It’s Iola here. Welcome to our Australasian Christian Writers Tuesday Book Chat, where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week.
Today’s question is:
What themes, topics or genres would you like to see more of in Christian fiction? Why?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation in a comment on this post or in a comment on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group. Or, if you’re feeling wordy (like me), write a blog post and link to it in the comments.
Let’s chat!
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Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand (not far from Hobbiton) with her husband, two teenagers and one cat.
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Published by Iola Goulton @iolagoulton
Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand (not far from Hobbiton) with her husband, two teenagers and one cat.
View more posts
I would love to see more books for young Middle school kiddos about teenage pregnancies, suicides,kids cutting themselves. Kids need to know, or be reminded that there are solutions to everything, and they don’t have to commit suicide from which there is no turning back from, they are gone and that is it. Just like with teenage pregnancies, kids need to know that they are God’s temple and they have to respect that by knowing that they matter. There are too many young kiddos committing all kinds of crazy things. I think that the ages from 6th,7th and 8th graders are at an awkward stage in their lives as it is, especially in these times. We need to help and save our youth. Kids of all ages need this , but i think especially at the age . Have a Great week. God bless you.
Alicia that’s a very insightful response. We need books for these kids that deal with bullying and how to deal with it. And books that have children in the same situation and having caring parents, friends, etc that instead of getting mad or condemning them showing them God’s love.
We too have a high suicide rate in teens and also high bullying issues.
One series I loved was the Camp Club Girls while it didn’t deal with these issues it did have 6 girls from different backgrounds and had a true friendship. It was a positive series.
I think a lot of Christian fiction shies away from these issues, but you’re right. It needs to be addressed, and it needs to be addressed from a Christian perspective. Bless you!
General fiction. There’s a ton of romance and other shortish entertaining reads out there but I would like to see more general fiction – which may or may not contain romantic elements – that grapple with some of the deeper issues Christians can face.
Agree! I sometimes come across general fiction titles that I thought were romance, but turn out to be more general. I wonder if the authors and publishers try and appeal to the romance readers? If so, that doesn’t entirely work if it puts off the readers looking for something with less romance.
I agree with the branding of books. When a General fiction is branded wrong it can make it harder on the author. It can often get lower ratings due to romance readers feeling like they have been duped into reading something they may not have wanted to.
I think there is a market for General Fiction but it needs to be marketed as General Fiction not romance.
I would love to see some more stories with older hero/heroine’s Not necessary second chance romance (after a partner has passed away or divorced). But older heroine or hero never married and never really having had a real relationship. (One could have been married but would love the heroine would be older like over 40 who has never had a real romance).
More books like the Sister Chicks books or even like the current series Robin Jones Gunn has out with a group of friends who meet up. (cant remember all the details). I know one series of a knitting club which was well written, they would meet to knit all ages but each book featured one member or members. Books like this featuring different hobbies are good. Would also be good to read some cosy mysteries set in Australia or New Zealand
Yes, I’d like to see older heroes and heroines who haven’t been married – it does seem sad that in fiction, older single Christians have always been tragically widowed!
I’d also like to see more Australian and New Zealand settings. And hobbies are good … anything but quilting (I think that’s been well covered in Amish romance).
On hobbies I know Courtney Walsh did scrapbooking as did another author and its still a very popular craft. I did read one cosy mystery book (part of a series) which was a quilting and sewing group who all helped solve a mystery.
It could be just a crafting group which meet and do all sorts of crafts (This happens we have a few groups like that in our town)
I think many Christian books are like many Christian churches they can’t handle women in particular who are older singles never married. They think there is something wrong with them if they are not married by 30. I have actually been asked why aren’t you married is there something wrong with you. Maybe your expectations are too high. It really annoyed me as its not what I intended I wanted to be married. I then thought if it means my values are high and I won’t accept the first drunk (or Asian cricket fan wanting to come live in Australia) who asks me to marry them then I am glad my values are high! (And yes I have had Indian and other Asian cricket fans trying to chat with me online in hopes of something happing that I will bring them to Australia)
I agree, Jenny.
More books like the Sisterchicks series (which is also how we met!!).
Mysteries that don’t involve murder or crime.