Authors and Their Books: GENRE PROBLEM

[Mark]

Hi. I thought this topic might be of interest. The novel Land Run has had some controversy on genre placement. The video is on the author page and also here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3WGCb...

[Marc]

There are cross-genre books all over, much more realistic to my way of thinking, than a pure-genre novel. What is the controversy supposed to be?

I have a particular interest in this topic because my own latest book, St. Martin's Moon, is also indefinable in terms of the standard genres.

[Mark]

Hi Marc. Probably debate is better decription than controversy. In my case - some would list it as a Christian fiction - but CBA would disallow it for a few explatives and uncomfortable themes. ABA would have it as Christian fiction because there are characters with world-views (as live in any neighborhood in America - but none-the-less). My question nowadays is - Why the novel is just story (as in my case)...why force a genre on it one way or another. But I guess 'just a story' is not going to do it. Maybe crossover is a good term actually. I have read debates over 'Literary Fiction' - the subjectiveness of that term. Genre like 'mystery' makes so much sense. It gets grey for me after that...so many books carry many elements of multiple genres.

[Mark]

Marc - you mention the cross-genre is often more realistic. I tend to think so as well. Why you think?

[Marc]

Mark wrote: "Hi Marc. Probably debate is better decription than controversy. In my case - some would list it as a Christian fiction - but CBA would disallow it for a few explatives and uncomfortable themes. ..."

I have a similar issue with my latest, St. Martin's Moon. It's mostly Science Fiction, but SF doesn't allow for ghosts and other such phenomena. I created a genre for it, called Gothic SF, since the existing genres didn't have the space. A genre is a pigeonhole, a box to put things in that makes it convenient to find objects of a certain sort. It shouldn't become a straitjacket.

[Marc]

Mark wrote: "Marc - you mention the cross-genre is often more realistic. I tend to think so as well. Why you think?"

Because people should transcend the narrowness of genre, and books should be about people. If the only purpose the character serves in a mystery is to be the holder of the next clue for the detective to gather, and the only purpose of the detective is to gather clues, I'd call that unrealistic. A mystery story should be about the character and how he deals with the mystery. A fantasy novel should be about the guy who gets a sword put into his hand, not the sword. I would see a detective falling in love as more realistic, even if he's doing it while chasing a monster through a space station.

[Judy]

I don't like the idea of trying to pigeonhole certain books into some kind of category that is supposed to describe the kind of book it is. I have read some great ones in recent years that almost defy categorization. I am fascinated by book cover art, and always look for intriguing book descriptions.

[Mark]

Judy - You are a benediction! I could read your comment all day long for inspiration. ;-) Knowing there are readers like you out there. Also - adding the Land Run cover - you might like the art. (not a sales-pitch :-)

Land Run

[Marc]

Judy wrote: "I don't like the idea of trying to pigeonhole certain books into some kind of category that is supposed to describe the kind of book it is. I have read some great ones in recent years that almost ..."

Here's the cover of my latest, as well. It's very different from what I had in mind but perfect, and everyone who's seen it has commented on how striking it is.

[Judy]

Marc & Mark,
Love both covers, and am intrigued by both stories.