Although the weather does not indicate that summer is near, we can take comfort in curling up with a good book. The problem is deciding on what to read. Should you visit your library and peruse the shelves, read book reviews, ask your co-worker what she/he is reading, Oprah?
Allow me to toss my two cents into this reading conundrum. Recently NPR aired a story about the publishing industry, more specifically: Romance Novels. You may be chuckling to yourself or you may be tempted to add a steamy novel to your summer reading list. The report was specific to author Elsie Washington, under the pen name Rosalind Welles, who is touted as the first African-American romance novelist. If you have noticed the book covers up to this point have been filled with bare chested men and enraptured women, "Lots of passion, zilch diversity." This would be Washington's only romance novel but it set the tone for aspiring "ethnic novelists" and readers. Her novel is entitled Entwined Destinies.
Another article on CNN discusses the impact romance novels has on the publishing industry. After many successful years of hard bodies and plot lines that may even make me blush, romance novels are responsible for $1.375 billion dollars in book sales each year.
Paul
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