Publishing Romance : The History of an Industry, 1940s to the Present

Romance novels have attracted considerable attention since their mass market debut in 1939, yet seldom has the industry itself been analyzed. Founded in 1949, Harlequin quickly gained market domination with their contemporary romances. Other publishers countered with historical romances, leading to the rise of "bodice-ripper" romances in the 1970s. The liberation of the romance novel's content during the 1980s brought a vitality to the market that was dubbed a revolution, but the real romance revolution began in the 1990s with developments in the mainstream publishing industry and continues today. This book traces the history and evolution of the romance industry, covering successful (and not so successful) trends and describing changes in romance publishing that paved the way for the many popular subgenres flooding the market in the 21st century. This Book Traces The History And Evolution Of The Romance Industry, Covering Successful (and Not So Successful) Trends And Describing Changes In Romance Publishing That Paved The Way For The Many Popular Subgenres Flooding The Market In The 21st Century-- Paperbacks In Society -- The World Of Harlequin : 1949/1979 -- The Four Phases Of Love : American Romance Publishing In The Seventies -- Silhouette Books: Challenging Harlequin's Supremacy -- The New Dawn : Romance Publishing Comes Of Age -- Risky Business : Rushing To Cash In On The Romance Craze -- The Editorial Ear : Selective Listening -- Alive And Kicking : Harlequin Regains Market Supremacy -- Line Diversification : The Byword Of The New Millennium -- Romance Publishing At The Outset Of The New Millennium : Market Share, Competition, And Content Innovation. John Markert. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 326-329) And Index. Romance novels have attracted considerable attention since their mass market debut in 1939, yet seldom has the industry itself been analysed. This book traces the history and evolution of the romance industry, covering successful trends and describes changes in romance publishing that paved the way for the many popular subgenres flooding the market in the 21st century.