Recent University of Birmingham undergraduate finalist Mu’minah Iqbal takes a closer look at Muslim women’s romance writing and genre. The conventions of the romance genre are subject to change when different lived experiences engage with it, therefore genre cannot be considered universal. Jayashree Kamblé, Eric Murphy Selinger and Hsu-Ming Teo argue: “The genre’s primary drive … Continue reading “Is romance universal?”
Category: Popular Literature
Why I research Queer Romance Novels
Current University of Birmingham PhD Student, Lucy Hargrave, introduces her research on queer romance novels and outlines how you can get involved. The twenty-first century has seen a proliferation of queer romance novels, as well as growing interest in queer theory and culture. Authors such as KJ Charles, Jay Northcote, C.S. Pacat and Rebekah Weatherspoon … Continue reading “Why I research Queer Romance Novels”
A Brief Publication History of E. M. Hull’s The Sheik (1919)
By Elizabeth Cole Following a summer working on an Undergraduate Research Scholarship, Elizabeth Cole presents some reflections on archival research with early editions of E. M. Hull’s The Sheik (1919). The Sheik by E. M. Hull, which celebrates its hundredth anniversary this year, was one of the most successful romance novels of its time, inspiring … Continue reading “A Brief Publication History of E. M. Hull’s The Sheik (1919)”
100 Years of The Sheik: A Public Research Symposium
A free-to-attend public symposium on the centenary of E. M. Hull’s infamous desert romance, The Sheik. Featuring an author panel, a screening of the original film, and more. Since its publication in 1919, E. M. Hull’s The Sheik has been a sensation, shocking and fascinating readers alike. Owing much to the literary traditions of Romantic … Continue reading “100 Years of The Sheik: A Public Research Symposium”
CFP: Isn’t It Ironic?: Receivership and Responsibility in Popular Culture
An invitation to contribute to a collection edited by Ian Kinane and Elizabeth Parker (Submission deadline: 31st October 2019) The American writer David Foster Wallace once declared that irony would be the death of culture. In the so-called ‘post-truth’ era, marked by the obscene populist palaver of Brexit-day Britain and the ‘truthiness’ of Trump’s White … Continue reading “CFP: Isn’t It Ironic?: Receivership and Responsibility in Popular Culture”
CFP – Embodying Fantastika, Lancaster University 8-10 August 2019
Details of an upcoming conference on fantasy, science fiction, horror and more. EMBODYING FANTASTIKA: An Interdisciplinary Conference WHEN AND WHERE: 8 – 10 August 2019, Lancaster University, UK KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Sherryl Vint (UC Riverside, USA) and Sara Wasson (Lancaster, UK) ABSTRACT DEADLINE: 1 May 2019 ‘Fantastika’ is an umbrella term that embraces the genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction and … Continue reading “CFP – Embodying Fantastika, Lancaster University 8-10 August 2019”
Owning it – Reshaping authorship in popular romance fiction
by Niina Mero Popular romance fiction is often criticised for being formulaic and unoriginal, recycling the same plotlines and stereotypical characters, and lacking any artistic or original input from the author. The exclusion of popular fiction writers from the discussion around authorship echoes a Romantic myth of artistry and an outdated understanding of creativity. The … Continue reading “Owning it – Reshaping authorship in popular romance fiction”
Defining ‘Fantastika’: Inviting Authors and Reviewers for Fantastika Journal
Dr Charul Palmer-Patel on the boundaries of genre and building a space for contemporary scholarship on Fantasy and Science Fiction. What is ‘Fantastika’? And why is there a need for it? Fantastika embraces the genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction (SF), and Horror, but can also include Alternate Histories, Gothic, Steampunk, Young Adult Dystopian Fiction, or … Continue reading “Defining ‘Fantastika’: Inviting Authors and Reviewers for Fantastika Journal”
The King’s Red-head Orgy: desire, death and honesty in Stephen King’s IT
By Dr Charlie Oughton ‘Your hair is winter fire, January embers, My heart burns there, too.’ So says the love haiku that Ben Hanscom sends Beverly Marsh in Stephen King’s IT. The story follows a group of outcast children, The Losers’ Club, who become friends and lovers as they battle a murderous alien entity – … Continue reading “The King’s Red-head Orgy: desire, death and honesty in Stephen King’s IT”
Genre Worlds: Australian Popular Fiction in the Twenty-First Century
by Eliza Murphy Australian popular fiction has been the most significant area of growth in the nation’s publishing industry since the turn of the century. What’s more, it hasn’t just grown, it’s also been successful, both nationally and internationally: this year, Claire G. Coleman’s debut fantasy novel Terra Nullius made the Stella Prize shortlist, and crime … Continue reading “Genre Worlds: Australian Popular Fiction in the Twenty-First Century”