Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat.
This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week. As we are a faith-based group the questions refer mainly to Christian fiction or non-fiction.
Today’s question is:
What themes would you like to see covered more in Christian Fiction?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group. Remember to comment today on Tuesday Book Chat to enter the giveaway.
Let’s chat!
I would love to see more characters with disabilities or silent health issues. Things like migraine, diabetes, MS, and more obvious disabilities. Showing how people with these issues can still live normal lives but have to adjust things at times. Not shown as being disabled and lesser which some people tend to do.
Also more books with older singles. But Singles never married and never really had a serious relationship. I know many think this is unrealistic (most of these are the married young), but it isn’t. There are many singles who haven’t had real relationships and older who find love for the first time in their 40’s or later. There are lots of single mothers or single dads often widowed or divorced. Single never married are not always people in high paying jobs. They are in all walks of life. Like the single who has become carer for elderly parents or grandparents.
Actually even other books where the characters are the average person with a job but not rich. But please don’t make them look like they are struggling because they are poorer. Instead show how they can budget and have creative dates. Picnics, hiking, or things that don’t cost a lot but often create more memories.
Your turn.
I look forward to reading your comments here or at the FB group.
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I’d also like to see more books written about the ‘silent’ illnesses such as MS, Chronic Fatigue, and the like. I live with MS and yet I’d never thought about writing a book documenting how it affects my daily life.
You’ve just sparked something in me!
I am glad I sparked something. I think these books are needed as long as the authors (for fiction) doesn’t victimise the one suffering. be real but also show that while you may have to adjust to circumstances people still can live a full life. It’s a bit like having real size people who are happy in themselves and not portrayed as always trying to diet to lose weight like so many books do.
I came in with nothing to suggest. I felt like if you know where to look there’s plenty out there variety wise, but now that I’ve read your suggestions, I think they’re great! It would be good to see more of that when it’s done well.
Dee Henderson used to write older singles books. And as for disability, Meredith wrote one in the Lakes series, didn’t she? Something about over the rainbow. But they can be hard to do well.
I agree about the disability. Yes Meredith has one with a heroine in a wheelchair. I have read a couple with diabetes and Winnie Grigg had a deaf child and it featured a hand bell choir (I think she could feel the vibrations of the bells).
I see books with heros who are poor and they tend to be called the bad boys because they come from “The other side of the tracks” implying if you are poor you will be the rebel. Also a few implying if you live in a trailer or trailer park you are poor and uneducated. Its not as bad as it was once but for an Aussie who thinks of a trailer park as a place with caravans I was so surprised when I actually stayed with friends in Canada who lives in a double wide in a trailer park as to what they really are. They are not caravans and most can not be moved. they are what we would have called Transportables and many who live in them are not the dirt poor but hard working families who enjoy living in a community.
Have you tried the dog groomer’s series by Cindy Ervin Huff? I forget what the son has in book 1, but he does struggle with something. And the heroine in book 2 has lost an arm. Book 3 (I believe) is about a former homeless man. I’m really looking forward to Book 3!
Thanks will check them out.
I agree with you, Jenny, about older singles.
I’d also like more stories about women having adventures together, like the Sisterchicks series. I know Robin has her new series as well, but other authors doing this would be different.
Mysteries that don’t involve murder, kidnapping or violent crime would also be great.
Oh yes Check out Tracking Tilly by Jan Thompson its a mystery with a missing tractor.
I would love more Sisterchick type books. There are lots of women’s fiction but they always have dramas. Having some thats is more adventures. Last year Melody Carlson had a job swap story which was good. I read a Christmas book where a group of church ladies went to Jamacia for a trip before Christmas and that was fun.
Hi Jenny, I’m yet to find a topic/theme that doesn’t have suggestions for books to try in Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group. What I love about indie publishing is that authors can write and publish the stories close to their heart that a traditional publisher might pass on because it’s too niche and not likely to be popular with a large enough target audience etc. I’m open to suggestions as a reader and I’m glad to see the genre is more inclusive than in days gone by. 😊
I have also have silent illnesses, horrible migraines, seizures, damage from countless concussions from the seizures, PTSD from abuse and assault. I would love to read books that show people in these worlds living great lives and not suffering. I’ve spent so much of my life being dismissed, told nothing is wrong or get over it. Reading is my escape from it all, so inspiring reads are needed.
I feel for you the migraines are not fun but adding the other issues makes it 100 times worse. I fully agree when people do use people who suffer these types of issues they portray them as victims rather than people who have learned their limitations and can fully function. There are things I don’t do like going to a sporting event with crowds or movies cos of the noise but I can still enjoy a meal out or a trip to a park, gardens, day at the beach etc. A book where they make the hero/heroine normal and suffering a silent illness and teaching what it but that we are still normal but just have pain and not to diminish it. (Have a character that loses it when someone suggests all they need is to use lavender one time too many). Its very much like books where the characters are what some call overweight and are constantly dieting or self loathing. It just adds to the narative there is something wrong with you if you are not a size 2 or 4 when there is nothing wrong with being a size 12 – 16 as long as you are healthy.
All very well said. I like all of your points of very. It would be very uplifting and encouraging to see these things written into storylines as characters overcoming and living life and not as strictly negative aspects. And spare the descriptions of women who are ‘curvy’, as overweight so they have self esteem issues.