Today she's talking about Spicy Christian Romance. Grab a cup of coffee (or beverage of choice) and listen to what she has to say.
Spicy Christian Romance - Is that a thing?
Having just released my fourth Christian romance novel, I’m
no novice to the question, “Oh, you’re an author? What do you write?” I usually
grimace a little before answering with my hand giving them the so-so motion, “Christian
romance.” They give me a bit of a questioning look and then I’d be sure to
inform them it’s not “your typical Christian romance.” Usually that garners the
question, “What is your typical Christian romance?”
Ahhhhhh……that is the question! As an author in this genre, I
had to look to the modern day reader to answer it for me. In the past the
‘typical Christian romance’ was love and light and happiness, where the couple
meets and then goes through what we would imagine was a typical dating relationship
when our parents grew up, before the story ends in a happily ever after. Said
relationship, of course, involved all PDA to be untold of in the story.
As a matter of fact, I had this discussion with a friend of
mine the other day. She writes mainstream romance and has read my first series
and is reading the first book in my next series. She asked me, “Can you really
call this Christian romance when there is sex in it.” (I’m sorry; take a minute
to breathe deep if you have to. I know I said S-E-X and Christian romance
together in one sentence). Okay, now that we are all breathing normally again,
I’ll answer her question. “Yes. Yes, I think I can call it Christian romance if
there is s-e-x in it.” She paused and then said, “Right, but I mean, you know
Christian romance should have friendly, loving patting and lots of displays of
friendly PDA, and even some lead up kissing is probably okay, but it better
stop when the door closes. You shouldn’t actually describe the s-e-x.” Oh boy, I knew I was in trouble for a couple
of reasons. First, because I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x, and second
because when my couples make love, it’s not always behind closed doors. I
responded with, “That’s a problem, because my characters usually aren’t always
doing THAT in a bed behind a door.” BAM! I officially stunned her silent for a
moment. She stuttered about and finally said, “Well, you know what I mean!”
Oh yeah, I did know what she meant and I want to say
something right now:
WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
Why did I just yell that? Because I want you to remember it.
Before my books, my friend’s only experience with Christian
romance was exactly what she described to me above. Now, don’t get me wrong,
there are some really wonderful books out there that are written in this most
traditional, typical Christian romance way. I read them and I love them, but they
aren’t mine. My stories tend to sit on the outside of the Christian ring where
the hero or heroine is questioning their beliefs, are angry with God, are
trying to cope with some tragedy in their life or, in some cases, all three.
That doesn’t mean the hero or heroine doesn’t love God, they are just in their
darkest valley at the moment, and they are looking for the greener pasture HE
promises them. The person they meet in that valley is the one HE trusts to be
that pasture, and my stories are the journey to that realization.
Since I’m already sitting on the outside of the ring of “typical”
Christian romance I decided to push the ring back a little bit further and let
the reader experience these two people’s love for each other firsthand. Does it
touch what you read in mainstream romance? No. But there is always that one
scene that is pinnacle in the couple’s relationship, and it’s been my
experience that the reader wants to experience it, all of it. Is it the thrill
they are looking for? No, they are looking for the connection two people make
when they make love for the first time, as a couple in love. They are looking
for the commitment, the love and the surrender you give the other person when
you give yourself to them, and they want me to show them, not tell them. Note, I
said make love, because that is what it is in my stories. Remember up there
when I said, “I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x”? That’s because I look at
it as committing, expressing and receiving love. Love, which generally speaking, the hero or
heroine isn’t even looking for when the story opens. Rather they are faced with
it when they are least equipped to deal with it, because when we are at our
weakest is often when we see God the most.
I recently got a review on my short story ‘Snow Daze’ that I
released this past Christmas. The reviewer said “Snow and Dully have a
chance encounter that piques both interest and hope. The rest was a giant leap
of faith. I enjoyed reading about adults going about having an adult romance.
And I wasn't expecting the steamy scenes! I recommend reading more about the
author because she has a wonderful mission.” I happened to be reading that review on the way home with my
husband and my response was, “Wow.” Just kind of breathed out into the air. He
asked me what it said and I read it to him. He said, “This is a surprise to you?
I guess your mission is obvious to everyone but you.” He was right, because I
was just writing the stories that came to me while I was working, sleeping and
generally going about living. I didn’t see it as a mission, I often saw it as a
frustration. A frustration dealing with what I wanted to write, while trying to
squish inside this ring that was supposed to be my ‘genre’.
Some days, like
the day I had that discussion with my friend about what ‘typical’ Christian
romance is, I find myself asking the Lord why I’m writing these stories. When
that evil do-gooder shows up, I open the document on my desktop titled “WHY”
and read that review. Sometimes I have to read it three or four times before I
can go back to the story HE has put on my heart to tell. Those are the days
where I feel my little corner of this ‘genre’ of readers is too far outside the
ring of what is socially accepted in Christian romance. Those are my ‘devil’
days. I know those are the days the devil is busy trying to undermine my faith
in the words and stories that readers have already told me they love and want
more of! So, is spicy Christian romance a thing?
The answer?
YES! YES, IT IS,
BECAUSE WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
1 Peter 4:8: Above all, keep loving one
another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
I couldn’t have
said it better myself, Peter. Thanks for stopping by today. I will leave you
with what I always tell my kids at the library, “Don’t judge a book by its
cover (or in this case, its genre), you just might miss the great story
inside.”
THE SUGAR SERIES: SUGAR'S DANCE, SUGAR'S SONG, & SUGAR'S NIGHT
SNOW DAZE
COMING SOON: GRANTED REDEMPTION
Here's a little bit about Katie
I was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1975 and lived there, in the same house, for 21 years! I moved to the Northwoods as a young adult where I now reside with my husband and three children. My love affair with Lake Superior began when I met my husband, Dwayne, and he drove me across the bridge one snowy November day with my nose pressed up against the glass. It was in that moment the scene was set for my breakout novel!
As a young adult I enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours on the dance floor, but an injury forced me to sit it out for too many songs. Many would say that losing my left leg was a horrible tragedy, but in fact it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now, like Sugar, I can dance. My stories are a reflection of my love for family intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find me at the computer with a cup of joe, listening to Michael Bublé and working on Sugar's next adventure….
You can find Katie here:
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