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Has the horse itself every addressed the topic? (talking about Avon)

CindyS

Laurie,

I was going to post this comment BEFORE I read the new Elizabeth Hoyt interview over at AAR. Now it seems that her interview answers pretty much back up what I suspected: an innovative and daring book like 'The Raven Prince' would not be published by Avon. Note: Ms Hoyt does not specifically name Avon as a publisher which rejected her work but it doesn't take a genius to guess that they probably did if she says she was rejected "...by nearly every major house in New York."

I find it most interesting that no Avon authors are willing to contribute to a column on Avonization, even under the cloak of anonymity!

SarahT

Cindy and Sarah,

I was one of the authors who would have addressed this topic, however, my response would have been very similar to others who have posted about this. Every Avon author I know simply doesn't believe there *is* a so-called Avonization thing going on. Not one of us writes exactly like another. Although their might be similarities in packaging (covers, blurbs, time periods), I just don't believe all Avon books are alike. The problem, though, is that in the end, all LLB would have (IMHO) would be an Avon Bashing Session rather than a discussion, and as an author I'd end up having to shrug my shoulders and agree to disagree. I don't think any author wants to constantly defend against something others are certain of, and I'm pretty sure very few authors would want to participate. Why fight against a common belief? As for the Hoyt interview, all I can say is that my first book was turned down by every single publisher except for Berkley, my last submission. I got lucky. When I switched to Avon three books later, my editor made an offer because she'd read WINTER GARDEN and loved it. And WG is/was a very different book -- certainly *not* light and fluffy.

Adele Ashworth - I can see where you are coming from. I guess at a certain point you just have to sigh and keep writing. Avonization is something that only came to my attention recently and when I had someone explain it to me I had known what they were talking about for a long time. I just didn't equate it to one publisher. I thought of it as an oversaturation of regency set romances that have a lighter/comedic quality (and some weren't trying).

Of course there are the odd ones that don't fit with the generalization.

CindyS

I have never perceived "Avonization" as a problem of "light and fluffy" vs. dark. More like, All Hail England, Let's Kick Out Those Upstart Colonists! My dissatisfaction with Avon stems completely with their abandonment of any author/setting that isn't England. And there is proof. They "suggested" to Susan Kay Law that she try writing English historicals. She said no, they did keep offering her contracts for a time, then after her RITA win she gets dumped. Avon threw all their weight behind <i>one</i> setting and if they made that "suggestion" to Law - who else did they make it to? Rachelle Morgan? Maureen McKade? Lorraine Heath? Nicole Jordan? Once upon a time these authors were writing very good American historicals for Avon. It's one thing for an author to change settings/sub genres if <i>they</i> want to - another thing entirely for the publisher to suggest it because well, gosh, we just don't want to put much effort into trying to sell them to the consumer.

Granted, American historicals have supposedly been "dying" for years. But personally I think Avon threw in the towel without much of a try. A little PR never hurt anyone. And if an author can get dumped after a RITA win - what does that say about the state of the romance publishing world? Nothing good I can tell you that.

http://squawkradio.blogspot.com/2005/08/one-about-why-susie-doesnt-have-boo k_05.html

Actually, Susie technically left Avon *before* she won the RITA. I spoke to her about her move the night before the ceremony. And all I can say about writing English settings is that they sell *much* better than any other. But this has been argued to death. I personally enjoy writing them because that's what I enjoy reading, although I think a great historical set in Frontier Alaska or Brazil, or ancient Greece would be my kind of book. Unfortunately, when books like these are published -- in rarity, I know -- they just don't sell like English set historicals. I don't know why. But this is not a problem with Avon. It's the market in general.

Adele: I think the problem is that I live in Happy Fairytale Land and think the author should write what they enjoy writing and still get paid. Of course, we both know the business doesn't work this way - but a girl can still dream?

I think the only reason I'm particularly belligerent over Avon is that they used to publish some very good American historicals. Good quality, good authors, solid storytelling. I would commit murder to have Lorraine Heath back writing westerns - but that seems like a pipe dream at this point.

This isn't a diatribe against Avon - but I find myself as a reader frustrated by the romance publishing industry's current practice of "following" trends as opposed to "creating" them. Suddenly everybody is publishing paranormals and everybody has an erotic imprint. If historical romances in any other setting than England or Scotland are going to flourish, someone needs to step up and break the mold. I firmly believe there are authors writing good stories - it's just going to take a publisher to throw some serious weight behind them.

And P.S. - I loved When It's Perfect and My Darling Caroline.

Well, I totally agree with you, Wendy. I think I'd like writing about a logger/farmer taming a snooty society girl in 1880s Seattle, or Oregon, or Alaska, or ... But I also have to try to make a living. Fortunately for me, I *also* love writing about Dukes and Earls and Ladies, and they happen to sell very well. I'm thinking of trying an Italian princess for my next book, but I'm certain the hero will be an English Lord of some sort. We'll see. But do know that it really isn't *just* Avon; it's the market trends --- and the fact that there are no little publishers anymore; the conglomerate is everything, and $$$ is the bottom line. As you said, Paranormals are hugely popular right now, and you couldn't pay me enough to write one. Well, maybe if it was *enough*. <g> But I do think these things go in fluxes, and right now Dukes are all the rage. A title with "Duke" in it will fly off the shelves, but I'm hoping that some day the Western will return. Or something entirely different!

And thanks for the comments on WIP and MDC. It's nice to make money in this biz, but knowing we please the reader(s) is what really makes authors love to write more. I'm really glad you enjoyed them.