No, what makes me angry is when authors of paranormal erotica/romance stuff their obviously non-Sword & Sorcery books into the Sword & sorcery categories at retailers such as Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble.
Why does this yank my chain? Because what they're doing is a disservice both to readers and to fellow authors. Specifically, they are taking spots away from actual Sword & Sorcery authors and invading Sword & Sorcery best-seller lists. Because, you see, they list their dragon/werewolf/shifter BBW paranormal urban romance fantasy in as many categories as Amazon & other retailers will fall for. And if the book does reasonably well in paranormal romance lists, it's going to absolutely rock it in S&S lists, as Sword & Sorcery is a much smaller pool.
They're gaming the system via inappropriate use of keywords, making it harder for readers to find real S&S, and they're sucking the oxygen, discoverability-wise, out of the room for actual Sword & Sorcery writers.
And I'm angry about it.
Here is Lin Carter's definition of Sword & Sorcery:
We call a story sword and sorcery when it is an action tale, derived from the traditions of the pulp magazine adventure story, set in a land, age, or world of the author's invention--a milieu in which magic actually works and the gods are real--a story, moreover, which pits a stalwart warrior in direct conflict with the forces of supernatural evil.
And now I present to you a selection of the top 100 free in kindle Sword & Sorcery stories (UK):
Moon Chosen #1 (BBW Werewolf / Shifter Romance)
Shadow of the Moon #1 (Werewolf / Shifter Romance)
Healed by the Dragon: Part One (A Scottish Dragon-shifter Paranormal Romance)
I'm not saying that Paranormal Romance can never also be classsifie.... who am I kidding? Yes, yes I am.
Paranormal Romance can never be cross-classified as Sword & Sorcery
Let me put this another way. I hope Jessie Donovan, Mac Flynn and all the other authors who are miscategorizing their books find this, and pay attention:
You have a dragon, a werewolf, a shapeshifter in your story? Maybe somebody who uses a sword? Maybe even some sorcery?
THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT S&S ANY MORE THAN CONAN FALLING IN LOVE WITH A PRINCESS MAKES HIS ADVENTURES PARANORMAL ROMANCE.
But of course these authors already know that. That's what makes my blood boil. They're just trying to game the system and get a bestseller in a category--any category. They don't care.
So every time I find a Paranormal Fantasy in the Sword & Sorcery subcategory, I report it.
And so should you.
