Latest news with #Romantasy
Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Kate Mosse: ‘Fairy porn is absolutely brilliant'
Award-winning novelist Kate Mosse has hailed the popularity of 'fairy porn' books as 'absolutely brilliant'. The Labyrinth author said that while the Romantasy 'ship has sailed' for her at 63, she thinks that its rise is a 'great phenomenon' thanks to BookTok – the corner of TikTok in which books are shared and discovered by millions. Speaking to The Telegraph, Mosse – the founder of the prestigious Women's Prize for Fiction – said: 'I think it's absolutely brilliant. 'You cannot have it both ways. You can't be wringing your hands about a decline in children reading for pleasure, and then when there are younger people or different communities reading stuff that is maybe... like fairy porn.. you can't then make judgement about it.' The best-selling author, who is famed for her multimillion-copy selling historical fiction Languedoc Trilogy, added: 'Don't forget that this tension between what is good literature and bad literature has always existed.' The literary subgenre of Romantasy spans both romance and fantasy, creating stories where romantic relationships are central to the plot, set in mystical and supernatural worlds. The hybrid genre, sometimes also referred to as 'fairy porn', was revealed to make up half of the most popular audiobooks on Spotify last year, with Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (Acotar) – a modern fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast – topping it. Other popular releases include the Fourth Wing series, which are Rebecca Yarros's young adult novels about a war college filled with dragon riders. The two bestselling series have notched up tens of millions of TikTok posts between them. Mosse added: 'I don't have very much patience for people to go, 'Yeah, but it's just a BookTok book.' 'If young people are buying these books and loving them, then good for them. Not every book is for everybody and there are different books that will bring different people in.' Her comments come after new research from The National Literacy Trust found that only one in three children aged eight to 18 enjoy reading in their free time. Romantasy, in contrast, is predominantly read by young women. The Chichester-based novelist clarified that she does not use TikTok, despite the promotional lure, but will look at it 'every now and again' to see what is taking off. One such instance, for example, might include checking how her latest work of historical fiction, The Map of Bones, will fare on the video sharing platform. Its release later this month marks the fourth – and final – novel of The Joubert Family Chronicles. A family of novelists Meanwhile, her husband Greg Mosse is also preparing to release the final book of his thriller trilogy The Coming Darkness, which he began working on at the start of the pandemic. Discussing the coincidental double release, and whether the shared profession ever becomes competitive, Greg told The Sunday Telegraph: 'It would be really foolish to compete with somebody who has a novel that sold eight million copies. 'I always say she is the wave which I surf. It's incredibly helpful. It's helpful because Kate is a brilliant creative imagination and a wonderful editor.' The pair, who first met in their teens, don't allow each other to read their work until a formal first draft has been completed, but after that, they are free to comment and critique. 'We don't discuss ideas or work things out [until then], because for both of us, having our own absolute, unique voices, and the vision of the first draft is really important,' Mosse said, adding that she likes to keep her work 'very close'. She added: 'I don't talk about my work in progress at all…because I think it's very easy to be knocked off even if you talk to somebody as brilliant as Greg – you don't want anybody else's voice or ideas in your book.' However, Mosse added that they are never competitive with one another, explaining that she is 'proud and thrilled' when her husband 'does brilliantly'. 'That's always been the case, and therefore, the idea that one of us might sell more or less, or whatever, it just doesn't really come into it,' she said. However, Greg revealed that they broke their first draft policy with one of their two children – Felix – who is also preparing to release his own book. 'We have both provided editorial support,' he said, but insisted that their son 'goes home, like every other writer, and sits on his own to do that work himself.' 'In the end, it's one person's creative brain and one person's editorial consciousness shaping the work that finally appears, whether it's mine, whether it's Kate's, whether it's somebody else's,' he said. Publishing more meritocratic than Hollywood Mosse explained that she doesn't believe in literary nepotism, explaining that in the publishing industry 'there isn't a nepotism that works in quite the same way' as in Hollywood, for example. '[It's] because there's still so much agency within publishing,' she said, adding: 'It's about an agent liking a particular book, not the fact that [they are] somebody's sister or husband or whatever.' 'If Greg hadn't got his agent or the publishing deal, there was nothing I could have done... you get your agent and your publishing deals on the basis of your work being fantastic.'
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why Gen Z is obsessed with reading dragon porn
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Gen Z: Keep it down, I'm reading my book. Boomer: You've actually put down your phone? My new romantasy read – Onyx Storm by 44-year-old Rebecca Yarros – has me in a chokehold. Romantasy? Like Aragorn and Arwen's love story in The Lord Of The Rings? Nah, it's 527 pages of hot dragon-rider sex that topped both The Sunday Times and The New York Times bestseller lists. You're reading dragon porn? Everyone is. #Romantasy has more than a billion tagged posts on TikTok. So long, J K Rowling; hello, randy reptiles. It's not just dragons – sales of 75 million steamy fairy novels made Sarah J Maas, 39, the world's top-selling author of 2024. I saw that she was on The Times' bestselling authors list last year, and agreed with the commenter who wrote: 'Horny Hobbits! What on Middle Earth?' Laugh away, but romance sales have more than doubled since 2020. It's now the world's most popular genre. We all enjoy a good love story. It's about spice, not love. A literary agent told The Guardian: 'The steamier the sex, the better a book does.' I read Jilly Cooper's Rivals. Never seen the word c**k so often in one book. Lame. Bookfluencer Tierney Page would give it three at best on the spice-ometer. Isn't that the flavour scale at Nando's? It's a ranking of a book's smuttiness. So five chillies means full-on bonking? Five chillies is for books that are 'cooked', 'unhinged' and 'taboo', Page says. Dare I ask what qualifies? Dream lovers: romance (and romantasy) books are huge among Gen Z Try Taming Seraphine by Gigi Styx. It has a two-page list of triggers, from BDSM and bondage to knife play and exhibitionism. What would Jilly think? Makes Rupert Campbell-Black and his, erm, 'baseball bat' seem ideal boyfriend material. The hitman love interest is described as 'sexy as hell' and 'pant-melting'. The latter sounds more like an iron setting than a character description. One of the book's most popular quotes shared on TikTok is: 'I've killed two of the most important people in my life for you… Because I love you…' My idea of romance is more 'flowers and chocolates' than 'I'll take out my entire family to prove my devotion.' Fair. Maybe have a browse of West London's Saucy Books instead. Let me guess: Hugh Grant's store from Notting Hill has been turned into a sex shop? It's London's first romance-only bookshop, launched last month by 38-year-old Sarah Maxwell. They should have called it Randy Elf On A Shelf. TikTok sisters Avie and Jazzi's tour of the store hit 200,000 views, with shoppers loving its 'Smut Hut'. I imagine that'll cause some issues when people search it on Google Maps. It's a section for the store's most erotic titles, BBC News reported, arranged into sub-sections like 'Enemies To Lovers'. Aren't you lot embarrassed to read this stuff in public? Obvs not. Saucy Books is so popular it sells tickets with customer time slots. I was so mortified reading Fifty Shades at the beach I hid it under Orwell's 1984. Surveillance, submission, a guy obsessed with control: TBH they're not that different. If everyone's reading porn in public, maybe I'll cash in. In fact, a spicy rewrite of a classic novel is already simmering. Jane Eyrotic?
Hamilton Spectator
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto novelists Linwood Barclay and Shari Lapena among guests at Motive Crime & Mystery Festival
Indigo 2300 Yonge St. Signing: Terry Kirk Sat., 1 p.m. Canadian author Terry Kirk signs copies of her debut novel, the historical thriller 'Pitfall,' in which the Wall Street crash of October 1929 leads a trader to head to Saskatchewan to sell Canadian booze to Chicago mobsters. Victoria University 73 Queens Park Motive Crime & Mystery Festival Sat. & Sun., 1:30 p.m. Authors and readers gather for a weekend of signings, workshops and conversations with the likes of Shari Lapena, Lisa Unger and Linwood Barclay. For info, go to . Hopeless Romantic Books 28 Bathurst St. Romantasy BookTalk Sat., 2 p.m. Authors Emily Varga ('For She Is Wrath') and Kristen Ciccarelli ('The Crimson Moth' duology) discuss their work and the popular romantasy genre. The event at the STACKT Market will feature author Q&As, signings, giveaways and refreshments. Author Kristen Ciccarelli appears at Hopeless Romantic Books on Saturday. A Different Booklist 779 Bathurst St. Launch: 'You Never Know What You're Going to Get' Sat., 5 p.m. A reading and signing celebrating the publication of a new short-story anthology featuring Jaimie Franchi, Ndija Anderson-Yantha, Latoya Belfon, Peter Tetteh Loveson, Julianne Mundle, Gayle Gonsalves, Saira Batasar-Johnie, Deborah Ross-Attas, Caroline Bennet, Abigail Grimes and editor Juleus Ghunta. Blackhurst Cultural Centre 777 Bathurst St. Discussion: 'Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation' Weds., 6:30 p.m. In an event hosted by A Different Booklist, Bruce McIvor, a historian and member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, talks about his book with Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaw lawyer and activist.
Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Major franchise development in the works for A Court of Thorns and Roses series
The #Booktok favourite author of hit series ACOTAR, Throne of Glass and Crescent City has just signed this historic merch deal, suggesting the full franchise treatment of Harry Potter Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) universe continues to expand, this time with a franchise development. Ahead of the sixth ACOTAR instalment, rumours of filming have started to bubble as new products are set to release. The viral Romantasy sensation that has taken #Booktok by storm is set to receive the full franchise treatment, with a worldwide exclusive deal with IMG Licensing, promising fans a vast selection of merchandise, spanning across all of her literary series - Throne of Glass and Crescent City included. Her global success boasts more than 70 million English copies sold worldwide, with translations of her work in 38 languages. Dubbed one of the most influential modern authors, Maas has acted as the literary knight leading the charge for Romantasy, now an established genre in its own right. The Hollywood Reporter wrote how the multi-year deal will both manage and develop a huge licensing program to create interaction points for the loyal fantasy base of Terasen, the Night Court and Crescent City. Maas' adored literary-verse will extend from its pages, transforming into clothing attire; makeup; lifestyle and homeware products; wine and spirits; food and beverages; toys and games; collectibles; cosplay items; and immersive fan experiences, reports THR. IMG Licensing Vice President, Samantha Chang, commented on the exciting deal, saying: "Representing Sarah J. Maas and her extraordinary literary worlds is an incredible honour. Together, Sarah and her fans have created a cultural phenomenon that has redefined fantasy fiction". For more stories like this visit The Gulp or subscribe to our weekly newsletter for a curated roundup of top stories, interviews, and lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. She added that the company are "excited to launch a dynamic and carefully curated licensing program that offers fans meaningful new ways to celebrate the characters and stories they love". Fore fronting every aisle of its genre in bookshops, Maas' Romantasy has helped inspire a new theme of independent businesses - genre-specific stores. England's first Romance specific store, Saucy Books, now open in Notting Hill, London. Sarah Maxwell, founder of Saucy Books, explained: "The numbers don't lie — romance is consistently one of the highest-grossing genres and the most passionately discussed online. Readers are clearly craving connection. But for all that energy, there's been no dedicated physical space in England to gather, celebrate, and explore the genre together. "As an American expat, I've been watching the rise of romance bookstores globally and felt it was time to bring the concept to London — a city with a rich literary history and a passionate romance readership. That's why I'm so excited to launch Saucy Books: a space to turn that love into something real, rooted, and wildly fun. I think Jane Austen would approve."
CBS News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Vendors from Baltimore's disastrous viral book festival are creating their own event
After taking part in what's been described as the Fyre Festival for books, Maryland book vendors are putting together one of their own. Romantasy in the Valley is scheduled for 2026, but Amber Hodgson and Matt Hodgson are trying to do as much work now to prevent a repeat of the A Million Lives Book Festival, and help the authors and vendors who participated in the event that turned into a flop.. This is on top of other support that's already been in the works for the authors and vendors who took part in AML. Turning a negative into a positive The A Million Lives Book Festival became a viral sensation after authors, vendors, and attendees started posting about it nearly two weeks ago. Archer Management, the festival's organizer, promised authors and vendors hundreds of attendees, but the event instead drew maybe a little more than 100 over two days. Archer has apologized and promised refunds. The Hodgsons had a table for their business, Bookish Signs and More. Their business works with authors to make special editions of books, as well as works with other businesses that create book boxes. They took a financial hit participating in AML, but the loss didn't deter them from wanting to put on another, better festival. "Between our backgrounds and her connections -- the authors and people she knew -- I knew we could make a positive from a negative," Matt Hodgson said. "That was always the goal, to turn this around." So, Romantasy in the Valley was born. There's already a date for it, July 25, 2026, and the Embassy Suites location in Hunt Valley will be the venue. Amber Hodgson wanted to be very transparent in the planning process, posting updates on social media almost daily. Any author and vendor who participated in AML has first dibs to take part in Romantasy. For the Hodgsons, it's all about making it right for them. "We just wanted to redo the event. If we make money, that's great, but [if we don't], that was a risk that we were in a fortunate position to take on. That we wanted to do," Amber Hodgson said. Authors and vendors interested in participating in Romantasy have until June 1 to submit an application. You can find that here. Other support for AML authors and vendors Atlas Creed, a DMV-based author who also had a table at AML, created a one-stop webpage that shows every author and vendor who participated in AML. The webpage was put on a website he had already created as a resource for authors. The webpage has been shared widely since its creation. "It just seemed like the right thing to do to try and help them recoup some of their losses," Creed said. "By using resources that I already have, and I can just extend upon."
