How to Get Your Book in Lifeway. Part One.

An excerpt from my Untitled:Gospel Diva novel...

If he[Sampson Solomon] weren’t a minister, I would have taken that statement as a truth instead of a pick up line. But in my business you learn quick to watch out for young, handsome ministers. They know that they can build a strong membership off of faith-filled, single women with strong desires to wed a young, handsome minister who has even stronger desires to be greater than T.D. Jakes and Billy Graham combined.

Ambition coupled with faith intoxicates the best of intentions like muscadine wine drizzled over Mama's buttered down pound cake for me when I’m on a diet. Sampson looked at me in that fall-off-the-wagon kind of way and so, my feet prepared to take off.


Today I spoke to Kathy, the manager at my local Lifeway Christian Store. Asked her why hadn't I seen any contemporary novels in the store, particulary those written under Moody publishers's Lift Every Voice imprint.

She said that Lifeway's corporate department makes the decisions. "There are so many books out there we don't have enough shelf space for them."

I asked her did demographics play a part in the demographics.

She honestly couldn't answer. Bless her heart. But she could order them for me.

However, I didn't want to order a book that I already had. I wanted to make sure that these authors get a fair share in the marketplace. When patrons come into Lifeway, I notice that they spend an extra ten minutes just browsing around in the store. If my friend, Tia McCollor, or my friend, Kendra Norman Bellamy's books aren't on the shelves, then how can let's say my friend Adrianne, who lives in Buford or my friends Maria and Tasha, who live in Atlanta who both used to frequent LifeWay stores stop going inside, because "there aren't any sistah books on the shelves", then how will Tia and Kendra compete? Or any contemporary fiction author(white, black or korean for that matter? What if my girlfriend, Ashley, a minister living in Denver, tells her church to go out and purchase my book(once I get a deal and get's published God willing)and her congregation can't find the book in the store? What if you happen to be in Lifeway and you just browse around to see what's new and my great book is stuck in cyberland on the Lifeway database?

Ordering is nice, but seeing a book on the shelf is tons better.

How many of us pick up a book we see in Walmart or Lifeway, because we saw it in the store and it peaked our interest?

How many of us would rather buy the book today, then wait ten days for Kathy to call us to pick it up?

How many of us authors would love to do a book signing there, but there aren't any books in stock for our audience to purchase?

How will contemporary fiction get on the shelves, if we can't get in good with a bookstore chain's corporate office.

Needless to say, I contacted Corporate. When I receive a response from then, then I will write Part 2.

Now back to Sampson Solomon and the Gospel Diva.

Writing to see what the end gon' be,

Dee

Valentine's Day for the Nun Incognito

In this month's Precious Times Magazine I wrote an article about single christian women, romance and Valentine's in an article titled, The Nun Incognito. To my surprise I have received many inquiries from people who read the article and want to know where they can purchase my novel(I blurbed my work in progress in my bio.) So I came up with a nice excuse, vowed to send them a chapbook of a short story, added them to my blog mailing list and told God that I would complete this book before Spring or else.

Since my book is supposed to have a hint of romance in it, you'd think I would be writing my heart out today--Valentine's Day.

Uh-uh...

I'm hiding out like my character Peaches Parker, hiding out from my true calling, afraid of what lies beneath the excuses.

What if I finish this book and can't find a publisher? I mean--my audience isn't anywhere in the ballpark of a midwestern fifty something-right winger. I wished my writing audience were more like Christ, universal. But most non African American readers will look at my picture or read my name and have a prejudiced view of what's inside despite the fact that my characters aren't just African American, but American and spanning the rainbow.

I have all these things stacked up against me, but one little email this morning gave me hope. Someone out there is reading me, and liking it. So I guess I better cook an unclassic Valentines's dinner, kiss the loved ones and get to that first turning point this week.

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

Sign & Dine on Sunday

Nothing new to report yet. However, I am attended Tia McCollors sign and dine at Copeland's Restaurant in Atlanta for supper. So I may have something to talk about later. Otherwise...Be blessed.



Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

NYTBL suggests Blacks love books about church scandal more than faith

The Preacher's Son 

Three African American Authors sit on the New York Times Bestseller's List this week. Although my writing cronies applaud this feat, I question its deeper meaning. As I read which books made the list I see a peculiar similiarity, two of the books premise concerns black ministers with dirty secrets.

Now I know scandal sells, but I wonder does christianity do as well?

The African American Christian Fiction Market struggles to have equal footing in its genre. Yesterday I went to one of my local Lifeway Bookstores to observe book placement in the store and I only saw one Christian fiction book written by an African American Author on all the shelves. This month I meet with the manager of the store to ask him about this oversight, to speak with him about the demographics of his store, and give him a list of AA written christian novels that will be released this year.

Yet, as I peruse this New York Times Best Seller's list, I know what he is going to say. "We don't place many books written by African American authors because they don't meet CBA(Christian Booksellers Association) guidelines."

And although both and he and I understand that Carl Weber and Kimberly Roby, both of whom albeit are good writers, are not christian fiction authors, we will debate over a particular publisher of African American christian fiction books that publish novels just as racy as those. And I honestly don't know how to defend that.

Because what this list tells me concurs with the publisher in question's notion that black people don't care as much about faith, but about what go's on at church. Yet, how can christian fiction authors who refuse to sex up/dumb down their books find a place in this market?

Your thoughts...

New York Times Best Seller's List

Hardcover Fiction

Published: February 20, 2005


On List
1 THE BROKER, by John Grisham. (Doubleday, $27.95.) The C.I.A. arranges a presidential pardon for a power broker who may know crucial secrets, laying a trap for the foreign intelligence service that wants him dead. 1 4
2 THE DA VINCI CODE, by Dan Brown. (Doubleday, $24.95.) The murder of a curator at the Louvre leads to a trail of clues found in the work of Leonardo and to the discovery of a centuries-old secret society. 2 99
3 SURVIVOR IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb. (Putnam, $23.95.) In 2059, Lt. Eve Dallas has an eyewitness to the brutal murder of a family: the sole survivor, a 9-year-old girl; by Nora Roberts, writing pseudonymously. 1
4 THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, by Mitch Albom. (Hyperion, $19.95.) An old man who died while trying to rescue a little girl from danger discovers that all will be explained to him in the afterlife. 3 72
5 STATE OF FEAR, by Michael Crichton. (HarperCollins, $27.95.) Reverse eco-terrorists create natural disasters to convince the public that global warming is real. 5 9
16 *THE BEST-KEPT SECRET, by Kimberla Lawson Roby. (Morrow, $23.95.) The further romantic adventures of the Rev. Curtis Black, who, after two failed marriages, tries hard to be faithful to his latest wife. 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also Selling
17 AFTERBURN, by Zane. (Atria, $24.95.)

32 THE PREACHER'S SON, by Carl Weber. (Dafina, $24.)

You can learn more about African American christian fiction authors at my Christian Writer's Market Series at Suite101.com

Understanding Our Market-Bridget Jones, Barbara Bush, Not Black

-An excerpt from Today's The Master' s Artist Blogspot discussion...

"The market for hardback fiction is rich, married or widowed women over fifty (until you all start buying hardback books). The junior editors who choose new work are New York women in their twenties who are interested in what is chic in New York that week, and who have become experts in what the older women will buy in hardcover."- an excerpt from Annie Dillard's "Notes for Young Writers" Essay.

This morning after I wrote 2 pages for my novel, dropped Selah off at PreK, purchased groceries, and decided not to wash my clothes or do my morning walk(it's too cold outside I'll praise dance at 11:30) I came home sat at my computer and begin to review my must-read blogs. Last night I followed a link from faith*in*fiction, David Long, fiction acquisitions editor for Bethany House Publishers to The Master's Artist Blog. And there I read there discussion today, "The Audience"(You can click on the title above to read the discussion yourself.

But I included an excerpt of this discussion that interested me the most and I know should interest you, if you are an African American Christian Fiction author.

Upon reading this statement, I ask three questions and I would love to hear your comments. Please post comment on this blog.

Questions:

(1)If our audience aren't rich white married or widowed women, or young Paris Hilton wannabees, then will our writing have any value in the market?

(2) Although we know that God values what we do, how can we determine whether we are on the mark with the audience we do have(african american christian women)?

(3) If what Anne Dillard says is true, then why do we care about CBA guidelines?

(4) A bonus question- Who cares what Anne Dillard and New York Publishing World thinks? My book has a mass appeal and the highest calling?

My comment to the Master's Artist group:

I found this assessment accurate, but scary for me as I am southern african american writer. Although the past five years I have been a journalist for various AA Christian publications, this year I wanted to take some time out and write a well written faith novel. However, I have spoken with many AA christian fiction authors, two agents, a publisher, and two editors who tell me that black people do not want to read great prose, but "a whole lot of mess." So I don't know where I fit, because my soul want let me write like that. And to find out today that the decision makers more than likely will not relate to my african american point of view discourages me. But what you said at the end gave me hope. God wants me to write and so I must. Thanks for a great blog. I will go back to mine and present these issues.

Your thoughts

Is African American Christian Fiction vs CBA

Tonight I read an interesting blog about African American Christian Fiction, which I found interesting and echoed my sentiment. You can read the full blog in its entirety if you click on my title. It begins:

In an article [“Let the Readers Say ‘Amen’”] for Publishers Weekly, a marketing professional explains, “Christian retailers have guidelines for what’s in the books: no bad language, nothing that might offend anybody. Recently, one of the publishers said it was okay [for a character] to drink a glass of wine, which had been unheard of before! Yet, there are a lot of people out there who want wholesome values but are not core CBA buyers. Plus, there are authors who want to break beyond the ‘Christian bubble,’ and secular retailers who see a demand for wholesome books. Christian retailers are missing out on those good books.”

From writing my own novel, I struggle with whether my book will fit in CBA's category not because its racy, but because my writing style is more literary, my characters have very human emotions and more importantly my christian characters sin.

Your thoughts...

February Book of the Month...How Sweet The Sound

How Sweet They Sound 

Three uplifting novellas by three beloved, bestselling African-American authors

Make a Joyful Noise by Jacquelin Thomas

Bradley Rhodes knows that the Peaceful Rest Church choir is his ticket back to the big time, but he arrives at the church to find the current standout voice in the choir stands out for all the wrong reasons. Yet as he helps Desiree Coleman, her music starts to work on his soul…and his heart.

Then Sings My Soul by Francis Ray

Tempers flare and sparks fly when Summerset Junior College's hip band leader and Peaceful Rest Church's prim choir director are teamed to organize a musical for a college celebration. It seems opposites do attract. Soon Grace Thompson and Caleb Jackson are meshing more than just their music.

Heart Songs by Felicia Mason

Reverend TC Holloway, Peaceful Rest Church's most famous alum and a renowned television evangelist, finds a second chance at love at his reunion with Carys Shaw. Can TC and Carys's musical talents combine to create a love song that will last forever?

Click on the title to learn more about this collection and read an excerpt.

Also check my newest blog- Gospel Diva Blog .

Dee
http://deestewart.blogspot.com