You’ve probably heard the news.
Abingdon fiction. Gone. They join a long litany of publishers and imprints that have decided to get out of the Christian fiction market in one way or another citing the bottom line as the main reason. No one can blame them, really. It is a business. Businesses have to stay afloat.
Some of these publishers are relatively new to the game. Only been publishing fiction for less than ten years. They had a good run. Won lots of awards. Had good sales for such “fledgling start ups.”
The cry, however, from the news when it broke has been mixed. These were some of the “headline reactions” I noted when reading the various articles which arose from the ashes: 1) “Doomsday: Another Christian publisher bites the dust and makes getting Christian fiction published more difficult. Christian Fiction Authors are left scrambling for fewer contracts.” 2) “Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Abingdon hadn’t acquired anything new in a year anyway. So, everybody, just Chillax.” 3) “The Proof is in the Pudding: Too many Christian novels cater to the same, declining audience of Amish/Christian Romance fiction readers. That’s why sales are slipping.” 4) “Long Live the Indie Writer: The only way to survive these troubling times in the world of publishing is to join hands with Amazon and sing Kum ba yah.”
As I read and thought and prayed about my little boat in the ocean we call “Writing,” I had two primary conclusions. First, has anyone ever heard of a company called Apple? Does anyone remember Apple in 1996? The company’s stock had dropped to a 10-year low and was then $18 a share. So, in December of 1996, they spent $429 million and also gave 1.5 million shares of their stock and purchased a company called NeXT. In the deal, they acquired a guy by the name of Steve Jobs as a consultant. Out of the ashes, what you know as The Apple Corporation today arose to become a leader in the world of technology. They “reinvented” themselves and came out with a gadget called the iPod. No doubt, plans were well underway for the iPhone, the iPad, and the other spinoffs. The iPhone came out in 2007. Seems longer, doesn’t it. Just think about how the world has changed in a mere eight years. Oh, and by the way, Apple’s stock price as I write this blog is now $129.51.
Second, I’m a Christian. As one, I have two roads I can travel. I can be a wishy-washy, tail-between-my-legs kind of believer, a la Peter at the fire in Luke 22:54, willing to do whatever it takes to save my writing behind in this world of publishing, or I can be the kind of believer who stands tall for Christ, unwilling to compromise, run, or water down the message. Now, with that in mind, I also live in a world whose growing sentiment for anything even resembling God or Jesus is becoming more vile and “anti-Christ-like” with each passing day. Couple this with the sale of major Christian houses like Zondervan and Multnomah to secular publishing companies, and the venues in which I can write, publish, and sell my writing, especially if it has a “Standing Tall” kind of message, decrease exponentially.
When you look at the world in general, the message is becoming clearer by the day. Christians are no longer wanted on planet Earth. Our values, our morals, our God’s way of doing “business” are being vilified in the courts of judges, justices, and public opinion.
However, you and I both know that God’s not done yet, either. I haven’t heard any trumpets yet. My eyes and ears, looking to the heavens and listening for the “Shout of the Lord,” are still waiting.
So, I watch and wait. For a possible Christian “Apple Company” to rise up and become a viable leader in this crazy business. For the next Christian novel and next Christian movie to shine a light in the darkness of these last days. Hoping that, if God chooses to use me, one of those could be mine.
God’s not done yet. And when He’s still in play, you know exciting things will happen.
To see this article on the Seriously Write website,
click on the following link: "God's Still on the Throne."
