It's a weird leap from science fiction to romance. I've been writing SF, fantasy, and horror for years, but only branched off into romance during the last year and a half. It was much more difficult to make that leap than I'd thought.

Like many mainstream or genre types, I have to admit that I thought writing the romantic word would be easy. But I hadn't reckoned on the transition between action- and crisis-driven storylines (my SF fantasy horror) versus character-driven (with the focus on only 2 characters!). When I received the brief from the publisher, it was to write a suspenseful novel with no paranormal elements and with the 2 protagonists occupying most of the space. Dear God   I griped silently. No problem   I said to the publisher.

It WAS a problem. I was accustomed to having numerous characters in the thick of the action, and frankly, limiting it to 2 people seemed...well, boring. So, my first romantic endeavor ended up with 2 couples instead, crypts, mausoleums, buried treasure, etc  

I have only admiration now for many of those romance writers. This stuff is darn hard to write, but maybe that was just me, because I refused to let go of any of my customary heavy-duty research (and I don't mean into the romance side of things!). Frankly, those historical authors know their stuff, though, and really work at it. No wonder many of them have such huge readerships!

Which brings me to why I ventured into romance in the first place: to challenge myself (even though I didn't realize it at first), and to expand my readership. Well, and also because some people didn't think I could write romance, since I was a SF person. So, of course, in the way of things, I had to prove them wrong

Now, to SF romance:
My first SF fantasy/romance novel was released last week. It's my 23rd published book, but my first SF romance. It's spec fiction all the way - SF research, fantasy lands, but it also has a trace of eroticism. Apparently, romance readers are embracing this kind of book which crosses genres, as long as there's a enticing or heated romance and a good storyline involved. But whether, in science fiction fantasy circles, books like this are well received is open to question. I do review edits for 3 major sites and let me tell you, there are 100's of books like this out there - with the focus on romance, but with strong SF fantasy connections.

In my opinion, fantasy readers might venture into a few of these, but seldom SF readers. The ridicule factor for romance is too dominant. It would be interesting to see what other people think. All snobbery aside, can these 2 genres combine into something interesting to read? Or will the romance "elements" be too distracting from the story?

Just interested in your thoughts.

Cheers,
ND

The Servant of the Manthycore from DEP

Illustrated by Rachel Marks, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock

"Without Napier" Every Day Fiction, TBA

"Night of Shadows, Night of Knives" Magic and Mechanica, Ricasso Press, Spring 2008

"To Destroy All Flesh" Return of the Sword, Flashing Swords Press, Spring 2008

"Only His Name" Every Day Fiction, March 30

"An Exorcism Straight, Hold the Elvis" They Are Not What They Seem, Janrae Frank, ed., TBA

"The First Trial of Jermaish the King" Flashing Swords #10, May 2008

"The Stars by Law Forbidden" Unparalleled Journeys II, Journey Books, 2007

"Six Zombies Doing That Mick Jagger Strut" Damned in Dixie, Tenoka Press, 2007

 

But I wouldn't pick up a romance, for exactly the reasons you give. It's never seemed particularly exciting to me.

 

Hypothetically, if a crossover book were to come out and be marketed to both readerships (like the child/adult versions of Harry Potter) then I'd buy it, but not in the romance cover.

 

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Tony Williams
Scales (2007), The Foresight War (2004)
Homepage: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk

SFF Blog: http://sciencefictionfantasy.blogspot.com/

 

-  Someone asked about one and I said , 'It's science fiction about . . .' 

 

-  A girl grabbed it and said,  'No, these are all syrupy love stories, here--" she thumbed through it for a moment and read something gushy that I'm sure turned me seven shades of scarlet. 

 

-  She was right.  Burroughs always poured on the romance in his adventures.  John Carter,  Carson,  Tarzan, his heroes were always out chasing love on some alien world. 

 

-  Adventurers are romantics, especially 'arm-chair Adventurers' who read fiction.  

 

 

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Adventure-History-Fantasy-Folklore

www.geocities.com/robmancebo/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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