Readers sometimes write to Steven James to ask him a simple question: is your book a Christian book? James, the author of both thrillers and inspirational titles, usually answers with another question: what, exactly, makes a book un-Christian? “I thought it was maybe if there’s gratuitous sex or violence or idolatry,” he says. “And then I thought, no, that’s all in the Old Testament.”
BEA attendees can ask James themselves when he signs copies of The Queen (Revell) at 11 a.m. today at the Baker Publishing Group booth (2332). The Queen is a finalist for a Thriller Award this year in the Best Paperback Original category, an honor sponsored by the International Thriller Writers, and for a Christy Award in the Suspense category.
James sees his thrillers as books that deal with big questions, such as whether God exists or why a person’s choices matter. They can often be found in bookstores in both the general fiction and inspirational sections. “I don’t start with a message; I start with a moral question or dilemma,” James says. “I try to tell the truth: that we are capable of evil, but also capable of incredible acts of grace. Books that are written for a Christian audience need to be books of excellence and not books of an agenda. When it comes to fiction, the goal is to get people engaged in a story. The story suffers when agenda is primary.”
Big fall titles from Baker include Nowhere but Up, a memoir by Justin Bieber’s mother, Pattie Mallette (Sept.); The Bridesmaid by top-seller Beverly Lewis (Sept.); What a Difference a Mom Makes by Kevin Leman (Sept.); and Full Disclosure by bestselling novelist Dee Henderson (Oct.).
