Comments on: Sitting on the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Fence http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/ Jackie Kessler's blog, and the demon Jezebel's talk-radio show Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:21:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Carolyn Jean http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-6777 Carolyn Jean Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:35:10 +0000 http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/#comment-6777 So does this mean that you've decided to get off the subgenre fence and head more firmly into romance? I really loved Helles Belles, by the way, and I'm really looking forward to Road to Hell, and planning on reviewing it. I saw that review at Dear Author, but it didn't really dissuade me from reading ROAD. Yes, you are on a subgenre fence, but hey, your books have something for everyone. Keep up the good work! So does this mean that you’ve decided to get off the subgenre fence and head more firmly into romance?

I really loved Helles Belles, by the way, and I’m really looking forward to Road to Hell, and planning on reviewing it. I saw that review at Dear Author, but it didn’t really dissuade me from reading ROAD. Yes, you are on a subgenre fence, but hey, your books have something for everyone. Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Jackie http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-6666 Jackie Thu, 29 Nov 2007 02:37:19 +0000 http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/#comment-6666 You're right, Devon -- it's damn hard on the readers. Each genre -- romance and fantasy -- has its own set of expectations, and when a story blurs the boundary between the two, chances are at least some of those expectations will get ripped to shreds. And yeah, there's a world of difference between a love story and a romance -- and just because there happens to be a happily ever after, that doesn't mean the story fits neatly into the romance category. It's a tough call. You’re right, Devon — it’s damn hard on the readers. Each genre — romance and fantasy — has its own set of expectations, and when a story blurs the boundary between the two, chances are at least some of those expectations will get ripped to shreds.

And yeah, there’s a world of difference between a love story and a romance — and just because there happens to be a happily ever after, that doesn’t mean the story fits neatly into the romance category.

It’s a tough call.

]]> By: Devon Ellington http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-6271 Devon Ellington Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:46:49 +0000 http://www.jackiekessler.com/blog/2007/11/21/sitting-on-the-urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-fence/#comment-6271 It's also tough on readers. When I go into a bookstore, I don't roam the romance aisles, which means if I'm simply browsing, I won't "happen" to pick up a book that's in that section. I won't discover new-to-me authors there -- and there are a lot of really good ones on those shelves. The only time I go in there is to hunt down a book by a friend or colleague -- usually muttering how it should be shelved elsewhere. It seems to me that any time there's love involved in a book it becomes "romance" and that's too constricting. Love mixes in just about every aspect of life -- and death -- but isn't necessarily "romance". It’s also tough on readers. When I go into a bookstore, I don’t roam the romance aisles, which means if I’m simply browsing, I won’t “happen” to pick up a book that’s in that section. I won’t discover new-to-me authors there — and there are a lot of really good ones on those shelves.

The only time I go in there is to hunt down a book by a friend or colleague — usually muttering how it should be shelved elsewhere.

It seems to me that any time there’s love involved in a book it becomes “romance” and that’s too constricting. Love mixes in just about every aspect of life — and death — but isn’t necessarily “romance”.

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