I've been following USA Today's Happy Ever After. I like that what it covers is a mix of what we think of (and catalog) as traditional romance as well as "romancy" fiction and teen titles. it's a nice blend of news, reviews, lists and even excerpts. The editorial voice is fresh, inviting and knowledgeable and will help me in the future as I continue to learn more of the subgenre nuances and authors.
Assignment 2
The Prezi is excellent and thorough; I would love to see it as a wall poster in our workroom!
Assignment 3
1) The first subgenre/mashup I decided to investigate is the medical thriller. I can name Robin Cook right away, and Michael Palmer, but I have a hard time reaching beyond them. After a bit of googling, I found a site that covers what they call SciThri. These are the medical thrillers plus any science-based thrillers. Science Thrillers: Where thriller fans put their geek on is a terrific place for general awareness and reviews. recent buzz was regarding a fan convention, Thrillerfest VIII.
Other SciThri/Medical authors:
Michael Crichton
Kathy Reichs
Douglas Preston
SciThri/Medical appeal factors:
Science facts, medical procedures, forensics--the readers like to learn something from their books and get an insider's look while beingh entertained by an exciting story. These also tend to appeal to nonfiction science readers.
2) Pet mysteries were up next. Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie come to mind, as do Lillian Jackson Brown and her Cat Who Was... series. Cozy Mystery List is a site full of genre links that happen to also include a category for animal mysteries. I didn't see any buzz or trends here, but I think that's the point. Readers of these like predictably safe reads.
Other Pet/Animal Mystery authors:
Ellery Adams
Cynthia Baxter
Martha Grimes
Pet/Animal Mystery appeal factors:
Cozy mysteries at heart--non-violent, no gore or rough language/descriptions with strongly featured animal characters, often recurring in a series.
3) I decided to explore regency romances. I spent a good amount of time looking for fansites, but any regency sites I found either belong to a specific publisher or author, or had only a few posts and/or were not updated in some years. I was able to learn more about the genre and find some authors. Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer are considered to be the first and best examples of these writers.
Regency Romance authors:
Amanda Quick
Eloisa James
Mary Balogh
Regency Romance appeal factors:
Readers enjoy writing in the style of the time period, which covers early 19th century. Language, fashion descriptions, historical detail and witty humor are important to these readers, as well as of course a developed romance that often ends in a relationship or marriage.
Mashups
A paranormal regency romance! Jane Austen's sexy leading man becomes a werewolf.
This one is a paranormal cozy satire (!!!) with a great satirical cover that tells you right away what to expect.
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