CALEB Award Review | Camp Max by Penny Reeve

Review by Jenny Blake | @ausjenny

Omega Writers is a Christian writing group serving Australian, New Zealand, and South Pacific Christian Writers. They held their annual writing conference the last weekend on October, in Adelaide, South Australia.

One much-anticipated part of conference is the Saturday night award ceremony for the CALEB Award. CALEB stands for:

Christian Authors Lifting Each others' Books

About Camp Max

Attention, campers! Seeking maximum adventure? Looking for maximum fun? You need CAMP MAX!

Tania's all set to go on camp! She's planned which cabin she'll be in, what snacks to take, she's even arranged for her best friend Emily to come.

There's one small problem though: Emily's parents gave away the money that would have bought her ticket. Luckily the town talent show offers camp tickets as a prize - all they have to do is win.

During their rehearsals, no one's expecting Tania's own ticket to go missing. And when it does, Tania knows she's going to need more than just talent to avert maximum disaster.

A sweet new story about challenges, friendship and family with Tania Abbey.

My Review:

This was an enjoyable book by Penny. I am sure Primary aged children will enjoy the book and also relate to the story. The book is about Tania and her brother Daniel and Her friend Emily and her brother Sam. Tania is so excited about going to Camp Max. She has been a couple of times and can't wait to go again this time with her new friend Emily. The only problem is we learn Emily and Sam didn't apply to go to camp as they used the money for a different reason which you will find when reading the book. The reason leaves Tania questioning why and if she would do the same thing if she was in the same position.

Tania finds a flyer for a talent show with two tickets to Camp Max as prizes. The two girls and boys enter with their own acts to win. What they didn't count on was Tania's ticket going missing. The what ifs start to happen. What if only one wins a ticket etc. Reading the bible helps Tania with some hard questions and we see how it all plays out. I don't want to say to much as I hate giving away stories.

I read this book while in the city to watch cricket. I was able to read it during break time and loved every minute of it. This would be a great stocking filler for a young Girl for Christmas.

About Jenny Blake

AUSJENNY is a cricket fanatic who loves reading although not reading as much as she use to. She loves to be able to help promote good Christian books and support authors.

You can read the introduction to Camp Max below:

Great (Genre) Expectations ...

By Iola Goulton

Welcome to the first Australasian Christian Writers/Christian Writers Downunder joint post for 2017. This year, we’ve decided to theme our posts, and our theme is GENRE.

Genre is important in publishing, in fiction and in non-fiction. If you’re anything like me, you have favourite genres, not-so-favourite genres, and read-on-pain-of death genres. And you can get a little upset if a book doesn't meet your expectations.

Genre is like food.

My husband and I often go out for Saturday brunch together, sampling some of the many cafes in our area. He has two go-to orders: the big breakfast, or the hash brown stack. Each café tries to make their offering a little different, so what you get with each order varies.

The hash brown stack has several hash browns, and may come with bacon or eggs or sliced tomato or sliced avocado. The eggs might be fried, poached, or scrambled. But the key is that it’s a stack: there are two or three hash browns in a stack, with the other ingredients layered in between the hash browns. The clue is in the name.

Or so we thought.

We tried a new café recently, and my husband ordered the hash brown stack. But it wasn’t a stack. It was three hash browns slapped on a plate beside some fried eggs, with a bowl of slushy baked beans on the side.

Not what he’d expected.

When we visit a restaurant and order a meal, we have expectations about what we’re going to get. If I order a hash brown stack, I want hash browns. In a stack. With stuff in between them.

It occurred to me there are a lot of similarities between café menus and bookstores, real or virtual.

We look around, decide what we want, and feel unhappy if our expectations aren’t met.

How many times have you finished a perfectly good book with a "meh" feeling, because it wasn't what you expected? Perhaps it had been billed as romantic suspense, but there wasn't enough romance. Or enough suspense. Perhaps you'd bought a tell-all biography and found most of the information was stuff you'd already read online. Perhaps you'd been looking for a devotional with new insights into the Bible, and got the same tried-and-true clichés as in the last three you read. Or worse, perhaps you got a "creative" interpretation of the Bible.

As authors, we need to understand our readers and what they expect. 

We need to understand our readers, and manage their expectations. Part of the way we understand and manage reader expectations is through genre.

If you're not sure what genre you write, then I suggest you need to read more. I'm not the only person who suggests this. So does Nola Passmore, in her recent post at Christian Writers Downunder. And so does Stephen King, who says:

We've talked a bit about genre before at Australasian Christian Writers, including brief explanations of several major genres:

• Romance
• Mystery, Suspense and Thrillers
• Fantasy and Speculative
• New Adult

Our 2017 joint ACW/CWD posts are going to go into these genres in more detail, and investigate some lesser-known genres.

Here's another reason to consider getting your genre right: marketing.

Selling books.

Genre is vital for selling books. The recent Author Earnings report shows that 69% of all US book sales are online. That's not just ebook sales, but ALL book sales. Many of those sales are through Amazon, and the key to Amazon sales success is getting your book categorised properly. Meaning, getting your book categorised in the right genre.

Last week, I read a blog post from an author who was disappointed by the sales of her first solo single title novel (she'd co-written other single title novels, and had a number of category romance novels published). When I checked her book on Amazon, I saw her publisher had messed up her categories: they'd categorised her novel as historical ... and as contemporary.

That's not going to help sales. Sure, readers might find the novel, but it's also going to confuse them—and potentially lead to critical reviews from authors expecting a contemporary mystery, and getting a historical adventure/mystery.

I see this a lot. Novels categorised as non-fiction. Novels listed in the wrong category, or one that doesn't seem consistent with the book description.

In other words, a lack of understanding of genre, and the way it influences and reflects reader expectations.

Take my food example: my husband was disappointed with his hash brown stack because it didn't meet his expectations of what a hash brown stack should be. It's not that there was anything wrong with the individual components of the meal, or that the meal didn't taste good. It's just that it wasn't what he was expecting.

Readers are the same. They're not browsing the Classics shelves looking for the latest Love Inspired Suspense (or vice versa). They're not cruising the romance shelves looking for poetry.

Readers know what they want, and they expect those expectations(!) to be met.

And that's why we're going to be looking at genre in our joint posts during 2017. Please join us!

About Iola Goulton

I am a freelance editor specialising in Christian fiction. Visit my website at www.christianediting.co.nz to download a comprehensive list of publishers of Christian fiction. 

I also write contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist—find out more atwww.iolagoulton.com.

You can also find me on:
Facebook (Author)
Facebook (Editing)
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter

Benefits of a Blog Tour

By Jenny Blake

Today we would normally have a blog tour up but we didn’t have a book to tour in July and at this stage August and September are also free. We thought it would be a good chance to explain some of the benefits of a blog tour for both the Author and Reviewer.

ACRBA (Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance) offers blog tours for Christian books for fiction, nonfiction and children’s books. We have reviewers who review the different genres with some reviewing all books and some specialising in certain catagories. The aim is to promote Christian books to a wide audience. We primarily promote Australasian books but are willing to tour books from other countries.

There are benefits of being involved in a blog tour for both authors and readers. This post will also explain some of the etiquette for the tours.

Benefits for Authors include:

• Exposure to new readers in a confined timeframe.
• Reviews that will also be added to review sites
• A chance to connect with new readers and bloggers

Benefits for reviewers include:

• Free books to read and review
• Interaction with authors
• Added traffic to your blog.

With ACRBA books being toured are offered to the reviewers to review and they will then choose the books they wish to review. Once requested the list is sent to the author or publisher and the books sent out. We have a variety of reviewers that read a large variety of books. While not all will read all books many will post the information for all books which gives even more exposure. Many authors will also do interviews for the reviewers to add to blogs. This also gives more exposure for both authors and readers.

For Bloggers the benefits are free books to review, and a chance to interview an author for their blogs. They also are part of an alliance which often leads to more traffic to your blogs. They also feel they are helping an author promote a book.

Recently I have been asked what is required of an author or what they need to do during the week the books are toured. While we do not require authors to comment on blogs, it is however encouraged. For bloggers who have requested a book and take the time to read and review the book  post the information, appreciate having an author take the time to visit there blog. Its is an encouragement to the blogger. Even more so if a reviewer posts an interview and has blog reader’s comment. Having the author respond to questions or comments on the blog really encourages the blogger. It can also lead to new ways to link with new readers. 

If you have any questions please ask and I will answer as best as I can.

We are aways looking for good quality books to tour and reviewers,

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, scrapbooking and jigsaws. She volunteers at the local Christian bookshop where she can recommend books to customers. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is athttp://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder ofhttp://acrba.blogspot.com

Results of survey on Goodreads.

By Jenny Blake

Goodreads is a website where people talk books. You can list books you have read, enter giveaways and join groups. After some recent talk about Goodreads I put a survey to some Goodread readers (and these are readers who are not also writers) who are also members of some of the groups. Below are some of the responses to the questions.

1.    What do you like best about Goodreads?

Keeping track of my books!

I enjoy connecting with others who love to read as much as I do and finding out about books I might not have known about otherwise. I have made some true friends.

I love seeing what everybody else is reading and getting honest reviews on the books! I also love the close friendships that form on the groups!

Keeping an organized list of my books and reviews

The opportunity to get to know others with like-minded interests in the same books and share a bond of friendship about those books

The friendships made in the groups.

Interacting with authors on groups.

Easy to navigate and it's always fun to get a note that the author liked my review!

At first it was winning books but now it is the relationship we have in our group

Most books are listed.

2.    What annoys you about Goodreads if anything?

Nothing so far this was the most common response.

I have looked at some groups where people seem to be irritated all the time or arguing among themselves. I don't find that in the Christian groups I've joined.

I wish we could post photos in a status update like on facebook.

People liking my reviews just for the sake of liking my reviews

When trying to look at the books to win I wish the page numbers were also at the top instead of having to go all the way to the bottom again. Also I would like to be able to delete the contest I haven't won.

Can be slow at times.

3.    What makes a good Goodreads group?

Lots of interaction, someone asking questions, opening up discussions.

For me, the Christian groups are nicest. I love connecting with people who have lots in common with me and hold the same worldview.

I think having the author of the book(s) that the group is created for interact with the members makes it special!

Posting frequently but not demanding to post excessively

Taking one topic, such as "St. Patrick's Day" or one author, such as Janet Tronstad and having a group about it

The moderators

A group where there is interaction and authors also interact.

Friendliness and courtesy. Even a heated discussion can be fun if everyone is respectful to each other.

Being in Janet's group. (it can be found here )

Participation

4.    What sort of group do you like best?

Ones where I have friends!

Christian groups and groups that talk about the books I'm most interested in.

Christian groups

Based on a certain type of novel, like HIstorical, or a long term series.

A group that is focused on the things I like.

Ones that I feel I can contribute and be a part of.

Author participation groups.

I like them to be different, not all the same. Contests/giveaways should be creative and require a little effort on the readers part!

Janet's group

I don't have a lot of time for groups these days.

5.    Do you like to interact with authors on groups?

Love it. I have become such great friends with authors, truly a dream come true for a reader like me.

Yes, I enjoy that immensely. That's my favourite part! Makes it fun.  Interacting with authors brings a whole new experience to reading the book. (several just put yes).

Rarely

6.    How can author’s best serve a group?

Keep talking to us, that's what we love. Being available for questions!

By being friendly and not becoming overly pushy. Become friends with people instead of just concentrating on promotion.

Treat the members as friends and not just fans!

Occasional presence

Just interacting with the readers of the group helps us get to know them...I love that! We can ask questions, see how they write and especially get to see they are real people too! I enjoy very much the friendship with authors I have on Goodreads

By sharing about their work as well as listening to the needs of the group.

By actually interacting with the readers and not just promoting their books.

Don't only talk about the books, but show us their 'human' side too. Give us a bite or two of trivia about themselves and their writing experience.

Just by being themselves

Just by showing up and saying hi now and then.

7.    Does being on a group such as Love inspiredHistorials or Love Inspired Heartsong Presents where authors interact with you inspire you to buy their books?

Every time I get to know another author it makes me more inclined to read their stuff over another book.

Yes, in this case with the type of books, the familiarity does aid the reading

Definitely because I learn so much more about their books and I want to buy them!

Several said yes and that they have bought books.

I'm going to buy the books regardless, but interaction will cause me to put them at the top of my TBR pile.

no

Sometimes.

8.    Does reading reviews of books on goodreads lead you to wanting to buy a book or do you use it more as a place to keep track of how many books you are reading?

I use it for keeping track because book reviews are opinions and not everyone has opinions like mine. If someone has the same taste as me I am more inclined, but no, a review has never swayed me.

Reviews do lead me to books I end up reading because of what someone else says about it, especially if they are my friend on Goodreads.

It makes me want to buy books and helps me keep track of my books too!

Sometimes but mostly use it to keep a list of books read.

Sometimes...I don't have a lot of time to read reviews...I usually just write them!

Sometimes it leads me to reading the book but I don't keep track of books read.

No. I use it to keep track of how many books I read. I do not want authors commenting on my reviews.

I use it to keep track of my books and remind me what I've noticed is available but haven't gotten to yet.

yes

I leave reviews but don't often read them.

I hope you find the responses interesting and helpful. The readers who commented are all members of at least one of the three groups mentioned and are active in the different groups. If we had opened the survey up to everyone there may have been different answers but we wanted readers opinions as this is who writers are wanting to hear feedback from. I also thought it would help to have the point of view of just readers.

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, and jigsaws. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is at http://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder of http://acrba.blogspot.com

Getting to know reader Beth Nunn

By Jenny Blake

Today Beth Nunn is visiting with us. Beth is a fellow Reader and member of ACRBA and I thought it would be interesting to hear from a fellow reader. Welcome Beth.

1.    Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hmm … where to start? I'm the oldest of 4, old enough not to mention my age, but young enough to still remember it. Single, and trying to wait patiently. I work with children in an Outside School Hours Program. I'm a country girl from Gippsland in Victoria even though I now live in a Melbourne suburb, but I've also lived in Western Australia. And, you can probably guess I'm a book lover. I started “reading” before I was a year old; I’d read to my teddies and dolls or anyone who would listen (there’s a picture on my blog, from a post in 2011). Books have always been available and very important – road trips across the Nullarbor had me reading for hours (long before the days of Kindle), but I’d run out of books by the time we got to Victoria and a trip to the OP Shop for more was always welcome. Everyone tells me I have a library – well that’s true. I love sharing my books and I have a lot – every wall in my room has at least one bookshelf or some way to store books and one wall is just bookshelves!!

2.    When did you first start reading Christian fiction?

I started reading Christian fiction as a child. Every birthday and Christmas I would get at least 1 book from my parents, and it was always Christian fiction. Some of my favourites were by Patricia St John, like Treasures of the Snow and Rainbow Garden. (Jenny here, I remember reading some of Patricia St John's books)

3.    I know you enjoy reading do you have a favourite genre?

I go through different phases of which genre I prefer. Right now I’m really enjoying romantic suspense. Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon, Susan Page Davis and Don Brown are a few of my favourite authors in the genre. (I understand that as I go through phases also. I have to say I do enjoy Susan Page Davis)

4.    Have any books had a major impact on your life?

During childhood, Little Women (and the rest of the series) by Louisa May Alcott, the Katy books by Susan Coolidge and the Trudy series by Mary Alice Faid were ones that I would read often. Each of them had life lessons that have proved valuable to me. In recent years, the Sisterchicks series by Robin Jones Gunn have had the most impact. Each time I read them (and I’ve read them each more than once) there is something new that I learn or I’m reminded of something that is very relevant at the time. Having an author write about something they are learning or have learned through a character is a powerful thing. It is most helpful when the lesson they are learning is similar to something you are going through.

5.    When looking for a new book to read, how do you decide what to buy?

Firstly I look for authors that I have read before and liked. I always read the blurb on the back to see what the book might be like. Covers sometimes play a part, particularly for authors I haven’t read yet. If I’m trying a new author, I’ll often get a Heartsong or Love Inspired book to see if I like their style.

6.    Do reviews on places like Amazon or Goodreads affect your choice?

I rarely look at Amazon and Goodreads. Everyone’s reviews are subjective. There have been some reviews for books that I’ve also read that I totally disagree with. If I know the person who has reviewed the book, then it might hold more weight in my decision to read or not read a book.

7.    What can an author do to make you want to buy their book?

For authors when I’ve read previous books – keep writing well and have interesting plots. Change things up a bit – don’t become predictable!

New authors … hmm … I’m not sure. There’s nothing I can put my finger on that makes me try a particular book. Something that puts me off is when I read a blurb and it sounds a lot like another book I’ve read.

8.    When reading a book are there deal breakers in a book that will stop you reading more of the book or even stopping you reading other books by and author? (I know for myself things like swearing will really turn me off).

Swearing, explicit sexual references and sex scenes, rape themes, really graphic violence. I’ve also been put off by an author who constantly demeaned and put down the male characters in her books. I also get tired of plots where the main characters have history together that they must get past to have a future. While I know this happens, reading the same type of plot over and over again is boring.

9.    I know you are reviewer for ACRBA what do you like about being a member?

I like being able to support Australian authors; so many of the Christian fiction books available are by non-Aussies. It’s a real buzz when the author personally signs the book (not that this happens every time). I also like it that there is a selection of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. I’ve actually been able to use some of the children’s books in children’s ministry in the church I attend.

10.  If you were asked what book you want to see written what would you say?

I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ll ever be a writer, but if I was then I’d be giving away my book ideas. Maybe something to do with Federation. There are a lot of books written during the convict, early settlement and gold rush periods, but nothing really about Federation.

11.  Finally do you have any other comments on books and what you would like to see in the books?

I’d really like some books kind of like ones by Dee Henderson or Irene Hannon, but in an Australian setting. I’d also like to see some books set in Melbourne or country Victoria. Or something to do with mining in Western Australia – now that would be interesting.

Thanks again for visiting with us Beth it was great to learn more about you and I hope it gives some insight into readers. 

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, scrapbooking and jigsaws. She volunteers at the local Christian bookshop where she can recommend books to customers. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is athttp://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder ofhttp://acrba.blogspot.com

Why Join a Blog Alliance?

By Narelle Atkins and Jenny Blake 

Jenny and I are co-founders of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). During our many conversations, I asked Jenny to share what a reader would gain from belonging to a blog alliance. I understand authors need to build a marketing platform and blog tours are one way authors can interact with readers and promote their books online. But, what exactly are the benefits for readers who join a blog alliance? 

Jenny: There are a few benefits for readers, one being free books to read. With so many new books coming out and the cost of books, receiving one or two free books a month to read and review is a real blessing. Readers also get to know new authors. Readers who join blog alliances and are faithful in posting reviews will sometimes find authors contact them to promote their books which leads to more free books to review. Also, being in an alliance can bring new readers to your blog and open new opportunities. One other benefit is the html is provided for the post so the only additional information to add is a book review if you request the book. 

Narelle: What inspired you to start blogging? 

Jenny: I actually fell into blogging. I joined Shelfari, a site where you can keep a record of books read, leave reviews and connect with other book lovers. On this site I met Rel from Relz Reviewz who also has a book blog for Christian fiction. Through her I came in contact with Camy Tang (Author) and her blog. I became a regular follower and Camy had a meme (a few questions to answer) on her blog and challenged others to post on their blog. I had to join Blogger to post on the blogs and decided I could have a blog to post reviews. Camy's challenge was my first real post. I then started posting reviews. This was December, 5 years ago. When I posted my first author interview with Mary Connealy I was so excited. My blog has developed since then to include an author interview most weeks. 

Narelle: What information do you include in a book review? 

Jenny: In a review I tend to use information from the book blurb, my impressions of the book but I do not give information that happens after the first couple of chapters. Authors often have hidden gems in books. For example one book I read the hero had a brother with health issues that were more an issue to the hero. The hero is trying to contact him and he is not answering. The brother then turns up where the hero is which leads to a few other interesting turns of events. In this situation the Author hasn't mentioned the brother in the blurb or the first few chapters as it's a surprise for readers. I would not mention this at all in a review no matter how much it impacts the book. I also like to say what issue the book deals with. For example if the book is dealing with trust issues or forgiveness I will mention this. You do not have to say why. If the book impacted you you can mention this without giving the story away. 

Narelle: What do you do if you request a review copy and don’t like the book? 

Jenny: I have had this happen to me. Most recently it was because of the language in the book which was fine for America but in Australia it was swearing. I wrote to the co-ordinator of the blog alliance and explained that I just could not read any more of the book because of the language. I still posted the html but because of the language I put a note that the book may offend some Australians. In other cases I have requested a book only to find when I started reading the book I found I just couldn't connect or didn't like the book so I didn't finish it but again I let the co-ordinator know I just couldn't get into the book. I have learnt what genres I like now and can normally tell by the blurb but in some cases the blurb can be misleading and not give an accurate description of a book. 

Also, if you don't like a book and would give it under a 3 star rating, you may want to email the co-ordinator and let them know explaining why you didn't like the book and ask if they still want you to review it. Not everyone will like all books. Personally if I don't like a book after a few chapters I do not keep reading. Even if a book is only a 3 star you can still review the book and mention the positives and mention why you didn't like the book. If I can't give a book 3 stars I will not put up a review. 

Narelle: Do you have any advice for readers who are thinking about blogging and reviewing books? 

Jenny: My advice is just do it. Blogger is so easy to use and if you are new at reviewing just put down your thoughts for the book without giving away secrets or the plot. You will find your way with practice and people will get to know you and your voice. Decide what you want your blog to be about and how often you want to blog. Some people will set up a schedule where as others will post when they have a review to put up. Try to post at least twice a week at regular intervals.

If you're interesting in joining the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance, please visit the ACRBA blog. International members are welcome. http://acrba.blogspot.com

Genre: Why is genre important?

By Iola Goulton

As a reviewer and editor, I read a lot of fiction, mostly Christian fiction. I see a lot of the same mistakes over and over, especially from first-time authors. My intention with this series of articles is to address one of the most common issues I see in writing: lack of a clear genre. This was addressed in a recent post by Rachelle Gardner on minimising the obstacles to publication. One obstacle was not being able to name a genre for your book, while another was related: not understanding your audience (hint: your audience buys by genre).

The concept of genre was introduced in a post last month from Narelle Atkins and Jenny Blake. If you haven't read it, I suggest you read it now (and make sure you read the comments as well). You can find it by clicking here.

Back? You read all the comments as well? What did you think?

My view of the conversation is that as readers, Jenny and I have clear expectations of what we want from a novel. If the novel doesn't meet those expectations, we feel let down. It wouldn't matter if the novel had just won a major prize—we'd rate it badly because it didn't meet our expectations.
Where do those expectations come from? Very often, those expectations come from our perception of genre.

Don't judge a book by its cover (but we all do)

What can you tell about these books from looking at the covers? Are they likely to be romance, action, speculative or general fiction? Which book looks the most lighthearted? Which one looks edgy? Which one looks more serious?

Most importantly, which of these books are you interested in reading? Why? And which books aren't you interested in reading? Why? (Share your answers in the comments.)

Chances are that you've just judged each of these books based on your perception of the genre based on the cover. The front cover is often our first exposure to a book, and it is designed to give us an immediate view of the genre of the book. This should be reinforced by the back cover copy. So if you don't like speculative fiction, you won't like the look of Dead Man's Journey - and that's before you read the blurb.

Of course, sometimes publishers get the covers wrong. Here's an example of a book I was disappointed in because I misjudged the genre. Bright pink cover. Eiffel Tower. A girl's name in the title. It's screaming 'romance', isn't it? But it's not romance. And for that reason, I didn't like it. It wasn't that it was a bad book. It was that I picked it up wanting to read a lighthearted romance, and that wasn't what I got.

What genre are you writing?

Before you begin writing your novel, you should know what genre you are writing in. The number one mistake of beginning writers in this area is to not consider genre at all.

(Angela Hunt)

Karen Baney maintains the importance of defining your target audience before you begin writing. It is tempting to say ‘my story is targeted at people aged 8-80’ (yes, I’ve seen that). What is more likely is that story isn’t designed to appeal to anyone. A good book may well appeal to people outside the target market, but first you need to meet the needs of a target reader. This could be defined as some or all of:

• Age
• Gender
• Religion
• Race
• Geographic location
• Educational level
• Occupation
• Hobbies

Can you describe your target reader in these terms? If not, try. If you can’t define your target audience, how will you sell your novel to a publisher? Or to readers?

It's also worth remembering that Christian fiction isn't a genre. It's a market segment, like Young Adult. Within Christian Fiction there are books across a range of genres, including romance, historical, mystery, suspense, speculative and thriller. So it's not enough to say your book is Christian fiction. You can read more information on targeting the general market vs. the Christian market on my website.

Whatever genre you write in, make sure you are widely read in that genre so that you know you are following the rules of the genre—and meeting the expectations of readers. Over the next three weeks, I'm going to take you through the principles of three major genres in Christian fiction, starting next week with Romance. I hope you'll join me.

I am a freelance editor specialising in Christian fiction, and you can find out more about my services at my website, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. I love reading, and read and review around 150 Christian books each year on my blog.

Why are genres determined by reader expectations?

by Narelle Atkins

I write in the contemporary inspirational (Christian) romance genre but I love reading books in other genres. A genre can be defined as a category of literature. Fiction genres include Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Historical, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Horror and Young Adult. Each fiction genre may contain multiple sub-genres and also cross over between genres. Historical Romance has many sub-genres defined by the time period and/or setting. For example, a regency romance is usually set in England, 1811-1820. 

Why is genre important? If you’re writing for your own pleasure, then genre really doesn’t matter. But if you’re writing to publish, you need to find a market for your books. Your market consists of readers and genre definitions are a marketing tool that helps readers choose between different types of books.

For example, in a romance novel the story will focus on the developing romantic relationship between the hero and heroine. Romance readers expect the story to have a happily-ever-after ending for the hero and heroine. They read romance to journey with the characters as they struggle to overcome obstacles in the story to achieve their happy ending. If a book is marketed as a romance but the hero and heroine don’t meet until three chapters before the end, or the hero and heroine go their separate ways at the end of the book, the reader will be disappointed because the book does not meet their expectations of a romance book.

The book market works on the principle of supply and demand. Publishers and authors supply books to meet the demand of readers. Publishers will go bankrupt if they don’t supply books that readers want to buy. They pay attention to the consumer behaviour of readers and strive to supply books that meet the different expectations and personal tastes of readers.

Books are not a ‘one size fits all’ generic product and I’m going to use the analogy of McDonalds burgers to explain my point.

McDonalds offer a wide range of burgers. A customer who orders a beef burger but is given a chicken burger is not going to be happy. They will be disappointed, possibly angry and most likely wanting to exchange the chicken burger for the beef burger that will meet their expectations. The chicken burger may taste great, but they will be thinking about how they really wanted a beef burger and are less likely to enjoy eating the chicken burger.

A customer who orders a Big Mac is not likely to be happy if the burger contains beetroot. Even if they like beetroot on their burgers, they didn’t request it on their Big Mac and it won’t meet their expectations.

Under the Australian Consumer Credit Code, the customer is entitled to ask for an exchange or refund in these situations because the product does not meet the advertised specifications.

In the same way fast food outlets want to provide burgers that meet their customer’s expectations, publishers and authors want to provide books that meet reader expectations. I’ve asked Jenny Blake, a reader friend who contributes to our blog, a few questions to see how this works in real life.

Narelle: Jenny, thanks for joining us today. I know you are a fan of the Love Inspired and Heartsong Presents range of inspirational romance books from my publisher, Harlequin. What are your reader expectations of these books?

Jenny: A clean, light read with an inspirational content. I love that I know I can read these books and know there will be no bad language or sexual content in them. The books are easy to read but still have a message. The books have grown over the years to have stronger storylines and do deal with real issues. Having the three lines for Love Inspired (Historical, Contemporary and Suspense) gives a good range of books to choose from.

Narelle: I’ve included the link to the Love Inspired and Heartsong Presents Writing Guidelines so you can see if Jenny’s reader expectations in any way reflect the writing guidelines for these books. 
http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=538&chapter=0 

My next question: What is your favourite genre? Has the style or content of books in this genre changed over time?

Jenny: My favourite is historical but not all historical. I am not a regency fan but love how there is a range of historical eras. Yes I can see the books have evolved over time. The books now are more realistic and often much better researched. I have noticed it more so in the Heartsong Presents range as these are the ones I started reading first. The style has change and it’s hard to say how but the stories are stronger and the characters are not as perfect and unrealistic as before. Also before Historical was mainly American Prairie stories now there is so much more variety.

Narelle: Thinking of the books you read in your favourite genre, can you think of anything that would deter you from buying a book in this genre and could possibly be compared to my analogy of adding beetroot to a Big Mac? Would these story elements turn you off buying future books from that particular author or publisher?

Jenny: Yes one of my favourite Historical times is the Civil War. Last year I was so excited to get a book set in the era but when I started the book the language was so bad. They used one word to excess and I had to stop reading because of this. It was so disappointing and I would never buy another book by the author and I would wonder at the publisher also. I also enjoy inspirational romance but have been frustrated when I have bought the book marketed as this only to find it’s got a high amount of suspense in it. I do not read heavy suspense books and this is a big turn of and yes it will make me wary of the author or publisher.

Narelle: Have you come across any books that don’t seem to fit into a genre category? For example, the marketing or back cover information might be vague in regards to signaling the type of story. In your opinion, is this a positive or negative factor in determining whether or not you will buy the book?

Jenny: Yes, it doesn’t happen a lot but when it does it can be frustrating. When I am looking for a book I normally look at the genre and read the blurb. There have been a few from reading the back I thought it was a romance only to find it was chick lit or women’s fiction which I do not really like or have found the story to be totally different from what the blurb indicated. For example I thought it would be an inspirational romance only to find it deals with the heroines demon’s and there is very little romance in the book.

Narelle: You’ve read Jenny’s responses, the opinions of one reader. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any or all of the questions I posed to Jenny. Please be respectful in your comments and acknowledge that Jenny was brave to sit in my ‘hot seat’. Any inappropriate comments will be deleted. 

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her first book, Falling for the Farmer, will be a February 2014 release.

Narelle is a co-founder with Jenny Blake of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). http://acrba.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com 
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Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Australasian Christian Literature - An Industry Perspective.

With the launch of this new blog connecting Australasian writers, I thought it was timely to take a look at the dynamics of our industry. As a writer, knowing and understanding your industry is vital. The cogs and wheels of our literary world will influence a writer’s work, contributing to its position in the marketplace, and formulating a reader base. If we do not have an understanding of the industry, we are flying blind.

I have asked three questions to three industry insiders; Rochelle Manners - Director of Australia’s leading Christian Publishing house, Wombat Books; Anne Hamilton – Spokesperson for Omega Writers; and Jenny Blake – Otherwise known as ‘Ausjenny’, one of Australia’s leading literary bloggers.

I hope you find their answers as insightful and informative as I have.

1.      In your opinion, what sets Australasian Christian Literature apart from the rest of the world?

Anne Hamilton: This is a sweeping generalisation with all the flaws inherent in broad statements but I think there is a distinctive edgy aspect to Aussie and Kiwi romance, compared to that coming out of the States. On the other hand, we tend to be less experimental than the UK. To a large degree, the reverse is true in areas like speculative fiction. It's more conservative here - we don't have writers pushing the boundaries and coming out with horror. Even our fantasy stories tend to be a lot less dark than either the US or UK. We tend to ignore genre categories to a large degree and this can have an impact on overseas sales.

Jenny Blake: As a reader I would say the setting, language, and our unique style. We have sayings unique to us, as well as a different history and background.  As in life, our writing has a different flavour. You can see that we don't take ourselves seriously, and you can see it in characters. You can see the ‘Larrikin’ in some of the characters.

 Rochelle Manners: This is a hard question to answer. What sets it apart? There are so many things that could be suggested to be different. We have different styles, we have new authors, and we have different life experiences and perspectives. Australian Christian material doesn’t always follow all the “rules” that are often in place, especially for Christian fiction. Our books have a lot of potential locally when they relate to the Australian situation and experience. They might even be good to explore on the international front because they do relate and show the Aussie experience. What I hope can set us apart is actually the community. We can, in Australia, grow a community of Australian experience through literature that can touch lives.

2.      What do you see as the biggest hurdles our industry needs to jump in order to excel on the world stage?

Anne Hamilton: In no particular order: the tendency to ignore genre, the tendency to assume writing hasn't changed in the last fifty years, the tendency to stay with well-trodden plots and not take risks, the tendency to romanticise Christian characters as one-dimensional 'goodies', the tendency towards the formulaic especially in terms of the Christian conversion scene and over-explaining. That said, market forces tend to want the last one because that's what allegedly makes it 'evangelistic'.

Jenny Blake: From a readers point of view there are so many good books available now. In fact, I would say a glut of good books. Australian writers have to compete with all these books. It's not that readers do not want to read Australian books, as I know many are excited to read books set here, but they have to be well edited and to the standard readers are use to. Also one thing that annoys readers is not knowing what genre the book is, or reading a mislabelled book. We need to define what the book is. Cost is another issue, but now that books are available on ereader that will help. 

Rochelle Manners: Hurdles – how do we compete! We are in a small country down under and our bookstores and media in the Christian industry mostly notice what is coming from America and the “famous” well known authors, not the new ones from our own local country. There are images and reputations that need to be developed so that we, (Australian industry professionals in publishing and writing), can be seen as strong, reputable and profitable. We need to change perspective, and also simply have people know who we are - new authors and new publishers facing a big world. I think the trick is to increase networks and continue to increase profile and quality.

3. Where would you like to see Australasian Christian Literature heading in the next few years?

Anne Hamilton: YA literature today is very complex in terms of plot and character motivation. As that age group matures, I can't see the taste for multi-level plots and double or triple think changing. I think that particular audience will want the same within Christian literature. So I'd like to see us rethinking the very nature of our storylines and introducing surprises that are well foreshadowed even now. I suspect our reliance on the American model is holding us back.

Jenny Blake: As a reader this is hard to say. I would like to see more Australian books out there both set in Australia, as well as books by Australian authors set in other places. I would like to see the books on a par with the American books, and featuring our uniqueness. I would love to see more historical Australian books about our history. This also applies to New Zealand.

Rochelle Manners: We have big plans. I would like to see Australian Christian Literature first of all really touch lives and be noticed here in Australia. I would like to see us increase the digital world with Christian material that is high quality, and I would like to see us start to get noticed more on an international stage.

Note: Wombat Books have had some recent international successes including:

Puggle’s Problem (children’s literature title) translated into Korean.

Coming Home (children’s literature title) translated into German.

A Simple Mistake, Best Forgotten, and Fine Lines (fiction titles) translated into Korean.

EBP also attended the Korean Christian Rights Fair in August 2013.

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