The main focus has always been on Keir (the Warlord) and Lara (the Warprize), but there are also a vast array of many flavorful characters that are dying to get their own books. One such character is Marcus, the facially scarred protector and caregiver to Keir and Lara. In these books, Keir’s people are mated and Marcus was mated to another Warlord by the name of Liam. These two are separated and are both suffering because Marcus turns away from Liam for reasons explained in the book. The moment this was revealed, I was all for Marcus and Liam getting their own book. But then again this is a straight mainstream romance series and the possibility there would be a primary M/M romance featuring Marcus and Liam is a slim possibility. As a secondary romance it doesn’t seem to be a problem. As a primary, not so much.
There’s a recent trend I’ve started noticing in main stream romance. (Or I could be mistaken, so please correct me if I’m wrong). I’m seeing the rise of GLBT romances as a secondary to the primary, or perhaps I should say more M/M (Gay) centric versus F/F (Lesbian). The first time I really noticed a secondary M/M Gay romance in a mainstream romance was in Julia London’s 2007 vampire novel, Return to Me. Julia also had the makings of secondary Lesbian romance that could have been a primary one in her Rakes of Rochester series. But by the final book, that romance had been cut off. Louisa Edwards had a wonderful secondary romance between two men in her Recipe for Love series. It’s a tender, somewhat heartbreaking romance with Frankie a foul mouth, smoking Brit channeling Johnny Rotten, who’s a cook at Market and the innocent looking Jess (brother to one of the heroines). I thought Louisa made a great case for Johnny and Jess to have their own book, but their HEA was resolved in the final book.
Suzanne Brockmann gave her fans a M/M mainstream romance featuring two recurring characters in her series in the book All Through the Night, which I heard was praised and well received. And then Suzanne is releasing a M/M romance, When Tony Met Adam, in June, but it’s only going to be in ebook. Here I wonder, if it’s being released in ebook, why not in print simultaneously?
Then there’s my all-time favorite secondary romance, regardless if it’s about two men. We all know how excited I am for JR Ward writing a book (or a novella as she states it, even though it maybe 100,000 words, which equals over 300 pages) about two males vampires from her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. These two characters, as her fans fondly call Qhuay, have grown in such a way throughout the last three books, that there’s no way they can stay as a secondary romance. They’ve become larger than life, as important as the straight romantic relationships JR has written. And I really do think, if and when the Qhuay novella is published, it may hit most of the top 10 book lists. Perhaps even a most coveted spot in top 10 on the New York Times (that is if the New York Times is still around by the time this novella is published because it may not come out until 2014 or later) And if that is the case, and the Qhuay novella is well received just like Ward’s straight romances are (mainly her very popular BDB series), perhaps this will become a trend?
Why does it seem that secondary GLBT romances in straight mainstream romances are acceptable and doesn’t necessarily bother readers who don’t usually read GLBT or prefer not to? If GLBT romance is on the rise as a secondary romance, why aren’t there more mainstream romances with a GLBT romance as the primary?
I’m the type of person who’s open to reading all types of romance and wish there would be more GLBT romances published in the mainstream. M/M romance is the fast growing genre in epublishing, so I have hopes the same will happen in mainstream/traditional publishing. So was the case with erotic romance. For years that genre was underground and popular in digital, and then it moved into traditional. I do believe GLBT romance and fiction is going this route. The question is, when?
I asked a few people to recommend their favorite GLBT secondary romances in the mainstream straight romances they have read. Here are some recommendations I was given:
Kyle and Warren in Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series. They have a great secondary romance. They are supposed to be getting their own novella this fall. (Mandi from Smexybooks)
Deidre Knight has a great M/M secondary in her Gods of Midnight Series. It is Mason Angel and Nik. She wrote it very beautifully. (Heather from Book Reading Gals)
Eon by Alison Goodman. There is a transvestite character named Lady Dela, who is serving in the Chinese emperor's court. Where she comes from, it's considered an honor for a man to take on the spirit and personality of a woman, and so Lady Dela is revered in "her" village. At court, however, she is reviled and attacked, sometimes to great harm. She's a beautifully done character! Probably my most favorite of the book and she plays a very important role, even if she is a secondary character. (Kenda from Lurve Ala Mode)
One that pops to mind is Lord Akeldama and Biffy in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. In Blameless, she hints that something might happen between Lyall and Biffy following his transformation to werewolf. (Penny from Penelope's Romance Reviews)
Kushiel’s Dart (Jacqueline Carey) features a central F/F storyline. She has many lovers, it's not a traditional romance. Her romance with a woman is more powerful and ends up dangerous (Carolyn Crane)
Jess Haines also sent me a link that recommends Lesbians as main characters in SF/F books.
These are just a few that were mentioned, and if anyone has any other recommendations, please leave them here.
Are you a fan of reading GLBT secondary romances in your romances that feature a straight romance as the primary? How many of you have read a GLBT romance and wished there were more mainstream romances being published with this storyline? Why do GLBT romances as the primary sell well in digital epublishing but not necessarily in mainstream publishing? And how long will it take mainstream publishing to catch up?
9 comments:
Damn it - blogger ate my long comment. I'll try again.
It's pure and simple--the mainstream have not yet had the gumption to jump in and start publishing it. There are many many small publishers printing gay fiction and gay romance but it's still considered a niche market, and is hidden away in corners of bookshops and libraries.
It's not just epublishers who are publishing it--many do print and epublishing, such as Lethe, Samhain, EC and Cheyene.
as far as I know only one mainstream publisher --Running Press, an imprint of Perseus--has taken the plunge but has since stopped publishing m/m romances. Their four flagship books by Me, Lee Rowan, alex beecroft and Donald Hardy haven't sold well to be honest, my first novel Standish has sold six times the numbers with a small press, PD Press, than Transgressions has with Running Press. It seems they aren't taking on new titles, and despite the fact that we are contracted to give them first refusal on our new books, they haven't used that option.
They had planned to have them in the main romance aisles, but there were complaints (despite the very subtle covers) and they were all shoved into the gay section.
Carina press (an imprint of Harlequin) is publishing gay romances alongside their hetero ones, and their best sellers will go into print. BUT--because Harlequin doesn't have a print line of gay romances--even if a gay romance in the future were to outsell everything else, it would not go into print. which sucketh.
It will happen eventually, we've come a long long way in ten years.
My favourites are: captain's surrender by alex beecroft, at swim two boys by jamie o'neill, wicked gentlemen by ginn hale, the charioteer by mary renault and swordspoint by ellen kushner.
Good questions, KB! Mainstream publishing is just not brave enough yet. On the plus side, that's given opportunity to all sorts of ebook publishers.
My favorite secondary m/m romance is Butch/V in the BDB, before JRW chickened out. The wonderful fanfic, True, fixes that. :)
This is a great way to make a person who doesn't know any gays (and maybe doesn't quite understand how two men or two women could fall in love) to feel a connection. Maybe this reader will use a couple in a mainsteam romance (when she would never have picked up and read anything GLBT) as her focal point when reading or conversing about the gay rights or gay marriage.
YES, this is all the GAY AGENDA! We are now coming after the innocent romance readers. :) Soon enough, they will add some gay secondary characters in the Bible (well, some more blatantly gay characters ~coughs-DavidandJonathan~
*snickersnorts at Jase's comment*
I think you be seeing more of GLBT mainstream. I just think the subject is coming to a natural progression in the eyes of the world.
Great post!
I would be only too thrilled to see M/M romance become more mainstream as well as for GLBT couples or characters to have more of a focus.
I think eventually mainstream publishing will get with the program eventually even though it is a slower progress than I would like. The shift towards GLBT characters being treated well or depicted positively in fiction is a major step in that direction at least.
Erastes: I adore Ginn Hale. Her Lord of the White Hell books were my some of my favorites last year.
Do you ever think Harlequin will ever have a GLBT line? I think if they did, other mainstream publishers would follow.
Chris: Mainstream publishing is a bunch of pansies then.
True! ;)
Jason: I am shocked, shocked I tell you! ;P
Shannon: I sure hope so.
Cslibrarian: I think if and when GLBT goes more mainstream, the love scenes will be more subtle or behind closed doors. But at least, it's something.
But then again Ward promises everything out in the open with Qhuay, just as she would do with her straight couples.
I think that's true. Which is sort of sad but I can't hate too much on progress. Even if it's a slow and exasperating sort of progress at times.
And I need to get to reading J. R. Ward. Especially if she's going to write something like that. :)
Well after JR Ward's announcement yesterday that Qhuay will get a full hard cover novel in 2013 I guess this will truly bring m/m romance fully into the mainstream realm. There was a huge fan based demand for this relationship to be given the same coverage that her other couples have received and after getting the go ahead from her publisher she is going to do just that. Fan-tastic.
Post a Comment