Classification

[Portia]

Should interracial and multicultural romances have their own category? Or be thrown into the mix like everyone else?

[Reena]

When I think of where I'd like my books on the shelf, I'd say in the big categories. My longer stories all have a multi-cultural/interracial theme to them.

Shadow Cat, I'd love to see in the romance section. It's a huge category, so I'm sure it'd get more visits than if in a smaller category.

Control Freak is erotica. Erotica is already such a small section in most stores... I'd hate to see my work further sub-categorized into a smaller, less seen section.

I Loved You First is GLBT. I would love to see it in the YA section, but imagine it'd find its way into general fiction . I'm not so fond of getting stuck in general fiction at all though. There's a balance between a work being seen more often because its in a larger category, not at all because it's being overlooked amongst the masses, or placed in an obscure category few know about.

In the end, I think a multicultural/interracial category would work, but I think it should be larger than just romances. Maybe an entire section of general fiction/non-fiction then sub-categorized within the category. Sort of like bookstores do with religion/spiritual books.

[Portia]

I like the idea of sub-catagories withing interracial. I know I've been in a large bookstore ( that no longer exist ;-)) and had no idea what I was looking at. Everything was dumped under African-American, but that was it. I couldn't tell what was inspirational vs. erotic. I ended up not buying anything.

[Reena]

I rarely visit the African-American section and only recall purchasing one book from the section. Most of my time in bookstores are spent in the Romance section. I'm more likely to pick up an Asian or Native American romance than an African-American romance because the first two aren't separated from the romance.

I think sometimes people forget the way folks shop while in the pursuit to stand out as different from the rest.

[Portia]

True...

[Billy]

I'd like to see an IR section within all categories of fiction. Just at least make it less difficult for people to find what they want.

[Alyssa]

What bookstores should do is make sure they have a useful search feature accessible to everyone. Someone searching for a specific sub-genre, like IR would be able to pin-point their options, down to the keyword.

This part of the reason brick and mortar bookstores are in so much trouble. No one has the time to play a guessing game.

[Portia]

Exactly. I didn't mean to start review sites. But, I don't tired of not finding the books I enjoyed reading reviewed on the traditional review sites. I truly believe a love story, is a love story. But it sure would be nice not to have to look so hard for ones that fit my reading taste.

[Fiona]

Almost all of my books are inter-racisl contemporary erotic romance. My latest is Two For Tuesday, with a black hero and white heroine. Before that, I published The Reluctant Bride, about a bi-racial heroine and the two white men who are pursuing her, each for their own reasons. Find out more about my books at my website, the home page is my blog:
www.fionamcgier.com

[Rachelle, Naughty Enabler]

Billy wrote: "I'd like to see an IR section within all categories of fiction. Just at least make it less difficult for people to find what they want."

I completely agree. I know it would be a big time saver plus it would be a wonderful way to expose readers to authors we don't know about.

[Fiona]

Sorry to have appeared to just promoted and ran. Working 2 jobs can leave me little time to do much else.

I prefer to find my IR reads in with romance, because that's the focus of the story. That's why I'm so glad that my publishers allow for author input on covers. When choosing what to read, I rely on the covers to tell me what race/nationality the lovers are going to be in the romance.

Besides, being in with other romances allows for being further split by heat levels, which most book outlets try to do. Certainly reviewers do this. I don't want to read inspirational romance, but the next reader might not like my more erotic style. Since they are all romances, we have enough trouble getting them defined by heat level. Trying to get them defined as IR might be too confusing for the booksellers, many of whom just lump us all in as "romance", the category they carry because they have to, because it sells so well. Not like whatever they prefer more, while they look down on romances in general.