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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
Ooo, linkies for your fic, please? Dappled Things is a journal I would like to see.
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Gidget
Guest
You’ve got my vote estiel! “Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving glory to God the Father through Him!” A Catholic fiction writer’s pen has the wonderful ability to “speak” the Name of Jesus without ever actually writing it. Certainly *that *constitutes Catholic fiction.
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estiel
Guest
Thank you, Gidget.
For Sailor Kenshin:
I don’t have a website, but here is the DT site.
www.dappledthings.org
DT is available via subscription in print, but it’s also online. My story is “Peartrees” in the Easter issue (archived). Hope you enjoy it.
For Sailor Kenshin:
I don’t have a website, but here is the DT site.
www.dappledthings.org
DT is available via subscription in print, but it’s also online. My story is “Peartrees” in the Easter issue (archived). Hope you enjoy it.
F
Filius99993
Guest
Good speculative Catholic fiction:
Gene Wolfe- The Book of the New Sun
R.A. Lafferty- Fourth Mansions
And Tolkien, but that goes without saying.
Also read Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. She’s awesome.
Gene Wolfe- The Book of the New Sun
R.A. Lafferty- Fourth Mansions
And Tolkien, but that goes without saying.
Also read Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. She’s awesome.
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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
Thanks! I look forward to reading it.
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Yva
Guest
In my research, I did not find Catholic novels written by African Americans. Not only am I in the process of being formed as a Catholic novelist, but as a black Catholic novelist. I think all of our fiction will evolve as we write it, and publish it for whosoever will let him offer me a contract. God is up to something. I believe he’s going to surprise us.
Dear Mair,
I’m excited to have at last “met” an African American Catholic novelist. I’m Chinese, but it doesn’t matter.
As a new convert, and new writer of Catholic fiction, I think you might really like this book called “The River and the Source” by Margaret A Ogola, an African lady doctor. I recommend this book most highly, and you will be amazed as you read this book how far she has gone up in the ladder of progress, from her tribal days in her village to civilization, becoming Catholic, going through medical school and getting modernised and writing this amazing piece of her personal history as fiction, and writing it so well.
I recommend all those who are reading this post to look at
amazon.com/River-Source-Margaret-Ogola/dp/9966882057/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221490452&sr=1-3
Dear Mair,
I’m excited to have at last “met” an African American Catholic novelist. I’m Chinese, but it doesn’t matter.
As a new convert, and new writer of Catholic fiction, I think you might really like this book called “The River and the Source” by Margaret A Ogola, an African lady doctor. I recommend this book most highly, and you will be amazed as you read this book how far she has gone up in the ladder of progress, from her tribal days in her village to civilization, becoming Catholic, going through medical school and getting modernised and writing this amazing piece of her personal history as fiction, and writing it so well.
I recommend all those who are reading this post to look at
amazon.com/River-Source-Margaret-Ogola/dp/9966882057/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221490452&sr=1-3
M
mair_francis
Guest
Thanks for the info. The book sounds riveting! God bless. 
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Scoobyshme
Guest
I read three really good fiction novels by Bud McFarlane that you can get for $1 each at catholicity.com/novels/. I found them hard to put down once I started reading them!
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estiel
Guest
There is a new publisher of Catholic fiction:
www.LeonessBooks.com
www.LeonessBooks.com
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CatholicEditor
Guest
Hello everyone,
I was intrigued by this thread.
I am an editor at a Catholic publishing house that does not publish fiction for adults. Why not, you ask? Well, mostly because it is such a huge category and one very different from all the other categories we publish. To “get into” fiction would have editorial and marketing requirements that I don’t think we’re ready to take on.
But I would love to be able to edit fiction.
Not fiction like the novels of Bud McFarlane. That is “Catholic fiction” that is similar to the “Christian fiction” someone described earlier. It has many Catholic elements to it, but is not well-written, in my opinion. And there are other sincere attempts like them.
So, what kind of fiction? I think estiel’s description is closest to how I would define Catholic fiction. Not necessarily about Catholics, and certainly not with Catholic sermonettes inserted into it. It seems to me that a Catholic who creates a story will be writing Catholic fiction.
And as far as being “real” and “gritty”–that definitely seems to me better than being preachy and sappy, but sometimes it comes across as kind of soap-opera-ish (you know, a person with every possible problem in the book, every personal tragedy, bad luck, etc.).
I think one of the hardest things for a writer is to find a way to get honest feedback on one’s writing…
Just a few thoughts.
I was intrigued by this thread.
I am an editor at a Catholic publishing house that does not publish fiction for adults. Why not, you ask? Well, mostly because it is such a huge category and one very different from all the other categories we publish. To “get into” fiction would have editorial and marketing requirements that I don’t think we’re ready to take on.
But I would love to be able to edit fiction.
Not fiction like the novels of Bud McFarlane. That is “Catholic fiction” that is similar to the “Christian fiction” someone described earlier. It has many Catholic elements to it, but is not well-written, in my opinion. And there are other sincere attempts like them.
So, what kind of fiction? I think estiel’s description is closest to how I would define Catholic fiction. Not necessarily about Catholics, and certainly not with Catholic sermonettes inserted into it. It seems to me that a Catholic who creates a story will be writing Catholic fiction.
And as far as being “real” and “gritty”–that definitely seems to me better than being preachy and sappy, but sometimes it comes across as kind of soap-opera-ish (you know, a person with every possible problem in the book, every personal tragedy, bad luck, etc.).
I think one of the hardest things for a writer is to find a way to get honest feedback on one’s writing…
Just a few thoughts.
A
amcnabb
Guest
Hi. I am the founder of Leoness Books (www.LeonessBooks.com)), mentioned above. As the previous poster, who works for a Catholic publisher, suggested, it takes focus to publish authentically Catholic literary writing. I have come to describe such writing as “literary, yet artfully overt.”
Based on my experiences as a writer (www.andrew-mcnabb.com,) I decided to start Leoness. I will share some experiences to elucidate, perhaps, what is meant by “literary, yet artfully overt,” and to justify what we are trying to do at Leoness. I am a widely-published writer, with short stories appearing in such esteemed secular literary journals as The Missouri Review (where 1 of every 500 submissions is accepted for publishing,) the Potomac Review, Many Mountains Moving, and many others. I have also published in “Religious” journals, Rock and Sling and Relief. A story of mine was selected by Bret Lott for inclusion in "Not Safe, But Good (Best Christian Short Stories, 2007.) Both Bret and Joseph Pearce have written blurbs for the cover of my story collection, “The Body of This,” (Warren Machine), which is due out in April. I hope the above doesn’t seem boastful, but I think it is important to note an attention to developing as a writer.
I also mention the above given my experience with literary agents. I have been aprroached a number of times by prominent literary agents who have seen my work in secular literary journals. Upon seeing my collection, and the memoir following it, the reponse has been nearly universal: “too Christian for the Trade, and too Catholic for the CBA (Christian Book Association),” and as the previous poster can attest, not much fiction is published by the Catholic publishers. That left me, in particular, with two outlets: University Presses or small publishers. My collection was picked up by the latter, and things are working out great. But I know there are other writers out there whose work conforms to the defintion, “literary, yet artfully overt,” and who can’t find a home for their work. And furthermore, there are writers who are incline to produce that type of work, but don’t try given the dearth of outlets.
I believe that first and foremost, to be able to achieve the “literary,” component, one has to work at the craft of writing, in most cases, for a long time. Though inspired by my devout faith, I didn’t set out to write “Catholic fiction.” It will, as the previous poster intimated in his statement (paraphrased from Flannery?), just happen naturally if the writer is Catholic and looks at the world through the lens of faith. Once one has built up the craft to the point that he or she is an experienced writer, literary Catholic writing will be produced. Within that work, the degree of “overtness” will further classify it as "Literary Catholic Writing (literary, yet artfully overt), or simply literary writing informed by a Catholic perspective. The line may be a bit hazy, but it is there. My own work conforms to the latter.
I encourage any of you who are writers and who have worked at the craft of writing and have finally “emerged” to submit to Leoness, either a short story for our “Best Catholic Short Stories,” or, if you have a complete body of work, to submit for consideration for the “Leoness Book Award.” Short-listed candidates will be considered for publishing, too. If you are not yet ready (or even if you are and plan to submit,) please send an e-mail to mailinglist@leonessbooks.com to sign up for the mailing list, and thus help our cause (we need to prove to our investors that a viable audience exists.)
We are still working on funding, but a lot is going on behind the scenes. While the previous poster is correct in that it takes money to do things properly, Leoness is set up to do more with less, and doesn’t have the constraints that many Catholic publishers have. I earned an MBA in my “previous life” and have a solid background in what it takes to realistically run a business. The bottom line is, however, that the work needs to be there. I know that the audience is waiting, but whether or not there are enough writers whose work conforms to the above is the question. **If you are able, please spread the word, to both writers and readers, and ask them to sign up for the mailing list and/or submit. ** And please get in touch, editor@leonessbooks.com, if you would like to correspond on a personal level.
Sorry for the length of this post!
Andrew McNabb
Based on my experiences as a writer (www.andrew-mcnabb.com,) I decided to start Leoness. I will share some experiences to elucidate, perhaps, what is meant by “literary, yet artfully overt,” and to justify what we are trying to do at Leoness. I am a widely-published writer, with short stories appearing in such esteemed secular literary journals as The Missouri Review (where 1 of every 500 submissions is accepted for publishing,) the Potomac Review, Many Mountains Moving, and many others. I have also published in “Religious” journals, Rock and Sling and Relief. A story of mine was selected by Bret Lott for inclusion in "Not Safe, But Good (Best Christian Short Stories, 2007.) Both Bret and Joseph Pearce have written blurbs for the cover of my story collection, “The Body of This,” (Warren Machine), which is due out in April. I hope the above doesn’t seem boastful, but I think it is important to note an attention to developing as a writer.
I also mention the above given my experience with literary agents. I have been aprroached a number of times by prominent literary agents who have seen my work in secular literary journals. Upon seeing my collection, and the memoir following it, the reponse has been nearly universal: “too Christian for the Trade, and too Catholic for the CBA (Christian Book Association),” and as the previous poster can attest, not much fiction is published by the Catholic publishers. That left me, in particular, with two outlets: University Presses or small publishers. My collection was picked up by the latter, and things are working out great. But I know there are other writers out there whose work conforms to the defintion, “literary, yet artfully overt,” and who can’t find a home for their work. And furthermore, there are writers who are incline to produce that type of work, but don’t try given the dearth of outlets.
I believe that first and foremost, to be able to achieve the “literary,” component, one has to work at the craft of writing, in most cases, for a long time. Though inspired by my devout faith, I didn’t set out to write “Catholic fiction.” It will, as the previous poster intimated in his statement (paraphrased from Flannery?), just happen naturally if the writer is Catholic and looks at the world through the lens of faith. Once one has built up the craft to the point that he or she is an experienced writer, literary Catholic writing will be produced. Within that work, the degree of “overtness” will further classify it as "Literary Catholic Writing (literary, yet artfully overt), or simply literary writing informed by a Catholic perspective. The line may be a bit hazy, but it is there. My own work conforms to the latter.
I encourage any of you who are writers and who have worked at the craft of writing and have finally “emerged” to submit to Leoness, either a short story for our “Best Catholic Short Stories,” or, if you have a complete body of work, to submit for consideration for the “Leoness Book Award.” Short-listed candidates will be considered for publishing, too. If you are not yet ready (or even if you are and plan to submit,) please send an e-mail to mailinglist@leonessbooks.com to sign up for the mailing list, and thus help our cause (we need to prove to our investors that a viable audience exists.)
We are still working on funding, but a lot is going on behind the scenes. While the previous poster is correct in that it takes money to do things properly, Leoness is set up to do more with less, and doesn’t have the constraints that many Catholic publishers have. I earned an MBA in my “previous life” and have a solid background in what it takes to realistically run a business. The bottom line is, however, that the work needs to be there. I know that the audience is waiting, but whether or not there are enough writers whose work conforms to the above is the question. **If you are able, please spread the word, to both writers and readers, and ask them to sign up for the mailing list and/or submit. ** And please get in touch, editor@leonessbooks.com, if you would like to correspond on a personal level.
Sorry for the length of this post!
Andrew McNabb
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KarinaFabian
Guest
This is a terrific post. I completely agree.
I’m on a lot of groups with Christian writers (Catholic and non-Catholic) and the one attitude that annoys me the most is that if they write a “Christian” book, then God has had His hand in it and it’s fine as they wrote it and will be published and successful. (Otherwise, Satan is working against them.)
As you said, writing is work–it’s crafting, revising, taking critique, and making a story that people will read regardless of whether it mentions our faith or not.
Karina
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Writer
Guest
Welcome, Karina! Didn’t know you had joined us.
Just poking around online to research a literary agent who’s asked for my story and came across this great thread.
K
KarinaFabian
Guest
Hi, Karl,
Yeah, I saw the post on the CWG forum about her. I’m interested to see what you found out.
Yeah, I saw the post on the CWG forum about her. I’m interested to see what you found out.
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Biblioassistant
Guest
In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden is a wonderful Catholic novel. The nuns are real people, realistic and they have their share of problems. They are not plaster saints. I love this book dearly.
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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
My Mom left me a number of Rumer Godden books, but this wasn’t among them. I recall a BBC production of the story only in the vaguest sense.
I should read it, I should.
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PMG
Guest
My favorite Catholic novelist is the late Graham Greene. His “Catholic Trilogy” – The Power and the Glory, *The Heart of the Matter *and *The End of the Affair *-- are brilliant.
I can honestly say that when I first read the last title about 10 years ago, my faith was almost completely gone. The character of Sarah Miles (St. Sarah) restored it.
I can honestly say that when I first read the last title about 10 years ago, my faith was almost completely gone. The character of Sarah Miles (St. Sarah) restored it.
B
bon_saul
Guest
Graham Greene in “Heart of the Matter” is projecting to this reader a kind of Joyce-like stream of consciousness of his intellectually brilliant main character Scobie, whose mind perceives the world through a dismal Naturalistic-materialist distorting lens, which reduces life to pessimistic Darwinian determinism like the gloomy perspective of Emile Zola’s art. Greene’s greatness is his ability to overcome this mental prison and reveal the Catholic metaphysical glory of sacred human freedom and God’s loving grace. Blessed are the poor in spirit; they shall inherit the earth.
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Eucharisted
Guest
Hello Catholic writers! I am beginning my first fantasy novel, by the grace of God, and I was wondering if you could give me any tips, tricks, or comments on writing fantasy novels?
I haven’t worked out the world building yet, but I have figured out some of the characters and the first scene: a dream (well, okay, granted that is some world building, but not much). I don’t want to tell too much, because I want to make sure my ideas are mine (not that I fear idea theft), but my story will include a cast of non-human characters on another world, and there won’t be much - if any - magic in the story.
It is interesting coming up entirely new ways to measure things (time and inches, for example) for a new world!
I haven’t worked out the world building yet, but I have figured out some of the characters and the first scene: a dream (well, okay, granted that is some world building, but not much). I don’t want to tell too much, because I want to make sure my ideas are mine (not that I fear idea theft), but my story will include a cast of non-human characters on another world, and there won’t be much - if any - magic in the story.
It is interesting coming up entirely new ways to measure things (time and inches, for example) for a new world!
C
Cat
Guest
Eucharisted, I’m so glad you posted! I got a PM a few weeks ago, but then all my PMs got deleted (dumb accident).Hello Catholic writers! I am beginning my first fantasy novel, by the grace of God, and I was wondering if you could give me any tips, tricks, or comments on writing fantasy novels?
I haven’t worked out the world building yet, but I have figured out some of the characters and the first scene: a dream (well, okay, granted that is some world building, but not much). I don’t want to tell too much, because I want to make sure my ideas are mine (not that I fear idea theft), but my story will include a cast of non-human characters on another world, and there won’t be much - if any - magic in the story.
It is interesting coming up entirely new ways to measure things (time and inches, for example) for a new world!
Anyway, I work today, but I’ll try to get some time to write back.
I’m not very good at fantasy, so I admire your talent. I did write a “future” story that will be published this year in Synchronized Skating Magazine, but that’s skating, and it’s real. But I agree with you, it was fun creating the “future”–e.g, in my story, everyone wears “inbuds” (communication devices).
My first suggestion is to plan on spending at least a year or more working on the novel. I’ve written several novels, and generally finish a first draft in a month or so (about 4 hours a day writing, and ten to twelve hours on a weekend). But then I spend two to four years re-writing, editing, researching, correcting, and polishing.
I think it would be even more important with a fantasy novel to spend a lot of time perfecting the novel. You are creating a whole new world and characters, possibly even different "beings’… You really need to give this plenty of time and work hard at making it utterly believable, otherwise the novel will sound like a fairy tale. Nothing wrong with fairy tales, but they’re pretty shallow when it comes to setting, character development, dialogue, etc.
Write the novel, then put it aside for a few weeks, then come back to it. That’s how you will recognize time-line problems, plot muddles, etc. It’s so important that a plot is feasible, and even more so when you create a new reality.
AND–you need to make it grammatically perfect, even if you create a new langauge (e.g., Elf language in LOTR). From what I understand, Tolkien not only created the language, but also the grammar and syntax for the language. The classic book for writers is The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Use it constantly.
I read a ton of books on novel writing when I first started writing. Go to the library and check out whatever you can find. I’ll try to come up with titles, but honestly, almost anything is useful and eye-opening and will help you immensely.
One of the first things that I learned from these books is that everything should be written in active voice, not passive voice. I never knew this, because in school, teachers seemed to give big points for writing in passive. But it’s all wrong for novels.
Example: “She ran through the streets trying to escape from the monster.” NOT-“Running through the streets, she tried to escape from the monster.” A clue that you are using passive is lots of “ings.”
I’ll try to get back to this later. Have fun!
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