Paranormal romance is a type of story that combines romantic fiction and speculative fiction. It focuses on love stories and includes elements that cannot be explained by science, such as fantasy, science fiction, and horror. These stories can range from traditional romances set in supernatural worlds to plots based on science fiction or fantasy that include a romantic side story. Common relationships in these stories include those between humans and vampires, shape-shifters, ghosts, or other supernatural beings.
In addition to themes involving vampires, shape-shifters, ghosts, or time travel, paranormal romances may also feature characters with special abilities, such as moving objects with the mind or reading minds. The popularity of this genre grew significantly after the September 11 attacks. It is one of the fastest-growing areas within the romance genre.
Well-known authors who write paranormal romance include Dani Harper, Nalini Singh, Jessica Bird, Kresley Cole, Christine Feehan, Kelley Armstrong, and Stephenie Meyer, who wrote the Twilight series. According to 2013 data from the fantasy publisher Tor Books, 57% of writers in the urban fantasy or paranormal romance genres are women, and 43% are men. However, men make up about two-thirds of submissions to Tor Books. In science fiction, men outnumber women by four to one, and men write 83% of horror stories.
Definition and subgenres
Paranormal romance mixes real life with imaginary or science fictional elements. The imaginary parts may take place in a different version of our world, such as in urban fantasy stories that include vampires, demons, or werewolves. They may also involve more common paranormal elements, like humans with psychic powers, witches, or ghosts. Romances that include time travel, futuristic settings, or extraterrestrial worlds are also considered paranormal.
These books often include parts from other genres, like suspense or mystery, along with their magical themes. Some paranormal romances are set entirely in the past and are written like traditional historical romance novels. Others take place in the future, sometimes on other planets. Some stories include time travel, with either the hero or heroine moving between the past and future. Between 2002 and 2004, the number of paranormal romances published in the United States increased to 170 per year. A well-known book in this genre can sell more than 500,000 copies.
Like urban fantasy, many paranormal romances mix everyday life with the presence of supernatural or magically powerful beings, whether human or not. Sometimes the world around these characters knows about magic, and sometimes it does not. Some paranormal romances focus more on the romance itself than on the details of their alternate worlds, while others carefully build their fictional settings, combining magical systems and cultures with real-world elements.
The first futuristic romance published by a major romance publisher was Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz in 1986. It was a "classic road trip romance" that happened to take place in a different galaxy. This genre has grown more popular since 2000. Krentz says the popularity of this type of story comes from the fact that these novels are, at their core, traditional historical romances that happen to be set on other worlds.
Time-travel romances are a type of "fish out of water" story. In most, the heroine from the present day travels to the past to meet the hero, as seen in the manga and anime series Inuyasha. In some stories, the hero from the past travels to the future to meet the heroine. A successful time-travel romance requires characters to act logically in their new time period and to explore the differences between their usual world and the one they find themselves in. Some books end with the main characters unable to reunite because they are stuck in different time periods, which often disappoints readers.