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Including violence in a story can be risky, especially in Religious Fiction. There are certain sub-genres in religious fiction where the expectation is "clean writing" - no cursing, violence or sex. However, if the violence is necessary to the plot or character enhancement, author Jeanne Lyet-Gassman advises it can be used with caution. In short, the violence must serve a function. In her award-winning religious historical fiction novel Blood of a Stone, Lyet Gassman uses violence to support an accurate portrayal of the era. Rome was a brutal place and there wasn't much humanity. She advises writers to be aware that there may be a trade-off when including violence in your religious fiction novel, as there are certain publishers and readers who won't consider your work.