Recently a literary agent I queried, which included the first five pages of my novel (per his submission instructions) emailed that he'd like to read further, would I send him the first three chapters. Pleased, I emailed him, anxious almost panting. Shortly he emailed back that "he would have to pass as the writing was too vulgar, that the publishers he deals with wouldn't be interested." He balked at the opening line of the first paragraph: Shit happens. If only it was that easy to clean up. Furious, I politely thanked him for reading my work and wished him much success in his new career.
The very first paragraph of the query informed the agent that it was unlikely the book would ever appear in a Christian book store, the market was elsewhere. Why then did he ask to read further? Makes me think he never read the query at all.
Which brings up this question which I have not found an answer to: Are publishers of primarily Christian works, so Puritan, so squeamish, they won't permit an occasional shit or hell, or damn? My granddaddy, a devout Christian told me a long time ago that a well placed cuss word added impact to your words... if used sparingly. I've found that even the most devout of my Christian friends have, on occasion, a potty mouth. What's a writer to do? Write like a saint? How real is that? Besides didn't the agent cross the line and begin editing before he read the MS? I'd like to hear from you.
