BellaOnline Forums Books and Music Romance Novels When Authors Abandon Romance

Something I'd been hearing about lately made me wonder. A well-known author who wrote romance for many years has been writing women's fiction for a few years now. Recently, during an interview for a new book, she was asked about her romances and didn't want to discuss them. Then I heard from a reader about not being able to find a listing of her romances on this same author's website.

Now I can wonder (and never really know) whether she was having a bad day the day of the interview or just wanted the focus to be on her new book, or whether she really is turning her back on her long and successful history as a romance author. The question I have for you is, do you continue to read an author who does something like that? Someone you've enjoyed for a long time who suddenly says screw the romance, I'm going to write this instead and don't ask me about that old stuff anymore.

Just a random thought this afternoon.

I probably would read her new stuff if it was something of interest to me and I thought she was a good writer.

I might write her a disgruntled fan letter tho! If she made money from romance fans, she shouldn't decline to discuss her romance novel days. It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

Man that would probably [censored] me off just a little.I mean if the person was really good at writing romance then why would they just stop all of a sudden.Even if that person did a good job at writing mystery or something,I just couldnt get into it as much.I would def. feel different about the writer.Id almost have to.It just wouldnt be the same.

When I first read this, I was thinking that it would bother me and make me think badly of the author; but then I was thinking about the fact that when an author who previously wrote pulp romance publishes a more weighty or serious novel, often the earlier romances are republished with new covers - sometimes new titles - and heavily pushed in the stores. I know that as a writer of both code and prose, my older work isn't as good as my current work. I imagine that my current work will be poor in comparison to my future work. I think I might get testy about having my older work pushed in that manner (possibly without any financial gain for me) while I'm trying to talk about current work that I'm particularly proud of.

Julie

Julie, I thought your post was well put. And I can see Elizabeth's point, too. As an author who has morphed over the years from romantic suspense to suspense with romance, I can give you the author's pov as well. It sounds as if this author wanted to leave her romance background in the past. But many authors owe their success to all those readers who bought them as romance authors, and we should definitely not turn our back on them or our own past. I'm proud to come from romance and to keep that element in my books!

Cheers,
Tina Wainscott
www.tinawainscott.com

I do think that, while an occasional testy remark is forgivable, there is no reason why an author shouldn't be able to come up with a set piece to give when asked about their romance work that doesn't insult the genre or its readers. I forget the author, but I still remember the quote from a lesbian author who was asked if she was embarrassed by one of her first published works - an old-style (heterosexual) bodice-ripper. She said something along the lines of: It was one of the most personally valuable pieces I ever wrote. I literally wrote it from my hospital room while recovering from domestic violence and the $125 I got for it paid for my divorce which gave me the freedom to live my life and write the rest of my work.

Julie