This month I've been posting the first-novel deals reported by Publishers Marketplace, drawing attention to what seems like a trend in novels about young Asian women. The last entry was too much for a reader, someone I really like and respect, so I'll try to come clean about my intentions.
Partly I'm trying to make a point about what seems like a focus on the lives of exotic young women; my point, if I have one, is that I can't understand why the publishing industry seems to really like this subject. These aren't classified as chick lit books (which Publishers Marketplace actually classifies under Women's/Romance) but literary novels. The other main subject they seem to be buying novels about is adolescents and coming-of-age stories. The epitome of this trend -- though it shows no sign of abating -- is the now-discredited novel by Kaavya Viswanathan, about an over-achieving Indian-American teenager.
Admittedly, there's some sour grapes to my attitude too. I didn't sell my novel, which is not, unfortunately, about either of those now-hot subjects (though it has a coming-of-age subplot, but whatever). So boo hoo for me; my immaturity often gets the best of me, even though I'm too old for it. Apologies for any offense.
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