While "bonnet books" continue to dominate Christian fiction, interest is piquing in other areas. The typically clean, safe themes found in Amish romance novels contest another evolving trend in inspirational novels-fiction with a mission.

While an exact term for the emerging genre has yet to be coined, some authors and publishers refer to it as "missions fiction" or "missional fiction." Its themes are diverse, but it includes a great story with a strong side of realism.

AIDS, sexual abuse recovery, drug addiction recovery, sex trafficking, poverty, the unfair distribution of wealth and modern-day slavery are among the topics receiving new or renewed attention in this area.

"Folks are getting angry at the state of the world, so fiction reflects that," said novelist Mary DeMuth, whose summer 2011 Zondervan release, The Muir House, is about a girl with partial memory loss due to a trauma.

"I think the CBA industry is at a point where readers are able to handle stories around a difficult topic, as long as there is a strong, redemptive faith message," said Julie Gwinn, marketing manager for fiction at B&H Publishing Group. "This ‘tolerance' has given authors an audience to broach real-life subjects like divorce, pornography, child trafficking, drug use, abortion, gang violence and suicide-subjects and situations in which believers and the Christian community are not immune."

Read the complete report in the November issue of Christian Retailing magazine.

• Prev
• Next