Your column has me thinking: so-called literary fiction is as much a genre as mystery, crime, romance, westerns, sci-fi etc. Maybe it's where publishers have to dump everything that isn't easily categorized. And there is so much crossover, as you point out. Is du Maurier's "Rebecca" crime fiction, mystery, or romance? Is "Fifty Shades of Gray" romance or soft-core porn? Is "The Turn of the Screw" mystery or literature? The list can go on and on. All I know is when a book gets too pretentious (and I won't name names) I just stop reading.
Yes! "Rebecca" is all that. "The Turn of the Screw" not only literary and a mystery but a great ghost story. I think we get into trouble when we categorize these works and limit the way they are seen, wouldn't you agree?
So much of this has to do with marketing, IMO. Publishers and bookstores need categories for where to place books. There is that very funny scene in "American Fiction" where the Jeffrey Wright chjaracter tries to remove his books from the "African American" section into "Literature/Mythology," which is where they belong. I wonder if bookstores in James's day even had categories.
When my first book came out in 2013, at my bookstore book launch, during Q & A a man asked, "Do you write mystery novels because you think you aren't good enough to write literary fiction?" My reply was, "I think at the heart of every great novel there's a mystery." As an example I said Pride and Prejudice would be less of a joy if Mr. Darcy's manner was the result of a mystery at the heart of the book.
Hey, now that you've put yourself in the same category as Nabokov and Dostoevsky and Dreiser, I need to take another look! Sorry if I once inadvertently insulted you.
Ha! I do not put myself in their league. I am simply pointing out a few great literary novels that are also great crime fiction. No apology necessary, Ann!
Wonderful post! I taught courses on Mysteries and Crime Fiction at Lehigh University, and students were always amazed by the variety and quality of the works we read. And I loved Crime Academy! I took a great online course with Bill Boyle, during which we workshopped my mystery novel, Zigzag Girl — now an ITW finalist for best standalone novel. Crime Academy was part of that journey, and I'm grateful.
Yeah.
Great post. Every good book is a mystery, really.
Yes! Find a book without transgression and you've found a dull book.
Jonathan - SO incredibly multi-talented! Bringing joy to your huge audience!
Thank you, Susan. Such a generous thing to say.
Your column has me thinking: so-called literary fiction is as much a genre as mystery, crime, romance, westerns, sci-fi etc. Maybe it's where publishers have to dump everything that isn't easily categorized. And there is so much crossover, as you point out. Is du Maurier's "Rebecca" crime fiction, mystery, or romance? Is "Fifty Shades of Gray" romance or soft-core porn? Is "The Turn of the Screw" mystery or literature? The list can go on and on. All I know is when a book gets too pretentious (and I won't name names) I just stop reading.
Yes! "Rebecca" is all that. "The Turn of the Screw" not only literary and a mystery but a great ghost story. I think we get into trouble when we categorize these works and limit the way they are seen, wouldn't you agree?
So much of this has to do with marketing, IMO. Publishers and bookstores need categories for where to place books. There is that very funny scene in "American Fiction" where the Jeffrey Wright chjaracter tries to remove his books from the "African American" section into "Literature/Mythology," which is where they belong. I wonder if bookstores in James's day even had categories.
I remember that scene, very funny. I'm trying to recall whose novel about cannibalism ended up in the cook book section!
I hope it was called EAT THE RICH
When my first book came out in 2013, at my bookstore book launch, during Q & A a man asked, "Do you write mystery novels because you think you aren't good enough to write literary fiction?" My reply was, "I think at the heart of every great novel there's a mystery." As an example I said Pride and Prejudice would be less of a joy if Mr. Darcy's manner was the result of a mystery at the heart of the book.
I have heard Joyce Carol Oates say son(paraphrasing)
It cut me off! She said that most stories involve some sort of transgression.
Hey, now that you've put yourself in the same category as Nabokov and Dostoevsky and Dreiser, I need to take another look! Sorry if I once inadvertently insulted you.
Ha! I do not put myself in their league. I am simply pointing out a few great literary novels that are also great crime fiction. No apology necessary, Ann!
Wonderful post! I taught courses on Mysteries and Crime Fiction at Lehigh University, and students were always amazed by the variety and quality of the works we read. And I loved Crime Academy! I took a great online course with Bill Boyle, during which we workshopped my mystery novel, Zigzag Girl — now an ITW finalist for best standalone novel. Crime Academy was part of that journey, and I'm grateful.
I love hearing this. Thanks for letting me know. And congratulations on your novel. What great news!
Thank you, Jonathan!