Thursday, December 03, 2009

What We Can Learn from the Deadly Viper/Zondervan Debacle about Ethnicity & Religion


 

 Last month I read and stayed updated about a conflict between Zondervan Publishing and the Asian American Christian Community regarding the Christian leadership book, Deadly Viper. The book has since been pulled, Zondervan and the authors have issued apologies. Yet the discussion continues, but on a larger scale. On a scale that speaks to the heart of Christian Fiction Blog.



 When Professor Rah wrote about the blacklash he received from the Deadly Viper pulling he states...
Evangelicals need a constructive dialogue on race and culture.  This whole episode has revealed a pretty major gap among evangelicals in our awareness and ability to deal with issues of race, culture and faith.  Some ongoing, big picture questions:
  •  Is there still a race problem in America?  Many seem to believe that racial and cultural sensitivity is only a problem for those who perceive it to be a problem.  Is that true?
  • - How can Asian-Americans be a strong voice in the evangelical world?  Clearly, this is a growing group, yet oftentimes without much of a voice.  This question should also encompass African-American, Latino, Native American, and bi, multi-racial Christians.
  • - What is the role of culture?  Are we to be culturally neutered because we are all God’s people and therefore we put aside our old culture? Or is there a place for cultural expression and celebration?  And what could a healthy expression of culture in the evangelical context look like?

-Professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah's Exploring the Next Evangelism
 This month I have taken editorial responsibility for Christian Fiction Online Magazine's Multicultual Fiction Column. I'm thankful for the opportunity, but I'm also challenged that what I intend to do with this column may have its own backlash. Why?

  1. Traditionally Multicultural columns have been designated to spotlight works written by authors of other ethnicities.
  2. Most readers skip the column, because they assume the content doesn't speak to them, but only people of color, so including white authors would be pointless.
  3. Their is a stigma that the column is a PC(political correct) ploy and isn"t edited with the same weight as the other columns.
  4. People, especially Christian people don't change.

However, in my opinion-- it appears that Professor Rah agrees --Christian Culture should not entirely follow mainstream culture. Just because the world does it one way doesn't mean we have to do it their way. Not that we are a counter-society or a counter-culture, but instead a beacon for all ethnic enclaves to seek when they need light. And let's be honest, the world is pretty dark. So our magazines, newspapers, even our publishing houses shouldn't want to emulate them, especially with marketing.


Unfortunately, sin, which is separation from God, has made the world okay with separating each other based on race and ethnicity for centuries. But should we do it?




A couple of years ago I was very disappointed by the lack of publicity for Sharon Ewell Foster's Abraham's Well. Although the book won many awards, I was shocked that it didn't final for The Christys. For those of you who don't know about the Christys publishing houses nominate in-house books they believe were the best written that year. Abraham's well was brilliant and well written. It spoke of race and religion during The Trail of Tears and Antebellum. It took a hard look Protestant American History and  its role in Slavery. Its publisher took a big chance publishing this book, but the risk would enlighten so many people about the Power of Christ and how He will make a way out of anyway. So I was disappointed about the marketing efforts for this book and also disappointed that the publisher and other reviewers like me didn't get behind this book. To me, it appeared as if the publisher was ashamed of it. It appeared as if the publisher was more concerned with how mainstream society felt than how the body of Christ would be edified by shedding ourselves of this past blight.

Moreover, I believe that is the problem with Christian publishing. We don't know how to market, because we don't want to deal with that demon of cultural exclusivity & racial privilege. But I also believe we can share what 's so special about us without dividing us, without stating that one culture is better than the other and without accusing our brother and sister in Christ of racism.

Education and humility on both parts is the key here.

I have said for years on this blog that publishing houses should contract with marketing consultants for projects that require cultural expert input. (I'm available and I know many others.)

The world wants us to change, but the Christian World must change.



Thanks to God and his invention of New Media we have the opportunity change, to get to know one another and appreciate one another better than we ever have. It is also a great opportunity for Christian writers to touch more people than missionaries ever have been able to. For instance my Twitter Reach on average is 12,000 people per impression. That means every tweet I send out on average 12000 people read it. (Of course my tweet reach for Glee is off the charts. )

My objective for the MF column at Christian Fiction Online Magazine is to showcase redemptive stories of inclusion. Be it an author writing about Amish, Biafran, Korean-Baptists, schoolgirls chopping it up in China, or an around the way girl from Bankhead I want to talk about it. I want us to see another manifestation of God thorugh it.

Of course, the column will be an extension of this blog, since we spotlight those type stories here anyway. But also I hope to have frank discussions on Christian fiction publishing and entertainment news and feature writers, playwrighters, screenwriters and podcasters from all over the world.

I hope to be a part of the change in our industry and our faith, and I hope you come along for the read.

Now I have a question for you. What do you do to invite readers who don't look like you into your writing world?

1 comments:

marina said...

Hi Dee,

I feel that authors should accept more responsibility for how their product is positioned - either by investing marketing dollars themselves (and not being cheap or doing enough to get by while doing so) and also letting their agent and/or publisher know BEFORE the contract is signed that they will need the support of a marketing consultant who is familiar with their specific market. You'd be surprised (not you, some authors in general) at how many authors have no idea or clue as to what marketing their publisher is doing or not doing for their book because they are not involved in the process.

Labels

"hold out" (1) 1question (4) 1questionMay (2) 1questionspring (3) 1questionsummer (2) 1questionwinter (7) 2011 (2) 30 Days to Build a Better Blog (5) 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog (17) 9/11 (2) a good man blog watch (2) aaliyah (2) about me (1) Academy award (2) acfw-vip (2) Africa (1) african america (3) african american christian fiction (19) african american history (8) altartainment (1) amazon (9) american heart (1) american idol (1) amish (4) amy grant (1) Amy wallace (1) andrew carroll (1) angela bassett (1) Arts (2) atlanta (3) atlanta journal (1) atlanta tornado (1) audition (1) authentic creation (1) author (1) author interview (12) author read-in (3) authors (6) authors read in (2) authors read-in (1) awards (11) barbie (1) Basketball (1) bath luxe (2) bational wear red day (1) bbaw (1) bea (2) best of (8) bestsellers (2) bethany house (4) bible (3) bible study (3) bill gates (1) billie jean (1) birthday (3) black authors (2) black authors network (1) black christian novel (1) black christmas plays (4) black hawk down (1) black history (1) black in america (2) black men in america (1) black spiritualism (4) blacklitchat (2) blog alliances (1) blog talk radio (22) blog tour (14) blogalicious (2) blogcatalog (1) bloggers unite (9) blogging (7) bloglight (1) blogtalkradio (6) blythe (1) book (3) book arts (1) book awards (12) book blogging (5) book chat (3) book club (6) book cover (4) book deals (1) book events (9) book fun (2) book marketing (51) book pick (1) book pr (1) book preview (9) book promotion (7) book proposal (2) book release party (2) book review (52) book review submission form (5) book signing (4) book tour (4) book trailer (21) bookbyte (3) bookclub (2) books (3) brook promotion (1) bubble bath (1) bynum (1) c.s. lewis (1) camy tang (2) career (1) carl weber (1) carleen brice (1) casting call (9) cba (2) cfba (4) children books (7) chip macgregor (2) choir (1) chris well (2) christian (2) christian comedy (1) christian detective novel (1) christian ethics (7) christian fiction (13) christian fiction blog alliance (2) christian fiction news (28) christian fiction online magazine (26) christian living (2) christian movie (1) christian novel (4) christian publisher (2) christian retailing (2) christian romance (4) christian summer book (9) christian writer's carnival (1) christian writer's guide (1) Christianity (4) christmas (14) christmas story (14) Christy Award (4) christy awards (3) chronicles of narnia (2) chuck holton (1) chuck palahniuk (1) church news (1) cindy (1) cindy woodsmall (9) civil rights (1) claudia burney (10) clown girl (1) cnn (2) coco brother (2) contest (20) contests (6) controversy (1) convention (3) copyright (1) craft (1) creston mapes (1) cupcakes (2) cyndy salzmann (1) darfur (2) dargur (1) david c. cook (4) David Talbert (1) deanne gist (2) deborah raney (1) decaturbookfestival (1) dee and marina (4) dee stewart (19) dee stewart hezekiah walker (1) dee stewart linda beed (1) deegospelpr (11) dekker (5) denzel washington (1) denzel washington. (1) Derek Fisher (1) designer shoes (1) devotions (1) DiAnn Mills (1) digital publishing (2) disney (2) domestic violence (1) don hoesel (1) doodle (1) dwan abrams (2) e-reader (4) e. lynn harris (1) Earth day (2) eartha kitt (1) easter (4) ecpa (1) editing (2) ella curry (2) England (1) eric wilson (1) essence magazine (3) ethics (3) excerpts (9) facebook (3) faith and fiction retreat (11) Faith anf fiction retreat (1) faith*in*fiction (3) fashion show (1) father's day (1) fictin in rather short takes (1) Fiction (1) fiction in rather short takes (33) flag of our fathers (1) followthereader (1) fox faith (1) frank peretti (1) friday afternoon club myster (1) friday afternoon club mystery (1) friday fest (8) fuge recipes (1) genesis awards (1) George Jackson (1) giveaway (8) Golden State Warriors (1) good reads (4) gospel dream (1) gospel fiction (3) gospel music (19) gospel play (13) Grace (1) guestblog (9) haiti (1) haley kilpatrick (1) hank stewart (1) harper collins (1) Harriet Beecher Stowe (1) harry potter (2) Hawaiian Islands (1) heart disease (2) help wanted (1) historical (9) hope for women (1) horror (3) house of faith (1) human trafficking (1) I Dream of Jeannie (1) ibook (2) imprints (1) inciting incident (1) infuze magazine (1) inspirational monday (2) inspys (1) interviews (12) iThink (1) itw (3) jeanee damoff (2) jeff gerke (1) jena 6 (3) jill elizabeth nelson (1) job announcement (1) juanita bynum (3) juanita bynumemkm (1) juneteenth (4) karen kingsbury (3) kathy herman (1) kim brooks (1) kim cash tate (1) kimani press (1) kimberla lawson roby (2) Kindle (1) kristy dykes (2) laura bush (1) lent (11) leny (1) librarything book reviews (2) lifetime tv (1) lifeway (2) linda hargrove (2) links (1) lisa samson (3) literacy (1) literary agent (3) Literature (2) love (1) M M (1) madea girl talk (1) marcher lord press (1) marilynne robinson (1) marilynnn griffith (5) marina woods (2) marines (2) marketing (5) marketing christian fiction blog (1) marriage (1) mary demuth (1) mary hart (1) media candy (10) medical fiction (2) melody carlson (2) meme (1) Memorial day (3) michael jackson (1) mike duran (1) ministry (3) miranda parker (26) mochareaders (1) mombloggers (2) mommyfest (5) monday mention (3) monika drake (1) morgan freeman (1) mothers (3) motivationmonday (6) movie (14) mtv awards (1) myspace (1) nanowrimo (7) Nat Turner (1) National Basketball Association (1) national book month (1) NBA (1) networking (1) New York Times (1) Newsletters (1) nicole seitz (5) non-fiction (2) novel (2) novel writing (10) ny times bestseller (1) obama (14) off-topic Thursday (3) offf-topic Thursday (2) olympia vernon (1) online bookstore (5) oprah (2) ott (2) Pacific War (1) pam perry (1) parenting (2) party (1) pat simmons (1) pay it forward (2) Pearl Harbor (1) people magazine (1) Philippines (1) play (2) plug and play (1) po bronson (1) politics of the mass media (1) poll (1) prayer cell (4) prayer request (3) preorder pick (2) prince caspian (1) princess dominique (1) publishing (14) race and religion (3) radio (1) radio talk show (4) rawsistaz (4) reading series (4) rebeca seitz (1) reflections (1) relief journal (1) Relief Journal christian writing (3) Religion and Spirituality (3) renovating becky miller (1) reshonda tate billingsley (5) retreat (1) rhonda bowen (5) rhonda mcknight (9) richmond (1) romance (6) romantic times (2) romantic times magazine (8) rt convention (2) saint patrick's day (1) sally e.stuart (1) saturday christian carnival (3) Science fiction (3) secret life of bees (2) selah (3) self-publish (2) shana burton (8) sharon ewell foster (6) sharon hink (3) shawneda marks (1) shelfari (1) sher (1) sherri lewis (12) shine in 09 (5) shoes (1) Shopping (1) short story (2) Sidney Sheldon (1) single women (1) sistahfaith (1) skype (2) Slave ship (1) social media (7) social network (2) social network problogger (7) social networking (2) social networkingh (1) sormag (1) South Carolina (1) specfiction (3) speedlink (8) spiritual autobiography (3) Sports (1) spotlight (2) stacy hawkins adams (6) star wars (1) steeple hill (1) storytellers (3) stranger than fiction (1) sudan (1) summer (8) sunrise (1) survey (2) sxsw (1) t.l. hines angela hunt (1) tavis smiley (2) tavis smley (2) teen (4) the first lady (3) the master's artis (2) the master's artist (56) the masters artist (6) the shack (2) the spirit of your story (1) the stones cry out (1) the trouble with publishing (2) theology (2) thomas nelson (7) thriller thursday (7) tia mccollors (1) tiffany warren (7) titletrakk (1) to (1) tolkien (1) top ten (25) tosca lee (1) tours (1) trailer park tuesday (61) trailer park tuesdaycngdkvb (1) travis Hunter (1) tribute (12) tricia goyer (4) tuesday (2) tv (1) twitter (22) ty moody (3) tyler perry (55) tyler pery (1) tyler play (1) United States (3) urban christian book (5) Utah Jazz (1) utterz (10) valentine (2) vanessa davis griggs (1) vanessa miller (2) veteran's day (2) video (2) wachooreading (2) walmart (1) wanza leftwich (1) warren buffet (1) WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group (1) weakend read (2) wedding (1) wednesday wrap (11) weekend chat (29) weekend chatter (17) weekend read (11) westbow (1) what i'm reading (3) what's done in the dark (1) why fiction matters (9) widcard (1) wiki (1) wild card (12) wildcard (32) Wings of Glory (1) womanist thought (1) women (1) women of faith (2) women's ministry (1) workshops (4) world aids day (1) World War II (1) write-or-die chick (3) writer's call (3) writer's conference (8) writer's prompt (2) writing (4) writing conference (8) writing contest (8) writing journey (2) writing life (38) writing opportunities (2) writing project (5) writing tip (3) writing workshop (2) x-files (1) yolanda king (1) young adult (5) youtube (4) zondervan (5)