Comments on: USA Today Bestseller List Predictions, Week Ending October 28, 2007

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:29:17 +0000

This was my first Cornwell book and I have to say Book of the Dead was really good. It kept my attention the entire time. After reading this one I am for sure going to check out her other books.

By: Jill Myles

Jill Myles — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 03:15:30 +0000

Ann, I’m right there with you. I miss a good rompy medieval. Where did those disappear off to?

By: Ann Bruce

Ann Bruce — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:39:55 +0000

The paranormals market is already saturated. Every time I browse in a bookstore, all I see are paranormals. And, to be honest, I haven’t bought a paranormal book in almost 2 years, with the exception of Ward’s book–and that might be the last. Oh, and there’s Kelley Armstrong, but thankfully her paranormals have strong women and don’t feature magic vaginas, so I’ll keep buying her.

What I’ve been missing is a good medieval historical. I realized the other day I haven’t read one in ages and would love to revisit that time period. I want to read about drafty castles and knights and the women who actually run things behind the men’s backs (sorry, no dragons or wizards or any other magical creature/being need apply). Any suggestions?

By: Jennifer Ashley

Jennifer Ashley — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 06:20:18 +0000

In my humble opinion I think historicals are a mainstay of the romance industry. They may not be a “growth” subgenre, but they never really go away. It’s like blue chip stocks, always there, neither zinging skyward or plummeting to nothing.

Paranormals are still growing by leaps and bounds, but I have to wonder when that’s going to level off. I have a paranormal out this month (The Black Dragon, by Allyson James) and I’ve been amazed at the deluge of paranormals out Oct-Dec of this year. I fear that market will be saturated soon, and we’ll see a downturn.
Speaking for myself, the numbers on my historicals have only grown since I started. Each book so far sells more than the last (knock on wood).

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:02:23 +0000

I think books likes yours and Joanna Bourne’s will prove to be a huge boon for the historical genre because they are so rich in detail and full of romanticism.

By: sherry thomas

sherry thomas — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:59:18 +0000

I can’t remember whether this was in the fall of 2004 or 2005. But Eloisa James came to Austin and gave a workshop. And all the way back then she said that she believed historicals were on an upswing, because print run numbers for herself and her historical-writing colleagues were going up.

Since then, however, I haven’t really seen solid data to back it up. From what the booksellers said at RWA this past July, it seems that the growth for historicals is still sort of flat, in the low-to-mid single-digits whereas paranormal and YA are growing by leaps and bounds.

But I certainly hope that the uptick is finally here. Goodness knows I could use a high tide when my boat launches.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 03:08:58 +0000

I don’t know if it was disappointment or whether she has a capped audience. I don’t suppose it bodes well for a hardcover debut though unless Phury’s book really rocks. I think the problem is that her world is in such shambles that I don’t know if it can be revived well enough for enough people.

By: Brenna

Brenna — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:52:06 +0000

I’m definitely done with Cornwell myself.

I was just commenting last week that, barring any big drop, Ward’s Lover Unbound could probably make it for 5 weeks in the USA Bestseller list. Well, the big drop did occur and the book was out of the list before the 28th, or to be precise, by the 26th of October as per stats. It seems that it can’t break the 4 weeks maximum stay of the previous books. And for all the talk and publicity this book has generated, I wonder why is that.

By: December Quinn/Stacia Kane

December Quinn/Stacia Kane — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:23:09 +0000

Oops. I mean Cornwell. That was a typo.

By: December Quinn/Stacia Kane

December Quinn/Stacia Kane — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:22:30 +0000

I finished with Cormwell at Trace. I just couldn’t take it anymore.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:45:57 +0000

Cornwell lost me during the whole werewolf thing…Black Notice? I think the last of hers I read was actually her non-fiction book on the Jack the Ripper murders and, though I thought she made a very compelling case, I was so turned off by her declaring the case solved I’ve never read another.

By: Karen Scott

Karen Scott — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:57:13 +0000

I keep telling myself that I’m done with Cornwell, but I’ve already ordered Book of The Dead. Big effing sigh.