As I was considering the topic for this month’s Inspy Romance blog, my mind wandered to the title of the blog itself. What does it mean that I write Inspy romance? Inspirational? Christian? What defines my novels as compared to others on the market? What do readers expect when they pick up a book written by Deb Kastner?
After much thought, I would define my own books as unashamedly and transparently Christian, but that doesn’t mean I’m preaching sermons or loading my novel with Scripture texts. I am only speaking for myself here. I’ve read many lovely Christian novels that are more heavy handed than mine. It’s a personal choice. I don’t often tackle the subject of characters coming to Christ, though I’ve done it on occasion. Rather, I tend to explore my characters’ spiritual lives through their hearts as they meet and fall in love with their forever person. When the conflicts hit, what do my characters do? Do they turn to God or try to work out the problems on their own first? At what point do they realize they can’t make any relationship work, especially a romantic one, without the Lord at the center?
I would say on a scale of one to ten, my books usually land at a square six, sometimes a seven, on a spiritual level.
On a scale of one to ten, one being very little and ten being characters finding salvation, what level of spirituality do you most like to see in the novels you read?
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
For me, it depends on the book, the author, the genre, and my mood. There are some authors I read that I know are going to be heavy and a character is going to find salvation. Some of them already have, but haven’t totally accepted that there’s nothing else they HAVE to do. In other books, I expect them to be like yours, that they use their faith to get them through what life throws at them. There was one author that I knew in every book he wrote he was going to go through everything AGAIN to give characters the chance to accept salvation. He included the scriptures, everything, in every book, at least once in every book. It was just a given, that it would appear in every single book. It didn’t mean every single time the character(s) accepted, but it was there at least once in every single book. I didn’t binge read those, I’m thinking if I had that would have gotten old fast, looking back on it now. I don’t need them to be hit upside the head in a book, I just need the presence to be there.
I would say between 6-8 is usually my preference. However, if there is is more or less faith content it doesn’t mean that I won’t read the book.
It depends on the story for me – it needs to be appropriate to that. I’m sure there are many who still think they have to be independent and then realise that they don’t have to be, even after all this time. I love those where the story allows people to have the freedom to have faith and worship in a way that works for them. Though great drama can often come from judgementalism and self righteousness and working through that. I think at the end of the day God gave us free will and God helps those who help themselves so stories based in that growth are the most interesting to me.
Hi, for me it would have to be at least 5 or more. I love good moral stories that give God all the Glory.
Hi Trudy. That’s a very good point. If an author’s novels always include what amounts to “the sinner’s prayer,” binge reading their series could get old fast.
As a reader I’m the same. Still, I’ve truly enjoyed some novels that are a 10 and many with less. Definitely depends on the author.
Hi Dianne. I completely agree! Exploring the characters’ growth at whatever level they are at and whatever conflicts life is throwing at them (and their significant other) is what makes a book great.
Hi Alicia. I think that’s what’s so wonderful about inspy romance. You can find those authors who write the stories of faith you love. I remember back when there was NO Christian fiction and then Janette Oke and Love Comes Softly came onto the scene. What a joy that was!
It depends on the genre as well as the author. I would think with any Christian author there would be at least a 7 or an 8. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.