Thanks to brilliant reader Michelle, I am now dumbfounded and curious about the marketing decisions of major romance brands.
Harlequin will be offering NASCAR themed and branded romances:
NASCAR® claims 75 million fans and says 30 million of them are women.
“NASCAR® has one of the largest and most loyal bases of female fans of any sport in the United States and we are delighted to publish novels that will appeal specifically to them,” Harlequin CEO Donna Hayes said.
Now, NASCAR® in and of itself is fascinating. Born in the deep South (Darlington, SC, for example, hosted the first “superspeedway” before Daytona built their speedway, though the racing itself started in North Carolina way back in the 40’s) it is a mix of down-home activities like watching car racing and tailgating, only with seriously brilliant participants. The men and women of the pit crews? Multiple engineering degrees. You gotta have some seriously mathematical smarts to be a NASCAR® crew member – and yet many of them are life-long racing fans from small rural areas who had big brains and a desire to get advanced engineering and science degrees. So the potential for some fascinating heroes is definitely there, along with the opportunity for writers to create protagonists that break some of the rural Southern stereotypes.
But as for the Harlequin connection, are female NASCAR® fans really an untapped demographic of romance readers? Is this a savvy move on their part or is it destined to be a big boo-boo in the history of romance? And, most importantly, is there going to be a RITA category for Best NASCAR® romance?
I can’t stand NASCAR racing or racing of any sort, so I guess I’ll be skipping these. Enjoy and thanksf or the news flash.
I’ll be skipping these. I have never understood the appeal of car racing.
The only words I can utter are HOLY CRAP.
You’re kidding, right?
Come on! Seriously. You’re kidding. You gotta be kidding.
Uh. Yeah. HOLY CRAP is right. I’ll bet they succeed if they’re properly marketed though.
Unh! I already had the idea for a NASCAR single title, but I didn’t do it because my CP Vicki vetoed it. You SEE Vicki? I have my finger on the pulse o’ the nation.
Okay, so I clicked on the link.
You really weren’t kidding.
Well, what the hell? I’m not a car racing fan, but I do love me some alpha guys. Are NASCAR dudes alpha?
Are NASCAR dudes alpha?
Stef, I reckon!!!
But I was going to have the chick be the driver.
Can’t be worse than sheik books or secret baby books or Greek tycoon books. Let’s face it, if women are going to want to read about The Cowboy’s Secret Baby, how much of a step beyond that is The NASCAR Driver and the Virgin?
“She wouldn’t know a NASCAR star if he hit her with his car – and he just did.”
Jennifer, I ain’t from the Big Ham in Alabam’ like some people. I don’t have my finger on the femoral pulse of America so I missed that one. My abject apologies.
Maybe you betta get on it. You can whip out a 50,000 worder in no time.
Yeah, I just don’t get it. But clearly there are many women who do.
Like Clay Aiken!
Walk away in shame, Jennifer. Just. . . walk away. :down:
Like Clay Aiken!
Haaaahahahahahaha!
OMG, a line of Harlequin novels about reality show contestants—now THAT I could get into.
I think that out of bemused curiousity I may flip through one if I ever saw one in-store, but I’m neither a NASCAR fan or a Harlequinn reader so this is yet another trend I’ll miss.
See, a book or two about NASCAR drivers lubricating their chassis of lurve might be amusing—but a regular line?
I mean, look, I love indie pop music, and God knows I wish there was a romance out there about a cute indie rock boy falling in love, I would NOT be able to read book after book after book, every month, about shaggy-haired, modestly successful musicians who play weenie white-boy music finding love.
But Darlene is right. SOMEBODY’s buying all these Greek tycoon, sheikh and cowboy novels, and this isn’t all that different.
I WOULD rather read about a cute NASCAR driver than Greek tycoon or a sheikh, for God’s sake. Or a Medical Romance. *snicker*
AND, if these take off, my CP would have an excuse to wear those NASCAR panties I made for her.
I WOULD rather read about a cute NASCAR driver than Greek tycoon or a sheikh, for God’s sake. Or a Medical Romance.
Haa! Well, this is true. But speaking for me, personally, that’d be like saying “I’d rather be smacked across the face with a freshly-killed salmon than an octopus that’s been dead for five days, baking in the Tijuana sun.”
Oh, and…
AND, if these take off, my CP would have an excuse to wear those NASCAR panties I made for her.
That? Is AWESOME.
But we might have to ban your IP if you start talking about Clay Aiken panties.
I don’t profess to have my finger on the heartbeat of America, however I am southern, I am female, and I do enjoy NASCAR racing. While I have many friends that heart flutter at the thought of a date with Dale Jr, regardless of the fact that he is a millionare living in a
mobile
modular home, doesn’t believe in the feminist movement, and only drinks Bud.
I myself have SERIOUS doubts about this line of romance novels. As the demographic they are targeting, I just don’t see it taking off like they anticipate. If 30 million of NASCAR fans are women, 1 million would fit in the class of people that would be likely to buy a romance novel.
If there was one or two novels centered around NASCAR, I think they would be great. Certainly if they were about Formula 1 drivers they would hold an appeal for a larger market. A whole series? It won’t work. And this is coming from a girl that has met NASCAR drivers and has a friend that is a jackman. (Sounds sexy, doesn’t it?) Truth is that NASCAR is getting too big for its britches, it is deserting its Southern roots, and one day it will realize that they are not going to beat the pervasive redneck sterotype.
All that being said, when I saw Dale Jr on the Today show a few years back, I KNEW that NASCAR had jumped the shark.
Maybe I was premature, as now it certainly has!
Saw this on a list of funny bumperstickers … “NASCAR: Non-Athletic Sport Created Around Rednecks”.
Just saying.
— Bonz
Most of those NASCAR drivers are short, skinny guys. When you see them with their supermodel girlfriends, the women are usually leaning or slouching so as not to tower over them. However, a driver would have excellent fine motor control and plenty of muscle strength in his hands ;-).
I think “MetroGirl” by J.E. was as close as I’ll get to a NASCAR book (I am assuming racing will be more relevant in the new NASCAR books). She drove me nuts at times w/the NASCAR Guy thing….
Sam
But we might have to ban your IP if you start talking about Clay Aiken panties.
Please do. I’d insist.
And WHERE IS SB SARAH? Is she in labor? Is someone gonna tell us when she is? Such suspense! (Okay, look. I’m a stay-at-home mom who lives on a mountain. I’m excitable.)
Hi all: not in labor. I am still here and stillll pregnant.
As a racing fan, I think Harlequin is pretty bold to start a NASCAR line. And as someone who’s been to NASCAR races, there are just a many women there as there are beer-drinking, shirtless chubby men (yuck). (There are some hottie drivers, ladies!)
It seems to me though that the premise would get old really fast. I mean, how many novels could be written about NASCAR without them being repetitive and SOS,DD?
Aren’t there already NASCAR-themed romances in publication?? Roxanne St. Claire, Rae Monet, Pamela Britton come to mind. (Though I haven’t read any of their books.)
I hate to be all East Coast and elite, but weren’t we trying for literary credibility?
Sarah,
This is very painful but I must reveal to you the dreadful truth. While hiding from a large rabid emu in the rhodedrons by a reclusive vampire billionaire’s obscene topiary garden, I overheard your husband’s stepsister’s sorority sister’s goldfish keeper announce that he (or possibly another man whose name starts with the same letter as his, or an X) in fact only married you for revenge (or had a haircut to trim his split ends).
Yes, revenge on your long-lost evil younger supermodel sister whose beauty and rampant muesli abuse brought about her totally righteous and just Ultimate Downfall when she crashed her Ferrari on a dark and stormy Alpine road while behaving irresponsibly (Pammy and Tommy style) with her latest louche, lascivious and fabulously wealthy dissolute European lover, Fernando.
Unbeknownst to you, she seduced your husband’s adoptive great-uncle and stole his prized collection of decorative toilet roll covers out of pure, mean spite. This included the jewel of his collection, the gem-encrusted and gold lace trimmed “Wambam Sankyu Mam” created by the famous Russian jeweller Vasili N. Potoflov. This heinous action haunted your husband’s childhood and has made him secretly plot his revenge ever since.
Clearly this news will send you fleeing into the night in a trailing frothy lace negligee. The shock of it all should bring on labor as soon as you reach the abandoned shepherd’s hut in the forest clearing. Recommend you abandon sleeves and trim of negligee at any tricky turnings to help husband find you in time to declare undying luuurrrvvve and clear up big misunderstanding between contractions. But you should probably tie your shoelaces to avoid an amnesia plot twist.
I hate to be all East Coast and elite, but weren’t we trying for literary credibility?
Credibility schmedibility.
Bring on the the Friday personals—someone needs a trashy title.
Aren’t there already NASCAR-themed romances in publication?? Roxanne St. Claire, Rae Monet, Pamela Britton come to mind.
They’re the ones who wrote the 2006 books for Harlequin/Nascar, actually. I think there are two single titles by PB, and then an anthology by all three.
Certainly if they were about Formula 1 drivers they would hold an appeal for a larger market.
Shhhhhhh. I want to get mine finished and out before F1 becomes the next big thing. *g*
His Enormous Horsepower, coming soon from Harlequin NASCAR!
Bubba loved nothing more than the sleek lines and smooth purr of a hot-rod, but when he got a flat tire on the way to his favorite watering hole, who could save him from a long, hot, dusty trek to the nearest trailer with electricity?
Joleenabelle, that’s who. When she spotted the gorgeous honey on the side of Bassakward Creek Road, the dirt track leading past her singlewide, she couldn’t wait to run her hands all over that firm body… and after the tire was changed, she might even say hi to the buff stud in coveralls waiting beside the car, too.
Still, Bubba was more than a race-car hero—he was a true speed-demon, in bed and out. Could their love survive running out of Pabst on a hot summer night, forcing them to have a conversation? Or would their shared love of NASCAR prove strong enough to see them through their awkward sobriety?
They’re (Roxanne St. Claire, Pamela Britton, Rae Monet) the ones who wrote the 2006 books for Harlequin/Nascar, actually. I think there are two single titles by PB, and then an anthology by all three.
So because of 3 authors, Harlequin decides to launch an entire line? That’s interesting….
Thanks for the tidbit, Shannon!
I’m a Californian who lives in NC and I’ve actually attended a race. It was really eye-opening. Not only was it actually rather thrilling, (TV can’t prepare you for what goes on) – the audience was NOTHING like I expected. Women, tons of women dressed up in case they might see their favorite hottie driver. Black people! Asian people! Rich people! Even having lived in Charlotte for two years I was still under the impression that it was all poor (or at least raised poor) white people.
I can’t say I’m a fan, or would ever voluntarily go again, but can see why they think this is an idea that may work. Hell I can see why it would be almost foolish NOT to try something like this. The brand loyalty of nascar fans is something fearsome to behold. No other sport can hold a candle to it. Seriously most nascar fans make purchases based on car sponsors. My father in law uses nextel, drinks miller lite only, goes to western auto instead of pep boys, all based on nascar. My husband isn’t a fan either, but I had call and tell him about this. He is certain these books will do well and y’all will eat your words. We’ll see I guess. I won’t buy them. But the gazillion women driving from race to race may need something to read while they’re camped out for the week, and this could look really, really good to them.
Amy E, I actually think your story is kinda sexy. Is that wrong?
I’m not sure that it’s an entire line. As far as I know, which is next to nothing, there are 3 single title books being released under the HQN imprint. I think the “line” is Nascar’s “Library” in which they manage/licence(?) different lines of Nascar books—-like the young adult and juvenile fiction series, etc. I could be totally wrong, though.
But it’s not like Harlequin Presents, Silhouette Bombshell, Harlequin Nascar.
And I’d read Amy’s story!
Dammit. Put my last entry in the wrong comments. Need more coffee. Sorry for the hassle – feel free to move it or ignore it, as you like.
…and I’d read Amy E’s book, too.
The brand loyalty of nascar fans is something fearsome to behold. No other sport can hold a candle to it.
I can think of at least at least one other “sport” that inspires loyalty that’s equally awe-inspiring: pseudo-hippie jam bands.
C’mon, contemporary romances are sorely lacking patchouli and psilocybin. When are we going to see a Phish or String Cheese Incident line of romances from Harlequin, eh? And as a marketing ploy, they could even include a bootleg tape/CD of a live performance with every book purchase!
Those of you who have friends who are String Cheeseheads know how rabid they get over the bootlegs…
Shannon: your explanation makes a hell of a lot more sense than what I’d assumed, i.e. that they were publishing a regular category line of romances involving NASCAR hotties.
Amy and EAP: Get working on those manuscripts! Your adoring public awaits! *wha-psh*