Paranormal Romance by Sue Jones

Paranormal romance is a genre of romantic fiction. These books feature a supernatural theme or slant, with one of the main characters taking on the role of the supernatural character. This is often attributed to the male in the novel, with him being a vampire, alien, ghost or another type of otherworldly being. The novels typically have elements of fantasy and horror or science fiction along with the romantic elements. A large number of newer books in this genre are published in an online format.

The genre’s existed in a number of forms for years. For example, some claim that Dracula by Bram Stoker has elements of paranormal romance, though it wasn’t known by that name. The genre was officially defined in 1986 when Jayne Ann Krentz published Sweet Starfire. She’s known as the mother or founder of the genre, based on her book involving characters from another galaxy. There’s also Ann Rice and her books surrounding vampire romances such as The Vampire Lestat.

The popularity of the genre has only grown since then and now includes books published for teens and young adults. The Roswell High series of books focused on the romance between a young human and an alien boy. Stephanie Meyer has achieved more success with her short series of vampire romance books starting with Twilight. The series, which revolves around a teenager dating a vampire has sold millions of copies in just a few short years.

Resources on paranormal romances include:

• Paranormal Romance Lovers : offers the latest news in the subgenre, along with reviews of new releases.
• Secrets of the Female Fantastic : discusses the themes found in paranormal romance.
• Vampires Realm : covers reader submitted romance stories that involve vampires.
• Paranormal Romance Writers : reviews new book releases and offers information on authors of paranormal romances.
• Romance Novels : lists the popular writers working in the genre along with information on each one.
• Samhain Publishing : offers e-books on paranormal romance.
• Romance Writers of Australia : lists authors working in the genre and information on their latest books.
• Romantic Times : offers reviews of new paranormal romance novels.
• Text in Transit : reviews new and older paranormal romances.
• The Subgenres of Romance : discusses the themes and issues found in paranormal romance novels.
• Christine Feehan : covers information relating to the author of paranormal romances.
• Sandra Hill : offers news on Hill’s latest books, past books and her biography.
• Lori Devoti : showcases the covers of all her paranormal romance novels and news on her latest books.
• Maggie Shayne : discusses the author’s latest books and includes information on her older novels.
• Gena Showalter : author specializing in the paranormal romance genre.

The basic storyline of a paranormal romance involves a human who falls in love with a supernatural being or entity. Something happens that prevents their relationship from progressing, but they still fall in love. A large number of these books end on an unhappy note, with the two main characters never coming together. It’s considered a hallmark of this genre.