It’s Saturday again, and time for another Christian Fiction Carnival. To find out what others think or find out how to participate, go to My Friend Amy‘s blog.
This week’s question:
Whether or not you celebrate Halloween, there’s something about the shorter days and chilly air that makes one want to curl up with a scary book. The horror market for Christian fiction is growing in creativity and testing all sorts of boundaries. The suspense market is also very rich with many talented authors. So my question(s) for you is…what’s the best Christian fiction horror or suspense novel that you’ve read? What book would you recommend to someone who wanted to try out these genres? What’s a book in these genres you want to read but haven’t yet?
I’m not really into horror, but I do like some suspense. I really haven’t read any of these books lately.
My recommendations of writiers in these genres include, Ted Dekker, and Dee Henderson. The only author I’m familiar with in the Christian horror genre is Sue Dent. Her stories tell of a vampire and warewolf looking for redemption. It’s really not horror as much as Spiritual Fantasy. Still, if you’re into either, you’ll find her work satisfying. You can find out more about her novels here.
Beach Reads 
I’m glad we both love the same authors, Dekker and Henderson. I might add Peretti’s books with regards to suspense/horror genres. I love his Oath and This Present Darkness as well as the House coauthored with Ted Dekker. It’ll be in theaters on November 7 BTW. You might want to check their website at http://www.teddekker.com or http://housethemovie.net.
Loved your blog’s beach header, BTW. 🙂
By: Lisa Parker on October 28, 2008
at 9:27 am
I love Sue’s Never Ceese and cannot wait to read Forever Richard as well. 😉
By: Mimi on October 25, 2008
at 8:19 pm
I really need to read Never Ceese! I have it in the TBR.
By: Amy @ My Friend Amy on October 25, 2008
at 3:42 pm
Well, you might see it in Christian Bookstores but it won’t automatically show up there because typically they only pull from CBA and ECPA stock.
Forever Richard will be available to any bookstore anywhere in the world as it’s being distributed through Ingram. It will even show up in the Christian sections of other booksellers stores because Spring Arbor, Ingram’s Christian arm, will have access to it as well.
Christian Bookstores, at least here in the US, serve a particular demographic of Christians and therefore only automatically pull from stock provided by their gatekeeper affiliated publishers.
And YES, that’s more than anyone wanted to know. LOL
And I’ve hogged this blog long enough.
I’m outey! 🙂
By: Sue Dent on October 25, 2008
at 3:01 pm
Sue, thanks for stopping by. God is definitely using you in a special way to read people the rest of us couldn’t. So everyone be on the lookout for “Forever Richard,” and it won’t be in the Christian book stores.
By: rcwriter on October 25, 2008
at 2:37 pm
Well, vampires and werewolves definitely qualify as horror and you aren’t invited to the World Horror Convention by someone whose had reviews from Stephen King and Clive Barker without having written something these people can relate too. LOL BUT Never Ceese and the sequel Forever Richard is so much more than Horror. I’ve had far too many people tell me they don’t like horror but loved Never Ceese for me not to share that with those who are interested.
It’s just that you won’t see my book or myself mentioned with Ted Dekker or any other CBA or ECPA author very often nor will you find my work being called Christian Horror because I’m not affiliated with either of these two associations that determine what goes into affiliated Christian bookstores.
I do reiterate however, it’s quite an honor to be mentioned in the same breath with Mr. Dekker and the like! Quite an honor indeed. 🙂
By: Sue Dent on October 25, 2008
at 2:30 pm
I am definitely going to have to try out that Sue Dent book. Sounds intriguing. It’s been a wonderful tour through all the blogs culling all sorts of new books to try. Oh my aching wallet!
By: Wyndy on October 25, 2008
at 1:04 pm
I’m not really into horror either, but I do like suspense.
By: Sunny on October 25, 2008
at 1:03 pm
Wow – Dee Henderson is not an author I’ve read yet, but seems to be popping up all over the carnival this morning! I’ll have to find a book or two.
🙂 Here’s my post:
http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-christian-fiction-carnival.html
~ Wendi
By: Wendi B. on October 25, 2008
at 11:12 am
Thanks for the link. Now that I have read Twlight, I just may check this out.
By: Nise' on October 25, 2008
at 11:07 am
Oh my! Look at you! Awwww, you called my work Christian Horror. I like that!!! And mentioned in the same breath with Ted Dekker! I’d have to say I like that even more.
I would like to point out, for the sake of clarity, my work is not Christian Horror as such. I’m a Christian and I write horror. Or rather, my work has horror elements.
I also write for the broader Christian market (which includes the general market) and not the market Mr. Dekker and his talented self writes for. Therefore, there’s a good chance that core market readers of CBA or ECPA fiction might find my work doesn’t necessarily appeal to them. In fact, most core market readers of CBA and ECPA fiction don’t want horror at all which is why there’s so little of it in affiliated Christian bookstores. Dare I say, none. The work considered horror that is there is tailored for that core market and doesn’t usually appeal much to the broader Christian market.
I was quite amazed and pleased when Never Ceese gained such a huge following from this market! Thank-you guys sooooo much!
You rock!
Just make sure you know, this book does have horror elements and it wasn’t written to appeal to the CBA or ECPA market. In fact, it was short-listed for a Bram Stoker Award which speaks strongly of who it does appeal to. It was written by a Christian though and the Faith elements are very strong.
Thanks so much for the good word. Keep spreading it!!! Also watch http://www.shoutlife.com for big announcement on Forever Richard, October 31st-Halloween!!!
Muhahahahahah
God Bless,
Sue Dent
By: Sue Dent on October 25, 2008
at 10:43 am
I didn’t think of Sue Dent’s Never Ceese… and I have a review on it, too! lol I guess I don’t think of it as horror, more paranormal.
I do have a lot of favorites – here’s my post: http://kindredthought.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-christian-fiction-carnival_24.html
And I subscribed to your blog! 🙂
By: Lindsey@A Kindred Spirits Thoughts on October 25, 2008
at 10:14 am