My definition of edgy

[Rhonda McKnight]

When I think of edgy Christian fiction I think of Christian fiction that CBA publishers have not traditionally been willing to publish because of some taboo subject. I think some of that is beginning to change, but certainly not fast enough for me. I don't like a softer, gentler read (as some writers like to call it). I prefer a story that really addresses issues Christians struggle with.

[Michelle Sutton]

I love your perspective, Rhonda. CBA is slowly getting there. I'm trying to squeeze in. :) LOL!

[Rhonda McKnight]

Michelle,

Your novel, Anatomy of Love, is an awesome book. I really hope it finds a home soon. I'm praying for you.

[Michelle Sutton]

I love how you always refer to it that way. It is a love story of softs, but the title is The Anatomy of Temptation. :P

[Rhonda McKnight]

It sure is and I like the correct title more. Good deal. :o)

[William G.]

My take on edgy is this--edgy writers don't know they're edgy and they're not trying to be edgy. They just write the truth, unfettered as it were.

What I don't want to see is a flood of writers trying to be edgy for the sake of being edgy. That just doesn't work. It's like the 30-year-old who tries to be cool so he/she can fit in with a bunch of teenagers. Some people might buy it but the intended audience is just going to snicker and sneer.

What I would like to see is a mindset in CBA that encourages great, honest, unflinching storytelling. Not storytelling thats good but we've toned down the parts that make us uncomfortable, or storytelling that's decent but we've made sure to include elements that appeal to the little old lady readers out there with delicate tastes.

[Michelle Sutton]

Amen, William G. I couldn't write fluff if I tried. It's just not me.

[Audra Silva]

I have to agree. This is an excellent post. My poetry seems to come out edgier and I've felt the need to keep it put away because it might make people uncomfortable. But what I've written bubbled out and it's real. Life isn't always neat and tidy. Or sweet and fluffy.

Anyway, just wanted to say I liked this comment lol.

[Michael Scott]

I remember a quote from a book by Chad Walsh called Early Christians of the 21st Century. He said,

"Millions of Christians live in a sentimental haze of vague piety with soft organ music
trembling in the lovely light from stained glass windows. Their religion is a pleasant thing
of emotional quivers, divorced from the will, divorced from the intellect, and demanding little except lip service to a few harmless platitudes. I suspect that satan has called off his attempt to convert people to agnosticism. After all, if a man travels far away from Christianity, he is liable to see it in perspective and decide that it is true. It is much safer from satan's point of view to vaccinate a man with a mild case of Christianity so as to protect him from the real disease."

My definition of edgy is all about shaking people out of the comfort of innoculated Christianity. The only way to do that is to be honest and unflinching.

[Bill Giovannetti]

I love this quote. Thank you for it.

[Janice Cantore]

Love this, thanks for the post. Too often I have picked up a CBA novel only to find that it is just what you've described and as a result there is no way to lose yourself in the story world and the book is boring, predictable. Edgy to me is real stories with real characters and real problems, not raunchy, not offensive, and not copying ABA, but true to life with a Christian world view.

[Charles Funderburg]

Yes. I must tackle the tougher issues in life today in my books -- head on. Pedophilia, for one. It made my skin crawl when I thought of what was actually going on, but I pushed ahead, and managed to do well at it -- tastefully, even :-)

And I've even written (in the same book) about an affair between a married woman and another friends boyfriend. Not easy either.

In my first MS, I tackled a young woman being taken advantage of by the classical 'rake hell.' At the time I first wrote it, it was uncomfortable for me dealing with sexual immorality. But in retrospect, I'm glad I did, because I, at a deeper level, became aware of the psychological anatomy of what goes on behind seduction.

So, when I tackle these issues that make us uncomfortable, it exposes that dark place in each of our souls that we never want to visit, but we seem to understand when we take the time to really delve into the whole scenario, good, bad and ugly. Rape victims will remain rape victims until they learn not to be attracted to men that abuse them. We, especially as Christians, will never help our society become any better unless we're willing to 'pull up our sleeves and get dirty.' Jesus did, and the local religious order of the day called him a 'sinner' and a 'blasphemer.' But, unless my Bible lies to me, he dealt with issues head on, and brought healing.

Hmmm... If I want to be like Jesus, maybe I ought to do like Jesus.

[Michelle Sutton]

I am all for dealing with sin head-on. I think the reason so many Christians fall is because they can't be honest with other Christians about their struggles. It should NOT be that way. You should feel safer with fellow believers, not like someone who has to fake spirituality and holiness to be accepted.