An Author without a Genre…

If I’m being honest, I don’t know what “genre” these books fall into…

I mean yeah, there’s some romance, but they are not romance novels.

And I’ve heard someone say they might count as “new adult” books, and that they’re too old to be considered “young adult.” Which makes sense. My youngest known reader is in their teens and my oldest known reader is in their eighties. I would say my “target audience” is like fifteen to forty years old.

Not helpful.

I could call them historical fiction, or historical romance, but that isn’t going to sit right once the story progresses. And “coming of age” isn’t right either.

Some “magical” liberties have been taken though they don’t necessarily qualify as “fantasy.”

They are most definitely not “erotica,” although there is a few “not-entirely-child-friendly” parts. I let my own personal thirteen-year-old read them guilt-free. I’m just going to leave that there.

Ok, I guess that kind of helps. Throughout both of the published books (as well as the ones to come) there is something of a focus on mental health and anxiety, and how those things have been viewed and judged throughout history.

And I would be remiss if I, as a strong, independent woman raising strong, independent women, didn’t do my best to add some feminist points also viewed and judged throughout history.

But I still don’t know where that leaves me with “genre.”

When people ask me “What are your books about?” I tend to turtle into my shirt and disappear into the floor, not out of shame. No, I like what I’ve written and I can’t wait to share the rest of this story with you. It’s more having been raised to believe that speaking about one’s self and accomplishments might be seen as “boastful,” or “not humble.” I can’t even tell you hard it was to have my daughter take this picture of me featuring my debut novel. It’s impossible for me to make a normal face. My self-worth is encased nicely behind a sliding glass door of humour. That’s it. That’s all.

But I’m working on that. I have to market them, right? These books ain’t gonna sell themselves! Last week was the first time I was able to actually answer that question without my usual terrified “Are you talkin’ to me?” shyness. And here’s what I said (spoiler alert…)

“The first book is set in the 1700s and is about a couple that falls in love, but fate tears them apart and they die. The second book is set in 1910 New York and a young newlywed girl runs into a stranger on the street and realizes she was the female from the first book in a past life.” Then to make sure I stay humble (I have terrible self-worth) I made sure to add that the older ladies in my life who have read them (grandparents, aunts, etc) have not liked them very much because of the sad endings to both.

And yet with that quick description in mind, let it also be known that I take offense to the term “reincarnation” for some reason.

So here I am, an author without a genre. And I don’t really mind, actually. I was never much for labels, unless it’s on food or inanimate objects for the purpose of organization. And I’m not a very organized person. Oh well…