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Vampires
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What was it before vampires?
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Unapologetic_Bookaholic
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Apr 12, 2010 09:23AM
I know for me I noticed the "big thing" in romance/ teen romance is vampires. Is it from Twilight pop.? I dunno. What was the thing in romance before vampires, what is the big thing now? Do you have a theme you always look for regards of what's popular? I'll ask this in my other groups, so if you see the title disregard the repeated question =D.
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I'm not a fan of the genre, but I would guess that it was just plain old romancy romances ... lords of the manor, muscled and sweat-sheened pirates ... doesn't much matter who is giving those smoldering, sexy, woebegone boy-inside-a-man looks, just now the ones giving them are dead, not living.
I've been trying to think and honestly I can't think of "the next big thing" in the genre of romance. The only thing that I think comes close is maybe the Fabio fad...but that was more of a cover thing. Other than that I think it was just your typical rogue, rake, pirate, Victorian dude, etc.
At least in the HR genre, I know that a decade or two ago, westerns and medievals were much more popular than they currently are. Now Regency/Victorian is the "big thing" with other time periods harder to find.
One reason I asked is because I see a lot of teen vampire covers on the market [Wal-mart to Barnes:] another is b/c I mainly read PNR and was wondering if I am missing out on a trend b/c I am not expanding my romance horizons. Now that I think back its true I did see a lot of the Fabio covers or rakes and pirates.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I've noticed more paranormal books coming out in the YA sections...most having to do with vampires. YA is a genre I'm new too. I didn't really start reading it until friends started recommending books to me, so I've never really noticed any fads or trends. I have, however, been reading romances ever since I could read :-) PNR has definitely become the fad. Now I'm seeing a slight shift from vampires to shape shifters, werewolves and demons.
Jackie: A little OT. I hope that demons catch on or that someone could let me in on a really good long demon themed series. I like the Demonica series and think that after Sin Undone Larissa Ione will be done with the the incubus. The YA PNR is one I have yet to check out. I am not starting any new series. that's what I told my sis when she brought home twilight and was like "wanna read it?" So I was just wondering what other hysteria would cause such cause such cloning. Or is that just the way romance sways? When somethings hot everyone just has a book out [with that theme:].
I think the Twilight craze has done a lot to influence the increase in PNR YA books, but it seems to me that all romance has been trending that way for several years now. I was reading an article recently (can't remember where) about an increase in vampire literature in uncertain times, a trend that's been going on for a long time, so maybe all the societal upheavals of the past several years have had an influence on the increase in PNR stories too.
That's a good observation as well. I think of all genres romance happens to be one I missed because I judged it and the vampire theme as well. Now that I get the meaning, to a degree I just sit back and enjoy. The real life parallels are interesting though =D.
It's seems like Amish books (bonnet books) are big right now - maybe in direct response to the popularity of the big bad vamps. If people don't want to read books that are "evil" or naughty, then they really respond to the wholesome cheeriness of the Amish. Personally, I'd like to see an Amish vampire tale. That would be an interesting read...:)
pianogal: that would be interesting =D I am not offended when fiction crosses lines. i mean it is for your entertainment.
Yeah, I'm thinking "Levi the Undead" for a working title. It's catchy, right? :)
Hey, that could work =D.
I know there's always surges in trends. I was just wondering if there was such a frenzy over say weres or something other [paranormal:]. But it seems there may have been a big interest in the Fabio type hero for adults. Not sure what it was for YA [in romance:]. I always liked Chris Pike and R L Stine. Thrillers.
From my standpoint, I won't read straight romance (or what several people I know call bodice rippers), but I will read Paranormal Romance... which seems to be a merging of the Urban Fantasy and Romance genres. Vampires are very big in PR, as are werewolves, werecats and shifters, with elves, dragons, witches and other magic users making up the smallest group. Elves seem to be used a lot in alternate history type books.That's just what I see. With the popularity of the Twilight books and the Sookie Stackhouse series, I don't see vampires going away too very soon... but, I could be wrong! They came up really quickly on the radar and could fade just as fast.
I`m almost 25 and started reading my Mom`s and Granny`s books about 12 or 13 yrs ago and Westerns must have been big news at that time because they sure had a lot of them,and being a teenage girl that loved horses and rode and lived with them I was very happy with the books.They also had the early Sandra Brown,M. Balogh,Linda Howard,Tami Hoag,etc that started writing at that time.
I don`t remember ever seeing or hearing about vamps or other fantasy creatures from friends,relatives advertiments or anywhere,I had my ghost stories and loved them then and still do,but I thought vamps were pretty new,must have taken them awhile because they sure like them now.
I don't remember a "Teen or YA" section when I was growing up. I used to take my mom's books and read a lot of romance, Danielle Steele and VC Andrews.
Kathy Anne wrote: "I`m almost 25 and started reading my Mom`s and Granny`s books about 12 or 13 yrs ago and Westerns must have been big news at that time because they sure had a lot of them,and being a teenage girl t..."I've just recently started devouring Sandra Brown books. I never thought I would like that western style romance, and they're all so outdated, but it's become such a guilty pleasure
Jamie,I know what you mean,they are outdated but I have to have a reread every once in awhile because I do really love some of them-rather quite a few of them ,when I stop and think about it.
And Slow Heat in Heaven will always be #1,even if it has to share sometimes.Like with Bones
I haven`t gotten her last 3 I think it is because I decided I am no longer going to buy Hardcovers.I always turn around and buy them in PB later and toss the HC.
Mod
Not so weird, Joy. I don't particularly care for the "Twilight" vampires myself. I'd rather go back and re-read Tanya Huff's "Blood" books.
Joy wrote: "Long before the Twilight faze... I was into vampires. However, since the Twilight faze began I haven't liked vampires as much as I normally do.... Is that weird or what? lol"i think twilght really kinda disneyed up vampires sorry to any real fans. i always liked vampires since i was like 9 with buffy or anne rice but now i have to be really picky which vampire things i read
Mod
As far as Twilight goes, I like it, but I don't think it's the best thing since sliced bread. LOL I think that there are other vampire series that deserve more recognition than they are getting... but I can see why most people like Twilight. (sigh) I just have to say that if asked my favorite Vampire series... there would be TONS of series that come before the Twilight series. :/
Oh, BTW, before vampires I had a HUGE thing for reading books about Witches. After my Vampire craze, I was more drawn to shifters, and now I really like reading about angels. lol
When I was growing up, in the '90's those goosebumps books were really big. Anything with haunted houses, kind of like romantic scooby doo, lol.
i liked rl stine and christopher pike. one of my pike books came back to me with blood on it, p--ss-d me off.
Mod
As for books, before Twilight and the Vampire era... I think that Witches and Mages seemed to be in.
Judging by covers/titles( I'm not adding anything new to my TBR pile yet but I get new release alerts). It seems, that in PNR, demons are hot. True?
Mod
Yeah, I have notice a LOT of books about Demons and Angels. I had to make a shelf for it, because they kept popping up. lol
i think before vampires anything magical was in.
Mod
Yeah, like mages and dragons. I seem to remember that type of fantasy being extraordinarily popular.
Carroll wrote: "Before vampires, there were witches. Before witches, there were ruthless kings. Before ruthless kings - there was Napoleon. Before Napoleon, there was Satan. Before satan, there was the big cave ma..."You forgot the Greek and Roman Gods
I've been reading romances since I was 11 (this was almost 40 years ago) and the big thing then were the gothic romances, Harlequins and the historical romances (bodice rippers). Trends come and go. I know that the vampire and PNR craze was big before the Twilight books. But the books are almost as popular with adult women as they are with the teen girls, so the authors jumped on the bandwagon and ran with it. I've been into vampires since the 60s, when I used to watch "Dark Shadows" on TV. But there are so many PNR books now that the market is way too glutted for me and I tend to stay away from them. I still love vampires, but I tend to read the ones that aren't romances. I kind of prefer my vampires to be the villains or at least not romantic heroes. I blame the publishing industry on that.
Nancy wrote: "I've been reading romances since I was 11 (this was almost 40 years ago) and the big thing then were the gothic romances, Harlequins and the historical romances (bodice rippers). Trends come and go..."I watched and loved Dark Shadows too! And always loved vampires and all the horror movies back then (and still), watching Fright Night on Fridays, Chiller Theater on Saturdays - hoo-boy.
Anne Rice's vampire series was big but for some reason didn't catch on like the Twilight series did. I wonder why. I read and loved Stephen King's Salem Lot when it came out in what, the 70s? (love Stephen King) Before that, I barely remember what I read - mostly bestsellers like The Godfather, The Stepford Wives, Coma (scary!).
Like Nancy, I like my vampires scary, that was until I read the Sookie Stackhouse books and the Night Huntress. Now those vampires will do for me :D
Lisa wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I've been reading romances since I was 11 (this was almost 40 years ago) and the big thing then were the gothic romances, Harlequins and the historical romances (bodice rippers). Tren..."I love vampire fiction because of the different takes regarding the vampire mythology that is presented by each author.
Anne Rice is my favourite vampire fiction author. Personally, I think her novels did not catch on as well as the Twilight series was that her style of writing is more in-depth and complex. Each character has his/her own storyline and background, and her storylines go between ancient times and modern day - long timespans. This is not for everyone and some people find it easier to read Twilight (an easy/light read)and other like it, than getting into deeper and darker novels like the Anne Rice novels.
Before vampires it was Ghost Stories as far as fads in occult literature. Only problem with ghosts is you can't fall in love with them or be romantic because you can't touch them. The first sucessful Vampire Romance was Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. It was a love story about a female vampire and her female victim with whom she falls in love. For a book written circa 1879 it is pretty racey, and is my personal favorite to this day. I read it in an old Catholic boarding school when I was 14. It was built like a Schloss or Castle. Complete with pointed tower and chapel. Then I read Dracula which is the masterwork of vampire stories. I was so plesantly suprised that it was nothing like the Bella Lagosi movies. Dracula is actually classic well written literature. I do not like series books. They are just to pulpy for me. I love Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire mysteries. But that is the only one. I can't finish an Anne Rice book they just bore me, and the Twilight series is for young people. Hopefully I have not offended anyone. I just like old school gothic vampire stories. It's the setting and the back story which make the older storeis more believable. : )
I will definitely be checking out the book! Thanks for the heads up!!
"Dystopia" Novels are becoming a massive hit, i think. Novels about the future and worlds of misery etc, nice huh? I have read some and they are pretty good
i have always read book about vampires and they were always my favorite as a kid, wayyyy before Twilight came outalos I'v noticed that werewolves are becoming every popular
I can't help you much in the romance category, but in the kid/teen genre wasn't Harry Potter one of the more recent super-popular stories?
Vamp books were popular long before Twilight. Christine Feehan was writing them in the early 90's along with others. Of course there's Anne Rice but she's not romance. I think Twilight just caused a resurgance in them and a trend towards parnormal in YA. But I don't really read YA romance. I have a teenage daughter but she's more into mythology and straight out fantasy.
