Well, it’s about to begin. Why do people run in a marathon? It’s the competition — and the encouragement. November 1 begins the National Novel Writer’s Month, where thousands of aspiring writer’s across the globe strive to pound out 50,000 words in thirty days (that’s about 175-230 pages).
Join me in my marathon. How? Drop by my site once in a while. Check out my writing progress throughout the month (note the graph on the side of my blog). Post an encouraging comment or email me. It’s the virtual equivalent of …

I like this prayer I heard from the April 5, 2006 Pre-sanctified Liturgy. It is referred to as a “Prayer behind the Amvon”:
Almighty Master, You created the universe in wisdom. By your ineffable forethought and great goodness, You led us to these sacred days for cleansing of souls and bodies, for subduing passions, and for hope of resurrection. For forty days, You shaped the tablets written with godlike characters for Your servant Moses. Grant also to us, good Lord, to fight the good fight, to finish the course of the …

Here’s an interesting factoid from the Hollywood scene that gives insight to the rise of CBA fiction:
Of the twenty top-grossing films of all time, not a single one is rated R. Of the top fifty films, only five are rated R. Clearly, Americans want family fare they can take the kids to. And yet, as Anschutz noted in a recent speech, since the year 2000, Hollywood has “turned out more than five times as many R-rated films as it has films rated G or PG or soft PG-13. . . …

The New Trend
Some CBA publishers have dabbled in the YA marketplace, and not done well economically. When you sell a book for only $4.99 it’s a challenge to make money from it.
More recently books geared for older youths are selling in trade format in the $12 range. They run 300 pages or more, and cater to the same kids who gobbled up Harry Potter and Tolkien. Witness the success of Bryan Davis’ Dragons In Our Midst series, and Donita K. Paul’s Dragonspell series, both of which launched in the CBA …

The Economics of Trade vs. MM Formats
Consider the economics of book publishing, particularly in the CBA (Christian Booksellers) marketplace.
Fiction books are typically published in either hardback, trade paperback (5″x8″ to 6”x9”) or mass-market paperback (4″x7″) formats. When was the last time you saw a CBA fiction book in a mass-market paperback format? [Tip: some refer to these formats with the abbreviations ‘HC’ (hard cover), ‘Trade’ (trade paperback), and ‘MM’ (mass-market paperback)].
Why do CBA publishing houses avoid this size?
Economics. The CBA marketplace is a bit different than the books you see …

Young Adult (YA) novels don’t look like YA books anymore. Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see the books becoming bigger, thicker, and with beautiful covers.
The marketplace for Young Adult books is changing. Two reasons:
1) Harry Potter & Tolkien Books
2) The Economics of Trade vs. MM Formats
Harry Potter & Tolkien Books
First let’s think about the Harry Potter effect. Prior to H.K. Rowling’s blockbuster success with the Harry Potter series, conventional wisdom was that young adults wouldn’t read books over 200 pages. Harry Potter books are thick, almost Bible-like in size.
Now …

The afternoon Art & Soul session includes a very interesting session about the Christian Fiction industry.
The Publishing Panel consisted of:
John Wilson, Books & Culture: moderator
Lil Copan, Paraclete Press
David Long, Bethany House Publishers
Jon Pott, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

There were a series of questions posted by John Wilson, the moderator, with some interesting answers. Below are some of the highlights.
Trends in Publishing
John Wilson:
Is there a particular trend going on in publishing?
Jon Pott:
The CBA market is the fastest growing market segment.
David Long:
We’re seeing a large blurring of what a CBA book is …