Do Men Read Romance Novels?

[rgraham666]

…the most popular Romantica was supernatural, with erotic vampires leading the pack.

Could have fooled me judging from the sales I made.

 

[AllardChardon]

I have written a humorous historical erotica novel from the male point of view, a shy undertaker, who happens to meet a very attractive, mature, French Madam. It takes place in Great Salt Lake City, Utah in 1857 with the Mormon War supplying the dramatic backdrop. Sounds like I might have a market, after all. This is the greatest news, as writing from a male POV is supposed to be the kiss of death. I am very encouraged.

 

[NoJo]

I have a friend who's been in either jail or prison since last July. He has always been an avid fiction reader, and on one floor of the county jail he was in, he was reduced to reading a Harlequin, because there was, as he put it, a plethora of them there in the library.

I'd wank to Field and Stream in prison. I'm assuming "Harlequin" is like the british publisher Mills and Boon, whose publications typically have plenty of fodder for the sex-starved.

 

[impressive]

... the most popular Romantica was supernatural, with erotic vampires leading the pack.

Bel's right -- Ellora's Cave "owns" the term Romantica. Not copyright, though, but registered trademark.

Best selling erotic fiction at Phaze is M/M (of any type, but paranormal in particular) and interracial (BW + WM).

Personally, it bugs me that erotic fiction is lumped into the romance genre. Sometimes my work qualifies as romance. And sometimes it qualifies as paranormal or chick lit or sci-fi, but I don't have to suck up to those genres to get a royalties-based publishing contract.

We need to carve our own niche. Selena's got a good start with eXcessica. Folks are gonna start noticing her success.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

DOC

As a former bookseller let me add that romance novels have almost zero resale value. And this is true for Grisham and Clancy and a few of the guys. On the otherhand I rarely see used Patricia Cornwell or Sue Grafton anywhere.

What's hot is non-fiction books about the German Eastern Front in WW2 and anything by Anthony Daniels, the Brit psychiatrist.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

DOC

As a former bookseller let me add that romance novels have almost zero resale value. And this is true for Grisham and Clancy and a few of the guys. On the otherhand I rarely see used Patricia Cornwell or Sue Grafton anywhere.

What's hot is non-fiction books about the German Eastern Front in WW2 and anything by Anthony Daniels, the Brit psychiatrist.

Well yeah. Buying a used romance novel is kind of like buying a used vibrator.

 

[SlickTony]

I'd wank to Field and Stream in prison. I'm assuming "Harlequin" is like the british publisher Mills and Boon, whose publications typically have plenty of fodder for the sex-starved.

Harlequins might have acquired such fodder since I've read them; I haven't read one since the 70s.

Hmm, maybe I should ask my friend if he's ever wanked to Field & Stream.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I'd wank to Field and Stream in prison. I'm assuming "Harlequin" is like the british publisher Mills and Boon, whose publications typically have plenty of fodder for the sex-starved.

Harlequin owns Mills & Boon (or maybe vice versa).

Harlequin was pure, whitebread romance but has now gotten into the graphic sex business with their Spice line. Everyone's into thegraphic sex business now.

I didn't know "Romantica" was exclusive to EC. I think EC might be about to success themselves to death.

 

[SlickTony]

Harlequin owns Mills & Boon (or maybe vice versa).

Why am I not surprised?

 

[MzDeviancy]

This is the same guy who when we were in high school denied watching soap operas. He stayed home sick from school one day and when I got home, he didn't hear me come in. I caught him thoroughly engrossed in watching ALL MY CHILDREN. He denies it to this day, but I stood there out of sight of him for over 15 minutes. He never changed the channel and he was talking to the TV about something he didn't like that was happening on the show.

LMAAAAAAAAAAO That is tremendous!!! And also extremely cute ;o)

 

[SlickTony]

Yeah, we've got a pressman where I work who's a confirmed Y&R addict.

 

[Pure]

i read a bunch of them, a few years back, all by one author, charlotte vale allen. they were heavily laced with sex, as are lots of romance novels, nowadays.

they were interesting in character, the lead female, up to a point, but the men were black or white and non interesting; knowing how it will turn out is also a downer.

there are classic romances like jane eyre, which i read in h.s. wuthering heights, i made it through the Oberon classic movie a couple times, but not the actual novel. when the novel first came out, it was labeled as rough and crude, and the male identity of the author was assumed. i *think* i might like reading it, but never got that far.

it might be noted, for these cass, that, as in all good works of 'literature,' the romance theme is handled with some originality, in both cases; there are elements of tragedy. in jane eyre there is enough 'salting' of difficulties and tragedy to make the 'happy ending' palatable. wuthering heights, iirc does not have a happy ending and so moves up the list, i suppose.

a formulaic 'happy ending', with but minor and non-affecting (even amusing) difficulties, is a mark of 'comedy' as classically defined.
i think the idea is that an inevitable and not-difficult-to-get-to happy ending cannot be a mark of the best literature. however, thinking of such works as 'merchant of venice': the happy ending and romance elements are subordinated to several larger themes, which probably improves the work though i suppose it remains 'comedy.'

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Funny, the vast majority of the feedback I have received on GM stories has been from women.

That doesn't surprise me. It's a huge, huge trend, females reading gay male erotica.

I'm wondering if there's a way to integrate both the masculine and feminine reader. My "Babysitting" series (coming of age, basically) seem to appeal to both genders. As did my "Mr Nolan" series (another coming of age of sorts).

But Doc is right about being female and writing erotica. It seems to be a magnet for men who think (or wish) you want to have sex with them.

 

[rgraham666]

That doesn't surprise me. It's a huge, huge trend, females reading gay male erotica.

I'm wondering if there's a way to integrate both the masculine and feminine reader. My "Babysitting" series (coming of age, basically) seem to appeal to both genders. As did my "Mr Nolan" series (another coming of age of sorts).

But Doc is right about being female and writing erotica. It seems to be a magnet for men who think (or wish) you want to have sex with them.

With you?

Who can blame them?

 

[Selena_Kitt]

One half of all fiction sold in the United States today is Romance.

That's a lot of Romance.

Yes, but you have to remember... a little less than half the people (depending on who you believe) voted for Bush.

The majority doesn't necessarily say much about the truth.

 

[SlickTony]

when the novel first came out, it was labeled as rough and crude, and the male identity of the author was assumed.

One theory bruited about was that the author was a brother/sister team, with the man, natcherally, writing the sexy parts, which one reviewer likened to "the mating of kangaroos." Of course this was during a time when you had a prominent gynecologist (male) saying that the only passion that decent women felt was that of motherhood, and any hint of sexuality was "a vile aspersion."