Dilyan Konstantinov is a fiction author and brand manager. He is keen to see more Christian authors publishing in fantasy, sci-fi and adventure. “I’m trying to help develop the next generation of Christian writers,” he says. This story is part of the Journeys in Christian Publishing: Stories from LittWorld series.
In what ways have books played a part in your coming to faith and/or spiritual growth?
I started believing in Christ when I was 16 years old. If someone asked me at that time if a book or literature at all played a role in this process, I would say “no.”
Now I realize that the books I have read till that moment most probably played some part of shaping my character and how I was thinking about the world around me. I found out that one of my favorite authors at that time was a Christian, and although he never preached in his books, he showed how a person can sustain his principles. All this was hidden in adventure stories in the Wild Wild West or on the seas on a ship or somewhere else during countless travels and dangers. Later, I purposefully searched for faith-based books.
How did the Lord lead you into your writing ministry?
I never planned or desired to be an author. As a university student, I had an idea to write a novel and even started writing, but this ended shortly after. Probably by the time I was twenty, this desire was dead. I was just reading a lot of books, mainly in the genres I liked most—fantasy, sci-fi, adventure and detective stories.
This was more than enough for me as a connection to the world of literature, until a moment eight years ago when one evening out of nowhere an idea came to me. I wrote it down in a notebook and let it sit for a few days. After that, I read it again and I still had the desire to make it a story. I started writing.
I had the belief that God was leading me, even though I didn’t want to be a writer. I just had the faith that if God gave me this story to me, I had the responsibility to distribute it in the world so the people who read it will have this opportunity. I believed that God would take care of the details.
Two years after publishing the book, I have heard a lot of stories and testimonies about how the book is reaching different places and people. I’m doing my best to promote it using the abilities that God led me to have through my professional life—marketing and sales.
Now, I feel that my responsibilities are growing, and I’m trying to help develop the next generation of Christian writers who will have better opportunities and a better start than me.
In Bulgaria where I’m from, there are almost no other Christian authors who are writing in the genres that I like and mentioned earlier. I can’t say that it is a ministry but definitely is more than “just one book,” as was my thinking in the beginning. It is almost the foundation of this type of Bulgarian Christian literature.
Any tips you would like to share with authors?
If God gives you an idea, He will help you to finish it. He has plans as to who will read your story and He will guide you through the process of writing and publishing. Of course, we have the responsibility to write as well as we can, to be professional, to trust people such as editors, designers, publishers, promoters, translators. Sometimes God sends people to be part of the book and we need to be open to that. This is His work, and we are the tools.
What do you see as the greatest opportunities in Christian publishing in your context?
In Bulgaria I see the potential for Christian-based literature that is not 100% dedicated to a Christian audience. There are a lot of books for Christians, but not much that can reach the general public. At the end of the day, Christians who like these genres need also faith-based books, not only secular ones. There are a lot of such books, but not so much in Bulgarian.
We all know some of the great stories like the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Although it never mentions Christ, this book series is reaching millions of people. This type of story can help shape the thinking of people who are on their way to Christ. In Bulgaria, there is space for such genres, and I’m trying to somehow fill this gap. I believe that what I’m doing will help other authors to feel bold and try the same. Together, we can reach more people.
If money and time were no object, what would you seek to write or publish?
My vision is to have more authors sharing their faith in popular genres and reaching people.
Fantasy, sci-fi, adventure and detective stories are in my head and these are what I would like to develop as Christian literature in Bulgaria. I would also like to develop other authors in my country.
How might we pray for you and your ministry?
Currently I’m writing a second book and prayer for this process will be helpful. Please also pray as I mentor young people who have an interest in writing, particularly in the fantasy and sci-fi genres.
In Bulgaria, while we have a local club for Christian authors, it is more like a community for sharing. What I want to do is to support young people, to help them to start writing and guide them through the whole publishing process.
