IBARW: Romance Novels

[fabrisse]

delux_vivens commented on my post from yesterday that some people have a hard time with seeing portrayals of loving relationships between black people.

I live in DC, one of the few cities in the US with a higher population of African-Americans than Caucasians. In the last several months, I've been unemployed, and, like many book addicts going through unemployment, rediscovered my local library.

Within the library there is an entire section devoted to romance novels aimed at African American women. This is not a small part of my little library. I'd say it takes up nearly a fifth of the overall shelf space. This is also, I would venture, not a small money maker for certain publishing houses. I know that certain authors in the genre get large campaigns on the Metro when their new book comes out, just like Dan Brown's new Da Vinci Code sequel did.

So why is it, when I go to my downtown Borders Bookstore, these books are relegated to a small section between the more conventional (i.e. white) romance novels and the bargain section? Seriously, I think they have more Manga than black romances, and DC is not exactly a manga town.

There's obviously a large segment of the local population that reads these books. Based on my unscientific observations on the Metro and buses, most of the people that read them, buy them. Most of the local bookstores, and not just the big chains, don't seem to carry them. At a time when bookstores are failing, this seems like a mistake to me.

Is the problem that booksellers don't know this subsection of the larger genre exists? The big ad campaign would argue against that, but it's possible, I suppose. Is there discomfort at the idea of the romance novel tropes, especially the one of lasting love, being enacted by People of Color? I hope not.

I do know that I'd like some suggestions. I like some romance novels, but not all. I tend to prefer strong women who don't become meek just to get their man (it's amazing how many romance novels that eliminates in any subgenre. Grrrrr.). I prefer not to have deus ex machinas, and the sex shouldn't make me cringe.

Anybody got titles for me to read?

Comments

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Ssssso... where are people buying them? Since they obviously are.

Some may be going to Amazon or Powells or other online bookstore. I know I find some of my more specialist literature there. But I also see these books available at the local CVS and Safeway in my neighborhood. If I go to the Safeway near my friend in Bethesda, the romance novels are more likely to be white and historical. So, the local branches of these national chains are responding to the local demand and demographics.

Still, the selection is extremely limited at the grocery or drug store as opposed to a bookstore. Other neighborhoods may have the kind of bookstore you suggest.