This column may kill my budding career if any editors are lurking. Let me start by saying I love writing inspirational romances. I like reading them, too, but I don’t have many keepers. Part of the reason is the Christian Romance Formula.
Saved Hero/heroine + Saved (or soon to be saved) H/h + Token Lost Person + Big Spiritual Lesson = Bestseller.
Those elements have been in almost every book I’ve read from a Christian house. They all have the Token Lost Person, whose only reason for being in the book is get preached at and converted. TLP’s annoy me greatly. Their situations always seem contrived and manipulative. I know many inspy writers consider this a ministry; after all, someone might just read this and get saved, right? While that may, in a one in a million chance, be true- I am already saved and I don’t want it all explained to me for three excruciating pages. The other element, the Big Spiritual Lesson, is another gripe. I have had perfectly good books turned into wall bangers because I’ve suddenly been treated to a multi-page doctrinal diatribe with which I don’t happen to agree. I am a children’s pastor; I go to church several times a week. I also read elevating spiritual books and the Bible. I get plenty of preaching from other sources, ‘kay? Enough already. Again, I know several authors will try to emphasize the ministry aspect; I will reply that probably 99% of your audience is Christian. You’re preaching to the choir, sister.
So imagine my delight when I found category inspy romances. I loved them. For the most part, they didn’t follow the formula. Very few BSL’s, and even fewer TLP’s. Just good, solid, catch-in-the-throat romance. Hallelujah. But something insidious came along, called the CBA guidelines. Thou shalt not use the words bet, butt, darn, or dang. Neither shalt thou say for heaven’s sake, for the love of Mike, nor for Pete’s sake. Geez, gosh, and golly are taboo, and don’t even think about saying heck. Any mention of underwear is right out.
Thou shalt only use the words “angel,” “heavenly,” and “miracle” in the strictest biblical sense. And the happy couple cannot be alone together overnight. They could be shipwrecked, on separate sides of the island, and both have broken bones and be stricken with malaria, but *wink, wink* we all know what could happen! My friend wrote a sample story:
“I really like this cheesecake. It is heavenly…oops I mean really tasty.”
“I am glad you like it. My kitchen got darn hot, I mean sheesh hot, while I was baking it.”
“You are very pretty. Scratch that. I mean, your mind and spirituality appeal to me, even though you look like a troll. Would you like to marry me?”
“Yes, thank you very much. No, you may not hold my hand until we are married because the lust may overcome us and you might rip off my clothes. Obviously we have no more self control than that.”
“Of course, my dear. Let us pray.”
“You may not call me my dear. That is not appropriate.”
“I am sorry, my sister in the love of the Lord most high who dwells in the heavens.”
To be fair, I know authors who get the job done, and do it well, under these guidelines. And I understand that certain houses are trying to be sensitive, especially with the Church Lady brigades insisting loudly that books sold in Christian stores conform to the lowest common denominator.
Where does that leave someone like me? Yes, I want to write and read about Christian characters, but ones who are struggling or even clueless, and watch them grow, not perfect spiritual giants. I want to have a couple who can dance. I want suspense stories that have couples on the run, who can actually spend the night nookie-free. I want the romance to come from the relationship, not hormones, but I also want a Christian hero who can appreciate the fit of her sweater, a Christian heroine who slyly takes a second look when he bends over.
Is there a place for faith-based stories that don’t conform to CBA formulas? Do I have to take out the faith elements to appease a secular line? No, Church Lady would probably not like the stories I write, but neither could you put a Fabio heaveandthrob cover on them. Please tell me there’s a happy medium out there somewhere.
No related posts.
ROFLMAO! Robyn, I’m lauging so hard. You sound SO much like my sister. Are you my sister incognito? She’s a minister’s wife and has a masters of divinity herself, and if I had a dollar for everytime she’s said pretty much along the same lines as what you’ve written, I’d be a rich woman!
Robyn: This is your lucky day. You are not alone and there is an editor at Bethany House actively acquiring the type of inspirational romance you are talking about. His website is on the sidebar under “Industry Blogs.” It is called “Faith*In*Fiction.” Check it out. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. (Be sure to visit his “Discussion Board.”)
Did you know that out of the 60 million Christians in this country, only 10% read inspirational? The industry seems to be slowly waking up to this fact and are starting to move outside the box a bit to see if they can reach some of the 54 million who have tuned CBA fiction out.
I’m a practicing Christian who rarely reads and never writes inspirationals because I find the restrictions you describe above too, well, restricting, and also because I’m a bit too theologically liberal and much too politically liberal to fit into the CBA market.
That said, since I am a Christian, I will occasionally pick up a highly recommended inspy or offer to judge the inspirational category of a contest if they’re short and can’t use me in historical or paranormal (my normal reading genres). Like you, I find the emphasis on conversion stories tiresome, but I wonder if that just means I’m not the target market. After all, I don’t complain that romances are about courtship and the formation of commitment rather than the long-term course of a marriage–maybe people who enjoy conversion stories view it as a sort of courtship by Jesus that never grows old.
I do wish there was a happy medium–it seems like if you want to write about people of faith, it’s play by the CBA rules or don’t play at all.
Oh, doggone it, a Romantic Times reviewer proclaimed my book a paranormal inspirational romance (I’m not kidding) and I play fast and lost with all sorts of . . . words, even those starting with F and there is . . . I must admit it, premarital sex, worse, premarital sex without the euphemisms. Actual descriptive words are used! Yes, those words.
I suppose it is uplifting enough, but I had no intention of it being inpirational. There’s no preaching or teaching at all and in fact, I made everything up! Maybe the demonic
buttback-part-of-the-body kicking excited the reviewer into holiness? Demons do get toasted. That’s inspirational. Or the looming of Armageddon in the future? Or the spirits? (Not the Spirit, the spirits). Maybe she was disappointed by the lack of repentance of the characters? Everybody was saved, only not as she maybe expected?Since you’ve informed of the new CBA guidelines, I’m more terrified than ever of all the folks I’m sure to offend by my new RT dubbed paranormal inspirational romance. (I am Christian BTW, but still!).
(going back into hiding now).
Last year, Jessica Callahan from NAL spoke at a Georgia Romance Writers meeting, and if I recall correctly, she said that they were interested in buying Christian-oriented romance that didn’t have those “no dancing, no female ministers” restrictions.
What does CBA stand for?
And any chance I could become a member?
Anyway, bravo, Robin! Any inspirationals to recommend to me–especially the ones without the BSL and TLP?
Arrrr, sorry for misspelling your name there, Robyn.
*facepalm*
I could not agree more with Robyn! I am tired of reading inspy romances where the hero is the closest thing to Jesus since John the Baptist and the heroine is Mother Teresa. I would like some real people inserted in the stories, please. I am so sick of reading about Christians reacting to contrived situations in a way that no real person I have ever met would. Any guy I know, Christian or not, would not break into a chorus of Amazing Grace should he happen to hit his thumb with a hammer. Any woman I know is not all sugar and sunshine all the time, especially during her time of the month. I want to read about people who mess up, sometimes royally, have to struggle their way through situations with many times nothing more than faith in God and a boatload of chocolate. But that’s just me.
If you guys liked Robyn’s article, you should read her stories. They kick serious….well, since I am striving to remain in accordance with CBA guidelines….plump fatty parts you sit on….:mrgreen:
I love you guys.
Sharon, if I had a nickel for every person who said, “You’re just like my sister…”
Deeanne, thanks for the heads up, but that’s a rather scary statistic!
Susan- that’s a great way to look at conversion stories. But you hit my peeve on the head- CBA or the highway. But these other posts have given me some hope.
Monica, you’re scaring me! It truly is a sin for someone to be that clueless.
LNS, thanks for the info.
Hi Candy. CBA= Christian Booksellers Association. And with your love of the words gosh and golly, I don’t know if you’d feel comfortable. *snort*
Brenda Coulter’s FINDING HOPE is terrific. I also highly recommend the EMERALD BALLAD series by B.J. Hoff. Fabulous historicals.
Don’t even mention fatty parts, Missie. BTW, folks, Missie is the one who wrote the sample story above. She perfectly articulates my reading desires…my wants…shoot, how do I say this? Darn, I said shoot! Oh, geez…
Robyn, love this post, and I’d love to read one of your books. I feel the same way; in fact, after several attempts to read inspirationals earlier this year, I ended up giving up on them for now. If there are some out there like you describe, I’d love the recommendations. I have read Finding Hope and will look for the Emerald Ballad series.
Thanks for posting!
Alyssa
I don’t read them, and won’t write them for the same reasons.
Great post. And an issue I’d like to see resolved, because there are many out there with the same thoughts.
Alyssa and Briana, a friend read this post and encouraged me not to give up on the Christian market; maybe if enough of us make our wishes known we can start to change things. From the comments by Deeanne and LNS, it’s already starting. My friend recommended TIGER LILIE by Lisa Samson, pubbed by Westbow. She said it rocked- the couple actually lusted after each other! I’m gonna have to check it out.
And Monica, I meant that the reviewer was clueless- you could have taken that a couple of different ways.
Are you sure you can get away with geez, Robyn? And bloody (By Our Lady) is right out…. gmao
Seriously, *rousing applause* for you excellent column.
I recall reading Marjorie Holmes Two From Galilee back in the 70s. I re-read the book so often that it fell apart and I’ve replaced my copy at least twice since then. What makes this book one of my all time keepers is that the story is so HONEST. I BELIEVE these characters. REAL people expressing a REAL faith is interesting to me.
I’m NOT a Christian, nor will I ever be one. However, I can and would buy Christian Romances if there were more that gave me the experience Holmes’ book did. Unfortunately, I don’t find many. Instead, I find mostly thin characters whose main purpose is to ’support the message’. Not interesting. I suspect not interesting to ANY non-christian, even those who might be interested in converting.
I didn’t know there were ‘guidelines’ for these books, but it certainly explains why the characters I see when I consider buying one of these books look like throw-backs to Ozzy and Harriet land.
I want REAL people who occasionally swear and have sexual thoughts at times. I want living characters like Holmes gave me all those years ago (and still today). I often feel that my money (and readership) isn’t even WANTED. It seems like the only people who are wanted as readership are a narrow band of the theological spectrum. Oh well. I DO have other things to read.
(If anyone has recommendations of other Christian books that have real people, I’d love to hear about them.)
Robyn -
I really appreciated your post. I’m writing an inspirational and I’ve struggled with so many aspects of it because I want my characters to be REAL and not contrived.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I tried reading Christian fiction, but gave up. I got tired of being preached at. I want my fiction entertaining. Not preachy. Thanks for the post, Robyn.
I completely agree with June. I’m not a Christian and have no intentions of becoming one, but I do have a strong faith and am drawn to the best inspirational novels because, unlike a lot of mainstream fiction, they seek to explore the lives of people who do possess strong faith and how their religion intersects and informs all the other choices they make in their lives. I find that a very powerful theme in storytelling, no matter what faith is being discussed.
Hi Robyn,
You sound like my kind of writer. Where can I find your books?
I have straddled the fence because of the guidelines. The books I write are a little out of the box. My people dance and kiss. Their not goody-goody. Heck neither am I.
I wanted to write something I couldn’t find when I became a Christian. Not everyone wants to read about becoming saved. We want to know what happens afterwards. That’s what I write. I’m praying when my book is ready, there is an editor who will give it a chance.
Anna, what can I say? I live on the by golly edge.
June, Lynn, and Diana, I loved Two from Galilee. And I enjoy reading about people of faith even if they’re not Christian, or not traditional Christian. Bodie Thoene’s Zion Chronicles had the fascinating journey of a Jewish scholar who became a Messianic Jew, all the while helping Jewish expatriates to return to Jerusalem after WWII. Wonderful books.
Melissa and Lashaunda, I haven’t been published yet. I say “yet” hopefully. But I have been greatly encouraged by the responses to my post- please do as Deeanne suggested and check out Faith in Fiction. Well worth it.
I’ve never read inspirational romance, but am curious if there are any from a Catholic perspective?
Frances, I’m sure there probably are, but I’m not familiar with them. Anyone know of any?
Diana hit it exactly. Even as a non-Christian I enjoy reading about a character with a strong faith. I admire these people.
Robyn, thanks for the recommendations. I will definately look for these books.
I’m so disappointed!
I read this column, thinking, “brava, lady, what courage!” yet, based on past discussions on other controversial topics, expecting a rousing argument. Not one dissenting post. Amazing!
Thank you SO much for this post, Robyn!
It’s just what I wanted to read. My friend read it first and then linked me to it right away because this is EXACTLY what I have been whining to her about for the past two years. 
The layers of “thou shalt nots” have actually gotten to the point where I decided last year that I would not be able to submit my writing to a publisher that subscribed to the almighty doctrine of the CBA (Christian Booksellers’ Association, for the person who asked) because a) I would not cut out a dancing scene from one manuscript that I thought was not only innocently endearing but crucial to character development, and b) I have a very dear character who was anything but your Token Lost Person (love that phrase, btw) and I would not change his initial mentality/condition for the world. At the start of the book he struggles with a severe alcohol dependance brought on by the loss of his entire family, and IMHO his growth is what makes the story both rich and believable. To tone him down would be to deny him the authenticity I think is missing from so many inspirationals right now (not all of them, I agree. I’ve read some excellent ones, expecially in the rs line at Steeple Hill, but the really believable ones are becoming the exception rather than the rule).
When it gets to the point where a husband and wife can’t share a dance on their wedding day and real growth is dumbed down in favour of making things acceptable to everyone reading it, we’ve really got to wonder if we’re supposed to tell the truth in our writing at all, or just a rose-tinted version of it that supposedly makes us look more appealing to the onepercent nonbelievers actually reading the books.
“They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” ~Mark 7:8,9
Robyn,
Interesting article. I’m a Christian. A conservative evangelical Protestant. The wife of a pastor. But I’ve long decided CBA guidelines are moldier than the meatloaf in my MIL’s refrigerator. My faith defines who I am and can be seen in the worldview of my stories, but heaven forbid, I will never be considered an inspy writer because my writing doesn’t fit CBA standards even though my stories have no graphic sex. Oh well.
I guess I’m going to hope and pray that out there somewhere is some awesome editor at a mainstream publisher who will buy a story like mine. And after reading the comments to your article, I have a feeling I’m not the only writer who feels this way.
Natalie, I’m grateful for that myself. I was prepared for a little more…shall we say, rousing discussion?
Gina and Andi, please go check out Faith in Fiction (the link is in the sidebar under industry blogs.) I’m very glad I did.
Robyn, well put. Hang in. I thing we’re going to be blown away with the changes (ABA & CBA) in the next five years. Changes for the better. If so many readers and writers are feeling the “CBA constriction,” Publishing houses will too. One thing I realized recently is it’s not really the editors or publishing houses that reign over the guidelines but Booksellers. So if what you’re reading bothers you guys, tell the manager of your local secular and Christian bookstores what sort of stuff you want to see. That really will make a difference in the long run as they begin to see the pattern and get a clue.
ACK! Sorry bout the typos…had a baby batting at my keyboards. That was suppose to be “think” not “thing.”
Sheesh. I mean shoot. I mean darn. Dang. Whoops! Crud. Nope-can’t say that one either. Oh, heck. Ack.
Nevermind.
Hi Cheryl! Glad to hear from you! And good point about the booksellers.
Thanks, Robyn, for the suggestion. I read some of the posts…and almost laughed at one. Okay, maybe not laugh. More like, gagged. A lady praised a pubbed inspy that I recently judged in a contest. Uggh. That book is one of the reasons I rarely read Inspys. If I want a sermon, I go to church on Sunday; I pick up a piece of fiction to be entertained. Either I’m not that spiritual or I’m just darn…umm, just a bit picky.
With that aside, the site is quite interesting. Thanks again for the suggestion.
gina