Questions for Tyndale Publishing on cursing

 

 I did a blog post a while back about a couple of books  - The Matthew Redd Series by Ryan Steck - published by Tyndale House Publishing that had some bad language in. - What the bleep is going on with some Christian authors? I unfortunately bought the second book in the series before I read the first one. The books were very well written - other than the curse words. The first was worse than the second, but I was disgusted at both. Thomas Nelson had some issues some years back, but seems to have cleaned up their act. I was shocked that Tyndale would allow it. I asked a lady who read an advance copy of the third book (due out in June) if there is bad language. There is.

We are so inundated with bad language these days. When I was a kid, it wasn't as popular. It was rare to hear the f-word. Nice people didn't use it. You saw it as graffiti on train cars and underpasses. Now professing Christians use it.

Curse words are everywhere: books, movies, TV shows, music - even some Christian music, presidential debates....everywhere you go. It is hard to stay away from it.

And you would think you wouldn't have to worry about it in Christian fiction.

You would be wrong.

Well, at least some of the time.

This is a big issue for me. I have blogged about it. I have emailed authors, publishers, and actually talked to the vice president of Thomas Nelson Publishers about 15 years ago. He did a word search and was going to send me another book, but had trouble finding one with no objectional language. A Christian publisher.

I had an author one time say that is how her character would talk. (I think it was actually my sister who emailed that author.)

Another author defended the language in the books by Tyndale, saying she can understand it for that kind of book.

I honestly don't know why there aren't more people bothered by bad language in a Christian book. The idea seems so ludicrous....but there are people who want it. And I think part of it may be a lot of people also read secular novels and are used to it. And I am not knocking anyone for reading secular books. I just prefer Christian fiction, and rarely read secular fiction. 

Last year in a Christian fiction Facebook group I am in, there was a female author I had never heard of complaining about so many Christian publishers censoring authors. She wanted to let loose with cursing and other inappropriate content. Censorship. Really? Why does she even want to market her books as Christian?

Anyway, I said all this to say I have some questions for Tyndale.

1) How high did the approval come to allow curse words in these books? Just the editor? Her boss? The VP of the company? The CEO of the company?

2) Why? Just why? Was it a case of where the author would only sign a contract if you compromised your values and allowed him to be the sailor he wanted to be? (Curse like a sailor. Get it?)

3) Can any Tyndale author put curse words in their books, or was this author the exception? Will there be more books coming out by other authors with curse words in them?

4) Where will you draw the line? WILL you draw a line and make some words taboo?

5) Did it ever occur to you that this would offend at least some of your customers? Your faithful customers, might I add? Do you care that you are offending some of us? I have been buying Tyndale products for years. And I am offended. 

6) Would Jesus be pleased by these words being put into a supposedly Christian book? Do you believe it honors God?

7) If you are going to put curse words in your books, why not make a special imprint for books like that? And why not put a note on the books that they contain words that could be objectional to some readers?

8) Does the editor of these books curse? Does the people who approve it curse? If not....then why do they think it is OK to put it in their books?

 The Matthew Redd Series is about a military/special ops guy. As I stated, some people excuse bad language in books like that. Baloney.

Here are some authors who write military/special ops type of books who do not use bad language. It is very possible. And there are tons of other Christian authors out there who do not use cursing in their books. 

John Galt Robinson. John has one series out. There are 4 books, with another releasing soon. (Hopefully really soon). His main character is a Navy SEAL named Joe O'Shanick. And his sidekick/romantic interest Dr. Christy Tabrizi, an ER doc. (The author is an ER).

The books are clean and curse free, and are some of the best books I have read in recent months. (No website as of  yet).

Lisa Phillips. Most of Lisa's books are suspense, but she does have at least one series about special ops/military type guys, and others about police officers. Her books are curse free and clean, and is another author I really enjoy and recommend. Website: AuthorLisaPhillips.com

Ronie Kendig. Ronie started out writing suspense, but went to writing about military/special ops, and does it well. Website: RonieKendig.com

Dave Pratt. This is a newer author, and especially new to m. He wrote two book so far along these lines: The Home Team and The Home Team 2. His books are about the military, and are squeaky clean and curse free. Website: DavePrattBooks.com

Rebecca Deel. I discovered this author last year. She has 3 series out: Fortress Security - 18 books, Otter Creek - 15 books, and Maple Valley - 5 books. Thirty-seven books about military/special ops/security....and not one curse word in any of them. And here is the amazing part: They are not Christian fiction. I believe the author is a Christian - she has no social media presence - but I get the idea she is. There are a few of the books that lean Christian, and one of the characters appearing in several books is a pastor. 

But the majority of her 38 books are not Christian fiction, yet are clean and curse-free. Huh. 
There are a few of her books that have shirtless guys on, and I was hoping that didn't mean there were sex scenes. But since any I had read were clean, I read them....and they are just as clean as the rest.

If you are someone who is also bothered by Tyndale's decision to put curse words in their books - at least the series I mentioned - I encourage you to contact them. Click here. 

If no one says anything, how will publishers and authors know there are those of us who do not want this?