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Falling in Love with

Fiction

Romance Readers’ Advisory

Ilene N. Lefkowitz, Denville Public Library

C.L. Quillen, Spotswood Public Library

Authors of Read On…. Romance, 2014

Crash Course in Romance RA● RA Refresher

● Language of Romance RA

● What makes a Romance a Romance

● Statistics

● Sub Genres

● Key Authors

● Best Bets

● Trends

● Resources

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Readers’ Advisory Refresher

Commonly asked questions:

● What is My Favorite Author’s new book?

● Who writes like My Favorite Author?

● What other books are like My Favorite Book?

● What do I read now that My Favorite Series ended?

Readers’ Advisory Refresher

Read-Alikes

A book that shares appeal factors not related to plot or setting such as style,

theme, mood or atmosphere

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Read-Alikes

The Perfect Hope Robin Carr’s Virgin River Series

Jude Deveraux’s Nantucket Brides

Trilogy

Susan Wigg’s Lakeshore Chronicles

Why use Appeal Factors?

● Appeal factors cross lines between genres, sub-genres and authors

● Appeal factors are reader focused

● Appeal factors allow librarians to recommend books they haven’t read

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What are Appeal Factors?

● Story

● Character

● Mood

● Language

● Setting

Story

How the hero and heroine get from the beginning to the Happily Ever After

How does the story develop?

Action packed full of twists and turns or is it more leisurely?

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Character

Readers often choose romances to read based on the

characters.

Navy SEALS

Shapeshifters

Firefighters

OR

They choose romances with characters they can relate to;

single moms, librarians or African Americans

Mood

Overarching feel of the book - the atmosphere

Dreamy

Scary

Suspenseful

Romantic

Sad

Steamy

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Language

Hard appeal factor to narrow down but readers may ask

for something witty versus something lush and romantic

Could also refer to format - written in diary or letter

format or in texts and tweets

Setting

The backdrop to the story.

The Where or When to the Why and How

Small town

Big city

Present day

Times long ago

Far far away

Just down the road

Time of year

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How Readers ask for Romances

Something about finding a lost love (story)

I’m looking for a romance with Pirates

(character)

I want a steamy read (mood)

Something funny (language)

Something set in London (setting)

What makes a Romance a Romance?

● Romance plotline is central to the story.

● Emotionally Satisfying and Optimistic Ending

● Not necessarily a Happy Ever After, could be a Happy for Now

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Statistics

Estimated sales in 2013 - $1.08 Billion

14% Share of all book sales

84% of romance book buyers are Female

Subgenres

Contemporary Romance

Erotic Romance

Historical Romance

Inspirational Romance

New Adult Romance

Paranormal Romance

Regency Romance

Romantic Suspense

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Key Authors - Contemporary Romance

Kristan Higgins

Susan Mallery

Brenda Novak

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Nora Roberts

Jill Shalvis

Shannon Stacey

Susan Wiggs

Sherryl Woods

Key Authors - Erotic Romance

Maya Banks

Shayla Black

Jaci Burton

Olivia Cunning

Lauren Dane

Sylvia Day

Emma Holly

Lorelei James

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Key Authors - Historical Romance

Elizabeth Boyle

Eloisa James

Stephanie Laurens

Johanna Lindsey

Linda Lael Miller

Amanda Quick

Sherry Thomas

Key Authors - Inspirational Romance

Elizabeth Camden

Lori Copeland

Deeanne Gist

Dee Henderson

Denise Hunter

Karen Kingsbury

Janette Oke

Lori Wick

Karen Wittemeyer

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Key Authors - New Adult Romance

Cora Carmack

Jay Crownover

Abbi Glines

Colleen Hoover

J. Lynn

Jamie McGuire

Lauren Oliver

Jessica Sorenson

Tammara Webber

Key Authors - Paranormal RomanceJeanine Frost

Molly Harper

Sara Humphreys

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Shelly Laurenston

Bec McMaster

JD Robb

Lynsay Sands

J.R. Ward

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Key Authors - Regency Romance

Mary Balogh

Jo Beverley

Celeste Bradley

Loretta Chase

Tessa Dare

Anne Gracie

Elizabeth Hoyt

Sarah McLean

Mary Jo Putney

Julia Quinn

Key Authors - Romantic Suspense

Allison Brennan

Suzanne Brockmann

Sandra Brown

Laura Griffin

Irene Hannon

Brenda Novak

Nora Roberts

Anne Stuart

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Best Bets -

aka: C.L. & Ilene’s favorites

Best Bets -

aka: C.L. & Ilene’s favorites

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Timeless Themes

2nd Chance Romance

Animal Stories

Cowboys

Fairytales

Mistaken Identity

Rags to Riches

Small Towns

Trends -- New Adult

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Trends - Military

Trends - Motorcycles

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Trends - Steampunk

ResourcesBooks

Read on . . . Romance: Reading Lists for Every

Taste by C. L. Quillen & Ilene Lefkowitz, 2014.

Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre by Kristin

Ramsdell, 2012.

Databases

Novelist

Magazines

RT Bookreviews

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ResourcesWebsites

http://dearauthor.com/

http://fictionvixen.com/

http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/

http://likesbooks.com/ (All About Romance)

http://notanotherromanceblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.rtbookreviews.com/

http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

Questions?

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Get in touch with us:

Ilefkowitz@gmail.com

cielle.quillen@gmail.com