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Religious Wounds - getting our perspective out there

Hi All. Does anybody know of a literary agent or publishing house willing to get behind a novel that spotlights the psychic damage that religion can inflict and then ever so gently and respectfully follows one character's journey to atheism?

There is a character/catalyst in this novel who is both gay and fundamentalist Christian - which two realities cannot reconcile with each other, leading the character to suffer Dissociative Personality Disorder (split personality). Other characters take center stage after this first one sets them in motion but then the novel ends with his emotional journey to atheism and self-acceptence.

I'm having a tough time finding representation - an agent who will take it on. Does anybody have any ideas?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on August 22, 2010 at 12:45pm

I don't know anything about publishing but that is one book I would definitely read. Oh yes.

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Permalink Reply by MissElainie on August 22, 2010 at 3:50pm

Thank you for that supportive opinion. It's been a labor of love for me to write it and it even gave me additional insight and respect for those who have made that journey.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on August 22, 2010 at 4:14pm

I read a biography about a gay Christian guy and I'm mad that I can't remember what his name was. This was about maybe 10 years ago. It was SO good, even though I was not a Christian when I read it I still loved it.

Maybe you can research publishing houses that publish gay Christian bio's? Hell if I know, just a stab in the dark. I checked on Google and some stuff came up right away. I was trying to find out what his name was.

I realize the Christians' bio's are different in that the people usually are still a Christian in the end. Your story would be so much more interesting.

Best of luck to you! I hope to say "I knew you when" someday LOL!

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Permalink Reply by MissElainie on August 22, 2010 at 5:30pm

I think I need to stay far, far away from any agent or publisher who's even remotely pro-Christian. The book never blatantly trashes Christianity, but it doesn't pull any punches either. For example, when this character remembers the day he accepted Jesus into his heart, when he was seven years old, he also remembers that he got a little baby boner as he was gazing up at Jesus on the cross. See what I mean?

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Permalink Reply by Linda on August 22, 2010 at 5:41pm

OMG! LOL! I've got to read that book. You MUST get it published somehow lol.

I write too but I've never written a book. I like to read a lot also.

You sound like a very imaginative person! lol

That's what makes a great writer.

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Permalink Reply by MissElainie on August 22, 2010 at 7:40pm

I never leave the house without a book. I'm always shocked to find out how many people don't read at all . . . people who haven't read a book since they left high school. I even see people who are sitting alone in restaurants, and they're just sitting there, looking at the food, thinking about nothing. How can they stand it?

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Permalink Reply by Linda on August 22, 2010 at 9:06pm

I have not thought about why some people are not interested in reading.

I remember a friend/roommate. She was a psychologist and she said that she had to read so much when she was in college she could not stand it any more once she graduated. She only did required reading.

I guess that makes sense. Maybe there are a lot of different reasons.

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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on August 22, 2010 at 9:32pm

I'm with you, I never go anywhere were I know I'll have to wait without something to read. My Android cell phone can download books (public domain only) or magazines so I don't have to have an actual book any more - I love that phone, sometime I even make phone calls on it.
Your book sounds really interesting I hope you can find a publisher.
Dispite the phone I'm still a compulsive bibliophile.