In this time of economic stress, here's a little bright news for lovers of the romance genre. It's not surprising, really. Bad times or not, people need entertainment. The arts, in whatever form, are important. It nurtures our souls, breathes life into a dying spirit, and strengthens us to go on another day. Without music, art, and literature, the world would be a sad and dismal place.
This news isn't exactly hot off the presses, though. Earlier this year The New York Times reported that romance sales at Harlequin were up 32 percent over last year. And Barnes & Noble reported that although book sales in general were expected to drop slightly, sales of romance novels were up.Even USA Today
got on the bandwagon, reporting that sales at Harlequin were up 13.5% this year.
All of this is terrific news for those of us who write romance novels for a living. We love our readers, and we appreciate the loyalty you show your favorite authors and their books. In fact, we happen to know that we have the best fans in the world, bar none.
It's also terrific news for those of us who love to read romance. Some of us might write it, but we're readers first and forever, and we're as fiercely loyal to the genre and to our favorite authors as any other reader.
Recent stories on the nightly news indicate that the economy might be taking a slight upturn, and if that's true, I think it's the best news we've had in a long time. But before we forget what it's been like the past few years, I just want to say thanks to the readers who buy the books I write and who make it possible for me to do what I do. You're the best!
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from the blog On My Mind Today
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