I found it very interesting to come across a recent interview with Jennifer Lohmann. She is a librarian in North Carolina and was interviewed by SB Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books website. This site reviews books from the romance genre and also writes articles relating to the genre.
Anyway, I was interested to see that Jennifer used the same expression that I did in revealing her love of the romance genre. In this interview she talks about coming out of the closet as I did about 7 years ago. I hope people will go to the site and read what she has to say about libraries and romance. I would love to see her come to Maine and make a presentation to a group of librarians. Here is the site address for the interview.
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/librarians-and-romance-an-interview-with-jennifer-lohmann/
Also the Smart Bitches have written a book "Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels." A description of the book from the site of the Smart Bitches follows.
"A guide to the most popular and maligned fiction genre, this hilariously sarcastic but always affectionate study of romance novels is perfect for hardcore fans and dabblers alike.
Smart and irreverent, the women who founded the popular blog “Smart Bitches, Trashy Books” both mock and pay homage to this highly successful genre. Sure, the authors visit the wild love scenes where the hero/heroine Must Have Sex NOW, but they also speak with famous romance authors and explore how the billion-dollar genre has influenced gender and sexual roles in our society.
From insider advice on writing romance novels to discovering your inner Viking warrior, Beyond Heaving Bosoms shows that while some romance novels can be silly, maybe even tawdry, they’re also intelligent, savvy, feminist, and fabulous — just like the Smart Bitches."
While this book has received mixed reviews from readers and reviewers alike it should probably be on a professional shelf in every library. We need to do everything we can to change the perception of this genre and its readers!
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Romance Reader and Bookstores and Libraries
I have been thinking a great deal about my favorite genre, Romance. I especially like historical romances set in England and Scotland. I like almost all time periods but I have a distinct fondness for the Medieval era. I have a number of friends who also read romances and they yearn for a library that will buy these books or for a small bookstore that will carry them. Yes Borders and Barnes and Noble and of course Amazon.com carry them but sometimes you have to travel a distance to get to one of those stores or wait forever for an order to come from Amazon. You can also find them at Wal-Mart, or in grocery stores but I have looked over what they carry and they do not carry very many authors and often not the best authors.
Over 50% of all mass market paperback sales are in the romance genre. This popular genre is often overlooked by small independent bookstores and libraries. One reason is because this genre is thought to be trashy and not well written. I can vouch for the quality of the writing and the complexity of the stories.
When I was director of a medium sized public library I wrote a newsletter article about my romance reading. I started the article with “Yes, I am coming out of the closet! I am a secret romance reader.” This article talked about the quality of the writing, the character development, the plots, and the settings. I found this article gave people the freedom to ask about these books and to ask me to order books by certain authors. I had been watching circulation and noticed that our small collection of romance novels circulated frequently. So, I started adding to the collection in that genre and buying romance in large print and those books were all going out. Our circulation really increased and the books were in high demand via interlibrary loan. The addition of these books to the collection is very economical as opposed to paying $24.95 for a book that might circulate 10 times as to paying $6.99 for a book that might circulate at least that many times and maybe double that.
Now don’t get me wrong! I believe in a balanced library collection that supports the interests and needs of all readers and I certainly spent thousands of dollars on a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles. However, we make a mistake in not thinking of those who like this genre and support them by buying books that they like.
On the website Librarything.com there are over 1,000 members in the group Romance – From Historical to Contemporary. This is a very active group with good discussion about a large variety of books and authors. I have found the discussions to be informative and they cover all aspects of the plots, the writing style of different authors, characters and settings.
As Diane Pershing, President of the Romance Writers of America says: “the recession-proof romance is a no-brainer. Romance novels offer rich, complex stories about good people overcoming obstacles to achieve intimacy and an eventual joining of their lives," she said. "Along the way, they have great sex," she said. "What's not to like?" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052804081_2.html
“The fact that there is such an abundance of these mass market paperback romances should tell us something. In fact, each year, over fifty percent of all paperback sales in the United States are romance novels. People are buying and reading them in large numbers.” http://theauctionrebel.com/731/the-auction-rebel-guide-to-romance-mass-market-paperbacks/
Well I hope I have made my point. That is there is an underserved population of readers out there who need libraries and small bookstores to begin to put aside prejudices about the books and the readers and begin to serve this population.
Over 50% of all mass market paperback sales are in the romance genre. This popular genre is often overlooked by small independent bookstores and libraries. One reason is because this genre is thought to be trashy and not well written. I can vouch for the quality of the writing and the complexity of the stories.
When I was director of a medium sized public library I wrote a newsletter article about my romance reading. I started the article with “Yes, I am coming out of the closet! I am a secret romance reader.” This article talked about the quality of the writing, the character development, the plots, and the settings. I found this article gave people the freedom to ask about these books and to ask me to order books by certain authors. I had been watching circulation and noticed that our small collection of romance novels circulated frequently. So, I started adding to the collection in that genre and buying romance in large print and those books were all going out. Our circulation really increased and the books were in high demand via interlibrary loan. The addition of these books to the collection is very economical as opposed to paying $24.95 for a book that might circulate 10 times as to paying $6.99 for a book that might circulate at least that many times and maybe double that.
Now don’t get me wrong! I believe in a balanced library collection that supports the interests and needs of all readers and I certainly spent thousands of dollars on a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles. However, we make a mistake in not thinking of those who like this genre and support them by buying books that they like.
On the website Librarything.com there are over 1,000 members in the group Romance – From Historical to Contemporary. This is a very active group with good discussion about a large variety of books and authors. I have found the discussions to be informative and they cover all aspects of the plots, the writing style of different authors, characters and settings.
As Diane Pershing, President of the Romance Writers of America says: “the recession-proof romance is a no-brainer. Romance novels offer rich, complex stories about good people overcoming obstacles to achieve intimacy and an eventual joining of their lives," she said. "Along the way, they have great sex," she said. "What's not to like?" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052804081_2.html
“The fact that there is such an abundance of these mass market paperback romances should tell us something. In fact, each year, over fifty percent of all paperback sales in the United States are romance novels. People are buying and reading them in large numbers.” http://theauctionrebel.com/731/the-auction-rebel-guide-to-romance-mass-market-paperbacks/
Well I hope I have made my point. That is there is an underserved population of readers out there who need libraries and small bookstores to begin to put aside prejudices about the books and the readers and begin to serve this population.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jefferies
If you haven’t read this book, you may not want to read the review as it does contain a few spoilers.
Mrs. Harris, headmistress of The School For Heiresses, tells her pupils to “wed him before you bed him. “ Does she follow her own advice? The answer is found in Wed Him Before You Bed Him which is the last book in Sabrina Jeffries’ School for Heiresses series and it does not disappoint. It certainly deserves the 4 ½ stars awarded by Romantic Times.
As I have read this series and wondered who Cousin Michael really is, I was not totally surprised to find out that it is Lord Kirkwood. I was so glad that it was not Charles Godwin! What we didn’t know was the history between Charlotte and David. Once I found out so early in the book the real identity of Cousin Michael I had this feeling that I wanted to be able to tell Charlotte and of course could not. There were so many times that I wanted to shake either Charlotte or David and say tell the truth now or don’t you see what is really going on. I really felt a connection to these two characters.
I loved both Charlotte and Michael and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and change. While there were important secondary characters the story really focused on Charlotte and David. Would Charlotte be able to accept David's offer of help and would David understand Charlotte's need to exert some control over her life? How would Sarah react when she finally found out the identity of Cousin Michael?
Mrs. Harris, headmistress of The School For Heiresses, tells her pupils to “wed him before you bed him. “ Does she follow her own advice? The answer is found in Wed Him Before You Bed Him which is the last book in Sabrina Jeffries’ School for Heiresses series and it does not disappoint. It certainly deserves the 4 ½ stars awarded by Romantic Times.
As I have read this series and wondered who Cousin Michael really is, I was not totally surprised to find out that it is Lord Kirkwood. I was so glad that it was not Charles Godwin! What we didn’t know was the history between Charlotte and David. Once I found out so early in the book the real identity of Cousin Michael I had this feeling that I wanted to be able to tell Charlotte and of course could not. There were so many times that I wanted to shake either Charlotte or David and say tell the truth now or don’t you see what is really going on. I really felt a connection to these two characters.
I loved both Charlotte and Michael and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and change. While there were important secondary characters the story really focused on Charlotte and David. Would Charlotte be able to accept David's offer of help and would David understand Charlotte's need to exert some control over her life? How would Sarah react when she finally found out the identity of Cousin Michael?
While we already knew, from the last book, that Sarah, Lord Kirkwood’s wife and a former student of Charlotte’s had killed herself, I was really surprised to have her death come back to haunt them.
I thought the mystery surrounding Sarah’s death was well done with a surprising conclusion. It was that event that really brought Charlotte and David closer and showed what a strong individual Charlotte really was. She was able to overcome a very strong fear in order to save someone she loved.
This was a wonderful end to a great series. I am looking forward to Jeffries next offering. What will it be and when?
I thought the mystery surrounding Sarah’s death was well done with a surprising conclusion. It was that event that really brought Charlotte and David closer and showed what a strong individual Charlotte really was. She was able to overcome a very strong fear in order to save someone she loved.
This was a wonderful end to a great series. I am looking forward to Jeffries next offering. What will it be and when?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The title, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows, caught my attention right off. However, it took me quite a while to read it and I actually listened to it on audio CD. My library gave it to me before it was catalogued and it lay hidden on my desk until this week when I uncovered a pile of stuff! So feeling very guilty I put it into my car CD player and it has kept my attention ever since. I must hurry and get it back!!
The setting of the book is at the end of World War II and is a collection of letters between author Juliet Ashton and a variety of people in her life but most especially the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The setting of the book is at the end of World War II and is a collection of letters between author Juliet Ashton and a variety of people in her life but most especially the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
While this is not typically the type of romance novel that I usually review and read this is a romance of a very different type. It is a love story that spans the generations and involves so many different people who love and support one another through very tough times. I admire the courage and bravery of these people.
If I ever knew I have long forgotten that England’s Channel Islands were occupied by the Germans from 1940-1945. The people who lived on the islands found life very changed under German Occupation. Food was very scarce. The Germans appropriated many of the animals and kept a strict inventory of those on the farms.
It was out of a secret pig roast that the Society was formed. It did however keep this group of islanders together and supportive of one another. One of the members of the society finds Juliet’s name one the flyleaf of a book and writes to her and thus begins this wonderful correspondence from both male and female members of the society to Juliet and from Juliet to them. As Juliet receives letter after letter and corresponds with the islanders she develops a strong desire to go to Guernsey and visit these friends and hopes to write a book about them.
I fell in love with these people and their stories and I felt as if I knew them as well as Juliet did. I am not usually a fan of books that are a collection of letters but the stories were so interesting and filled with humor, sadness, betrayal and love that I wanted to keep on driving so I could finish the book.
The audio is very well done and narrated by five different people so the listener gets used to certain voices for certain people and I found that fun and very good listening.
I could go on and on but I don’t want to give the story away but I highly recommend it. I gave the print copy to a friend and we are going to use it as a discussion topic. It was also Border’s Book of the Month Club in May.
It was out of a secret pig roast that the Society was formed. It did however keep this group of islanders together and supportive of one another. One of the members of the society finds Juliet’s name one the flyleaf of a book and writes to her and thus begins this wonderful correspondence from both male and female members of the society to Juliet and from Juliet to them. As Juliet receives letter after letter and corresponds with the islanders she develops a strong desire to go to Guernsey and visit these friends and hopes to write a book about them.
I fell in love with these people and their stories and I felt as if I knew them as well as Juliet did. I am not usually a fan of books that are a collection of letters but the stories were so interesting and filled with humor, sadness, betrayal and love that I wanted to keep on driving so I could finish the book.
The audio is very well done and narrated by five different people so the listener gets used to certain voices for certain people and I found that fun and very good listening.
I could go on and on but I don’t want to give the story away but I highly recommend it. I gave the print copy to a friend and we are going to use it as a discussion topic. It was also Border’s Book of the Month Club in May.
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