High or No Hopes for Diverse Christian Fiction

This week Publisher's Weekly published a promising article for Christian Fiction Publishing Houses, "High Hopes for New Fiction: Abingdon Press." As we posted last year about Abingdon Press's launch and call to submissions this article speaks on its recent developments and the line launching this summer. The article further shares good news from top CBA houses Zondervan, Thomas Nelson and Bethany House about their savvy business module, shift in fiction title focus, and the diversification of their lines.

The latter discussion--the diversification of the line caught my interest the most. What does these publishing houses mean by diversifying their fiction lines? From what I read that distinction is reserved to genre(amish, thriller, suspence,) but not multicultural diversity.

I don't think this year Christian Fiction Blog has discussed much about my challenge with the lack of multicultural diversity in contemporary Christian entertainment. Don't get me wrong I am also challenged with the lack of contemporary Christian entertainment in traditional radio and even most of our Christian television programming. However, there is something that gnaws at me regarding this cultural divide.

Moreover, I fear this schism is the reason why I don't see a great representation of diversity at the upcoming Christian Book Expo or why some AA CBA books are not just off the shelf but unavailable to order, entire series gone. And that troubles me more...

Tonight I participated in two discussions about the rapido influx of Latino consumers, one particularly about Christian Latino consumers. Yet, when I read through these publishing houses catalogues, requests to review their books on this site, I find very little titles that meet the needs of this readership.

So I wonder how High of a Hope does Christian Fiction have for those readers? Castilian literature still?