God Encounters

Two years ago I submitted a story/chapter for the book, God Encounters. My entry, titled "Going to Seminary on Drug Money," is the story of how I unexpectedly received the $1,900 I needed to attend my first semester of grad school. And it came from an unlikely source--my fertility doc, who sold my unused meds.

The book arrived yesterday. It contains a collection of ordinary people's stories about experiencing God in life's pain and joys, and I really like the layout.

The one thing I don't like, however, is the "author's" name on the front of the book. Contributing author, maybe. Or general editor, maybe. But not the author. A bunch of us contributed our stories. I'm not fussing because they failed to give credit--they did so prominently inside, with bios on each contributor at the back of the book. I'm also not unhappy with James Stuart Bell. I imagine he had nothing to do with it. I just think the publisher needs to call it what it is.

The same thing happened when I contributed to Zondervan's Faith and Culture Devotional. That one lists two authors, rather than "contributing editors." A new trend, apparently?

If we write in community, I think we need to let readers know we've done so. Others do so, and it strikes me as more honest. We might even find readers like it better that way.