I am so honored to have been asked to speak at the Romance Writers of America’s KYOWA Writers’ Dogwood Conference in Greenbo, Kentucky, the first weekend in May. I was asked to speak on Christian fiction today and how it’s not what it was a few years ago.
I know the angle I will approach this speech as a writer. That is easy to me.
But, I’ll make a confession here: I’m not a fiction reader – Christian or otherwise. I never have been. If I actually end up with enough leisure time to read, chances are good that I’ll choose an old cookbook or Christian non-fiction book.
So, I’d LOVE to hear from readers, and how you feel that Christian fiction has changed in the last few years.
Please leave a comment here or email me at hallee@bridgemanfamily.com. One commenter will win an ebook copy of all three of my Song of Suspense books, including the soon to be released A Carol for Kent.
With over half a million sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. Subscribers to Hallee's newsletter get her bestselling contemporary romance COURTING CALLA for free! Sign up by clicking the newsletter icon below or going here: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter
I have been reading Christian fiction since the mid to late 80’s I have seen a huge change in that time. Gone from the sweet reads to books now having a much stronger themes. Books now tackle issues and the hero and heroines now have flaws a reader can identify with. Depending on the line the books seem to have so much more substance than some of the earlier books. Also the types of stories have changed. There is a wider range of books. Amish and westerns have grown in popularity as have regencies where as chick lit has lost alot of its appeal.
If you are talking about contemporary Christian fiction, personally, I think it has gotten sharper. I believe that challenges from the secular market have required that Christian fiction no longer just be a “message”. The plot and characters must be genuine. That being said, Christian fiction has been around for decades. It would be nice to see some Christian writers rise to the Tolkein and Lewis levels again.
Well, the sweet Christian romances are still out there–some with more vivid and believable characters. There are still those that almost read like a gospel tract at times. And then there are edgier romances that deal with real issues, emotions, and family situations. I’ve seen definite improvement in quality over the past few years and a steering away from “formulaic” fiction.
When I was younger, I didn’t even know Christian fiction existed. I didn’t think about it when I was reading my Mandie and Baby-Sitter’s Club books (both would qualify these days, wouldn’t they?). I’m thankful Christian fiction does exist, from a reader’s standpoint, as well as a writer’s.
The way I’ve seen some of the books change over the years has been good, but there are some… more questionable, to say the least. Those would be when the authors try to get away with sneaking something bad into it. A curse word, a nude scene, etc. To me, Christian fiction is supposed to be clean. You should be able to count on the authors under that title to produce good works without the worldly junk. That’s the one complaint I have about the changes Christian fiction have gone through. To be clear, I haven’t seen those bad things in many novels recently, but when I do find them, I generally stop reading books by the authors who decide it’s okay to put those things in there that go against what Christian fiction should be.
Blessings,
Andrea
I really don’t know. I am fairly new to Christian fiction. I love the covers of your books!
Since I have only been reading Christian fiction for around a year, I can’t say how it’s changed. I CAN say I was not aware it existed at all, especially Christian romance, until a few years back. I was simply looking for CLEAN books. I didn’t care if they had a message. I was just tired of filth. I stopped reading secular romances when I was in college, because they were quickly moving from situations where the guy might have thought, but didn’t cross the line, to more worldly reactions. I never believed in reading filth, so whenever I borrowed a book that got too intense, I gave it back to the owner, and asked for no more by that author. Several of us bought books, then traded them around. When I stopped reading, my books went to anyone who wanted them. Today, my favorite authors are clogging up my tablet. LOL