cyn
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Posts: 148
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Post by cyn on Jun 13, 2008 12:18:54 GMT -5
The larger Christian fiction blog tours are another area where mainstream, independent and self-publishers have seen the bars divide "us" from "them."
I've tried to have books placed in a couple of the tours with no luck, because they are not CBA-approved. Without going into any discussion about whether or not CFBA should be charging money, now they and apparently the CSFF (Christian Sci Fi and Fantasy) will possibly accept non CBA-approved fiction -- if the novel meets their standards.
In other words, CBA-approved fiction is accepted at face value, but other Christian fiction must be vetted first to make sure it meets the standards.
Is this an area where we just shrug our shoulders and the CBA-approved authors receive all the promotion? or is it a case where we should be active in pursuing the recognition?
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Post by Caprice on Jun 14, 2008 2:21:56 GMT -5
Book tours are private "industry" and as such, the owner/operator has every right to set up any rules they want. The only thing I would like to see, and which I think is worth pursuing is HONESTY. I have seen the requirements for approval as it relates to outsiders and I have hitherto assumed (naively) this meant literary standards. I think it is a GOOD idea to subject POD/self-published books to some scrutiny, because of the dreck that is out there which needs to be weeded out. However, now that you've mentioned it, it is about as clear as mud exactly what standards they are planning to judge.
If it is ECPA-type guidelines which are related to what fictional characters can and cannot do in a "Christian" story, then they need to PUBLISH the list they are going to judge by. Spell it out in no uncertain terms. They vary (a little) by publisher, but if these "outside" books are going to be judged, then someone, somewhere, is going to decide what is and is not acceptable. I would hope that 1) such judgments would be objective (no denials because "I just didn't like it") and 2) that they were fair and consistent (If Frank Peretti can "get away with" something, then EVERYONE should be allowed to).
I do not think it is unreasonable to ask against which standard the outside books will be judged. I'm betting a written list doesn't exist, but it SHOULD exist and said list should be POSTED. If it reads like the CBA/ECPA standards (no smoking, no dancing, no cussing, etc) then it would be fairly easy to see whether or not it would be worth the publisher/author's time/money/trouble to wade through the process.
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cyn
Full Member
Posts: 148
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Post by cyn on Jun 14, 2008 17:12:08 GMT -5
I agree although I don't like the implications of building a fence that keeps other good writers out.
Indeed! At least it would spare a novelist from going to the trouble of making formal enquiries . . . they could spend their valuable time researching other possibilities.
Is there any good reason to keep the specifics a secret? Or does it allow the organization some leeway when they want to turn down a book?
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