Comments on: Rock { Christian Author } Hard Place http://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/07/rock-christian-author-hard-place.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:37:15 +0000 hourly 1 By: Ronna Merzighttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/07/rock-christian-author-hard-place.html#comment-48231 Ronna Merzig Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:40:05 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=60#comment-48231 Useful post. Been trying to learn a new language online but not having much success, considering going to a local programme so this is helpful, thank you. Useful post. Been trying to learn a new language online but not having much success, considering going to a local programme so this is helpful, thank you.

]]> By: Caleb Whttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/07/rock-christian-author-hard-place.html#comment-156 Caleb W Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:05:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=60#comment-156 I'm currently studying English Literature & History at Cardiff University, here in the UK. My ambition is to be an author, and I'm currently planning a series of books that I have in mind - fantasy adventure, something like The Chronicles of Narnia, His Dark Materials and Doctor Who. One of the things I'm trying to work out is exactly how to express my Christian faith in my writing. I definitely want my books to be aimed at a mainstream audience - I don't see the Christian fiction market in Britain as worth bothering with, to be honest. But since I want it to be set partly in our own real world, it's tricky to intergrate my great cosmic battle between good and evil with Jesus already having won the victory on the cross! So I'm having to play around with different ideas on how to resolve that to my satisfaction both artistically and spiritually. I'm very determined to try my absolute best to be a success in mainstream children's fiction, but all I can do is write it and try and sell it to publishers to the best of my ability, and trust God for success or failure. I was encouraged by the success of "Shadowmancer", a fantasy adventure set in 18th century England, written by G P Taylor, who's a vicar (or "a lecturer in the supernatural who lives in a graveyard", as the author biography described him!). It's pretty blatantly Christian, and concerns a young boy who gets caught up in trying to stop the evil priest Obadiah Demurrel from getting hold of the Keruvim, which he believes will give him the power to overthrow God. It's been doing very well in the mainstream, though initially Taylor self-published it. I get frustrated with the attitude of some Christians towards fiction. While discussing Harry Potter with some other Christians, I pointed out that C S Lewis draws on folklore and pagan mythology in The Chronicles of Narnia. One of them replied that they weren't even sure if the Narnia books were all that wise for Christians to read, at which point I developed a strong urge to bang my head against a brick wall! (I'm looking forward to reading [i]The Half-Blood Prince[/i], by the way. I'm very interested to see how J K Rowling will develop the theme of the power of self-sacrificing love to overcome evil). You said "I'm not even sure I want to create a work of art. My current novel is escapist, entertaining, romantic, thrilling, eye-opening, and thoughtful." Don't you think that such a novel could be a work of art, then? :-) Anyway, I pray you'll be able to honour God with your book and tell a wonderful story (though the latter is contained in the former, of course), and also get it published. From what you've said, it sounds really enjoyable and I hope that I'll have the pleasure of reading it. I’m currently studying English Literature & History at Cardiff University, here in the UK. My ambition is to be an author, and I’m currently planning a series of books that I have in mind – fantasy adventure, something like The Chronicles of Narnia, His Dark Materials and Doctor Who. One of the things I’m trying to work out is exactly how to express my Christian faith in my writing. I definitely want my books to be aimed at a mainstream audience – I don’t see the Christian fiction market in Britain as worth bothering with, to be honest. But since I want it to be set partly in our own real world, it’s tricky to intergrate my great cosmic battle between good and evil with Jesus already having won the victory on the cross! So I’m having to play around with different ideas on how to resolve that to my satisfaction both artistically and spiritually. I’m very determined to try my absolute best to be a success in mainstream children’s fiction, but all I can do is write it and try and sell it to publishers to the best of my ability, and trust God for success or failure.

I was encouraged by the success of “Shadowmancer”, a fantasy adventure set in 18th century England, written by G P Taylor, who’s a vicar (or “a lecturer in the supernatural who lives in a graveyard”, as the author biography described him!). It’s pretty blatantly Christian, and concerns a young boy who gets caught up in trying to stop the evil priest Obadiah Demurrel from getting hold of the Keruvim, which he believes will give him the power to overthrow God. It’s been doing very well in the mainstream, though initially Taylor self-published it.

I get frustrated with the attitude of some Christians towards fiction. While discussing Harry Potter with some other Christians, I pointed out that C S Lewis draws on folklore and pagan mythology in The Chronicles of Narnia. One of them replied that they weren’t even sure if the Narnia books were all that wise for Christians to read, at which point I developed a strong urge to bang my head against a brick wall! (I’m looking forward to reading [i]The Half-Blood Prince[/i], by the way. I’m very interested to see how J K Rowling will develop the theme of the power of self-sacrificing love to overcome evil).

You said “I’m not even sure I want to create a work of art. My current novel is escapist, entertaining, romantic, thrilling, eye-opening, and thoughtful.” Don’t you think that such a novel could be a work of art, then? :-)

Anyway, I pray you’ll be able to honour God with your book and tell a wonderful story (though the latter is contained in the former, of course), and also get it published. From what you’ve said, it sounds really enjoyable and I hope that I’ll have the pleasure of reading it.

]]> By: Bobhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/07/rock-christian-author-hard-place.html#comment-155 Bob Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:32:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=60#comment-155 Dan There's another option that a couple writers I know have tried—finding some friends who put up some cash (or hocking a valuable possession) and starting your own publishing imprint. It's not as hard as it thinks—you'd need to find someone to edit that you trust, someone to layout the book in Quark, and a printer. Then you'd need to market it, but given the shrinking profit margins in publishing, most writers end up doing that anyway. You've got a great marketing tool already in the blog. And this way you can be a change agent—by taking control of the publishing process Dan

There’s another option that a couple writers I know have tried—finding some friends who put up some cash (or hocking a valuable possession) and starting your own publishing imprint. It’s not as hard as it thinks—you’d need to find someone to edit that you trust, someone to layout the book in Quark, and a printer. Then you’d need to market it, but given the shrinking profit margins in publishing, most writers end up doing that anyway. You’ve got a great marketing tool already in the blog. And this way you can be a change agent—by taking control of the publishing process

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