tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post3251293942981793927..comments2011-06-22T10:16:51.015-07:00Comments on The Accidental Guru: Is there life beyond chicklit?Laura Essendinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-75646688621701656352011-06-22T10:16:51.015-07:002011-06-22T10:16:51.015-07:00Chiming in a few months late to this discussion, b...Chiming in a few months late to this discussion, but I found this post when I googled "baby boomer chick lit agent" for my novel. So a whole-hearted hell yeah in agreement to everything you wrote--there's a huge untapped market out there!Charlotte Rains Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12657052065864065323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-69625750484444500772011-03-17T06:26:45.665-07:002011-03-17T06:26:45.665-07:00I sent a link to the post to the fabulous Jane Gre...I sent a link to the post to the fabulous Jane Green who replied with "Great piece, all true, and thank you for wonderful compliments!!". Can't wait to read her new book, The Love Verb which is sitting on my shelf right now. We need more established authors like Jane to push the age boundariesLaura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-65643447397086258642011-03-17T06:25:05.326-07:002011-03-17T06:25:05.326-07:00Hi Stephanie, So right. If publishers tell us ther...Hi Stephanie, So right. If publishers tell us there's no demand, we writers may just need to create our own publishing circle and marketplace. I'd certainly read your book - can you post a link here or do you have a blog link? LauraLaura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-45008235670949704072011-03-16T10:15:51.473-07:002011-03-16T10:15:51.473-07:00Couldn't agree with you more. I've just se...Couldn't agree with you more. I've just self-published my novel Ten Good Reasons To Lie About Your Age (blackbirdebooks) as a PDF ebook and Amazon kindle download, both in the UK and the US. It's about a baby boomer rock chick suddenly widowed at 50 who is torn between ageing gracefully or disgracefully. The response it's getting in the US, who are so much more comfortable with ebooks, is fantastic. As Judy's novels have proved, there is DEFINITELY an audience for this type of novel.Stephanie Ziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009923261529219522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-17377386114595398762011-03-14T06:49:34.500-07:002011-03-14T06:49:34.500-07:00And finally ... because you're in Twitter purd...And finally ... because you're in Twitter purdah you won't have seen that Lizzy Kremer one of the top chicklit agents responded to you and me. Basically, she said she'd tried to sell books with older heroines but publishers aren't interested. <br /><br />I think you should break your purdah (just temporarily) go on Twitter (read what LK said) and give the link to your blog so other people can join the fray this afternoon. xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-1527059634677388272011-03-14T04:26:08.331-07:002011-03-14T04:26:08.331-07:00Fanny Blake is talking at the RNA meeting In April...Fanny Blake is talking at the RNA meeting In April. Her first novel features three women in their 40s and 50s, so she should have something interesting to say about older heroines.<br /><br />Nina, I shall check out your books. And Judy, I'm longing to read your next novel, whatever age your heroine is! xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-1950055240301634382011-03-14T02:41:22.216-07:002011-03-14T02:41:22.216-07:00Hi lizzie,
Thanks - as ever. Laura xHi lizzie,<br />Thanks - as ever. Laura xLaura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-11924517864973909492011-03-14T02:41:03.331-07:002011-03-14T02:41:03.331-07:00Hi Nina,
My next stop is to check out your books! ...Hi Nina,<br />My next stop is to check out your books! Over 40 women may be invisible in society but, in real life, we're a powerful force to be reckoned with. Perhaps it's time we started speaking up for ourselves. Agree re Judy and Penny. Laura xLaura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-45932801603233869572011-03-14T02:37:10.819-07:002011-03-14T02:37:10.819-07:00Hi Judy,
Thanks for taking the time to comment and...Hi Judy,<br />Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your experiences as an author. Maybe "older" readers should make a point of marking down chicklit because the characters are too young to relate to. Supermarket and commercial book buyers are being incredibly short sighted - one day they'll be in the literature wilderness too<br />Laura XLaura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-65610902536326441652011-03-14T02:12:55.361-07:002011-03-14T02:12:55.361-07:00lJust thought I'd add that Judy Astley is also...lJust thought I'd add that Judy Astley is also good in this area, and Penny Vincenzi's, because her books have a large cast, with central characters who are not always young, are also relevant and fun.niniacampbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979516938995658313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-81333707552046217082011-03-14T02:03:21.982-07:002011-03-14T02:03:21.982-07:00I'm Nina Bell, and I write in this area: my he...I'm Nina Bell, and I write in this area: my heroines are in their forties and fifties, and my books, The Inheritance, Sisters-in-Law, Lovers & Liars, and (Sept 2011), The Empty Nesters, are family dramas. I write in this area, because there's so little else to read, although Elizabeth Buchan is good. It is baffling, though, to know why there aren't more books being published and promoted for our age group - but it has often been commented that women 'disappear' in terms of media after about 40, so it may be that syndrome transferred to books.niniacampbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979516938995658313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-40580275459414461862011-03-14T01:44:48.618-07:002011-03-14T01:44:48.618-07:00My last book (Other People's Husbands) feature...My last book (Other People's Husbands) featured a woman in her forties who had married a much older man. It was a romantic comedy about the two of them, their family, the age issues and (for her) a powerful a mid-life crush. One online review site claimed to have liked it very much but only gave it 3 marks out of 5 because it had Older People in it and she couldn't relate to them. Given that early 40s isn't exactly decrepit, I felt a bit miffed to say the least. Think the prejudice will continue so long as it is youthful reviewers and supermarket stock-selectors who call the shots.Judyastleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06554979456559263628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-89513931042590367292011-03-14T01:39:05.486-07:002011-03-14T01:39:05.486-07:00Great post, Laura ... and you know that I agree wi...Great post, Laura ... and you know that I agree with every word! I've tweeted the link this morning so hopefully you'll get more traffic to read the blog.<br /><br />And you're also right about us being the ones with the purchasing power.<br /><br />Here's to henlit!<br /><br />LizzieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-5220075487133588712011-03-13T09:57:59.055-07:002011-03-13T09:57:59.055-07:00I heard that the largest consumers of crime fictio...I heard that the largest consumers of crime fiction are middle-aged women. Could that be because it's intelligent, well written and doesn't usually involve chasing Mr Right around Chelsea in kitten heels? Would love to read something intelligent and fun, tailor made for my age group.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-58680412780275585132011-03-13T09:54:35.453-07:002011-03-13T09:54:35.453-07:00Thanks Student Mum. As we're the ones with the...Thanks Student Mum. As we're the ones with the purchasing power, you'd think they'd be chasing after us, desperate to cater to this fantastic market.Laura Essendinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04336063075454155969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146381387339982337.post-45954838365807499322011-03-13T09:25:51.200-07:002011-03-13T09:25:51.200-07:00I agree with you as a woman of a 'similar'...I agree with you as a woman of a 'similar' age. It's not just books, I was looking for a magazine to read, bought one I've looked at before and found that NO women featured were over 40. It felt alienating to say the least. (Also a waste of money)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com