Never Ceese (paperback) Christian Essential!

What a nice google alert to wake up to and what an intriguing site! So yes, go buy this Christian Essential off this blog or hop over to www.suedent.blogspot.com and purchase both Never Ceese and Forever Richard for $20 with free shipping in the US, signed and sent straight out to you by moi! My author copies just came in and I'm fairly certain they won't last long. Hey, a girl can dream can't they.

But yes, run along and check the site out. Truly fascinating, if you ask me.

Forever Richard gets all Pirate-ey tom-arrrrrr-ow!

That's right. So pay attention. MaryLu Tyndall has informed me that she'll be givin' Forever Richard away on her blog. I suggest you be gettin' yurself over there if yur wantin' to read it without partin' with the cash. I don't know what got into her but I'm figurin' a bunch of you don't care so long as you don't have to put out the cash for somethin'. Arrrrrrr!!! And just to show ya my good nature, I'm throwin' in one of them blasted hard copies of Never Ceese. If you buy Never Ceese you best be buyin' the paperback or else you'll walk the plank.

Trust me.

If I have to, I can find a plank.

So there ya go! Now run over to http://www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com in the morn to get yur chance to win or pop over tonight to get a good seat. Don't know if that's required but it sure couldn't hurt. Pirates can be pretty sneaky I hear.

What arrrrrrrr ya doin'?

I said go!

Never Ceese Paperback flagged for Christian market!

To understand what being flagged by the Christian market means you may go here:
Sue Dent's blogspot

Thanks for the never ending support from TWCP, my original self-published paperback is now in distribution through Ingram AND Ingram/Spring Arbor. Oh do go and read about it here.

And now to unveil the slightly updated cover:



It rocks, doesn't it? :D

You can see a bigger version at www.NeverCeese.com!

Anne Rice has a question.

Anne Rice is known for talking and responding to fans. She had an interesting question on facebook today which I blogged about here.

Ingram/Spring Arbor

Oops. I said I was in a Christian bookstore. Sorry. Not quite yet. Neither me nor my publisher knew that Christian books being distributed by Ingram didn't automatically go into Ingram/Spring Arbor for distribution. No. You have to actually submit books to them to make sure they're "socially acceptable."

I have to tell you, my stomach did a little flip when I heard this until I went to Ingram/Spring Arbors website and read this:

Spring Arbor Distributors is more than the leading distributor of Christian books and other products to the industry represented by the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) and other Christian outlets.

Okay so at least the biggest distributor of Christian product recognizes that there is CBA and then there are other Christian outlets. What a relief! I was beginning to worry that CBA's restrictive guidelines followed Spring Arbor over when they combined with Ingram in 1997. I also worried that the money CBA could bring in had convinced Ingram to leave all non-affiliated Christian publishers (other Christian outlets) and authors out in the cold?

But according to this article, I'd have to say that is not the case at all! If Ingram/Spring Arbor were in fact catering to CBA retailers only you probably wouldn't see comments like the one made in the article I linked to above. An article where comments like this were made:

Some CBA presses have recently opted to leave Spring Arbor for the competition - Appalachian, Riverside and Anchor, a situation that mirrors the exodus after Ingram first bought Spring Arbor.

Or this comment:

One CBA source said, "Ingram has never accepted the fact that CBA publishers have their own way of operating."

Yet it seems like they do recognize this fact and they recognize this isn't how they want to operate. I called Ingram/Spring Arbor today (because I'm paranoid LOL) to verify that one didn't have to be CBA affiliated to be deemed "socially acceptable." There answer was a clear and distinct, "no!" The book simply needed to have Christian content. How cool is that!

"There should be no problem," they said, "with my book being deemed "socially acceptable." I've stopped short of being very happy. I've been duped by this statement before. Needless to say, I'll believe it when I see it.

It does sound encouraging though. If this is how Ingram/Spring Arbor operates, all I can say is thank-you for not cowering to the powers that be.

Looking for non-affiliated Christian Bookstores.

If you own a Christian Bookstore that isn't affiliated with either CBA or ECPA please let me know. I've got quite a few readers who want to support their Christian bookstores but can't do so because they're having trouble locating one that isn't affiliated and therefore carries the the kind of fiction/sci-fi/fantasy/horror and even non-fiction they enjoy reading and so it's up to you. You order a few copies of Forever Richard for your shelves and I'll tell them where to go get it.

And specifically, if you know of a non-affiliated Christian Bookstore in the Minneapolis area who'd like to have me come by and sign while I'm up there (tentatively around the first of April) let me know NOW! As it is, I'll be hitting only general market bookstores. I don't have time to call each Christian bookstore to find out which ones aren't affiliated and will therefore carry work produced by non-affiliated authors.

I'll also start listing bookstores on my website who I know have ordered a copy or two of Forever Richard so readers will know where to find it.

God Bless,
Sue Dent

Forever Richard is available at Manny's!

Forever Richard is available at this fine INDEPENDENT Christian Bookstore.



No. Nothing has changed. Any Christian Bookstore that isn't indpendently owned is affiliated and will only stock affiliated books (books produced by CBA and/or ECPA affiliated publishers or at least this has been my experience.) Independent Christian bookstores can order whatever their readers want! :)

How cool is that!

Thanks Steve at Manny's and thanks Dub for letting me know about Manny's.

When you visit Steve, ask him how the name Manny's came into being. It's a neat story.

And tell Steve I said hey. :)

Addendum: My bad. Some independent Christian bookstores are actually affiliated so you actually have to ask each Christian bookstore if you want to know whether they'll have the kind of fiction you're looking for. :)

Celebrating Anne Rice!

She certainly deserves to be celebrated. What a wonderful author and person. If you don't believe me, you can go read her new book: Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.

Also, you may check out this video.



As an author who is a Christian and writes in the horror genre (at least for now), I'm even more inspired by Anne's journey from atheism and back to her Catholic roots. I understand that in this novel she talks about how her previous novels were written from an atheistic worldview. I so admire her coming out and saying this as it helps point to the fact that writing about vampires or werewolves or zombies isn't inherently evil but rather an expression of self as is the case with all fiction.

I also appreciate Mrs. Rice's decision to stay away from the type fiction that obviously pushes her to remember a very dark and sad time in her life. Perhaps one day she'll be able to forge ahead and revisit writing horror fiction from her new worldview. Until then, do check out her recent books. After all, these were written by literary genius Anne Rice and horror or not, she's well worth reading. I can only hope to ever be as talented.

Other books by post-atheist Anne Rice:

Christian Book Expo - The Expo for Christian Publishers?

There is still quite a bit of buzz about CBE (Christian Book Expo.) Every publisher who produces fiction that doesn't offend your basic Christian reader probably wonders if it's worth their time and money to go.

This information might help you. I visited a blog recently that claimed CBE expected a large turn out of "ECPA publishers and publishers from the general market who produce Christian fiction." I commented that I thought this wording was odd. ECPA and CBA came into existence to monitor work produced by affiliated publishers, "Christian Fiction" that could go into affiliated bookstores without offending a particular demographic of Christians, a market no general market publisher had yet to address according to CBA and ECPA.

In response to my comment I was told that "there are a bunch of general market publishers who do Christian books (HarperCollins owns Zondervan and HarperOne, Random House owns Waterbrook and Multnomah, Hachette owns FaithWords, Simon & Schuster owns Howard, etc). They'll all be there. And the parent companies will all be at BEA."

Do I really have to state the obvious? The publishers named above are all owned by general market publsihers but are not general market publishers themselves. They are all ECPA or CBA affiliated and serve that specific demographic CBA and ECPA were set up to serve.

So, if you're wondering about what Christian publishers will attend, so far it seems only CBA or ECPA affiliated ones. General Market publishers who produce books that appeal to the general market, Christians included, will be attending BEA of course or whatever other expo suits their demographic. ;)

Also noted was that CBE, under the leadership of Michael Hyatt of CBA affiliated Thomas Nelson, would most likely do well enough to replace International Christian Resource Show started by CBA themselves.

Well it certainly seems likely now doesn't it?

Christian Readers reach for more vampires and werewolves!

The pending release of Forever Richard, the second werewolf and vampire novel by novelist Sue Dent has caused much excitement--and threatens a first printrun sellout-- from a surprising source: Christian readers.

Click here to read the press release. :)

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, The Shack & edgy Christian Fiction!

Four things that have a LOT in common! They will currently get you a ton of hits on your blog! So if you're looking to get someone to look at what you've written, post something on any of these subjects.

J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter will work best to get you hits if you push the possible Christian allegory or lack thereof, whichever your opinion is. Readers of Protestant friendly fiction particularly like to sound off on this. I'm not looking to get hits so I'll not share my opinion. *but my daughter has read everyone of Ms. Rowling's books and loved them and absorbed them and forced me to attend two mid-night book release parties the second of which I set her off on her own and told her to call me when she had her book!*

Edgy Christian Fiction will also warrent a look or two especially since those who post about this don't usually share that they're talking about Christian fiction that appeals to a particular audience of Christians who aren't used to seeing edgy fiction whatever edgy is. That's another question in and of itself.

The same goes for posting about what makes a Christian Fiction book Christian? It's hardly a valid question or one that can really be answered unless the poster specifies whether they're referring to the broader Christian market of Christian fiction or fiction targeted to a select group of believers.

And by ALL means post something about The Shack! Even if you've never read the book. And don't just give a review. Give a disertation disguised as a review. It doesn't even matter if you liked the book or not. You're sure to fill you hit quota for the week.

And if all that fails, post something about steampunk desk or mouse or steampunk whatever. Mr. Frank Creed seems to get more hits than anyone else on this blog concerning his posting of such subject matter.

Great Reviews for League of Superheroes!

Just look at some of the review excerpts Stephen L. Rice received from the FIRST Wildcard tour!

". . . a super-fun read! This group of geeky teens must save the world with their unique skills…and try not to get caught by their folks!"

". . . a highly entertaining story with some terrific spiritual lessons explained along the way! It sounds like there are more adventures ahead for this unusual group, so if you like superheroes, then Stephen Leon Rice is someone you need to look into further!"

". . . a really great book. when I first started reading it it reminded me a bit of Maximum Ride....but MUCH BETTER! seriously...you guys should get a copy to read of this book!"

"I'm hooked. Very creative and enjoyable. I plan on passing it on to my niece and nephew next. They're picky readers, but I think this is one they'll enjoy."

". . . funny, dynamic, and a real thriller. I can't wait to see the next adventures of the League of Superheroes!"

"Rice writes with humor and heart. I was laughing so loud during the scene when Rod acquires his suit, I was afraid that my family would think I was crazy. Rice taps into the insecurities that come with adolescence and gives each boy a strong individual personality. The plot moves whiplash fast, and the story is compelling."














League of Superheroes
Stephen Leon Rice
Christian Science Fiction
Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-934284-0-56
TWCP; October 2008; $9.95; 216 pg.

Christian Faiths and NOT Writing Just What You Know

I've had some interesting comments on Rob's and my latest anthology, Leaps of Faith. This is a collection of 14 stories of Christian science fiction. While I didn't fully itemize each faith represented, there are Anglican, Catholic and Christian stories and one Old Testament Biblical.

However, I've gotten a couple of comments to the effect that Leaps is a Catholic exclusive book. "written by Catholic writers" "a Catholic anthology" "I'm not Catholic but I enjoyed it." And the one that, frankly, insults the non-Catholic Christian contributors, the Christian publisher and my husband and me: "My only problem with this anthology is that uncomfortable feeling that the Catholics are the only people of God."

I'm not going to argue that here--you can check out the reviews on Amazon to see what people think about the mix of Christian and Catholic themes. What I want to talk about today is the ironic fact that many of the "Catholic" stories in Leaps--and some in Infinite Space, Infinite God, for that matter--were written by non-Catholics. In fact, we never asked anyone their denomination when we read the stories, and sometimes have been surprised ourselves to find out who practices what faith.

I'm always ticked at how that amazes and even scandalizes some people, even fellow writers. We think nothing of a housewife writing a detective novel or a computer technician writing a chick lit. Guys write romance with female protagonists while women write military sci-fi with predominantly male characters. Yet a person writes honestly about a particular faith, and people immediately assume the author practices that faith. Why is that?

I'm sure some people believe that to do anything different is to blaspheme in some way. I don't agree. To me, writing the faith that is right for the story is staying true to the creative talent God gave me. As long as I'm not glorifying a heresy or encouraging a sin, I feel safe in exploring other ideas, whether it's an atheist being pursued by a vampire or nuns living in outer space.

So what about writing what you know? I think writers that limit themselves to that do not go very far. There's such a wealth of adventure out there, some of which we will never know about first-hand. But we learn. I don't know asteroid mining--but I'm learning about it as I write Discovery. I didn't know Norse mythology until I started writing Live and Let Fly--and as I learned more, I had to change the story. That's what I love about writing. That's why I do it, even when I don't make the big bucks or get yet another rejection letter.

One person e-mailed me that he believed I preferred Catholic stories because that's what I'm more "comfortable" with. That's not true, not for me, not for a lot of writers I know. I'll stick with me, however. First off, I don't read a lot of Catholic fiction. (Yes, my fellow Guildies, I have not yet read Chesterson or Flannery O'Connor. They're on my list.) I read about wizards and aliens and serial killers and all kinds of non-comfortable things. I've written a story about a psychic teen who was mentally tortured. I've tortured one of my favorite characters while her best friend was forced to watch, and I have a scene for an upcoming book where the main character has to fight off a rapist. Think these were comfortable? Not at all, but they were disturbingly interesting to write and necessary to the story.

If I were to write what I "know" and what is "comfortable," I'd be putting out stories about how my kid didn't want to wear his jacket in the blizzard. That's about as much angst as I get in my life and believe me, I like it that way!

So it is with writing faith--not all my stories are Catholic. In one trilogy, the alien planet is Deist, and the other has its own odd mix of faith. They each had their own salvation stories, too. My Faerie world has what is called a Catholic Church, but "catholic" means "universal" and while it's similar to the Roman Catholic, there are enough differences that it is a unique religious organization. I could have (and maybe should have) called it the Faerie Church; I'm betting I take some heat from both Catholics and non-Catholics for it as time goes on. But if I do, I know it's because I've written a convincing world.

I'm starting to ramble here, but my point is that writers with real talent do not need to be limited by their current knowledge or beliefs. Imagination can take us to many exciting--and sometimes uncomfortable--worlds, and writing talent can help us share those worlds convincingly with others.

That's what the writers of Leaps of Faith and Infinite Space, Infinite God did. That's why I'm proud to have edited these anthologies.

Support Rice's Habit

World need saving?
This looks like a job for . . .
Geeks?
Yeah, geeks. I mean, who else is going to figure out how to use a super suit? Not some jock!

I'm Tom Reilly, a language geek; Rod Davies is the math and physics genius, the smartest guy in high school; Allen is our hacker; and Charlie is our doctor wannabe. Then there's Clarice, Allen's little sister. You know how kids are. And Genie, of course—the self-described "little girl" we know only from chat rooms. She's the smartest person in history—and probably the most endangered.

We've got to save her and the world. I hope we don't get grounded.



For anyone who enjoys superheroes, this is your book! Not only does the author present a compelling story full of action and excitement, the dialogue is so much fun with the League bantering back and forth. LOS reminds me of an adult version of Jon Scieszka's Time Warp Trio books. But, this book isn't all about laughs and guffaws, the LOS tackle some pretty serious subjects along the way, and the action is real.

Support Stephen Rice's habit of telling bad jokes, purchase copies of LOS today!

--at Barnes & Noble, OR
--you can purchase an autographed copy from the publisher TWCP
--or at a bunch of other online stores or ask for your local bookstore to order it in . . .
or if you must, you can buy it from amazon (boo amazon).


League of Superheroes
Stephen Leon Rice
Category: Christian science fiction
ISBN: 978-1-934284-05-6
Pub. Date: October 1, 2008
Retail Price: $9.95
Pages: 168
Pub: TWCP