Every time Father Orthoduck thinks that the subject of vampires has gone the route, something else will come up that he thinks is worth mentioning. In this case, author Sue Dent has written in and verified that her tales not only truly reflect a Christian mindset, but even have been good enough to become finalists for a couple of different awards.
One of the problems that parents have is how to deal with the current interests of their teenagers without appearing to simply be using the word “NO” all the time. At the same time, parents have to set boundaries and enforce those boundaries. This is not done out of a desire to control, but out of a desire to protect their children and help them to mature. One example Father Orthoduck often gives is that of the parents who lightly tap the hand of an 18 month old who is trying to shove something into an electrical outlet or strongly say the word, “NO” accompanied with pulling them away from the socket. This is not done out of a desire to hurt the child either physically or emotionally but out of a desire to keep the child alive!
However, with teenagers, almost all of whom would have been considered adults during the time of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot simply slap their hands and say no. At this point in their lives, reasoning and teaching often work better, though “grounding” is still a wonderful deterrent. While there are times to forbid and say a clear, “NO,” even then there should be discussion as possible and as appropriate. But, there are also times to apply an alternate strategy.
In the case of books, that alternate strategy may very well be to encourage the teenagers to read books in that genre that are written from a Christian worldview. For instance, books like The Lord of the Rings (a trilogy) can help wonderfully satisfy an urge towards fantasy in a mythological or medieval setting. So, below Father Orthoduck presents the cover pictures of two books in the area of the supernatural written by Sue Dent. If Father Orthoduck has programmed his blog correctly, you should be able to click on the covers and be taken to Sue Dent’s blog page from which you will be able to order autographed copies of the books.
Interesting thoughts. Although, what judges as a “Christian” worldview these days is difficult to say. Therefore, what constitutes a good book written in a “Christian” worldview is dependent on what one views as Christian.
For example:
You list LOTR as being written with a Christian worldview in mind. I completely agree. However, I would also venture to say Harry Potter has a Christian worldview. Even J.K. Rowling, the author, admits the Christian symbology and references are obvious, and in there. However, many a Christian decry it, saying it promotes witchcraft and Satan worship.
That is all and fine and dandy. They have their right to an opinion, and I respect that. However, how does draw a difference? In LOTR, there is magic galore. And because it was written by a Christian man, it is loved. However, even though J.K Rowling has professed to being a Christian, her books are taboo because of magic. Magic is magic is magic.
Do you see the issue that I’m trying to present? If I’ve been confusing, please tell me so I can clarify.
An extremely good point on the worldview! On this blog, when either Father Orthoduck or I speak of a Christian worldview compatible story, we mean Orthodox compatible. This is a broader worldview than the typical American Evangelical viewpoint but would exclude certain non-compatible viewpoints, such as being pro-choice or pro-euthanasia or pro-slavery (remember the arguments by Christians prior to 1865) or against the social pronouncements of our synods and patriarchs, etc.
This does not mean that there cannot be disagreements with our theology, but rather that the tenor of the worldview is not virulently against an Orthodox approach.
I did not list the Harry Potter series because of the various arguments about it. However, I am not against that series. I did not wish the discussion to be sidetracked into a discussion of Harry Potter. Nevertheless, to put it bluntly, had either C.S. Lewis or G.K Chesterton or J.R.R. Tolkien written today, they might have been boycotted by today’s American Evangelicals. Since they were already clearly accepted and beloved in the Christian community, they were “grandfathered” in, unlike later authors.
For instance, are you aware that neither CBA Publishers nor the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) will permit affiliated publishers to generate books about vampires, werewolves, or anything fantastical? Under the guidelines of both associations, neither G.K. Chesterton’s tales of fairies nor J.R.R. Tolkien could have been published. Since they control the market in Christian publishing, this means that American Evangelicals would not have either writer available to them. The reason they are welcome is because, thank God, they wrote before our modern limited American Christian thought control was put into place.
And once “our modern limited American Christian thought control was put into place”, everybody outside the four Thomas Kincaid-decorated walls of Christian Bizarro World knows that “Christian = Crap”. Even in backwoods Thailand, according to this account by Phil Cooke.
I had no intention of sidetracking the conversation- to be honest, I read the post, and responded with the first thing that came to mind. Probably not the best plan XD
Indeed Tim! What is a Christian worldview when there are soooo many variations of Christians out there? Let me clear things up a little from my own experience in the publishing world. Before 1950 ALL books were published by general market publishers and what do you know, most authors were Christians of one sort or another. Some books were perhaps more targeted to an authors faith some not so targeted at all. Basically, it just didn’t matter.
In 1950 however, all that changed. A group of Baptist bookstores got together and decided they wanted to publish denominationally targeted fiction for their store visitors. They created CBA the Christian Booksellers Association. To get your books in a CBA affiliated store, and there were many, you had to pay a fee to join CBA and you had to write within denominationally specific guidelines. Certainly not a problem. Catholics have their own industry, ironically called CBA as well but no correlation. The waters started to get muddy however when CBA stopped calling the work affiliated publishers put out “CBA Christian fiction” and started calling it simply “Christian fiction.” So if an author calls their work Christian fiction these days, they’re immediately associated with an exclusive market they probably don’t even write for and they stand to lose readership. I can’t tell you how many readers purchased my book after I explained that it wasn’t CBA Christian fiction.
Everyone knows what’s in store when they purchase a Harlequin Romance. Harlequin targets a specific reader. CBA targets a very specific market of Christian readers as well. Readers that shun fantasy, magic and everything not evangelical. Everyone seems content to let CBA call the work they put out Christian fiction while they exclude every non-affiliated Christian author from their bookstores. To circumvent being associated with that exclusive market most of us author haver resorted to using the term Christian worldview and even specify the worldview. What a ginormous mess! Makes you want to go out and publish a book or two. 😉
Which is why (on both Christian_Fic2 and Lost Genre Guild) I’ve always been a vocal proponent of Mainstreaming. When I write SF, my standards are “Could my stuff have gone head-to-head against Poul Anderson or Beam Piper in their prime in the pages of Analog?”), Not Repeat Not “Can I write the next Left Behind or Pious Polly Purebread Bonnet Romance for Christian (TM) bookshelves.” (Can you tell I don’t have much respect for Official Christian (TM) Fiction?)
Like Marcher Lord’s Summa Elvetica, most of what I know about Never Ceese et al is the premise, and the premise is good. (Especially compared to EDWARD Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle…) Especially the plausible way you get your male & female leads together — vampire and werewolf (were-bitch actually) who are that way because of a curse; they meet (initially to pool their efforts) because each is trying to find a way to lift the curse before it locks in permanently.
Of course HUG (headless Unicorn Guy) is correct. I would like to clarify however, that unlike Marher Lord’s Summa Elvetica, Never Ceese was never anything but a book aimed at Young Adult’s in the general market and readers of horror at that. Marcher Lord Press produces work for the CBA market, more or less only without the affiliation. The owner is an ex-CBA editor. Nevertheless it seems his allegiance lies in appealing to that market only.
I’d never heard of the CBA market until my work started appealing to those readers. I kept wondering why I was getting all these strange reviews expressing how exciting that there was finally a Christian vampire novel out there. I sort of just scratched my head and said . . . okay. I really didn’t explore CBA further but did call around about setting up some signings at some local larger Christian bookstores as I was having pretty good success in Barnes & Noble etc. . . but I was told at once that because my publisher wasn’t affiliated, they wouldn’t carry my work. They would however order it if someone wanted it and have it shipped to their house but only because both of my books had been approved for distribution to the Christian market by Spring Arbor Ingram’s Christian arm who was one time CBA’s exclusive distributor.
And this odd market has since come out with two or three books after the Twilight phenomenon that they advertise as being a Christian vampire story when they aren’t that at all (supposed vampires have no fangs etc . . .) I was told by all of their major affiliated publishers that they’d never publish a vampire novel because they didn’t want to risk distancing their core market readers.
LOL at HUG. What? You don’t want to write the next Left Behind Series. I know quite a few readers who’d be happy to hear that!! and Fr. Ernesto Obregon should have his copies of both Never Ceese and Forever Richard very soon as I sent them out yesterday (Tuesday) and I thank him profusely for ordering.
But yes, Never Ceese and Forever Richard are written for the general broader market of Christian readers and if you think it’s easy to write a vampire/werewolf tale that doesn’t distance the conservative evangelical or at least have them running after you with pitchforks, guess again. I never expected to do so and never saw it coming. I’m happy to have them reading, just a little sad I can’t get into their bookstores. Ah but such is life.
Of course HUG (headless Unicorn Guy) is correct. I would like to clarify however, that unlike Marher Lord’s Summa Elvetica, Never Ceese was never anything but a book aimed at Young Adult’s in the general market and readers of horror at that.
I mentioned them together because I liked the premise and treatment. Both have an interesting premise, and Never Ceese has the plot push of “before our curse locks in permanently”. You also have a much more plausible reason and treatment for the initial meeting of your male & female leads. (And no SPARKLING in the sunlight!)
But yes, Never Ceese and Forever Richard are written for the general broader market of Christian readers and if you think it’s easy to write a vampire/werewolf tale that doesn’t distance the conservative evangelical or at least have them running after you with pitchforks, guess again.
Actually, it’s pretty obvious. Remember, the Conservative Evangelical/Conventional Christian Audience (TM) are the same Church Lady types who turn Witchfinders-General every year from October 1 to November 1. (Just ask Harry Potter. Thank you, Mike Warnke.)
*gasp* But what about those two wonderful books listed above? *Sue grins broadly* Well, I just happened to snatch up quite a few of those CBA market readers with them and am pleased as punch to have done so. The books are about a vampire and a werewolf who desire to have their curses lifted. It has a slightly evangelical sub-plot because the father was a protestant missionary. Never Ceese was short-listed for a Bram Stoker award and both books were just nominated last month for the 2009 Pluto Award with Never Ceese going on to be one of the top three finalists. The third installment Cyn No More will hopefully be out some time in 2010 or early 2011. I so appreciate the recognition here. What an honor!
What an honor it is to meet an author on a blog. You, mi’lady, have my respect and admiration.
I will have to consider adding these books to my reading list 🙂
You should consider them Tim if you enjoy a good story centered around vampires and werewolves of lore more or less. No sparkliness here though and no jumping on a Twilight band wagon as my books pre-date that series. Just don’t have the powerhouse money-wagon publisher to get the word out there. BTW that’s not saying Ms. Meyer didn’t write a good book that’s just saying that she didn’t write the best one. 😉 And for all intents and purposes, no matter what other Christians think, her work is Christian fiction too. She’s a Mormon. I’m just saying.
GRIN. I had already pointed out that there is no gratuitous sex in the Twilight series. Her characters experience a lot of angst, but absolutely nothing before marriage. That is actually a healthy worldview. So, you are right, her Mormon background does show up in her writing.
A book on vampires and werewolves- sounds good to me! 🙂
“No sparkliness here though …” Yes! XD XD XD
And since you’re the author, allow me to ask you- if I was to buy these books, where should I buy them from? That is to say, which store/site would profit you most? Unless I can by direct from the author, of course 🙂
Well Tim you can find both absolutely anywhere! My first publisher though now defunct, was a traditional press and therefore had standard distribution. However, they liquidated all stock when they stopped being a traditional press and so I make no money of the hardbacks. That being said, I republished my self-published paperback version of Never Ceese through Ingram’s POD Lightning Source so I again have distribution everywhere. But POD’s have a stigma that makes bookstores say stupid things like, “oh, we can’t get that book,” when they can.
Forever Richard is through a mid-range traditional press, The Writers’ Cafe Press and therefore has official distribution through Ingram AND both books have been approved by Spring Arbor for distribution to the (non-affiliated) Christian market so any Christian bookstore can carry them. Affiliated Christian bookstores can but won’t.
Buy them anywhere and everywhere. Buy them from me and I’ll send you an autographed copy. 😉 You can order from me at http://www.suedent.blogspot.com; http://www.neverceese.com; http://www.foreverrichard.com. *Sue runs downstairs to make sure she has some of Forever Richard left or needs to get more from publisher. She gives up looking and returns to computer.) I can always get more. LOL
I really think you’ll enjoy them Tim. Sounds like you might anyway. 😉
I am eager to read your book. I am in the process of writing a vampire story where the main character is a Christian. So I think your book will help with inspiration. I’m hoping that both non-Christians and Christians can enjoy reading it. Although the gospel is thrown into it, hopefully the story line on its own will capture people’s interest.