Last night I had the pleasure of speaking on the Abundant Solutions Hour radio talk show about Christian Fiction, particularly multicultural works with The Damascus Road authors: Maurice Gray, Jr, Dr. Linda Beed, Wanda B. Campbell, Lacricia Peters, Jacquelin Thomas, Kim Brooks and Christy Award winning author Sharon Foster. Foster reclaimed her role as the godmother of Christian Fiction when she suggested that we writers have to be cognizant of so called Christian books that are nothing more than "Porno with a Jesus Logo." I loved that phrase, and this morning after prayer Sharon's notion returned to me again. AA Writers, I'll call them Gospel Writers, face two prejudiced challenges based on this concept.1. An Opportunistic ABA: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
There is a shadow that follows AA Christian authors from the bookstore to the church and to the nightstand table. We are running a different race than our white counterparts. The reason why is because ABA publishing houses no that AA readers are plentiful and Bible raised. We can have a Zane novel on the night stand along with a Sherri Lewis title, and not thinking nothing of it. It's a cultural, philosophical issue, one of Black Womanist Thought that places us in a pickle, so to speak. ABA publishing house recognizes these concepts, do not judge them, but take the opportunity to sell more books, because of it. So they publish novels--faster than you can rake or scrape--with church background on the covers, pastors and pimps in the pulpit, and back cover synopsis that lead a Christian reader to believe that the work is inspired. But it is not. Yet, the book and the author is deeply supported by its publishing house, so much so that galleys are sent out to me months before release date, bookstores are rearranging shelves for great placements of the books, authors are on Top radio, advertised in national print mags and church book tours are launched. These books easily become Essence and NYT bestsellers. Easily.
However, these same books once purchased by church book clubs are damned and thrown out the church. And so their distaste with this "Christian fiction" and the concept of this art is digested and churned over so that churches don't have anything to do with this so called genre. Those authors-without their knowing and will-- have imbrued those-- The Gospel's Writers chances of not only requesting an audience with the same book club, but having the opportunity to participate in Kingdom Building.
Therefore, our task becomes much harder and our mission more vertical. Instead of just writing a story that uplifts God and edifies the Body of Christ, many of us are living and speaking as John the Baptist, crying out and exposing the wolves in sheep's clothing.
This fact is only one side of the problem.
Tomorrow I will share the second side--the CBA side tomorrow. Until then listen to the show below to hear our discussion. Subscribe to CFB, so that you won't miss the rest of this discussion and to stay in the loop about this blog. To commune with many of these authors (33 so far) and myself join The Christian Fiction Network.
Photo of Norway's Pulpit Rock courtesy of FRC_Green
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