Black Christian Fiction Top25

Best 25 of 2005 Black Christian Fiction
by Dee

Note: This listing isn't ranked. You can check the best top ten Gospel Fiction for ranking of this category. If you disagree with my picks, please comment and give me your top picks.


1. Plenty Good Room by Cheri Paris Edwards
2. Amen Sisters by Angela Benson
3. Made of Honor by Marilynn Griffith
4. Still Waters by Patricia Haley
5. Sacred Sons Linda Hudson-Smith,
6. Heaven Sent by Montre’ Bible
7. Because of Grace by Kendra Norman-Bellamy
8. Crossing Jhordan’s River by Kendra Norman-Bellamy
9. Wings of Grace by Vanessa Davis Griggs
10. Seasons by Bonnie Hopkins
11. What Ana Mae Left Behind by Felicia Mason
12. Dark Things by David Humphrey, Sr.
13. A Heart of Devotion by Tia McCollors
14. Thicker than Water by Kendra Norman-Bellamy, Linda Hudson-Smith, Maxine Billings
15. Saved in the City by Jacqueline Thomas
16. How Sweet the Sound by Jacqueline Thomas, Francis Ray, Felicia Mason
17. A Test of Faith by Maxine Billings
18. Soul Matters by Yolanda Sanders
19. Good to Me by Latonya Mason
20. Choose Me by Xenia Ruiz
21. What’s a Sistah to Do by Tiffany Warren
22. Ain’t no Valley by Sharon Ewell Foster
23. A Love so Strong by Kendra Norman-Bellamy
24. Expired by Evie Rhodes
25. A Man Inspired by Derek Jackson

I will upload pics of these book covers in a few weeks, as I am out of in the swamps with my Dad and he doesn't have DSL, Firefox, Quamana...bless him. :)
Dee

f a i t h * i n * f i c t i o n: "The Deal" by Don Hoesel

Dave Long is highlighting the best conversion short stories submitted to him for the next two weeks. You can read one everyday on his blog. But this onef a i t h * i n * f i c t i o n: "The Deal" by Don Hoesel is a must read, if you're talking about New Year's Resolutions.

Dee

Happy New Year

Happy New Year
by Dee D. Stewart

Here we go again, Lord God, almighty. Rest assured I’m sincere this year.
Your girl is going to lose that weight come first thing smoking this new year.
I ain’t joking, Lord God almighty. For sure.
See. Baby Doll needs a daddy.
Yeah, I know.
She has a daddy. What I mean is she needs a good one.
Yea. Uh-huh. You know what I’m talking.
I’m going to do it for real. Stop eating. Stop cooking. Stop whatever.
‘Cause my thirty-two is starting to look like fifty-two.
And Beyonce, Halle, and Oprah needs a run for their money.
It’s hard enough competing with these cheerleading candy stripers all over town, let alone all the new celebrities moving into Suwanee, Alpharetta, and what not.
Mama, needs to compete.
And I need you to help me.

Why now?

Ttt...Lord, please tell me you had something to do with that new church that’s set up shop down the street.

Which one?

Lord God, almighty. That big glass looking icicle up Sugarloaf Parkway--The Atlanta Cathedral.
Bishop Gerome “He’s so fine He blows my mind” Alexander pastor and CEO, according to this business card one his Alexanderlites places in my hand the other day over, while I was shopping in Krogers.
Now you know the one I’m talking about?
Well...good. So you see my predicament.
The man can’t see me when my entourage is a moving tent.

What about Baby Doll?

Like I said, Baby Doll needs a daddy. And Bishop Gerome “He’ s so--

What does she want from all this?

Baby Doll’s six-years-old. All she wants is a Cabbage Patch and 24/7 Disney Channel.

What about what she needs?

She’s getting her needs met. And when I drop this quick fifty, she’ll get more than that.

What about me?

Wait a minute now. I’m asking you to help me, so that I won’t keep having to bother you all the time. I’m doing this for you.

How?

So as to free up your time so that you can rescue people from natural disasters, world hunger, AIDS, fake wars, real wars...What?

Why don’t I stop eating for you?
What?
Oh.
Hmmm. Never thought of that.
You say if I give up feeding myself with food to please my appetite and instead feed myself with you to please my soul; then I can have more than a daddy for Baby Doll and I won’t have to compete with the Alexanderlites.
I don’t know...

Why not give it a try?

Because--no offense--that doesn’t motivate me. I need to feel a man holding me, wanting me and vice versa. I need to see my daughter go to sleep without worrying me to death about monsters in the closet. Shoot. I need a little help. She’s handful. Shoot. I’m a handful.
I don’t want to be alone. And Baby Doll doesn’t count.
Yeah, I know. I’m being selfish, but why can’t I have somebody for me for a change?
There’s two of me, because I need a companion. Look at me.

That‘s not the reason.

Because I don’t have faith in your companionship?
Tttt...I should’ve kept my resolution to myself.

“What if I kept my resolution to myself?” HE speaks clearly now. “What if I gave up the cross for a young girl I met in the market once. Or to take a position with the chief priests? What if I gave up everything I am to you now for my own ambition?”

Then I wouldn’t have Baby Doll.

Yep. And?

Or my health...

And?

Atlanta Cathedral, Bishop Gerome,

AND?

Oh...you?

The only friend who would listen to your crap 24/7.

I said I was a handful.
OK. More than a handful.
OK. I get your point.
Happy New Year.

Happy New Year to you, too. And by the way--the church around the corner--the small one that you pass everyday has Overeaters Anonymous. If you’re interested.

Gospel Fiction Top 10

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

This summer Chris Wells of CCM Magazine asked me to refer him to great writing by Christian African-American authors. Well, I've done more than that here and at CFB. I'm penning a new literary term- Gospel Fiction.

Oftentimes, I'm asked what's the difference between Gospel Fiction and Christian Fiction. There isn't a difference. All authors write from where they stand, regardless of color. The uniqueness of work written by African-Americans from what I've read so far--and remember this genre is only five-years-old--is its ability to include dominational settings without alienating other Christian views; its clever inclusion of sermons and psalms, and an unashamed, authentic voice that doesn't concern itself with political correctness, homogenized faith, intimate physicality, and stream of conscience prayer in asides. Simply- gospel fiction is about praising God through the story and making him the third element of the triangle to complete every relationship involved. Now onto the list...

Dee's Best 10 African-American Gospel Fiction of 2005.

This compilation is based on rankings by Dee's Books Reviewed-reviewer service, Christian Fiction Blog mailing list nominations, Dee's Books Reviewed bookstore owner compiled books sold stats, Amazon.com readers ratings, and Romantic Times BookClub Reviews by Dee Y. Stewart.

10.  Ain't No Valley by Sharon Ewell Foster

Foster pulls her Ain't No series together for a wedding finale must read.

 

 

9. What's A Sistah to Do by Tiffany Warren

Great writing from a debut author who knows how to pull three stories together in parallel and in an African-American Christian worldview.

 

 

8. How Sweet the Sound

This analogy shows us why Thomas, Mason and Ray are legends of this genre.

 

 

 

7. Made of Honor by Marilynn Griffith
Came across this jewel of a novel this month. A full review is posted this month as well.

 

6. Amen Sisters by Angela Benson

Angela Benson isn't afraid to tackle church politics, scandal and how they affect the congregation in this novel about two twins, who are destined to help each other.

 

5. Crossing Jhordan's River by Kendra Norman-Bellamy

 

 

Kendra is one of the hardest working writers out there right now. She had at least four books on shelves this year and another one on the way in March. But this book unlike her Grace Series is in my opinion her soul-searching romantic best.

4. A Heart of Devotion by Tia McCollors

Can't be anything but biased when it comes to Tia McCollors. We crit this book in our writer's group-The Atlanta Black Christian Writer's Group. We prayed over this book, so I have loads to say about the process of this book. But what I like about it from a readers standpoint is that its not syrupy sweet and Tia has a gift of creating these characters that seek God as if he were air, as if it should be. Be prepared for Zora's Cry this spring.

 

3. Good to Me
Denise Stinson and the Walk Worthy crew have cranked out some gems this year. Plan to discuss this year's line in detail this week. But Good to Me was a good read to me. Great writing, pacing, plot. Good to Me.

 

 

2. What Ana Mae Left Behind by Felicia Mason

I'm not a fan of stories where the reader has to learn about the main character threw flashbacks, letters found in the attic or any of those Bridges of Madison County type devices. But Ana Mae did leave something behind that was larger than her small fortune, that needed to be told, and found, in order to enrich your soul.

 

1. Dark Things by David M. Humphrey, Sr.
Best book written by an African American Christian writer ever! Fast paced, medical thriller. Universality. Great prose. Moody Press needs a tap on the hand for not publicizing this book better. And why didn't I find this book in Lifeway?

 

 

Comeback toChristian Fiction Blog to see the Complete Top 25 of 2005 this week and my discussion about a novel that deserved to be on the list-Athol Dickson's River Rising

 

 

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Against Narnia as CF

An excerpt from "FAR FROM NARNIA: Philip Pullman’s secular fantasy for children"...

by LAURA MILLER,
for The New Yorker
Issue of 2005-12-26 and 2006-01-02. Posted 2005-12-19

Pullman also makes the argument that Lewis really isn’t all that Christian. The fate of Susan Pevensie, he told me, indicates “some sort of crazed, deranged Manichaeism. Here’s a simple test: What is the greatest Christian virtue? Well, it’s charity, isn’t it? It’s love. If somebody who knew nothing about Christian doctrine, and who had been told that Lewis was a great Christian teacher, read all the way through those books, would he get that message? No.”
- Phillip Pullman

Read this article and when my mind reached this passage, I reread it twice. Before I give my response, I would like to know from you before the year ends--

Is there one theme that should define Christian Fiction?

Free Gift for CF Lovers

Are you curious about the best christian fiction offered every month? Sign up for this free service, and they will send you a free first chapter of the most buzzwortjy Christian novel. What a free gift for yourself this Christmas.

Made of Honor Reviewed

Made of Honor

Marilynn Griffith

Steeple Hill Cafe

ISBN 0-373-78554-2

 

**** 4 stars

 

Dana Rose has lost her bridesmaiding, punch  drinking mind when her best friend and roommate weds her ex-boyfriend. It's not the ex that's driving her mad. It's her past regrets-not opening her dream business, not wedding her dream man, not getting to her dream weight, and not having the love she thinks she deserves from her family--all the things that she thinks she needs to believe that she is worthy and favored--that haunts her. She seeks solace in her Sassy Sistahood email chat group, who seek solace in her and eventually help her see that God has favor of her and has made her of the highest honor.

 

Mary's Dana Rose is as funny and quirky as any woman's best-friend. She's the girl-next-door, big sister, and some of our biggest insecurities all wrapped up in less than 300 pages. And most importantly she is everything good others see in us, but we can't see in ourselves.

 

This Steeple Hill Cafe release isn't a sappy, sweet,  fru fru Austen remake, but a comedic and cute dose of inspirational comfort for a more mature romance reading audience. Although the plot was predictable in spots, Griffith's way of words and her larger than life-Dana Rose makes this novel a page-turning good time(Dec. 2005, 292 p, $12.95.)

 

Dee Stewart, Reviewer

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