christian themes.
However, back to your point–the Christian writers of other genres, such as speculative fiction, thriller, horror, etc, probably don’t want to be shelved separately from secular works. Their Christian themes tend to be more subtle, and the authors aren’t trying to write sanitized versions of secular fiction. The dividing line is much fuzzier in genres other than romance.
Great discussion here, Mike. I agree with Merrie: Being a Christian doesn’t automatically make someone an intellectual. Christians are exactly as human as the population at large. We vary widely in our interests, beliefs, and reading preferences.
I think perhaps we need to be careful when stating what Christians “should” be interested in, as you stated in four succinct points in your post. Let’s remember that being a Christian doesn’t mean we’ve “arrived” at a certain place. It’s a journey, and we are all in different places on the journey. Those “shoulds” you mentioned? Perhaps they’re goals – but they’re not the reality of where most Christians live. We are all shooting for our goals, working out our faith, being sanctified day by day. Hopefully we’re maturing in our spiritual lives as we go. But none of us have “arrived.”
Maybe I “should” be interested in stories with density rather than fluff… but when my mind and body are exhausted from a long, hard day, maybe the best thing for me is, in fact, some “fluff” that helps me relax and let go the cares of the day.
Maybe you believe we “should” be interested in intellect rather than emotion; but consider the truth that the novels that have had the most impact, throughout the history of fiction, are those that touched people in the heart, NOT just through their head. Indeed, that’s the primary way fiction differs from non-fiction: fiction grabs us at the heart level, while non-fiction grabs our intellect. Two different things. You simply cannot separate fiction from emotion—not even in your own fiction.
We should be interested in thought provoking rather than entertaining? That’s a blanket statement that presents first, a false dichotomy, and second, an unrealistic expectation. Why must I feel guilty for enjoying entertainment? Yes, I personally prefer books that are BOTH thought-provoking and entertaining. But not every minute of life has to contain deep thought. (And it’s ironic that I’m saying this, since I’m a deep-thought kind of person.) Sometimes, in certain moments, I just want entertainment so my busy mind can rest for a few minutes.
Finally you said we “should” be interested in ideas that are theologically sustainable rather than existentially satisfying … our stories should lead to more lucid beliefs about God and Man, rather than a temporary feel-good fix. I agree with this, and I have to say that the Christian romance writers I know DO work hard to write books that bring characters (and readers) closer to God in some way, or toward a better understanding of the complex interplay between our relationships with humans and with God. In fact, I think it’s insulting to Christian romance writers to imply that they write “feel good fixes.” In fact, most of them try to write books that show real-world struggles and encourage women in their faith.
We shouldn’t discount the need of many people to read existentially satisfying books. They may be at a different part of their spiritual journey than we are. This is a difficult world—think of the hardships, disappointments, illnesses, abuse, and lack of love some people live with. Why deny them a few minutes of emotional satisfaction in reading a positive, encouraging book?
In the end I have to say that we simply must acknowledge that people read for different reasons, and while we can encourage people to expand their horizons, we can’t change where they are in life—spiritual or otherwise. Isn’t it better that Christian romance at least exists, so the people who need it can find it available and receive their “entertainment” without having to go to secular books that wouldn’t encourage them in their faith?
Hey, Rachelle! Thanks for your thesis, er, comment. 😉
Lotsa great stuff here. Regarding my assumption that Christian readers should / should not be something. I think we’d agree that Christians (and their fiction) SHOULD be something and NOT something else. SHOULD Christians be reckless, rude, condemning, dull, naive, shallow, boring, etc., etc.? In other words, there are certain expectations attached to the “Christian” label. What we read, focus our attention on, and seek to be entertained by, falls into that category.
Throughout this post I’ve been careful to not issue blanket condemnations. I wrote, “I know there are many fine Christian Romance writers and thoughtful Christian Romance novels,” Also, “…am I suggesting Christians shouldn’t read Romance? Absolutely not. Am I suggesting that Christian Romance isn’t well-written? Not at all. Am I implying that Christian Romance writers have some kind of misguided, malevolent intent? No.” I’ve also tried to be clear that I’m operating from traditional stereotypes rather than first-hand knowledge with these books. So when you say, “I think it’s insulting to Christian romance writers to imply that they write ‘feel good fixes,'” I’d say (1) I didn’t intend to imply that and (2) Some romance is written precisely as a “feel-good fix.”
Finally, you asked, “Isn’t it better that Christian romance at least exists, so the people who need it can find it available and receive their ‘entertainment’ without having to go to secular books that wouldn’t encourage them in their faith?” Totally agree! As I’ve said here, I don’t think there should be less Christian Romance. I just happen to think that romance is not a particularly flattering genre to represent what the Christian community SHOULD be about.
Thanks for visiting, Rachelle! Grace to you!
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I’m so sick and tired of seeing nothing but books about amish women falling for English men in the Christian market. that’s pretty much all they have in cbd nowadays. But I’m a writer looking to crack into some largely untouched genres- Christian thrillers, horror, etc- and I want to live by Tolkein’s and Lewis’s writing principle: if the market for good literature doesn’t have what you’re looking for, just write it yourself and put it out there.
Hey Ryan — I’m an aspiring novelist as well, with similar interest areas (thriller, horror), and I’ve struggled to find a good writing group. Would you be interested in proofreading/evaluating each other’s work? You can contact me at rocknrollforyoursoul@yahoo.com. Thanks.
I would love to do that. Right now isn’t the best time to do that for me (I’m a college freshman with finals coming up, ugh) but Christmas break starts on the 13th and I’ll be spending most of it either writing or helping others write.
I’ll send you an email, just so you know it isn’t spam my email is ryanicholastiffany@hotmail.com. You can also find me on facebook although my email for facebook is jokobama@hotmail.com.
Yes, it is full of romance. I certainly for one, would like to see fictionalized international intrique with Christians working supernaturally to prevent loss of lives, heartache etc.
I agree 100 percent — and I always have that same experience you do when I walk down the Christian fiction aisle! As a Christian, and as a fiction lover, it saddens me to see all those forlorn-looking frontier women staring at me when I browse the CF section. That stuff has its place, but what about the suspense? the mystery? the thriller? I love those kinds of books (think Ted Dekker), and finding any of that at all (much less a good example of it) is almost as rare as striking gold. This is one reason why I hope to one day add some suspense-thriller-adventure titles of my own to the CF selection.
It has been said by several sources that romance novels are to women what pornography is to men. Even if the language and sex scenes are omitted from so-called Christian romance (which should be an oxymoron), the gorging on fantasy emotional content (as cited by one courageous woman commentor already) does women and their real relationships a disservice. This disservice is false expectations, comparisons with fictitious ideals, etc; the very ills which pornography perpetrates on men. I believe women who resort to romance novels are setting themselves up for real-life relationship problems. They are not engaged in the pursuit of love as God intended it, but in “romance” as medieval troubadors invented and glorified it in Western understanding. I think it is a sad commentary that so many Christian women provide such a voracious market for such superficial fare.
I totally agree with you, and I am a Christian Woman….thanx…think I’ll take a look at your books now… God Bless, Vicki