(no subject)

[jdemorae.livejournal.com]

Hello! I'm a newbie--found the comm through the Amazon discussion threads and Google.

Speaking of Amazon... I've been going through my recommendations and something hit me: there are an awful lot of vampire, shapeshifter, fae, whatever books out right now. I don't just mean the paranormal romances, but adventure stories, too.

"How does she stay published/how can they publish this crap?" (especially in light of the recent Harlequin spoiler) is a frequent lament here. It occured to me, just looking over the recommendations here, LKH going bad was perhaps a gift to publishers. People drawn in to 'vintage' Anita Blake and unhappy with the current books have gone looking for something better, but in the same genre. There is demand... and there are sales. Lots of sales.

So it's kind of a 'no press is bad press' thing, but it's in favor of the publishers, not LKH. They let her churn out her sexploitation dreck, and the number of disappointed readers grow, they look for other authors, other titles, other series-length stories. Then the publishers smile and produce several books with, "If you liked the early Anita Blake..."

Her sales drop, but they make up for it by selling other books, books that become more popular as more disgruntled fans say, "Hey, I know you liked the Anita Blake stuff when it was good. Try this!"

The savvy marketing isn't LKH's doing. It's the publishers. She didn't create the genre, but the decay of her storytelling ability created a market.

Comments

[jdemorae.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean to imply that I bought that she'd created the genre, or that there weren't good books in the genre before AB. :) I know paranormal romances have been popular for years now.

This was just something that occurred to me, as I went through all those book listings. (Some of which I've read and wondered if it wasn't really LKH writing under a new pen name, edited, medicated, and with refresher courses in Composition under her belt. Then someone posts a blogflog and I realize the hollowness of my fantasy. ;) )

I try to make logical connections where there aren't any sometimes.

::re-reads that:: I hope that made sense. (I plead guilty to PUI [posting under the influence] of Benadryl!)

[brightlyiburn.livejournal.com]

I know.

I was just can't seem to hold myself back when it comes to this topic. The rampant exploitation by the publishing industry these days is upsetting.

I'd like to be happy that the fantasy genre is taking in readers at a younger age now. I mean, I write fantasy (not of the urban persuasion, though) and I won't argue with a larger audience.

But on the otherhand, my sense of decency makes me disappointed that this sort of thing is happening anyway.

I certainly wouldn't be a better person if I sold my integrity off to the highest bidder, but I'd be a whole lot less confused.