Monday, 23 July 2012

2012 releases reviewed for AWW: What's in a genre?

In the past week, this blog has posted several lists of reviews written by participants in the Australian Women Writers challenge of books released this year (2012). These lists have been organised as follows:
The intention wasn't to exclude books from the "literary" category. Rather it was to organise titles so readers could find reviews of books that were likely to interest them, and to invite challenge participants to identify books of literary merit which deserve to be regarded as possible future prize winners, despite having "generic" qualities. (This is in keeping with The Stella Prize's aim of including a wider net than what some might deem purely "literary".)

Bookbloggers and publishers were approached for their views on which books they consider literary; invitations for readers and authors to comment were posted on Twitter, Facebook and in the list posts themselves. The aim was to try to identify and include many more books than those published by recognisable literary imprints.

Despite these efforts, some books slipped through the net and at least one author expressed dismay at having her book connected to the label "women's fiction".

My apologies. It's an imperfect system, but it's by far from being prescriptive. It's open to correction and relies on community input. If there are any other titles that should go on the "literary" page, please let me know.

On another point of contention: an author of Young Adult (YA) fiction commented a while ago on the blog, expressing bemusement as to why YA books appear on a separate tab on this website. Many YA books have more in common with the various genres listed above than with each other, and appeal to adult as well as young adult audiences. With this in mind, rather than compiling a separate list of YA books, I ask YA authors and readers to nominate which tally recent (2012) YA releases should appear on. If you can help, please add your comment.

Just for the record. Paddy O'Reilly has accepted an invitation to write a blog post for AWW explaining why she objects to the label "women's fiction". I'll keep you posted.



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Sunday, 22 July 2012

Contemporary, Popular, Mainstream, Women's Fiction: 2102 Tally

When the call went out last November for recommendations of "popular" novels by Australian Women Writers, book bloggers recommended far fewer books in this category than for "literary", Speculative Fiction/Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Crime and Romance. Yet recent mainstream contemporary fiction has generated the greatest number of reviews for the challenge so far.

Because of the sheer number of books, the broad category of "contemporary" a temptation has been to break down this category into subgenres.

But which books should go where?

In attempting to answer this question I found myself grappling with several more questions.

What's the best way to recognise "contemporary women's fiction"? Is this type of fiction "popular", easy reads, whereas literary fiction is more demanding? Or should a "contemporary" list include literary novels? What about lighter books, commonly known as "Chick Lit"? Should these be counted as a separate sub-genre?

Most contentiously of all, what about novels that focus on the domestic relationship between two people? If it ends happily, or happily for now, should it be considered "romance", while relationships with a less obvious sense of closure be regarded either as literary or mainstream?

Behind all these questions looms an even larger one. If we let book publishers' and sellers' marketing decisions dictate how we categorise books, do we run the risk of making books of literary merit that are "generic" or "popular" in nature less visible to those compiling long lists for literary awards? Equally, do we risk marginalising the "literary"?

In consultation with writers and reviewers on Twitter, I've decided to include here novels labelled by reviewers as "chick lit", as well as books marketed as "rural fiction", even though some of these novels may include a courtship (which arguably makes them "romance" or books with "romantic elements"). New releases which obviously fall into a generic category such as Fantasy/Speculative Fiction/Sci-Fi, Crime and Romance (where the focus is on the courtship to the virtual exclusion of all other story), as well as books with a historical setting* and those marketed as "literary", have been tallied elsewhere.

Arguably, though, all are "contemporary" fiction.

Disclaimer: I've only read a fraction of these books and only skimmed many of the reviews. Putting the reviews into a format that helps readers looking for recent titles by Australian women - rather than having them try to decipher the Mr Linky boxes of reviews posted on the AWW challenge page - has taken a great deal of time and effort. If some authors object to having their books categorised as "popular" or "women's fiction", instead of "literary", my apologies. Same goes for authors listed previously as "literary" who believe their books also belong here. Any mistakes will gladly be rectified. EL

Tally: 37 books, 90 reviews, 40 reviewers, 12 publishers.

Publishers: Allen & Unwin (9 books, 20 reviews); Random House (9 books, 25 reviews);Hachette (2 books, 5 reviews); Pan Macmillan (2 books, 5 reviews); HarperCollins (3 books, 10 reviews); Penguin (7 books, 16 reviews); Harlequin (3 book, 10 reviews); Simon & Schuster (1 book, 1 review); Indigo Dreams* (1 book, 2 reviews); Joshua Books* (1 book, 1 review); Even Before Publishing* (1 book.1 review).

NB: It's unclear whether the publishers marked * are independent small presses or vehicles for self-publication.
 
* Shelleyrae of Book'd Out suggests both M L Stedman's The Light Between Oceans and Nicole Trope's  The Boy Under the Table should also be included in the tally of "historical fiction", but as that wasn't obvious to me from my cursory glance at the reviews, they were included here.

Post modified: title and summary paragraph deleted (22/7/12).

Are there any other authors who would prefer not to have their books on this list?

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Romance 2012: What's being reviewed?

Romances are reputedly the most widely read novels, but are they the most reviewed?

How do you define a "romance"?

One way is to say the story is predominantly about courtship: the tale of a relationship between two beings which either ends "happily ever after" or "happily for now". The sex of the beings isn't important: they may be male/female, female/female, male/male, non-binary gender (or any other variation you can think of - fans of Ursula Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness will know what I mean). Their nature isn't important either - human, alien, angel, demon, vampire or werewolf. The world and time they inhabit may be equally fluid: contemporary, past or imaginary. Books which have courtship as a subplot, however, are perhaps better described as having "romantic elements".

If books with "romantic elements" are included among the tally of romances, the number of 2012 releases reviewed for the AWW challenge during January to June is marginally more than for other genres tallied so far. If the popular genre of "rural fiction" - or "chook lit" as Twitter wags have dubbed it - is included, the number swells even further.

When canvassed on Twitter, some authors of "rural fiction" objected to having their books labelled as romance, preferring instead to be included among a broader category of "popular", "contemporary" or "women's fiction". With that in mind, only rural fiction books which appear to solely focus on courtship, or were identified by the reviewer(s) as being a romance, have been tallied here.

Otherwise, both straight - or "category" - romances and cross-genre books with "romantic elements", including historical romances, have been listed. (If mistakes have been made - and books have been included which shouldn't have been, or haven't been included and should - please let me know.)

What of Young Adult (YA) and Speculative Fiction titles? Are any of those also courtship stories or books with romantic elements? Should erotica - like Lexxie Couper's Love's Rhythm - be included?*

Have there been romances - or novels with romantic elements - of literary merit published in 2012 that are not listed here?

Tally: 23 books, 16 reviewers, 44 reviews

2012 Romance: Contemporary, Historical, Erotica, Crime, Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
* As Kylie Scott points out in the comments below, Love's Rhythm is more Erotic Romance than Erotica. Are there other 2012 releases in this genre that have yet to be reviewed for the challenge?
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Memoir, Biography, History: 2012 Tally

Memoir/Biography/History: 2012 releases

The other day when the tally of literary books was posted, Text publishing tweeted that their biography of Elizabeth and Mary Durack by Brenda Niall should have been included.

Should more nonfiction titles be regarded as "literary"?

The follow is a list of books reviewed for the AWW challenge during January-June.

Disclaimer: If there are errors with release dates, please let me know - reprints make it difficult to judge original publication dates on publishers' websites.

Tally: 10 books, 11 reviewers, 12 reviews

Memoir
Biography
History
Are there other memoirs, biographies or histories published this year that haven't been reviewed for the challenge?
~ ~ ~
Shelleyrae from Book'd Out blog suggests:
Other suggestions from comments:
  • The Censor's Library: Uncovering the Lost History of Australia's Banned Books by Nicole Moore (UQP 2012)
  • Larrikins: A History by Melissa Bellanta (UQP 2012)
  • The Lone Protestor by Fiona Paisley (Aboriginal Studies Press)
Sue T from Whispering Gums blog suggests:
  • House of Fiction by Susan Swingler, about her parents, Elizabeth and Leonard Jolley, and herself. (Fremantle Press 2012) 
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Saturday, 21 July 2012

Historical Fiction: 2012 Tally

Australia has produced a number of award-winning and best-selling writers of historical fiction, including Anna Campbell, Anne Gracie, Anna Jacobs, Stephanie Laurens and Isolde Martyn.While some historical fiction is meticulously researched and takes years to write, the authors don't often appear on lists for literary awards.

An exception is Kate Morton, whose fourth book, The Secret Keeper, will be released later this year. Kate's books have not only been best sellers, they have also repeatedly won Australian Book Industry awards. The Forgotten Garden was also longlisted for The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 2010. 

In the following tally of 2012 releases reviewed between January and June for the challenge, a number of subgenres have been included among the historical fiction titles, including crime, fantasy, speculative fiction and and romance. Have any Young Adult historical fiction titles been missed?

Which of the following, if any, deserve to be included among the tally of "literary" books?

Tally: 17 titles, 22 reviewers, 32 reviews

Titles missed from above tally:
Upcoming releases:




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Friday, 20 July 2012

Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, SciFi, Horror: tally 2012

Of the 70 books categorised by AWW reviewers during January to June as either Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror or Paranormal, 17 are 2012 releases.* These include a self-published novel, as well as several novels from small presses. Because the distinction between Young Adult (YA) and "adult" Speculative Fiction books is not always mentioned by reviewers, and both categories are equally likely to attract awards, both have been tallied here.

Should any of the following books have been included in the list of literary works posted previously? Are there other recent titles in this genre that have not yet been reviewed for the challenge? 

* Disclaimer: some books may be reprints of earlier editions. If that's the case for any of the following, please let me know.

Tally: 17 books, 16 authors, 44 reviews, 29 reviewers, 11 publishers.

Publishers: HarperCollins: 6 books; Allen & Unwin: 2; Pan Macmillan: 1; Penguin 1; Random House: 1; Text: 1; Twelfth Planet Press: 1; ClanDestine Press: 1; Orbit: 1; Walker Books: 1; self-published: 1.

Links to reviews appear on the line(s) after the title.

2012 releases
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What do you think about self-published books like Doll House by Anya Allyn being reviewed alongside books by award-winning writers like Margo Lanagan?

Not reviewed for the challenge during this period:
More titles (suggested by Shelleyrae of Book'd Out blog):
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