Trying Something New
I read through PW’s daily record of amazing book sales yesterday because you, uh, never know when some editor may have purchased one of your books and forgotten to tell you. Hey, it could happen. Anyway, I stumbled across this:
FICTION: WOMEN’S/ROMANCE
Bestselling author Barbara Delinsky’s FAMILY TREE, for publication in 2007,
called "a departure for Delinsky from the romance genre, and a second book a
year later, moving to Phyllis Grann at Doubleday, by Amy Berkower at Writers
House (NA).
Barbara Delinsky is writing something other than romance? How can that be? She’s been writing romance for something like 50 years. Okay, more like 25 years. Sure, I haven’t read anything by her since Coast Road and my favs of hers have always been the re-released category romances. But, really, that’s not my point and this time I actually do have one. It’s that another long-time romance writer appears to be jumping ship. This time the jump looks as if it’s to women’s fiction not romantic suspense like Sandra Brown, Tami Hoag, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood….need I go on?
Makes you wonder who is staying around in romance and why all these talented ladies are leaving. Money? Prestige? It was time? Better shoes? Don’t know.
August 27th, 2005 at 8:02 pm
My guess is it probably involves several of those reasons. More money, tired of writing romance (gasp), wanting a change, etc.
August 27th, 2005 at 11:43 pm
Maybe they’re leaving because they’re not selling anything new to the editors? It’s ok for big names to move into other genres…they can, they have lots of talent. Maybe, just maybe these big name authors are making room for beginners like us.
I can hope.
August 28th, 2005 at 12:11 am
I agree people are entitled the change. I just think it’s strange - as in hard for me to comprehend while I sit here at what I hope is the beginning of a long writing career - that someone writes in the same genre for 25 years then changes.
And, honestly, Garwood’s change still has the power to make me weepy.
August 28th, 2005 at 11:49 am
But Barbara Delinksy has been writing women’s fiction for years! I don’t get it.
August 28th, 2005 at 12:30 pm
I didn’t get that either. I checked her website and there wasn’t any mention of this newest sale. Maybe it’s something other than women’s fiction?? I can’t imagine what, but it’s possible.