Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre (Genreflecting Advisory Series) - Hardcover

Ramsdell, Kristin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 159158177X ISBN 13: 9781591581772

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 2012

Synopsis

More than 8,000 romances are published annually, making it difficult for fans and the librarians who advise them to keep pace with new titles, emerging authors, and constant evolution of this dynamic genre. Fortunately, romance expert and librarian Kristin Ramsdell provides a definitive guide to this fiction genre that serves as an indispensible resource for those interested in it--including fans searching for reading material--as well as for library staff, scholars, and romance writers themselves.

This title updates the last edition of Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre, published in 1999.While the emphasis is on newer titles, many of the important older classics are retained, keeping the focus of the book on the entire genre, instead of only those titles published during the last decade. Specific changes include new chapters on linked and continuing romances, a new section on "Chick Lit" in the Contemporary Romance chapter, an expansion of coverage on the alternative reality subset. This is THE romance genre guide to have.

About this title

About the Author

KRISTIN RAMSDELL is a Librarian Emerita at California State University, East Bay. A frequent speaker and panelist on the subject of romance fiction, she writes a bi-monthly romance review column for Library Journal and edits the Romance Section of What Do I Read Next?. In 1996 she was named Librarian of the Year by the Romance Writers of America; in 2007 she received the Melinda Helfer Fairy Godmother Award from Romantic Times Book Review.

Reviews

Starred Review in Library Journal The primary focus of this work—Ramsdell’s third guide on the subject, albeit the second with this exact title—is to provide an annotated guide to the many subgenres of romance fiction, with an emphasis on recent popular and/or prolific authors. Ramsdell (librarian emerita, California State Univ., East Bay) begins with an introduction to romance fiction, its history, and its appeal. In Part 2, she covers the literature by genre (e.g., contemporary, mysteries, historical, regency, alternative reality, LGBT, inspirational, ethnic/multicultural, and erotic), with very practical guidance on “Advising the Reader” and on building a library’s collection in that specific genre. …The third section, “Research Aids,” includes periodical sources, awards, publishers, and societies…. There is a wonderful appendix featuring a sample core collection. VERDICT: Essential for public librarians overseeing fiction collections…. The go-to book for guidance. Previous editions should be retained. Highly recommended. [Kristin Ramsdell is LJ’s Romance columnist.—Ed.]— J. Sara Paulk, Wythe-Grayson Regional Lib., Independence, VA

Edition details

• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 159158177X
• ISBN 13: 9781591581772
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 719