When you submit to the CBA..

[Michel Archer]

CBA: Christian Booksellers Association.Like I said sometime ago, a publisher asked to see the complete manuscript for my novel, The Mysterious Calling of Mike Malone.Some explanation: Mike Malone was written in response to a class of 4th grade boys I had one year who said they hated reading. I asked what would they wanted in a story, they named their elements and I wrote the story. It was a Christian school so a boat load of Biblical idea's were perfectly fine.In the story Mike is the son of a fallen angel who's greatest dream for him is to become the anti-Christ. In his own weird, psycho fashion, he loves, or at least thinks he loves Mike. So, there's all kinds of weird stuff going on from demonic possession, to alternate worlds, ET's, armor of God stuff, (Cuz, come on, somebody has to draw a sword!)So, I packed this up and sent it to this nice little CBA house. I get a long letter back explaining that they don't want to publish it...yet, because they are a new publishing house and don't want to go too controversialright now.Okay, here's what happened...lol! Publisher's rarely read manuscripts. In fact, the only time they read them is if the Reader gets all excited and insists on it. The Pub was real nice and asked if I wanted to see the Reader's report, so I said, Sure.Reader reports are usually short because reader's rarely read an entire manuscript themselves. They might hit the first chapter, maybe two, then make a decision. This girl read the entire manuscript and wrote a page and a half report.Most educational. Allow me to share a few things and maybe save someone else from making these errors.First, she said, 'The author has Mike, a believer, suffer from demonic possession at certain points. she established that this could be a strong tendency due to his parentage, however, Christianity teaches that Believer's becoming possessed is impossible. I don't think our readership will want to see this."So-learned that most of Christianity thinks they can't get possessed. Got it.Second- she wrote several times..."I had to keep reading even though this book upset and infuriated me. I couldn't put it down."So-probably why the Pub chose to wait.Third- "The author seems to suggest that the fallen angels are actually our UFO's.. I'm sure our readership will disagree..."So- I blame Paddy Heron! Lol!Fourth- "The author uses quasi-swear words like "Freaking." Some people will find this offensive.So- No freakin' way!What did I learn? When submitting to the CBA, say nothing that will upset the straights. And remember that when your character is terrific agony he must especially say nothing that would upset your maiden Aunt.Oh yeah, she did say something that totally stunk...but here it is..."The author has a scene where the MC (Main character) is suffering demonic possession and a Catholic priest prays for him to be at peace and somehow that is enough for the demon to exit the MC. Not only does this sound doctrinally incorrect, but it makes the Catholic priest sound more power than the MC's Protestant Pastor/friend. I KNOW our customers will disapprove."Now, am I going to give up because some t-shirt Christian is afraid her reader's will be upset? No, I'm too dumb to give up.However, I'm not all that upset with the T-Hsirt girl. she is, after all, trying to satisfy the Christian reading market. It's her job.But despite the fact that there are all sorts of Christian references in Mike Malone (you can't avoid them), I've spiffed it up and am sending it to a secular YA market. In the mean time, I'll let the CBA guy just hold it. I still own the rights, anyway.Also, a friend told me about this...http://www.firebrandliterary.com/query-holidayFirebrand is a literary agency and for the next month they are reading manuscripts, first chapter, don't bother with a query. They deal mainly with YA works, but if you have a mss laying around, may you'd want to give it a shot. It would be great to have an agent after all of this.Well, thanks for letting me ramble.

[Jim Landmark]

Michel, keep at it. I love Christian fiction that reveals the unseen world, spiritual warfare, and the glory that God has deposited in each believer. You have probably read Waking The Dead by John Eldridge; if not, it will bless you. I would love to read your mss. It sounds like God is speaking to you.