Imagination Time—Upcoming Literary Trends
Slam Sisters of Serendipity by Terry Campbell
Welcome back guest columnist, Bobbye Terry, as she peers into her crystal ball for the future trends in fiction. We’d love to hear what you think!
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I sat down the other day and started thinking about what the new trends will be in romantic fiction during the next couple of years. I made my list and thought it would be fun just to discuss the things I think may creep into romance and the literary mainstream. Some of this may make some of you laugh, but honestly, did any of us see zombies creeping into the pages of our romance books? Enough said. Here’s my list:
1. 2013-
That’s right, not 2012, but the year that follows. There’s been a lot of speculation about the Mayan calendar supposedly ending on December 21, 2012. On Amazon there are 1080+ books with 2012 in the title. BUT, there are only 73 on 2013, and none are fiction. An opportunity! I also believe we’ll see the tide turn away from dystopian fiction and writers will begin writing about the utopia of the future.
2. Alternate history-
We’ve already seen books start to pop up rewriting history or changing it to include odd machines and inventions, especially in steampunk and cyberpunk novels. I’m talking more about taking real events of the past and twisting them, so that what you have is a new time line entirely based on the change in the outcome of events, such as a war ending with the other side winning, changing the balance of power.
3. Return to an age of innocence-
Sex and violence are now popular. What if sweet romances with no consummated sex took an upswing and there was return to comical prose?
4. Rocking to Romance—the Musical E-book Extravaganza
We’re already starting to get rumblings about multi-media e-books. Watch for music and video to start popping up in your e-books. Get ready to write it in to your upcoming novels and for us indie authors, boy are we going to have to learn a lot!
5. Alternate ending novels-
I can see this happening. In time, the reader can select the novel with the type of ending he or she prefers. For instance, there will be happily-ever-after, OR the hero drives off in the sunset and heroine marries someone else for security, OR the heroine can select her own hero and ending. The possibilities are endless!
6. Twists on Old Classics-
Books begin to mirror past well-loved books, such as Jane Eyre becomes Beth Smith, a disadvantaged teen from the ghetto who becomes a teacher and is offered the chance to home school the child of a wealthy man who spends all his time at work, only to return home when he needs to entertain clients.
7. Sci-fi changes to an emphasis on the future of the center of our planet, shift-changing automatons, and environmental empires.
My brain is getting weary, so I think I’ll turn it over to you.
What do you think will become the new “It” theme for next year and the year after?
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Bobbye Terry (BT) writes contemporary romantic comedy and suspense under her real name and romantic fantasy and science fiction when writing as Daryn Cross (DC). She is also half of the well-known writing duo of Terry Campbell. Her latest works include BURIED IN BRINY BAY (BT) from Turquoise Morning Press and her indie releases, ROSE (BT) and FULL MOON RISING (DC). SLAM SISTERS OF SERENDIPITY (TC) debuts on June 7. Mark your calendars. You can find her at www.BobbyeTerryRomance.com, www.DarynCross.com and www.TerryCampbell.com .
