Paranormal romance

From Guidevines

Paranormal Romance

Stories on the template for romances that have any elements of fantasy or science fiction.

Up into the 1980s, most markets refused to market either contemporary or historical romances with any elements not completely acceptable to both Christians and scientistic atheists. This wall was broken not only by dark magic historicals like Laurie McBain's Devil's Desire, but especially by the wild success of Diana Gabaldon's time-travel romances.

Paranormal romances now fall into several subcategories. Some publishers treat them as one group. Some will publish one subcategory but not others.

The interesting point is that for those who believe magic is part of the real world, rather that invented irrationality, the contemporary paranormal romance is the only one that doesn't seem to be wearing blinders and may seem most real to them. Also, for pagans this is where their version of inspirational romances seem to fall, especially in historical settings.

Subcategories:

• fantasy romances set in other worlds than ours;
• science fiction romances also known as futuristic romances, set in the future or off our planet;
• paranormal romances, in a tight sense of being a romance in our contemporary world involving paranormal powers or beings: the hero or heroine who is telepathic, telekinetic, the primary or secondary character who is a ghost, leprecaun, flower fairy, etc.;
• time-travel romances, where either the hero or heroine travels to another historical period than their own in the past;
• vampire romances, whether contemporary or historical, where a main character, often the hero, is a vampiric creature of some sort;
• shape-shifter romances, including werewolves but also werecats, werebirds, dragons, etc. as the hero or heroine, maybe both.