The Perils of Cross-Genre Writing

I’m an ebook veteran. Many years ago, when ebooks were first being created by small companies with big visions, the cross-genre book finally found a place in the literary world. The boundaries within which authors were expected to write began to stretch, as more small-press and e-publishers took up the call:  “Why not?”

Why couldn’t you have a vampire in the Old West? Who said a sci-fi tale couldn’t also have paranormal elements? Crime thrillers with gay cops? Authors suddenly had the freedom to write what they wanted to write, not necessary what some big publisher’s marketing person thought was the next big craze in fiction.

Wonderful, right? Yes. Freedom is a good thing. However, there is one fact that should not be completely overlooked. Creating a multi-genre manuscript can whittle down the book’s broader appeal. The more genres crammed together, the narrower the slice of the populace that will like them all. This is akin to niche writing.

I’m bringing this up because I recently noticed something about my own work.

I write (what I call) romantic mystery, with paranormal (ghostly) elements. When I go to mystery festivals, I focus on the mystery surrounding CAPE SEDUCTION. When I’m among romance readers, of course I mention the romantic thread or subplot. But here’s the rub:  I’ve noticed that conventional mysteries have specific elements that readers look for. Police procedurals, amateur sleuths/cozies, noir, to name a few. My book doesn’t have any of that. It’s a mystery, because there is a murder, an unfolding story about who/what/why/where/how the murder occurred, but no cop, no sleuth (other than the female protag, who is not any kind of regular sleuth.) So I have trouble classifying this book in the mystery genre.

Now. I was recently invited to participate in an all day on-line book launch party at a popular romance reader site. What fun! There were around 12 romance authors participating. But as I watched the rotating cover art at the side of the screen, waiting for my cover to pass by, most of what I saw was fairly explicit sexual scenarios between men/women, and men/men. I’m talking lots of flesh, here. Groping. Garters, fishnets. Bare chests, a thumb tugging down the waistband of a pair of briefs. The excerpts, too, were pretty explicitly sexual (dare I say, racy?)

Now my book has sex, but it’s just a scene or two that happens between characters and moves the development along. It’s not the main thrust of the story. The readers, the visitors to the “party” virtually fanned themselves over the covers and excerpts, citing this one or that one as “hot!” Clearly, my book didn’t feel like playing with the others.

Don’t get me wrong: I have no problem with these books! They are P O P U L A R for a reason. I don’t often read them, but that’s just my preference.

I might add that being termed “paranormal” doesn’t always help a lot, either. If you list your book as paranormal, it’s thrown in with all the vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, warlocks and various other-worldly creatures. So one must further classify “supernatural” and even then, weed it out from the tales about mediums, seers, and those with ESP! (I even hesitate to mention that now, so strong is the stigma attached to the word.)

So, what to do? I appreciate all comments and thoughts. For now, I will continue to look for my niche, which I thought was lighthouses. Oh, did I forget to mention the lighthouses?