Genre Boot Camp

1. Genre Boot Camp Finding your way without fear

2. Who we are • Karen Helmle, Reference Associate II, Boone County Public Library khelmle@bcpl.org • Carrie Herrmann, Public Service Coordinator, Boone County Public Library cherrman@bcpl.org • Katie Widener, Reference Librarian, Boone County Public Library kwidener@bcpl.org

3. What We Want to Accomplish

4. The State of Readers’ Advisory From 2013 Readers Advisory Services in Public Libraries Report (http://lj.libraryjournal.com/downloads/#_) • 21% of librarians have issues keeping up with books and genres • 17% of librarians uncomfortable with unfamiliar genres

5. How do you keep up? From 2013 Readers Advisory Services in Public Libraries Report

6. Erotica in Libraries What to do after 50 Shades of Grey

7. Erotica Definition According to the Adult Reading Round Table, “These edgy novels use much blunter language to describe sexuality.... Sexual relationships are more important in these works than emotional relationships, and the story may not end with a marriage.”

8. Topics covered in Erotica • BDSM (bondage/discipline/domination/submission/ sadomasochism) • Multiple Partners • Exploration of alternative sexual practices • M/M Fiction • F/F Fiction

9. Readers’ Advisory Challenges • Hot Romance is not Erotica • Structure of the story • Erotica is not pornography • Sexually Graphic is not automatically erotica • Street/Urban Lit is not Erotica • Character motivations are not important • Author’s storytelling choices are not important

10. Readers’ Advisory Challenges • Respect reading preferences • Sexuality is an individual experience • Find the theme they enjoy

11. Sex in Erotica • Explicitness • Types of Sex • Quantity of sex

12. Marketing your Erotica • A Balancing Act • Read-A-Like Pamphlet • Read-A-Like Bookmarks

13. Use your catalog Polaris KLU

14. Collection Development • You probably already have some in your collection • 50 Shades effect • Allow for anonymous requests • eBook vs. Print • Collection Development Policy • Reconsideration Process in place

15. Print Erotica • Kensington’s Aphrodisia and Brava • Harlequin’s Spice and Blaze • Avon Romance’s Erotic Line • NAL’s Heat • Random House’s Black Lace

16. eBook Erotica • InterMix • Carina Press • Loveswept • Ellora’s Cave • Ravenous Romance • Flirt • Avon Impulse • Forever Yours • Samhain Publishing • Total-E-Bound • Loose ID • Cleis Press

17. 10 Authors to Know Nicholson Baker Maya Banks Jaci Burton Sylvia Day Joey W. Hill Lorelei James Tiffany Reisz A. N. Roquelaure Saskia Walker Zane

18. Go to Erotica Books • Bared to You by Sylvia Day • The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by A. N. Roquelaure • Sweet Addiction by Maya Banks • Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James • Colter’s Woman by Maya Banks • Natural Law by Joey Hill • Their Private Arrangement by Saskia Walker

19. New Adult Genre • Newly Emerging • Young Adult Meets Erotica • Female between 18-26

20. Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance

21. Urban Fantasy vs. Paranormal • Defined. • How to tell the difference. • Web resources and much more!

22. Urban Fantasy Definition According to Wikipedia: Urban fantasy is a sub-genre offantasy defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban setting. Urban fantasy exists on one side of a spectrum, oppositehigh fantasy, which is set in an entirely fictitious world. Many urban fantasies are set incontemporary times and contain supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods, and the settings may include fictional elements. The prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.

23. Paranormal Romance Definition According to Wikipedia: Paranormal romance is asub-genre of bothromantic fiction andspeculative fiction. Paranormal romance focuses onromantic love and includes elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, blending together themes from the speculative fictiongenres offantasy,science fiction, andhorror. Paranormal romance may range from traditional category romances, with a paranormal setting to stories where the main emphasis is on a science fiction or fantasy based plot with a romantic subplot included. Common hallmarks are romantic relationships between humans and vampires, shapeshifters, ghosts, and other entities of a fantastic or otherworldly nature.

24. Genre Headings • Improves reading recommendations • Some readers very picky about their “niche.”

25. Categorizing Books • Is Subjective. • One person might put all zombie books in one area. • Another might divide them by theme. Comedic vs. Horror.

26. The Family Tree • Urban Fantasy is a subgenre of Fantasy. • Paranormal Romance is a subgenre of Romance. • They aren’t relatives!

27. It’s Complicated • Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy are very similar. In some cases, the differences between the two subgenres are almost indistinguishable. • Both genres share the presence of magical creatures such as werewolves, vampires, angels, demons and fairies.

28. It’s Complicated • Elements of romance, fear, mystery, horror or humor. • The fun is imagining that the storylines could be true.

29. It’s Complicated • Characters might have psychic powers. • Ghosts may be involved. • Characters might have superhuman abilities. • The main character usually lives. • Shapeshifters may be involved. • Time travel could occur.

30. It’s Complicated • Elements of legend. • Elements of magic. • Include folklore. • Include horror elements.

31. It’s Complicated • Some stories are police procedural. • Some stories are good vs. evil • Some are humorous detective stories.

32. It’s Complicated • The genres are changing. • PR is doing more world building. • UF is adding more sex and romance.

33. Follow the Clues • UF is usually written in 1st person. • PR is usually written in 3rd person • Not unusual to read viewpoints of leading lady, lead male and possibly the villains.

34. Follow the Clues • PR - setting doesn’t play a large role in book. • UF usually takes place in an urban setting that has a dangerous undertone.

35. Follow the Clues • Paranormal romance is the story of two people falling in love with supernatural elements included. • The book must focus on the relationship above all else.

36. Follow the Clues • Urban fantasy may have a romance, but the story is not built around it. • UF’s main character is usually trying to solve some type of supernatural mystery.

37. Follow the Clues • Paranormal Romance’s protagonist tends to be a more traditional feminine character. • Can be full of angst. • May suffer from low self esteem.

38. Follow the Clues • Urban fantasy’s female protagonist is a tough chick! • She often has a power forced upon her thru accident or birth. • Doesn’t wallow in angst. • Doesn’t suffer from low self esteem.

39. Follow the Clues • Paranormal Romance characters always have a Happily Ever After! • Urban Fantasy -there is usually a romance but a happily ever after ending is not guaranteed.

40. Follow the Clues • PR - a human is having a relationship with a supernatural creature. • UF- characters may both have supernatural capabilities.

41. Follow the Clues • PR romantic couple professes undying love for each other in melodramatic manner. • Loads of sensuality throughout book. • Varying degrees of sexual experiences, depending on the author.

42. Follow the Clues • UF romantic couple communicates through sarcasm and swear words. Humor may be included. • Couple may not last to end of series. • The sex scenes usually aren’t as descriptive as PR.

43. Follow the Clues • PR’s couple needs to overcome some type of paranormal obstruction in order to be together. • UF’s main characters need to overcome a supernatural obstacle in order to save the world!

44. Follow the Clues • PR has a lower level of action and violence. • Creatures are written to be less scary than UF. • For example, vampires are sparkly and hot! • Vampires may choose to drink only animal blood instead of human blood.

45. Follow the Clues • UF higher level of violence and action. • Stories are dark, gritty, scary and exciting. • Male character seems much more dangerous.

46. Follow the Clues • PR’s main character’s supernatural power develops quickly over one book. • UF’s main characters supernatural powers develop slowly thru the series.

47. Follow the Clues • PR tends to lean towards one novel. • Squeezes in multiple points of views to introduce characters. • Makes us care about them. • They have a problem, then a resolution. • Each book is neatly wrapped up by the end.

48. Follow the Clues • UF tend to have a series. • Main character makes many mistakes along the way. • Tries to fix them thru series. • We get to read how character changes and grows as a person thru series.

49. But I Will Argue… • I don’t think Urban Fantasy is about the city. • I think the city is a character in the books • Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books, Shreveport, Louisiana • Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden, Chicago • Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series, Seattle

50. Follow the Clues • PR book covers tend to have the couples holding each other in a romantic clench. • Covers tend to be more sexual with varying degrees of nudity.