I normally don't read the email that lands in my inbox dealing with 50 Shades and all things tangentially related to it. For example, this picture. No, wait. Before you cilck the link, I warn you, you can't unsee it once you've seen it. So be sure you want to know about this book. Ready? Ok. Have a link.
Yeah. I know.
So I'm a little weary of slap-a-black-and-white-photo-on-it and ride the wave that's running out of tide, but when I received this information in my inbox (and heaven only knows how I got on this publicity list) I thought it was interesting and worth sharing with y'all. Ignore the puns. Really, you'll run out of integers if you try to count them all.
Leading adult entertainment website, YouPorn (NSFW) (DUH) – which 50 Shades author E.L. James once cited as a research tool – has been pounded by an enormous surge in views for terms such as “domination”, “sex slave”, “master” and “sadism”, with people from the UK and US leading the way. The spike in erotic searches coincides with the novel’s meteoric rise to fame over the past several months.
Here’s just a small sample of the mind-blowing statistics from YouPorn:
BDSM-related searches went up 67.65% worldwide from April to June 2012. The Country that saw the biggest increase was United Kingdom where searches grew by 145%, followed by United States at 86.4%
The Term “bondage” showed the biggest increase in the US with a 397% spike. In the UK, “sex slave” jumped 287%. And in Germany, the favorite was “slave”, up 52.6%
On a global scale, YouPorn has released these findings:
Search Terms Worldwide increase %
Domination 82.06%
Sex slavem 78.96%
Master 71.91%
Sadism 71.81%
Slave 61.56%
Wax 54.07%
BDSM 54.04%
If folks are learning about kink and sexual possibilities, that's pretty spiffy. And since we can learn about things from the privacy of our own homes and phones (at least, I hope that 86% US increase in search terms weren't coming from public library computers), that's a lot of curiosity being satisfied.
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I'm at Kirkus this week talking about Olympic romances, with help from Katie Dunneback, Maili, and Cassandra Carr. After I submitted the article, more Olympic romances appeared in my tweetstream, including a m/m romance from KA Mitchell.
I love watching the Olympics for the same reason I like reading romance:
In that way, the Olympics function similarly to romance for me, as each novel presents a similar opportunity: to relate and empathize with people very different from me, and to understand the emotions we all have in common across those differences. Just as romance can make certain experiences the centerpiece and blow them up more-than-life size, so do the Olympics take everyday expectations and nerves and blow them up to internationally broadcast proportions.
Any Olympic romances you recommend?
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There was some discussion on Twitter about the new Harlequin line, Heartsong Presents. The new description of the line is online at the Harlequin site, and it emphasizes, “Main characters must be Christians or convert to Christianity by the end of the book,” and “Sweet love stories with a conservative, evangelical Christian worldview.”
Now, I know Harlequin does consumer research and clearly there must be a market for these romances. However, reading the description makes me think of a question:
Would you read romance where Islam, Judaism, Shintoism, Taoism, or any other world religion was a primary focus? I would. I remember reading HelenKay Dimon's Impulsive and being very curious about the Japanese hero's religious rituals, such as a memorial service for his grandmother who had died years prior. I'm not saying Harlequin needs to do a line for every religion – not at all.
But as someone who is curious about different religions and faith customs, I would love to read more about something other than evangelical Christianity. That would be one hell of an anthology: family dinners with different families who keep very different customs? Awesome. As long as it wasn't all “As you know, Bob,” explaining everything obviously, I'd love that.
But then, I get tired of the nonstop Christmas in romance, and it's almost time for the Christmas anthologies to hit the porch.
Anyway.
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Via Scrinn: a Reddit thread created the best combination of music and sound effects, which was then posted to GrassCity, which is all about cultiaving the best front lawn money can buy:
Open 3 tabs in your browser, and open these three links in each tab:
Turnabout Jazz Soul: Godot – the Fragrance of Dark Coffee
Now, relax and feel like the coolest person ever. Lawn optional.
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Sales!
Carina Press has all contemporary romance on sale for 15% off for a limited time.
- Confessions of an Improper Bride by Jennifer Haymore * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S |
- Sins of a Highland Devil by Sue-Ellen Wellfonder * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S |
- Montana Glory by RC Ryan * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S |
- Where the Heart Lies by Michelle Garren Flye * $0.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Red Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells * $0.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Only Fear by Anne Marie Becker * $0.99 * A | BN | K | S
- By Royal Command by Laura Navarre * $0.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot * $4.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot * $4.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Big Boned by Meg Cabot * $4.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot * $7.99 * A | BN | K | S
http://goo.gl/Gqqc2
This explains so much.
On the plus side, I did see some amateur voice actors reading 50 Shades of Gray in the voices of some anime characters, Droopy T. Dawg, Mickey Mouse, and Gollum.
Hmm. I find it odd that Harlequin started a new Christian line when they already have all the Love Inspired books. Reading the guidelines, I would guess that these are even more conservative? I’m pretty sure I’ve read a LI with dancing before. But maybe not; it’s been a while since I read any of them.
Aren’t there enough Christian themed lines? @Sharon (Fictionally Inclined) I have the same thoughts as you. I also agree with what Sarah. Couldn’t there be at least one line that deals with different world religions and doesn’t include Christianity as its main focus? Maybe something like Diversity Line where different books can focus on different religions or customs? I’d love to find a current novel that’s related to Judaism and where heroine is Jewish, and I would love to read more about Hinduism or Taoism and so forth.
http://sveta-randomblog.blogsp…
My romance Life on the Edge is about an Olympic figure skater: http://jennifercomeaux.blogspo…
Watching all these hot swimmers on my TV every night is making me want to write an Olympic swimming romance!
They’re not romance, but the Faye Kellerman novels about Peter Decker feature an Orthodox Jewish heroine, Rina – I think I learnt more minutiae about the different strands of American Judaism in those books… The series loses focus eventually, but Rina is a terrific character – beautiful and virtuous without being dull.
FYI
I bought Boomerang Bride from Carina yesterday at $3.89 (vs $ 5.99). Just checked, and the price is still good today.
Actually, all Carina contemporaries are 20% off!! That includes the first epubbed Rita-winning Boomerang Bride! I’m so proud of what Carina has accomplished so quickly, and I’m thrilled to be one of their authors!!
In terms of an Olympic read, I very much enjoyed Elizabeth Lowell’s Summer Games (the original Silhouette IM version, not the expanded retitled version, which was okay, but not as good). The heroine is an Olympic equestrienne – eventing – and the story takes place over the Olympics.
I could give the Louisa May author Thoreau, as Alcott said she and her sisters were enamored with him when they were young; and Thoreau was relatively near her in age (15 years older). However, both Hawthorne and Emerson were nearly 30 years older than Alcott, both married happily, and Hawthorne was kind of a prick about women authors. Don’t buy it with either of them.
I tried that little trick with the fireplace, rain and smooth jazz all at the same time andzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
There is a huge amount of Jewish fiction out there, not nearly as much as Christian fiction, natch.
But I think it’s much the same reason: give people something to read where they can identify with the characters (and of course, not be offended by anything). Literature, as my Am Lit professor (his name was Manifred – could he have been anything but a lit prof?) said, good fiction is all about reading and feeling: “I’m not the only one to have that feeling.” Hence specialization within religious communities.
Also, my favourite Olympic-themed book remains Jilly Cooper’s Riders. I know, I know… but I still love it.
My favorite reading so far has been Jon St. John, voice of Duke Nukem, taking a stab at the book:
OMG, I couldn’t even make it all the way through that. Laughing too hard. I think I’ll try again later.
Gilbert Gottfried reads 50SoG. Best casting EVER.
Yeah, it’s silly. But then, I do cherish my copy of “Pride and Promiscuity.” It’s not that great, but the very idea of our dear Jane writing such scenes . . . it makes me giggle.
When I saw the bonnet on the cover I thought for a moment it was going to be “50 Shades of Laura Ingalls Wilder.” 😛
I love the K.A. Mitchell title so much—the idea of what happens to former child prodigy athletes when they meet the real world is handled so well. It’s one of my favorites from her.
Kellie Kamryn has two books that feature the gymnastics world—Rebound and Perfect score. I just downloaded Rebound and am enjoying it.
There’s an Olympic themed anthology of m/m romances coming on August 17th from MLR—Going for Gold (lots of sports featured!)
Samhain had a call for Olympic themed novellas last year—I wonder if that will be coming out soon too?
I’m trying to remember the title, but there was a harlequin on my keeper shelf for YEARS that featured an Olympic skier. Probably from the early/mid 90s.
Riders is trashy but so entertaining.
for a nice 50 Shades parody, go to:
https://twitter.com/50ShedsofG…
favorites are:
She was such a tease. ‘I’m just going to slip into something hot and see-through,’ she promised. I waited all night in that greenhouse . .
She was such a tease. ‘I’m just going to slip into something hot and see-through,’ she promised. I waited all night in that greenhouse . .
As a Muslim woman, I’d LOVE to read some romances with Muslim characters (and not as a “oh, Christian man/woman meets a Muslim woman/man and in the end the Muslim sees the “Truth of JE-SUS” and converts to Christianity”). Gag me. People can, and do, fall in love without converting to their partner’s faith. -.-
Sadly, by the time I get to the sales, some of them are sales no more. But thanks for the postings. I always enjoy checking them out.
Heartsongs Presents isn’t a new line, just new to Harlequin. Barbour (a Christian publisher) used to have it. I remember clearancing them all the time when I worked at a UBS.
Inspies give me heartburn.
OMG laughing so hard at this! So funny!!!
Especially like when the guy on the right says “I didn’t say it was good grammar.”
Raises hand-me too. 🙂 That Rupert is indelibly stuck in my memory
Vicki – what sale were you looking for? The prices are still coming up low for me. Which book was not on sale for you?
at least, I hope that 86% US increase in search terms weren’t coming from public library computers
As a public librarian, I can firmly say that some of these searches WERE coming from public library computers. Feel free to get skivved out now.
Those two guys are amateur voice actors. They also read it themselves, with some other guys, and spent 45 minutes reading pretty much a whole chapter. And used the voices of some anime characters, Mickey Mouse, Jimmy Stewart, Marlon Brando from the Godfather, Christian Bale Batman, Nicholas Cage, and Gollum. Much hilarity and interruptions. http://blip.tv/dragon-ball-z-a…
The Sheikh’s Destiny by Melissa James. Please don’t let the title turn you off; this is a deeply different story. The heroine is a Muslim nurse in a war-torn area of East Africa, the hero is a sheikh race-car driver who delivers supplies.
Love the rain sound. Awesome.
The question is more “would you read a book where you know the main character is either (a) going to change in a specific way (to Christianity, no matter how contrived) or (b) is not going to change at all?
Even if we’re stating that sex scenes are only one reason people read romance, you’re eliminating that section of possible buyers as well (“a conservative, evangelical Christian worldview”—instinctive reaction is “choose one, or at least finish editing the press release”—doesn’t lead to “bodice ripper,” unless it’s in the process of running away and falling over the apse…)
My vague memory of YouPorn is that their selection of BDSM videos is rather limited; mostly adverts from pay-sites. Wondering idly if the increased queries have lead to more supply. Not, however, idly enough to be willing to try to check their site out without being paid to do so.
Hey Sarah, as someone who hasn’t gotten into Twitter, could you post the titles that were added on your tweetstream? If it’s not something really complicated or anything. Please, please, please. I’m totally looking into the titles already posted here.
One book I’ve read recently that isn’t a romance but does contain both a love story that does not end well and a secondary storyline that has an HEA with an interfaith couple is Aric Davis’ A Good And Useful Hurt. This is not a book for the faint of heart- it’s a love story between a tattoo artist and a piercer (is that the right word) with some brutal serial murders in it… But the main character’s partner(who is not Jewish) has a secret romance with a woman who is a rather unorthodox Orthodox Jew, that ends happily. If you have a strong stomach it is a very unusual and gripping book.
Hey, how about athiest romances? Romances with characters who are good people but simply don’t believe in any form of religion and don’t want a church wedding.
I’m a wee bit frustrated by the Porn sites’s reference to being “pounded” by new viewers. Pounding. (o.k.) Yay! Obvious double entendre. Nay! Nothing that easy does it for me…
I recently read a story about public libraries ordering “privacy hoods” so that patrons could view porn and other sensitive materials? Is that true in your experience, too?
Do you mean books where atheism or agnosticism is the focus in the same way that Christianity tends to be the focus in inspies? Because I feel like most romances actually feature people for whom religion is a non-issue. But that’s different from a book that focuses on atheism.
I wonder if it could be done well. One of my problems with Christian romances is that they’re so damn preachy. I’ve read a few that weren’t, but most of them…ugh. So it seems like a bad atheist equivalent would be pretty darn preachy in the other direction. A good one, however, would be interesting.
It is not NECESSARILY for porn but we do offer privacy screens, but depending on the angle you come from (no pun), you can still see the action.