*steps into blog, takes off writer hat, puts on reader hat, adjusts to jaunty angle and settles in with a frosty mojito*
Recently, I finally finished my last set of revisions on my latest book and indulged in my favorite “I just sent this bad boy off to my editor” ritual. After the ice cream was gone, I set about my second favorite post-book-is-turned-in ritual, which is going to the bookstore and buying some new books to celebrate. It’s a giddy moment– walking through the doors and browsing in the hopes of finding that an old favorite has a new release or perhaps discovering someone who might become a new favorite. However, my latest bookstore visits confirmed a suspicion that’s been creeping up on me for a while:
As a reader, I still love romance, but romance, at least as it currently stands does not appear to love me back. I realize that everyone has their own particular, in some cases, very narrowly honed tastes. Thing is, I don’t think mine are all that narrow. Am I a slavish fan to paranormal or fantasy or romantic suspense or sci-fi/futuristics or historicals? No, not the sub-genres specifically, but that hasn’t ever stopped me from picking up a book I’ve heard a lot about or a checking out the blurb for a book with a striking cover. I read across the romance spectrum, from young adult to erotic and pretty much anything in between. Heck, I’ll read the backs of cereal boxes if they look like they have a romance subplot. In this, I am like pretty much any other reader. And if it sounds good, if reading a few pages sucks me in, I’ll give it a go. Like most readers, I’ve found some great authors in this way.
My very favorite romances, however, are straight up contemporaries. Always have been. Oh man, how I love reading about people I can relate to; whose everyday struggles with life and relationships feel real. I love seeing all aspects of their relationships from the happy, giddy “we really might have something here,” or the “why the hell does he/she irritate me so much?” to the inevitable bumps along the road. I love drama and humor, both laugh out loud as well as the black humor that’s sometimes the only thing that helps get you through the darker moments of life. I especially like seeing the physical attraction playing out from the first coy looks across a room to the glancing touches to those moments of first discovery to a fully realized sexual and emotional relationship that brings something new to each person, regardless of any prior experience—that helps to show each of them that they’ve maybe got something special.
I like when characters make mistakes—real ones, that feel organic to the story, that could conceivably cost the characters the relationship, because sometimes, that’s exactly what they need to help them realize that this is the one. Or sometimes, why it’s not and why the real romance lies elsewhere. And if the author’s done a good job, it’s not something that comes out of nowhere but makes perfect, beautiful, inevitable sense.
Therein lies the problem. I am having an impossible time finding this type of story in the romance aisles. This particular flavor of romance seems to have all but disappeared from the shelves in order make room for yet another Scottish laird or pirate and the fiery lasses who captivate them. Or the super-alpha being, or shifter, or vampire or whatever the paranormal flavor du jour is. A few stories of this type that are unique and well-executed is one thing—it’s fantastic for romance as a whole to have such a variety. But the problem is, there isn’t a variety. Seeing shelf after shelf dominated by such an exceptionally narrow selection of stories with very little to differentiate them—at least, based on the sameness of covers and blurbs and even the first few pages, is disheartening to me as a reader. Now, as May mentioned yesterday, she’s quite willing to put the onus on herself as a reader. Perhaps romance simply isn’t giving her what she wants anymore and she needs to look elsewhere, but I’m not that easy. Way I see it, there should be romances out there that satisfy my reading desires within the genre.
I’m not saying there aren’t contemporary romances out there, of course there are, but right now, it seems that even those tend to be dominated by larger-than-life characters (I mean, really, how many strong, incredibly well-built but emotionally stunted/damaged billionaire ranchers do you know?). Or with respect to heroines, characters that are so utterly hopeless, they’re caricatures and you can’t possibly take them seriously (think the Bridget Jones archetype character on steroids) or the converse: heroines who are so capable, so strong, so “I chew shoe leather and nails for breakfast and like it, therefore, I don’t need a man,” that you wonder what they’re doing as a romance heroine anyway. Which is of course, precisely when the Right Hero For Her shows up, not doubt on a motorcycle, long hair blowing in the breeze and Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero” playing in the background. Again, a few of these, well-executed, make for fun and varied reading, but a steady diet of the same and frankly, it just gets old.
And when I waged the internal debate on this, I figured on two arguments coming up:
1) Sounds like you want some flavor of category.
No. There are some awesome category romances out there that do fit my parameters. For example, Karen Templeton is currently writing amazing category romances that are exactly what I love reading. She leaves me in awe of just how much skill it takes to write a really good category romance. Seriously, her work rocks. And there are other category novels I have safely stashed on my Keeper shelf, although oddly enough, Karen’s books aside, most of the them are over ten years old. Among them, an old Judith Arnold called Safe Harbor which in retrospect was amazingly ahead of its time, and Nora Robert’s Donovan Legacy trilogy. But even with the best categories, I have complaints– the stories, bound by the restrictions of category conventions, are simply too short. Which makes me pout and whine like a little girl. I want a book of a length I can really sink my teeth into and lose myself in. Category romances are sitcom-length when I want, I don’t know… at least an hour-long drama if not a miniseries? Or at least a good movie length.
So what’s argument number two?
2) Dude, check out women’s fiction—sounds like that’s what you really want.
Women’s fiction fulfills a different sort of reading need for me. And it’s true that a lot of my more recent reading is coming from there, simply because it’s the overall closest fit I can find. But the simple fact of the matter is that a great deal of women’s fiction, while it might hit some of my emotional buttons, doesn’t hit all of them. It’s generally more about the woman’s journey, with the relationship aspect, if there is one, taking a secondary role and the full-out romance tends to be glossed over. Rightly so, given the conventions of that genre. But I want my romance, dammit.
Setting aside my reader hat for a moment, I get that publishing is a market-driven business. A specific type of novel explodes onto the scene, people fall in love with it, and the market is going to be saturated with enough like-minded novels to keep a hungry public, if not fed, then at least, placated. And romance readers, they’re a very definite and vocal lot in what they want. At countless conferences and around the blogosphere the questions of women’s fiction vs. romance or what do readers want out of their heroes or heroines regularly crop up. The responses that are voiced in favor of romance tend to universally state that they (the readers) want their romance to be escapist fantasy. They don’t want anything to do with real. With respect to the characters, they don’t want women who are potentially unlikable or men who aren’t blatantly alpha. Actually, what’s shocked me is how many readers don’t want much out of the heroines at all. They see them merely as a place holder, for lack of a better term. But ultimately, if the readers wanted real, they’d take a look at their own lives and really, who wants that in their escapist reading?
Okay, I do sympathize with that—but again, where does that leave a reader like me? Why doesn’t there seem to be room enough on the shelves for a broader spectrum?
What say you, fellow readers?
And on a completely different note my baby boy turns twelve today. ACK! When did that happen? 
No related posts.
By coincidence, I’ve only just finished putting up a post about 3 contemporary romances that I found realistic.
I knew people don’t always look for stories that feel “realistic” but I hadn’t realised there was quite so much of a problem finding contemporaries of this kind. Mind you, I’m in the UK, so it’s tricky finding single-title romances of any kind in the bookshops near me. But you’re right, when I do find some they tend to be historical, paranormal or a combination of the two.
I’ll confess: I don’t think I’ve read a true contemporary romance in years.
As a reader, I’m quite the magpie. I want to read what’s new, what’s shiny. Maybe I need to go back to my roots.
PS I kind of don’t think we’ve irritated anybody with our matching titles.
Well, as a contemporary romance writer (specializing in business settings), I’m told that contemporary romance is dead. ‘Course with all the focus on paranormal, that should be a blessing (grinning).
But seriously…
I know I sound like a broken record but you want a fresh contemporary (or historical or…), check out eBooks or small press. As the interest in contemporary romance by traditional publishers wane, that is where the die hard contemporary writers are going. There are some real gems there.
May, I think we should have matching title week, just to mess with everyone’s brains.
I agree with you. I am trying to write my first M&B romance novel, and I must admit I am finding it really hard to write a realistic novel, when the series romance guidelines specify OTT heroes and heroines.
If you are looking for a good romance story, (which never seems to end) you must try Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series. The series follows the lives of Jamie Fraser, a Scottish Highlander from the 18th century, and his time-travelling wife, Claire. To say that their story is gripping is an understatement. I got out of my sick bed after finishing one of her books, to travel 15 miles to our nearest bookstore, so I could buy the next in the series.
Diana Gabaldon is a wonderful writer. I’ve laughed and cried throughout the series.
Give her books a try. I’m sure you won’t be sorry.
Barbara, I am SO with you on this! I love a historical as much as the next girl (and I have found some fabulous authors in that genre) but the stories that I like best (and the ones I write) are ones about people that I could know. Admittedly, because this is book world, people who are slightly better looking than the average bear, but still, people who could be my friends. For me as a writer, it is contemporary romantic problems that I want to solve; it’s my friends that I want to have happy endings. I like Regencies, with all those class issues, which, done well, can be heartbreaking. But they don’t tell me why I know so many wonderful people, men and women, who can’t find their life partner. These are the stories that drive me and I want them as a reader to, and I agree that they are thin on the ground. I guess we will just have to hope that, as the current crazes die down, there will be more room on the shelves for smart, compassionate, funny, real, contemporary romances.
I am finding it really hard to write a realistic novel, when the series romance guidelines specify OTT heroes and heroines.
Tracy, as Barbara said, “There are some awesome category romances out there that do fit my parameters.” You’re much more likely to find them in some Harlequin lines than others, though. If you’re just submitting to M&B, that limits your options, but M&B is part of Harlequin. Maybe the Harlequin Superromance line (described in the guidelines as “Harlequin Superromance—romance has never felt more real!”) would be a better fit for you?
Actually, what readers want is as varied as they are. What one can suspend her disbelief for another can’t. Not everyone likes barechested cowboys. Personally, I think vampires are just plain icky. It’s just the ones heard at conferences and in the sales of New books are the loudest. Someone needs to find a more accurate way of finding out what readers want. Most of the ones I know are like you. They want variety across all subgenres and Heat Levels. They’re not noisy (except in the Blogosphere
) and most of them buy used books or check out from the libraries because there’s little to nothing for them in New Releases. 
P.S. I absolutely adore Karen Templeton’s books too!
Thanks for the advice, Laura.
I haven’t read a Super Romance for many years. The local bookstores (small town, England) don’t seem to stock them. I shall however, buy a selection online, and see if they would suit me better.
And, I’m going to go and check the writers’ guidelines right now!
You might be able to find them in the library, Tracy. I’m in the UK too, and I know I’ve never seen them in the shops, but the local libraries do have copies of some Superromances. Mills & Boon are certainly selling them via their website, where they’re described as:
Realistic, passionate, contemporary novels that are longer and more involved – a bigger, action-packed read for you to enjoy! Superromance stories offer unbeatable emotional depth and intensity blended with warmth, drama and adventure. Four new titles are available each month.
M&B also sell the Special Editions (that’s the line that Karen Templeton’s published in). I’ve found those in my local library too, though again, they seem to be much rarer in the shops. According to the guidelines they’re supposed to be:
Sophisticated, substantial and packed with emotion, Special Edition demands writers eager to probe characters deeply, to explore issues that heighten the drama of living and loving, to create compelling romantic plots. plots. Whether the sensuality is sizzling or subtle, whether the plot is wildly innovative or satisfyingly traditional, the novel’s emotional vividness, its depth and dimension, should clearly label it a very special contemporary romance. Subplots are welcome, but must further or parallel the developing romantic relationship in a meaningful way.
I lamented the same thing on my website in June. I may write, but I was a reader first, and the market and I do seem to be at odds. And it’s not just me. The site post is about my reader group and trying to pick our reads for the next few months. We finally chose from a small press.
I recently read a raft of Superromances, one by Jan Freed and a bunch by Janice Kay Johnson, that I really enjoyed. I’m not sure that’s entirely what you’re looking for–the books’ tone was fairly sweet, even though the characters’ problems were serious–but they’re worth a look.
Connie Brockway did a couple of contemporaries recently, which felt realistic to me despite OTT events. The characters felt like people, I mean.
Wow. When I think of a perfect contemp I think of WELCOME TO TEMPTATION. Hit all of my buttons, and it’s my standard. I have to admit to recently gobbling up an OTT contemp, but I hadn’t read a romance in so long I think ANY romance could have hit it? And I don’t read series, either. I can plow through a good 350 pages in a day, so when it’s GOOD I want it to last. 600 pages would be heaven to me.
Series are like little magazine nibbles, and I know I have to get over that, but my hand never seems to reach for them-too thin. My first love is historicals, but I like them like Marsha Canham’s-thick and detailed, which doesn’t seem to be popular either.
I did read DEATH ANGEL yesterday which rocked. Hero was teetering on psychopathic (more like was), and that was awesome. The heroine was twisted herself, but much more sympathetic.
Now I’m back to the Norton’s Antho of American Lit A.
Excellent post, and I have to agree-it does seem more of the same.
Is it because not enough readers are clamoring for them, writers aren’t writing them, or editors aren’t buying them?
I wonder if the houses would respond if enough readers asked for a certain type. I don’t know.
Check out The Return of Patrick O’Rourke, NJ Walters and others in the series at Samhain. Great, classic, contemporary romance. Not too angsty, not a were-anything in sight.
I think contemporaries are my favorite romance genre too. Unfortunately, I don’t write them! But perhaps it makes it even more fun to read them.
Ok, I don’t read a lot of contemps because I spend most of them wanting to smack heads until the characters GROW UP and just talk to each other already, but I do have a few comtemp authors on my Auto buy list: Bella Andre, Jami Alden and Jennifer Skully. I know Bella and Jami are sold as “erotic romance” but there’s nothing in the books that should put off a Blaze reader.
I have to agree with Kimber–one of the better things about the e-publishers is that they’ll publish stories that are outside what seem to be the extremely narrow confines of the major NY print houses. My books didn’t fit the mold, or so they said, yet they were the books I wanted to read. I like to think they’re not ’same-old-same-old’ — and if they are, it’s pure coincidence, because I wasn’t even reading romance when I started writing them. I thought they were going to be mysteries.
Erica James, Katie Fforde, Sophie Kinsella, Marion Keyes, Kate Harrison, Rachel Gibson, Susan Donovan, I could go on, there are lots of great contemporary writers out there to suit all tastes but most of them aren’t filed in the romance section even though they are writing romance.
Once again, thanks, Laura.
My first love is Historical romance, and ideally I’d like to write that, however, I decided to cut my teeth on category romances. When reading categories, I have read across the spectrum, although I generally go for the Modern Presents line.
Whilst deciding which line to target, I’ve read so many times, to ‘write for the series you most enjoy’ that I suppose I have aimed my romance at the Modern series.
During February, I entered the competition M&B had running, for a first chapter and synopsis. Although I didn’t win, I received a positive critique from an editor, and a request for 3 chapters and a synopsis of another story. So, I guess, that is why I am slogging away at the Presents Line at the moment.
So, are you ready for yet another Italian billionaire?
My first love is Historical romance, and ideally I’d like to write that, however, I decided to cut my teeth on category romances.
M&B’s historicals are category romances, though, so you could combine the two. It seems to be quite a varied line, so it might give you scope for writing the level of realism you’d prefer.
Once again, you’re absolutely right Laura. I should have targeted that line.
I read a couple of the M&B Historicals and didn’t enjoy them as much as the big chunky ones. However it has been a long while since I have read any, so perhaps I ought to check them out again.
As I mentioned earlier, this is my first novel, and have a lot to learn, so targeting M&B historicals will probably be a very good learning curve.
At countless conferences and around the blogosphere the questions of women’s fiction vs. romance or what do readers want out of their heroes or heroines regularly crop up. The responses that are voiced in favor of romance tend to universally state that they (the readers) want their romance to be escapist fantasy. They don’t want anything to do with real. With respect to the characters, they don’t want women who are potentially unlikable or men who aren’t blatantly alpha. Actually, what’s shocked me is how many readers don’t want much out of the heroines at all. They see them merely as a place holder, for lack of a better term. But ultimately, if the readers wanted real, they’d take a look at their own lives and really, who wants that in their escapist reading?
Almost every reader I know is dissatisfied with the quality of Romance right now, and by quality I mean a) depth of characterization, b) detailing of world building, despite sub genre, c) authenticity of relationship building. So IMO these statements are being over-applied to readers, especially readers online.
And while I agree that the straight contemp is on the currently endangered species list, the straight — character and history driven — historical was on that list for a LONG time, and has only recently begun showing signs of replenishment. I’m cautiously optimistic, emphasis on cautious.
I think this whole “the reader drives the market” really means “the publisher is always trying to figure out what the reader wants but doesn’t always do a good job of it.” First, just because readers love one thing doesn’t mean they won’t love something *else* just as much. Also, Romance readers are loyal. We’ll read books that don’t live up to our expectations because we want Romance. And finally, Romance readers are smart and savvy and will fill in blanks in books when need be. All of which probably makes it look like we’re in line with what marketing believes, even if we aren’t. Especially when publishers are trying to read the market two years into the future. At best it’s an imperfect science, and really, is there any science involved other than the tabulation of accounting ledgers?
Do publishers care to look more closely at diverse reader desires? Do they want to take the lead in opening up new literary frontiers for readers? I’m sure some editors and publishers are paying close attention to the diversity of reader voices, but clearly not all of them are, or perhaps they don’t have the freedom to do so. If certain books sell, it doesn’t really matter if readers aren’t satisfied with the purchased product, does it? Especially if the market is already limited, despite the incredible number of books published. Yes I know that they want to please readers, but I also understand how counter-intuitive it is to argue that good sales numbers doesn’t necessarily equal reader satisfaction.
I don’t know what the solution is, or how to even isolate the “problems,” but I know that this refrain of “readers really want escapist fantasy” is not universally true. I’m wondering how true it is, really, but I doubt anyone’s going to do a comprehensive survey any time soon (which may be part of the problem). And since getting readers to agree on anything is like herding cats, I don’t have much faith that things will be changing anytime soon.
Ultimately, I think readers adapt, either by a) seeking out different genres, b) lowering their expectations, c) buying more books used or getting them from the library, and d) dealing with the disappointing books in the hopes that they’ll get a few really good reads.
Robin just said a lot of what I was going to.
The responses that are voiced in favor of romance tend to universally state that they (the readers) want their romance to be escapist fantasy.
Universally? No way. I do see that regularly, but it’s by no means the only response, and I don’t take it the same way. Depending who you ask, I think escapist fantasy could mean *any* departure from reality–not just vampires, but living in *any* setting or character’s head for a few hours. Obviously the calls for escapist fantasy don’t mean “Calgon, take me away from how hard life is and feed me puppies and rainbows 24/7″–just look at all the vampires, rape survivors, and serial killers in the genre. So what other wrong assumptions might those in the industry be making about what “escapist” means?
I completely agree with Robin : IMO these statements are being over-applied to readers, especially readers online.
except that I think the biggest group of dissatisfied readers is probably *not* online. A lot of avid readers don’t play online much, and I’d bet those who read a variety of genres don’t even find these forums to express their opinions.
I also don’t think the problem you’re describing is exclusive to contemporary romance. Caricature characters and cookie-cutter writing can happen across the board. The current wave of paranormals and alpha heroes smells strongly of trend-following–I’ve read an incredible number of near-identical romances along those lines.
I’ve actually come to agree with those in publishing who say *too many* books are being published, with too little attention to the outstanding ones. That won’t make sense to many, and after all selling More! More! More! is what publishers want. But as one of the many voracious romance readers, I have to say the supply may be massive but it’s not satisfying what I want. I rarely get as frustrated as you sound, though, because I’ve always read a lot outside romance. Well, right now I’m reading more outside romance and much less inside it.
Robin: And while I agree that the straight contemp is on the currently endangered species list, the straight — character and history driven — historical was on that list for a LONG time, and has only recently begun showing signs of replenishment. I’m cautiously optimistic, emphasis on cautious.
I haven’t really seen it, but then the best historical romances I’ve read in a long time were several Georgette Heyers. I was astonished at the variety of stories she told within Regency settings, and sad that a subgenre she created has become so anemic and narrow.
I’m trying to write a contemporary romance with realistic characters. The most “OTT” part is that my hero is a very successful (but youngish) lawyer…not a billionaire, just a young guy with a goal who’s driven to succeed by his situation. That’s not that far OTT, in my opinion. After I started writing it, I started second-guessing myself. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to sell this thing. It doesn’t fit with any of the “categories” (which I’ve never read much of anyway), and since there are no carriages/werewolves/sorcerers/serial killers, I don’t know if it would find a home elsewhere either. However, its the story I want to tell, so that’s what it is. Now on to perfecting queries and finishing edits and maybe I’ll start getting feedback. And maybe (*cross fingers*) there’s a whole untapped market for realistic contemporary romances, and I’ll be in the right place at the right time…..
Barbara, what can I say? Hear, Hear!
Have you noticed that the Hollywood film industry is suffering from the same affliction? There seems to be very few sweet romantic comedies anymore, in book or movie formats. The “date movies” of today often include vulgar, adolescent humor, and seem to be more along the lines of “Porky’s” than “When Harry Met Sally.”
My husband tells me it’s probably because I’m nearly 40, and our contemporary culture tends to market to the young. I have no idea what’s behind this trend–but I have many friends who feel exactly the same way. A note to editors/publishers: We have plenty of discretionary income to spend on books!
I’m targeting category for my own writing, simply because it seems to be the only real home for it in the industry at this time…
I admit I’m into paranormal and urban fantasy nowadays. Any other book that doesn’t have these elements…well, I don’t bother pick it up. I guess it’s a phase I’m going through. Like when I was a teenager and my hair was purple.
Something has gone horribly wrong with my HTML.
I’m a big fan of contemporary romances as well. And I’d love to see more on the shelves! I agree that Jenny Crusie really has hit them out of the park. Also SEP. And my CP, Jami Alden, is amazing! (And thanks for the shout-out Kalen. I’m always thrilled to have you as a cheerleader for my books.)
Bella
Great topic. I am a long time lurker, first time (I think) poster. Love your site!
As a romance reader, I also love contemporaries. Once you’ve glommed SEP and JC, and read some Jayne Krentz, where else is there to go? There are some standouts in series romance — I like Kathleen O’Reilly, Barbara Dunlop, Jessica Bird — but I prefer longer novels.
One thing I hate is contemporaries featuring very old fashioned plots and heroines. All the billionaire ones and secret baby ones, for example. I mean, really, outside of these books and the occasional Hollywood fantasy film (Knocked Up Anyone?), when’s the last time you knew someone who was pregnant from a one night stand and not only had the baby but married the father? Even SEP is extremely old fashioned when you come right down to it.
I just discovered Megan Hart. Her 3 most recent contemporary novels for Harlequin, Dirty, Broken, and Tempted, have the most modern feel of almost any contemporary author I can think of. I feel like I went to college with her heroines and dated her heroes. They’re labeled erotic fiction and I think that’s unfortunate, personally, because while they feature graphic sex, and the sex is crucial to the issues with which the h/h deal, they are not really about sex at all.
I would highly recommend her.
Thanks, Kalen. I know a couple of those authors, and have a couple more on my list. Will now add the rest.
BTW, some of those authors never went away as far as I know, so I wasn’t mentally including them in the catalog of woes befalling romance!
Wow, guys– what an amazing range of answers.
I’m only just checking in for the first time all day because of the aforementioned birthday of The Boy. We had a grand time viewing Chines Dinosaurs at the Miami Science Museum and eating cake and playing games, so I do apologize for my absence today.
However, just skimming through the comments a few things have jumped out at me–
Tracy, I’m a HUGE fan of Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER series. In fact, in one of the drafts of this column when I was talking about the different books withing genres that I loved, I specifically mentioned her as an author whose books hit all of my emotional buttons and really were wonderful from the standpoint that she straddled both contemporary and historical. (And I’m just have the biggest reader crush on Roger. *le sigh*)
For those of you guys who suggested e-books as an option, I appreciate it. I have tried a few e-books and you guys are absolutely right that some of the more interesting contemporaries are coming out of that format, but I’m afraid I’m one of those who simply adores the physical feel of books. The one thing I’m apparently old-fashioned about.
RfP– i do read widely outside of romance as well, lately, I’ve been reading a good deal of straight historical, screenplays, a lot of reference books for both research and enjoyment because I’m a geek like that
and catching up on YA since I don’t read within the genre when I’m actively writing. But you’re right that I’m hugely frustrated because after what I felt was a dry spell in not reading a lot of romance, I walked into the bookstore utterly prepared to linger and find plenty to read and distressed when I couldn’t find what I wanted if that makes any sense.
Robin, as usual, you give me a lot to chew on, not al of which I necessarily agree with, but that’s the best part of a open discussion like this– you take the info, digest, synthesize, and see if you can come to some sort of balance.
Everyone, thank you, thank you, thank you again, for so many considered, thoughtful responses. I plan, in the next couple of days to really go through these, so don’t be surprised if I continue to pipe up.
(Oh, and Kacie, When Harry Met Sally is one of my absolute favorite films/screenplays ever. It was the first date my husband and I went on.
)
I love Karen Templeton, too.
Yes, sometimes the wait for a new Crusie or a new SEP seems interminable, but Jennifer Greene and Susan Andersen are always reliable. I’ve really enjoyed Connie Brockway’s women’s fiction (Skinny Dipping seemed more romantic to me than Hot Dish), and I just discovered Toni Blake. So there are good books out there.
As a writer, nothing thrills me more than to hear, “I loved your new book! I stayed up all night to finish! When’s the next one?” And as a reader, I’m guilty of the same indulgence. But… It took me seven months to write that book Eager Reader gobbled up in an evening. Maybe the sheer number of books published has tricked us into thinking that the really great ones, the ones with heart and soul and truth and honest detail, should somehow be available on demand.
I haven’t the time to spend hours sinking into a book, so I’ve been enjoying trying out books from Harlequin/Silhouette’s Intrigue and Desire lines. You might want to give those a try.
Lots of great comments on every side of this issue. Things go in cycles. The e pubs were the first ones to really get into the paranormal, vamps, shapeshifters and steamier romance. Now the NY pubs are swamping those genres with their machines after rejecting so many of those manuscripts that ended up at Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, etc. I read across the spectrum also and I’ve read some great contemporaries from the smaller presses. Perhaps they’re leading the pack for the next turn of the cylcle again. Or are they perhaps turning it?
I liked the Harlequin Next series of books; am disappointed they stopped publishing them.
I think you’re both right – for yourselves. Sounds like May’s got ennui, and sounds like you can’t find what you want. I work in a bookstore, and you are certainly right about the selection being kept stocked… it IS limited. But there is also the fact you’re just picky.
(I say that in fully good humor. I’m picky too.) So whose fault is it? No one’s, really. You like what you like. It almost sounds like you’ve got a specific form of ennui, the I know what I wan’t and can’t have it so I’m restless and don’t want anything else kind. I get that a lot. 
I wonder where the publishers are getting their information. I’m a sci-fi fantasy reader who love historical fiction, but then again I figure I can find romance in those genres easily enough (even with romance as the main plot), that I’m kinda sad to see romance being eaten by escapism. I’m a huge fan of romances that apply to today, even though I think they’re quite difficult to write effectively (all the more reason to respect them). Maybe publishers should consider one page surveys in all of their books asking what readers want. . . I bet there’d be amazing results. But then again, the publisher in me thinks, “How much would that cost?” Think readers would pay postage in hopes of getting more of what they want?
Virginia Kantra
I just bought/just started your latest book and love it already. Your books are an automatic buy. I just love the way you write. I read a ton of books and your writing is just so good and your stories are good…I was just telling my sister who was book shopping with me, you’re on my A list (so is Karen Templeton by the way)…I’d rather wait 7 months and read the kind of books you guys write. Thanks.
Bea,
Wow. Thank you! What a lovely thing for you to post and me to read. The Children of the Sea series is very dear to my heart because of the juxtaposition between land and sea, between contemporary romantic suspense and the language of fairy tale, between the everyday, pragmatic, police procedural world of my hero and the timeless, sensual, magical world of my heroine. I am so very grateful to you for buying them and to Berkley for letting me write them.
More good news? You don’t have to wait seven months for the next book. Sea Fever is out next month. (Yeah, okay, Sea Lord isn’t out until May 2009, but that’s fast for me!
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[...] heard comments lately that the sameness of the books available are part of the problem. In a recent Romancing the Blog post, Barbara Caridad Ferrer says her favorite romances are “straight up contemporaries.” [...]
Barbara, IA with you about the loss of contemps. Like others Karen T. is one of my auto-buys, too.
I’d like to suggest one of my very fave writers of contemps, Kathryn Shay. She writes STs for Berkley & HSRs. I always say her books are very passionate, & not just in the bedroom, & I always learn something. My very fave is her SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN (ST), a story about a Liberal, Democratic heroine who has an online site to get girls out of gangs & also runs a shelter. She is single & has a 4 YO son & is a member of an Irish family (w/4 brothers) who runs a pub. The hero is a Conservative, Republican Senator (previously a DA who sent the heroine to prison for withholding evidence of a crime). The two are assigned by the Governor to serve on a task force to allocate social service funds, & they clash with lots of passion. It’s a wonderful, passionate & informative story. Give it a try. I think you’ll love it. Her HSRs include several trilogies which are great, too.
Well, I must say that in all these comments, I’ve come across some great possibilities! I’m all over the place when it comes to romances. There are some authors that are on the best-seller list who write complete drek, as far as I’m concerned — overwritten, tedious, stupid. I’ve tried and enjoyed many genres. I think I’ve decided that I go for the story — if it’s well-written, and has a good plot, I’m there. One really enjoyable contemporary romance you might want to look at is “3 Aces.” First of all, it’s by a man, which is a little unusual. Second, it features a poker player — but she’s the heroine, not the hero. And the hero isn’t the owner of the casino or anything grand, but a vet trucker, who hides out from the world in his truck. Hey, there’s even a globalist trucking company owner — that makes it present-day right there!