So I just read Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben.  There's sex in that and a bit of romance.  Not a real graphic sex scene but still.  Now I'm listening to Cut and Run by Ridley Pearson and there's a fairly graphic sex scene between the hero (a Fed Marshall) and the heroine (a witness he's protecting).  And yet people think of romance and romantic thrillers as being stupid and trashy.  When so far, I would classify this as a romantic thriller. 

They're all such a bunch of hypocrites!  Honestly, I think its the trashy covers that give romance a bad name; selected by male publishing house execs (authors have no input).  They must think women are like men and need a sexy cover on a book or a mag in order for it to interest them.  Get a clue!  Honestly, I HATE the trashy covers and have invested in bookmates so I won't be embarassed in public. There might be one love scene in a 400 page book but the trashy covers give the impression that's ALL there is. 

I think also when it's a male author who writes a thriller with some sex then it's just a mystery/thriller.   But if it's a woman and she writes a mystery/thriller with a bit of sex then it's a romantic thriller. 

Fabio, IMO, is living, breathing proof that publishers don't "get" the people they're primarily marketing to..:P

Aww Fabio. That man sure has made some money and he just doesn't do it for me at all. The owner of the gym where I work out looked like him for awhile. He has a super dark tan, is very muscular and had his hair long for awhile. I used to call him Fabio. He never got the joke. LOL

It's amazing how a cover will either grab or repulse a buyer. I know there are some great romances out there but the covers have turned me off so much that I just won't read it.

Fabio skeeves me out.

Does anyone remember several years ago when Fabio got hit in the face by a Canada goose while on a roller coaster at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg?

Well, my brother worked in the first aid station at the time and was the one who got to treat Fabio. My brother said he was incredibly gracious and patient and signed autographs with blood streaming down his face because, even injured, fans wouldn't leave him alone.  He even sent a big "Thank You" gift basket to the first aid staff later.

So, even though I am no longer attracted to his "look" like I was years ago, I still look at his pictures and think he is a pretty nice guy.

Katrina (sis forgot to log out ;)

Katrina, that's good to know -- now we can look at him and not be sceeved so much.

Regarding the woman writing the romantic mystery/thriller -- Publishers push for books to be marketed as romance because that's the all-time biggest selling/money-making genre.

Never liked Fabio, but it's good to hear he's  such a nice guy. 

When I go to the UBS - I know that if the mystery book I want is by a female author - I have to check both romance and mystery!  It ticks me off that some places assume anything by a woman is romance, and anything by a man is some other genre!

LOL @ skeevy Fabio.  I'll keep it in mind.  It's actually mostly the accent... and the margarine commercials...  and the eyebrows.  It was very nice of him to send the gift basket & thank you, and be so gracious with his fans when he was obviously injured and having a rough day.  I'm glad to know he's a nice guy.

lol Any one hear about the fight that almost happened between Fabio and George Clooney? I love what George had to say. Fabio went on to say that he would have kicked Clooney's butt. George came back and said (parapharsing here) Of course he could, hes a huge guy, but I would never live it down if I got beat up by Fabio rofl