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Works of genre fiction are a source of enjoyment, read during cherished leisure time and in incidental moments of relaxation. This original book takes readers inside popular genres of fiction, including crime, fantasy, and romance, to reveal how personal tastes, social connections, and industry knowledge shape genre worlds. Attuned to both the pleasure and the profession of producing genre fiction, the authors investigate contemporary developments in the field—the rise of Amazon, self-publishing platforms, transmedia storytelling, and growing global publishing conglomerates—and show how these interact with older practices, from fan conventions to writers’ groups.

Sitting at the intersection of literary studies, genre studies, fan studies, and studies of the book and publishing cultures, Genre Worlds considers how contemporary genre fiction is produced and circulated on a global scale. Its authors propose an innovative theoretical framework that unfolds genre fiction’s most compelling characteristics: its connected social, industrial, and textual practices. As they demonstrate, genre fiction books are not merely texts; they are also nodes of social and industrial activity involving the production, dissemination, and reception of the texts.

A collection of essays on the career of historical novelist Georgette Heyer.

The historical works of Georgette Heyer inspire a fiercely loyal, international readership, including literary figures such as A. S. Byatt and Stephen Fry. This book brings together an eclectic range of scholars to explore the contexts of Heyer’s career. Drawing upon scholarship on Heyer and her contemporaries, the volume illustrates the ways in which her work sits in a chain of influence and why it remains pertinent to current conversations on books and publishing in the twenty-first century. From the gothic to data science, there is something for everyone in this volume, which celebrates Heyer’s esteemed status amongst historical novelists.