Sweet to Super Hot
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008I thought I’d try something different for my first preconference session, so I attended Romance Readers Advisory 101. I sat in the back row with the other three guys.
Romance fiction is often ridiculed as over simplistic, formulaic, and anti-feminist. However, over 64 million Americans read romance novels last year, and romance accounts for about 25% of all library circulation.
Characteristics of the romance genre include a focus on the development of a romantic relationship between two main characters, satisfactory resolution of the relationship or a “happily-ever-after” ending, and readers’ emotional connections to stories and/or characters.
Some sub-genres of romance: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Suspense, Gothic, Regencies, Inspirational, NASCAR, and Chick Lit.
Chick Lit, described as “not my mother’s romance” or “looking for Mr. Right Now,” also includes Brit Lit, Lad Lit, Bride Lit, Mommy Lit, Ethnic Lit, Hen Lit, etc.
How to work with patrons to increase romance circulation:
- Never assume what books patrons might enjoy based on age or appearance
- “Suggest” books or authors rather than “recommend”
- Contact a nearby Romance Writers of America Chapter and invite local authors to speak at your library
- Develop a “genre certification program” for your readers advisory staff
- Create book lists, book displays, bookmarks
- Collect, catalog, and shelve all genre fiction equally
Romance author Elizabeth Boyle summed it up nicely: “We need romance novels. Dreaming big makes you a better person. If we all believed in happy endings, the world would be a better place.”
