Where’s the love, yo?

Been perusing Christian Agents’ blogs and Submission Guidelines, and I can’t help but notice that many of them have a “Looking For” list that runs a solid paragraph. Cool, I’m thinking. Perhaps I can eventually go the traditional route. I skim: Romance, Supernatural, Action, YA, Crime/Mystery… But there, in Bold Italics NO SCI-FI or FANTASY.

And once again my dreams are crushed on the jagged rocks of Market Realities. *sniff, sniff. sob.*

So is it that we smell? Or have a reputation for tropes and mediocrity? Are the Big Boys of Christian/Inspirational Publishing simply not interested because focus-groups certified that the Christian Market looks down its collective nose at such unessential, potentially heretical fantasizing?

I didn’t make an exhaustive study, so I’m lean on hard numbers here. Perhaps there’s a glut of Padawanna-bes and re-fried Hogwarts. But I’d bet there’s a hefty amount of copy-cat Bonnet-rippers and Histrionic Romances too.

I’m sure somewhere out there in the publishing world, there are agents who would be happy to handle Speculative Fiction. After all, it’s a huge and expanding market, and for Christians, an incredible avenue to ask important questions, portray profound themes, and engage reader’s hearts and minds.

I’ll keep looking no doubt, but I think it’s a shame so many are closing the door on an opportunity for themselves, writers, and a wide audience of readers.