Writing on the Edge

By Rose Dee

When my first novel, Back to Resolution came out in 2011, it was widely considered a novel before it’s time. Why? Mostly because, while it had Christian themes and a faith-driven story, it also had characters who drank too much alcohol, wore bikinis, made bad choices, and didn’t go to church.

You don’t find these actions in traditional Christian novels.

While I knew my work was different from the traditional market, I naively thought there had to be others, like me, who wanted to read about imperfect Christian and non-Christian characters who are changed and redeemed by the love of Christ. I was correct—there were—but the prediction that my books were before their time was also true.

After flagging around in the marketplace for years, working my guts out on marketing and promotion, and getting next to nowhere, I knew something had to be done. My recent attendance at the ACFW conference in the US produced two possible lines of attack:

1. Change my work to suit the traditional Christian market. This meant rewriting the books I have and ensuring any new releases meet the conservative guidelines this market demands.
2. Embrace the Edgy tag, self-publish my work and join the growing band of Indie authors.

Edgy Christian Fiction/Romance is not a new term. My work has been classed as edgy for years, but what I have noticed is a recent emergence of this type of storytelling as a genre. There are a growing number of authors and readers who class themselves as ‘Edgy’. Groups dedicated to this genre are popping up everywhere, and there is a lot of internet talk about the movement.

This is how I have termed my work in the Edgy sphere (taken from my website);

Edgy is a term relating to the emerging market of inspirational/clean stories incorporating Christian values and faith, but still retaining the fallible nature of humanity. My characters are young men and women who suffer the drastic consequences of bad choices. One female character finds herself stripping for a living; another is a single mother, and in my latest novel, my main character is a celebrity has-been.

While my books are not traditional Christian fiction, they are written from a Christian world view. You won't find any sex scenes or severe profanity between the pages.

What I hope you will discover are entertaining stories of redemptive characters, and a myriad of spectacular word landscapes picturing my home, Australia.

So why have I decided to go Edgy?

1. Because it’s where I know the Lord wants me to be. He’s always wanted me there, but there was no ‘there’ when I started out, so He had me wait and learn, until there was an open door.
2. Because my work has been edgy from the start. Every story I have written has been edgy, by the traditional definition. It’s who I am, and I know the Lord can use it for His purpose.
3. Because no matter how hard I try, I will never fit into that traditional mould. It’s not me. As a reader, my growing frustration with the narrow confines of most Christian romance was one of the reasons I decided to write my own stories. It makes no sense to change to suit an industry ideal, especially one that didn’t suit me as a reader.

So how will life be, writing on the ‘edge’? I have no idea.

Emerging markets are unpredictable and hard work. But they are also exciting, and for me, having finally found my place means I have a newfound sense of peace and a clear way forward.

I don’t expect the path to be easy. I’ve had a good cry to the Lord about having to start all over again, but I have a mandate to trust, obey, and work. Onwards and upwards!

Please check out my newly revamped website embracing my Edgy tag.

If you are interested in more edgy news, please sign up to my newsletter. I’ll only contact you when I have a give-away, promotion, or new release – only news that matters. There is a link on the side bar of my website, http://rosedee.com/.

If you are interested in a free review copy of my new release, Ehvah After please contact me at: rose.dee@bigpond.com.

About Rose Dee 

Rose, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, was born in North Queensland, Australia. Her childhood experiences growing up in a small beach community would later provide inspiration for her first novel, Back to Resolution.

Her novels are inspired by the love of her coastal home and desire to produce exciting and contemporary stories of faith for women. Beyond Resolution and A New Resolution are the second and third books in the Resolution series.

Rose’s debut novel Back to Resolution won the Bookseller’s Choice award at the 2012 CALEB Awards, while A New Resolution won the 2013 CALEB Prize for Fiction. She has also released The Greenfield Legacy, a collaborative novel, written in conjunction with three other outstanding Australian authors.

Rose resides in Mackay, North Queensland with her husband, young son, and mischievous pup, Noodle.