“Grungy Hearts” by Filter Forge is licensed under CC 2.0.
I had a pleasure of attending the Romance Writers of America national conference in San Antonio two weeks ago, and what an experience! I’ve attended medical conferences in my former life, and I’ve gone to several Christian writing conferences over the past couple of years, but this was my first time being surrounded by almost 2000 romance writers in one place.
Introductions usually go something like this, “Hi, I’m [name]. Nice to meet you. What do you write?” If you answer contemporary, paranormal, or erotica, everyone nods and instantly knows how to categorize your work. But if you answer inspirational, often the response is raised eyebrows and a polite but confused, “What exactly is inspirational?”
It’s easy to forget that inspy is a small part of larger romance writing market, but it got me to thinking: what exactly is inspirational romance? The definition has changed numerous times over the years, and I believe it’s in the process of changing once more. So here are some trends that I’ve noticed lately in inspirational romance.
1. Realistic characters with true to life problems
There has always been a place for hot button topics in women’s fiction and literary fiction, but we are more often finding these types of backstories creeping into books that aren’t strictly “issue” books. As well it should be. Most of us bring baggage into our romantic relationships that must be dealt with on our way to the Happily Ever After—so what better place to show the triumph of both God’s love and romantic love than in inspirational romance?
2. A wider variety of settings
As historical romance was once confined to medieval France and England, inspirational romance was once limited to small American towns. That’s been changing for a while—Sandra Byrd’s 2007 novel, Let Them Eat Cake was set in Paris. My own 2013 novel, Five Days in Skye, was took place in Scotland. And closer to home, Hillary Manton Lodge’s A Table By the Window, features a French-Italian family living in Portland. As inspy romance stretches beyond its down-home roots, I’m eagerly awaiting more books set in foreign locales and underrepresented cultures.
3. Lighter inspirational themes
A friend of mine who wrote a very spiritual book with deep meaning got an email from a reader chastising her for not presenting the full path to salvation in her novel. At one time a book had to contain a conversion scene in order for it to be considered Christian, but today’s inspirational romance takes a more organic approach with lighter themes… the key word being organic. While in some stories it makes sense to have a fully-described conversion sequence, others might only have a reaffirmation of faith or some insight into living a Christian life. Just like real people, characters possess varying levels of faith, and today’s inspy focuses more on the internal spiritual development of individuals than external requirements.
What trends have you noticed in inspy romance? And what are you hoping to see next?
Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® Award winning romance Five Days in Skye, as well as the young adult fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C.E. Laureano). She's an avid cook, an enthusiastic but untalented singer, and a thwarted world-traveler. She currently lives in Denver with her patient husband and two rambunctious sons.
Hi Carla. I’m with you. I love that over the last few years “inspirational romance” has grown to encompass a much broader spectrum of styles, locations and spiritual content. I can remember not so long ago wanting desperately to read romance that I related to and the only options in my local Christian bookstore boiled down to bonnets and buggies or the stereotypical thirty-something single girl desperate for a husband. Neither of which were my thing! These days my TBR shelf is groaning under the weight of great books and I am spoilt for choice when it comes to choices for books to loan for friends who aren’t interested in the very “conversion” story lines. Long may it continue :)
Great post, Carla! Excited about the changes in Inspy romance!
I tell people I write real romances, which means the relationships are messy — because honestly, aren’t all relationships messy? Even the best of relationships have messy moments. And the beauty about writing inspirational romances is I get to write about God showing up in the messy moments. In my second novel, Catch a Falling Star, I had one subplot character who was not a believer. And by the end of the book, she is still searching, still questioning. Why? Because that’s real life. Not all of my questioning, seeking friends become believers just because I’m sharing my faith with them.
Carla, thanks for the insightful post. I have to admit to not having read any of the old inspirational books where a conversion scene had to be part of the story. I like to read and write about characters who have to live with the every day ups and downs and know that the story contains hope because God is in the mix.
Carla, thanks for letting us in on the trends you’re seeing in inspy writing today. I see the same trends. I rather like that characters are more real. Sure, I like a good fairy tale any day. But it’s much easier to relate to characters who trip over themselves or fidget in the sight of spiders or have a troubling secret they hold close to the vest (but of course must come out before the happily ever after). Everyone faces things like that, and it makes it easier to get lost in the story when it feels like the characters could live in your own neighborhood.
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Carla! I still can’t believe the way the Lord introduced us to each other! Can you even imagine, airplane seats right next to each other when we’d never met? Too cool!
I, too, enjoy reading and writing realistic and messy romances. As an author I enjoy digging deeply into the faith journeys of my characters which goes far beyond a “salvation call.”
I know what you mean, Kara. Plus I was never all that good at being the sweet Christian girl that I read in a lot of the early ones… I’m more of the sassy one whose mouth gets her into trouble. So naturally that’s what I like to write and read. And your TBR pile sounds like mine!
Thanks, Janette! It’s a fun time to be an inspy reader and writer for sure.
Definitely. And I love books that aren’t afraid to leave a few loose ends. I read an article talking about how fiction shouldn’t be tied up too neatly, because you need to leave room in which the reader can find themselves. That resonates with me. I interpret that to mean you give the reader the sense that the story goes on in either direction… it doesn’t simply exist between the pages of the book.
I grew up reading lots of inspy romance from the 70s and 80s, and I liked them in my younger days. But the world feels more complicated now to me (both because of getting older and just the world we live in.) I like books that acknowledge that. They feel relevant to me.
So true, Andrea! The biggest compliment a writer can get is when the reader feels like they could run into your characters on the street. That’s what I look for in my reading, and that’s what I strive for in my writing as well.
Yes! And I loved getting to talk with you more over lunch. One of those “divine appointments” we like to talk about at conference, for sure!
I’m a long-time romance reader. I began reading Harlequins in the 70s when I was a teenager, and was a rabid devourer of books. When I became a believer at 23, I was still reading romances and my only exposure to Inspirational romances were the occasional racks in grocery stores with prairie romances. My tastes have always run to suspense, intrigue, and military themed romances, so the Inspirational romances of the 80s were tepid and unappealing to me.
Over the years, I gradually quit reading most secular romances, but I still have a few authors I can’t give up. (Lynn Kurland being at the top of that list!) Now I read mostly Inspirational romances, and I love them! In the last 10-15 years, Inspirational romances have exploded! The variety and topics are amazing, and so much better than a majority of secular romances.
I do like the book to clearly be Christina if it’s in the Inspirational category, but I don’t need the Christianity to be overt. I do enjoy seeing real world problems and don’t mind subplots that aren’t neatly tied up with a bow.
Thanks for this great article! I truly appreciate all the work and heart you and other authors put into writing such wonderful books!
I think I’m due to read Five Days in Skye again soon… :P
Hmmm…”I do like the book to clearly be Christina” should read “I do like the book to clearly be Christian!” LOL
Great post, Carla! I’ve been to one RWA conference and it was amazing. So awesome to hang out with people who “get” and celebrate romance! Since strangers tend to assume I mean erotic when I say I write romance novels, I usually add, I write romance novels for the Christian market. It works for me!
A great post,Carla. And I do agree with you. The change is happening slowly and for the better. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet you in person at RWA, but I’ll say it here: Congrats to you!
Aww, thanks Kimberly! I love Lynn Kurland as well! Though these days I prefer her romantic fantasies to her contemporaries, I think.
I actually had someone ask me, “Is there a lot of sex in them?” When I said no, they replied, “Oh, I probably wouldn’t be interested then.” LOL!!!!
Me too, Piper! I even looked for you, and I think I saw you once in passing, but I got waylaid before I could tell for sure. Another time, though. And thanks for the congrats!
I for one will look forward to more inspirational romances with different settings. I loved Five Days in Skye, and A Table by the Window – just wow. I think there’s room in the market for more books like this – after all, there are plenty of Amish romances for those who like the “simple life” (personally, my idea of a “simple life” includes an electric washing machine, dryer and dishwasher).
And congratulations on winning the RITA!