Fabulous Mullets, Throbbing Members, and Pounding

Hearts

Or, Why on Earth do people read romance novels?

Katie Dunneback

Consultant, East Central Library Services

younglibrarian@gmail.com

LIS 590 KKL – July 26, 2010

Your Expectations

Tonight’s Agenda

• A short history of the genre• Reader expectations• The spectrum of romance• Subgenres• Classic authors• Modern classic authors• Rising authors• Trends• Your experience with romance

A Short History

• Pamela by Richardson

• Jane Austen

• Mills & Boon

• Georgette Heyer

• Harlequin

• The Flame and the Flower by Woodiwiss

Reader expectations

• Happily Ever After (HEA)

• Happy For Now (HFN)

• What is the focus of the story?

• Women vs. Men

Appeal Factors

• How do we talk about romance?– Katie’s #1 rule: Respect your reader.

The Spectrum of Romance

• Romantic vs. Romance vs. Erotica

• Sensuality levels

• The “Porn for Women” debate

• Multi-genre

Subgenres of Romance

• “With Romantic Elements”• Contemporary• Category• Historical• Christian/Inspirational• Paranormal• Erotic Romance• Science Fiction/Futuristic• Fantasy• Romantic Suspense• Gothic

Classic authors/titles

• Jane Austen• The Brontë Sisters

– Charlotte – Jane Eyre– Emily – Wuthering Heights– Anne – Agnes Grey & The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

• Georgette Heyer• Barbara Cartland• Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy/Philippa Carr• Anya Seton• Kathleen Winsor• Phyllis A. Whitney

Modern classic authors/titles• Nora Roberts (Co/P)/JD Robb (Multi-G)• Jennifer Crusie (Co/P)• Stephanie Laurens (H)• Christine Feehan (P)• Loretta Chase (H)• Julia Quinn (H)• Jayne Ann Krentz (Co/P)/Amanda Quick (H/P)/Jayne Castle (SF/P)• Linda Howard (Co/P)• Suzanne Brockmann (Co/H)• Sherrilyn Kenyon (P)• Beverly Jenkins (Multi-C)• Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Co)

Rising star authors/titles

• Eloisa James (H)• Meljean Brook (P)• Nalini Singh (P)• Meredith Duran (H)• Gena Showalter (P)• Lauren Willig (H)• Joanna Bourne (H)• Kresley Cole (P)• Ava Gray (P/SF)/Ann

Aguirre (SF)

• Victoria Dahl (H/Co)• Tessa Dare (H)• Erin McCarthy (Co/P)• Maya Banks (Ca/ER)• Lora Leigh (P/ER)• JR Ward (P)/Jessica Bird

(Co/Ca)• Sherry Thomas (H)• Elizabeth Hoyt (H)/Julia

Harper (Co)• Karen Rose (RS)

Collection Development Issues

• Cataloging

• Format

• Heat Level

• Purchase vs donations

• Weeding

Awards

• RITAs

• Romantic Times (RT)

• RWA Chapter awards

Reader communities

• Nora Roberts’ ADWOFF group

• Jenny Crusie’s Cherries

• Lori Foster’s Reader/Author Get Together

• Lora Leigh’s RAW (Reader Author Weekend)

• Christine Feehan & Brenda Novak’s FAN Convention

• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

• Dear Author

Trends

• Published w/both traditional and new digital publishers

• Urban Fantasy

• Steampunk/Gaslight Fantasy

• Historical “comeback”

• Vampires – still coming or on their way out the door?

• Boom & bust trends

Your experience with romance

• Have you read it before taking this class?• What were your expectations of the genre?• What did you read? Was at least one of

them published within the last 5 years?• What did you think of what you read?• Did you ask a romance reader what you

should read if you weren’t already familiar with the genre?

Questions?

Further Resources

• Katie’s Delicious links: http://delicious.com/KMDunneback/romance

• E-mail: younglibrarian@gmail.com

• Twitter: @younglibrarian