Comments on: Why Does CBA Exist?

By: Lavonna Bennison

Lavonna Bennison — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:29:21 +0000

Hola! I’ve been following your web site for a while now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Porter Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the great work!

By: ChristFocus Book Club

ChristFocus Book Club — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:55:15 +0000

>I found this a very interesting post. I'd never thought of Christian publishing as limiting books precisely, but I did think it rather limited the audience that would be exposed to the books produced. I'd decided that was why many Christian fantasy novels (no matter how allegorical), usually did poorly: because fantasy fans in general never heard about the titles.

I look forward to your future CBA posts.

By: david w. fry

david w. fry — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:19:00 +0000

>Nice! And timely too. I love it.

This dovetails with Easter Sunday's worship at my church. We sang the chorus from the Newsboys "I'm Free" as part of our worship. And we had a reprise of it at the end of the service ... several refrains ...(clapping and jubilant)

I AM FREE TO RUN
I AM FREE TO DANCE
I AM FREE TO LIVE FOR YOU
I AM FREE

I have not been able to get that tune out of my head since Sunday!

In fact, my kids and I have been singing variants for the past couple of days.

I AM FREE TO EAT FRIED CHICKEN
I AM FREE TO INHALE CHOCOLATE
I AM FREE TO REBOOT

I think you get the idea. THAT is the message of Easter ... WE ARE FREE!!!

Rachelle, your post just reinforces that.

Thank you for reminding us.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:29:00 +0000

>This makes freedom of choice so very dear to me. I love that I am free to choose to make a conscious decision to surround myself with his goodness. CBA all the way!

Sincerely,
Rhonda (Rkh)

By: Melanie

Melanie — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:53:00 +0000

>I think I'm one who asked the question in terms of why they're separated, but I was asking as a newbie, not from my own perspective.

I love that there's a place I can go in the bookstore and know my faith and my belief system won't be attacked. I like being able to buy a book that wouldn't embarrass me if my pastor was reading over my shoulder. After all, God's reading over my shoulder all the time.

I still read secular fiction, sometimes just because there are great writers, sometimes because my favorite authors aren't keeping up with my demand.

But I love that the CBA exists. If my book is ever published, a CBA publisher is the only one that could take it on.

By: Michelle Van Loon

Michelle Van Loon — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:57:00 +0000

>Amazing how a single word can change perception.

Freeing...

I like it!

By: canvaschild

canvaschild — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:40:00 +0000

>At the risk of sounding redundant, I too found this post enlightening. I'd never really seen it as 'freeing' before, but you're right. We have received the grace and mercy necessary to express all of our forgiven-ness on paper.

Thanks! Emily.

By: Merrie Destefano

Merrie Destefano — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:40:00 +0000

>Great answer, Rachelle! I'm looking forward to reading your answers to all the other questions, as well.

Blessings,
Merrie Destefano

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:21:00 +0000

>Excellent–perhaps the best–analysis of CBA I’ve read.

The majority of critics of CBA fiction who keep bringing up “requirements” or “limitations” haven’t read more than a handful of CBA novels and have no idea what is being offered in the CBA today.

By: Melissa Marsh

Melissa Marsh — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:29:00 +0000

>This was so great to hear, Rachelle. I had never thought of it that way before – that we have the freedom to discuss out faith in the CBA. Very enlightening. 🙂

By: Timothy Fish

Timothy Fish — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:26:00 +0000

>I love to pick holes in things, but I really don’t see anything to pick at here.

I think part of the reason that authors get critical of the CBA is that some of us see the world backward. We have a tendency to believe that that important thing is to get our message or our story to the public. The publishing industry makes better sense when we see it as the customers deciding what they want and the industry provides it. The CBA, then, is just meeting the needs and wants of their paying customers. If we, as authors, try to force stuff that CBA customers don’t want down CBA’s throat, we are only hurting ourselves. The targeted customers aren’t going to buy it.

By: XDPaul

XDPaul — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:37:00 +0000

>This is an outstanding post, and very helpful to me. I’m a Christian convert and a writer who really never had any background in Christian markets. I’ve read and heard a lot of intense conversations about this topic, and this is a really pleasant addition.

By: C.J. Darlington

C.J. Darlington — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:00:00 +0000

>Thank you so much for this balanced, positive post. I hear so much for the naysayers of CBA, and it’s great to hear from someone speaking positively. I agree with you, by the way. 🙂

By: Nancy I. Sanders

Nancy I. Sanders — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:36:00 +0000

>Hi Rachelle,

Sounds like your ski trip was fun!

And thanks for your insight on CBA. I love the idea of freedom.

It's kind of like celebrating Mother's Day. Having the one day set aside doesn't LIMIT us to that day, but it gives us the OPPORTUNITY to focus on Mom. That's what I got that you were saying about CBA. It's an OPPORTUNITY to focus our writing on our faith and to share our faith with others. What a great explanation you gave!