tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post2180603443733509212..comments2023-12-11T20:04:16.370-08:00Comments on Allie's Musings: Writers' Wednesday: What Is Inspirational Romance?Allie Bonifacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17334745422433097012noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-46286024062350795342007-03-21T17:35:00.000-07:002007-03-21T17:35:00.000-07:00Thanks Meg. I appreciate your thoughtful comments....Thanks Meg. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. <BR/><BR/>I'm so grateful to Crissy for starting Samhain Publishing and giving me the opportunity to get my inspirational romance published. It never would have been published as an inspirational by other houses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-79498877589513579042007-03-21T17:21:00.000-07:002007-03-21T17:21:00.000-07:00Great post, Diane! Those restrictions you mention...Great post, Diane! Those restrictions you mentioned are a big part of why I've never been able to writer an inspirational romance.<BR/><BR/>Congrats on writing such a wonderful story -- and on making the characters more realistic in the process. I'm glad Samhain is open to such wonderful diversity.Meg Allisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15862550378971433991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-57402068293734385462007-03-21T16:17:00.000-07:002007-03-21T16:17:00.000-07:00I appreciate all the comments and all of you made ...I appreciate all the comments and all of you made it an interesting and fun day! Thank you. <BR/><BR/>I decided to put your names and the ones from my blog's comments today in a drawing for a free download of No Greater Loss. My daughter Amanda drew Judy's name. Congrats Judy. Email me at:<BR/>DianeCraver@ cinci.rr. com (no <BR/>spaces) and tell me what format you'd like.<BR/><BR/>Also I have a website contest right now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-32708533844657079322007-03-21T13:42:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:42:00.000-07:00Good to see you here, Kate. I know you have a writ...Good to see you here, Kate. I know you have a writing deadline, too. <BR/><BR/>I know there was another publisher I tried to write a "sweet" romance for and I just couldn't meet their guidelines either. And as you know, I don't even write hot and steamy books. <BR/><BR/>But isn't it great how our characters take over and tell their stories?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-861929297220105122007-03-21T13:34:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:34:00.000-07:00Very well said, Teresa! I agree. Reading your comm...Very well said, Teresa! I agree. Reading your comments reminds me of a particular character in No Greater Loss and how he had to rise above a life changing event. <BR/><BR/>Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-26269862721595857922007-03-21T13:28:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:28:00.000-07:00Fascinating stuff, Diane! I love the fact that Sam...Fascinating stuff, Diane! I love the fact that Samhain let you tell the story the way it was meant to be told, instead of letting artificial restrictions stand in the way. As someone who tried to break in to the "sweet" romance market before changing focus, I found that it was a hard line to negotiate. My books weren't targeted as inspirationals, but many of the same restrictions (no intimate contact, etc.) applied as well.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes, though, the characters just insist on being who they are, don't they? :)Kate Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03688638047837478955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-12812822802297607792007-03-21T13:09:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:09:00.000-07:00Judy,I did think of something else to share about ...Judy,<BR/>I did think of something else to share about your question about Biblical fiction before Christ was born. An author, Ann Burton, writes the Women of the Bible series and her heroines are definitely inspirational. I haven't read them but they sound very interesting. <BR/><BR/>Another author writing Biblical fiction for the inspirational market is Rebecca Kohn and she wrote The Gilded Chamber and Seven Days to the Sea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-18025919688837899902007-03-21T12:59:00.000-07:002007-03-21T12:59:00.000-07:00Donna, thanks for taking time to comment here. I k...Donna, thanks for taking time to comment here. I know you have a deadline to meet. <BR/><BR/>Actually I didn't list all the restrictions in writing an inspirational for a Christian publisher. Halloween celebrations, card playing, and intimate body parts are not to be mentioned either. <BR/><BR/>I agree with you and others about the restrictions seem so unrealistic since Christians have sexual feelings and etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-15602363106449971432007-03-21T11:29:00.000-07:002007-03-21T11:29:00.000-07:00*waves at Diane*I find the rules so restricting......*waves at Diane*<BR/><BR/>I find the rules so restricting...for example, gosh, darn, heck??? The second ms I ever wrote was inspy but it was the only one.<BR/><BR/>Christians experience sexual tension/urges/frustration/name that strong emotion as much as anyone else. As a writer, I don't think I could manage it. As a reader, I applaud other writers who do it, do it well, and keep me reading despite all the restrictions placed on their work.<BR/><BR/>:-)Donna Alwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18107885864783850332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-73337500560766500532007-03-21T08:36:00.000-07:002007-03-21T08:36:00.000-07:00N Marion & Robin,Thanks for reading my article abo...N Marion & Robin,<BR/>Thanks for reading my article about inspirational romance. <BR/><BR/>I did think of something else. Inspirational romances have changed in that they are willing to confront contemporary issues involving Christians with actual current problems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-81217627779877642902007-03-21T08:29:00.000-07:002007-03-21T08:29:00.000-07:00Good post!(Blogger ate my long response so I will ...Good post!<BR/><BR/>(Blogger ate my long response so I will leave it at that this time)Robin Baynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640632701164428942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-25369617543064416022007-03-21T08:18:00.000-07:002007-03-21T08:18:00.000-07:00Thanks for sharing insights! It's much appreciated...Thanks for sharing insights! It's much appreciated. <BR/><BR/>N MarionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-61561889870340818592007-03-21T06:46:00.000-07:002007-03-21T06:46:00.000-07:00Depending on the story, biblical fiction could be ...Depending on the story, biblical fiction could be considered for the inspirational slot. I've seen Fiction Biblical Inspirational. Sometimes it might go under just Biblical Fiction. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Good question, Judy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-70169592354118277182007-03-21T06:22:00.000-07:002007-03-21T06:22:00.000-07:00TRKEY/ KAYSERİTRKEY/ KAYSERİMustafa Şenalphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04986912627047791363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-7420449654747662502007-03-21T05:29:00.000-07:002007-03-21T05:29:00.000-07:00Thanks for the information, Diane. I have a questi...Thanks for the information, Diane. I have a question, though. Where does Biblical fiction fit into the scheme of things? Not Christian, since a lot of them are set BC, but as a market? In your opinion, would they go into an inspirational "slot"?Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15335026948607722749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-3492069879589240652007-03-21T04:36:00.000-07:002007-03-21T04:36:00.000-07:00I'm glad you left a comment, Kerri!I know a number...I'm glad you left a comment, Kerri!<BR/><BR/>I know a number of authors have switched to writing just for the Christian market. They actually have rewritten their previously published romances and taken out any sex and other references unacceptable by the Christian publishers' standards. Robin Lee Hatcher is one of them. Her books sell great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-80094880974682843532007-03-21T04:27:00.000-07:002007-03-21T04:27:00.000-07:00Thanks for your comment, Marianne! I'm glad Allie ...Thanks for your comment, Marianne! I'm glad Allie has Wednesdays for guest bloggers. The truth is I found the SH inspirational romance I read a bit boring. But I have read others I liked.<BR/><BR/>I'm just glad Samhain accepted my inspirational romance and didn't ask me to take out what others might find offensive in the novel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-81950485217670515852007-03-21T03:36:00.000-07:002007-03-21T03:36:00.000-07:00Thank you for this very informative post. I have ...Thank you for this very informative post. I have to admit that I was under the misguided impression that inspirational romance was a bit more preachy than you lead us to believe. I've never read it, but I might give it a try. Much of what I read is classified as women's fiction, and in many cases, I think it strives for the same kind of personal insights you allude to here. I'm going to pick up your book and give it a try. Thanks for expanding my literary mind!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32906017.post-58793320369826963832007-03-21T03:30:00.000-07:002007-03-21T03:30:00.000-07:00I'm sold... I need to go and buy your book. I lik...I'm sold... I need to go and buy your book. I like to read Inspirational Romance, but often feel that it falsely represents Christians as a whole.<BR/><BR/>Somehow the publishers think that Christians never falter, never think about sex, never swear, never, never, never... <BR/><BR/>I'm pretty sure that every last Christian (or whatever faith) is first and foremost human. I find most inspy romances unrealistic, and as a result, I typically avoid it anymore.<BR/><BR/>Good post! Thanks for helping Allie out with her Writers Weds.Marianne Arkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934613403368823760noreply@blogger.com