Genres Gone Wild! New writers face a lot of daunting choices. Do I stop writing to eat more than once per day? Do I print on recycled paper to submit to an environmental magazine? The there is the genre question. One of the big changes I have seen over the last 30 years of writing is the explosion of Genre classifications. There are main genres, sub-genres, cross-over genres and multi-genre genres. There may now be more genres than books to put them in. Why? Faced with an increasingly difficult sales environment, the people in the marketing arm of the publishing industry are desperate to find anything to help attract readers to their books. Problem is, there are so many genres with so many weird names readers can not figure out what the genres are much less what books they might find in them. I will try to help the poor new writers out a little.
Here is a glossary of all the genres I could dig up with some intensive research. I made up my own definitions for these genres as I thought the standard ones were just a little too.boring. I did not make up any of the genre names. My imagination is not that good! I found them listed in at least two sources as accepted (by somebody) literary classifications.
Age categories
1. Children's fiction
Books for toddlers to pre-teen written by children trapped in adult bodies who really understand how to get to core emotions of the rug rats.
2. Juvenile fiction
Entire chapter books with no word over three syllables written so only pre-teen or slightly younger has a clue what they are about.
3. Middle Grade Fiction
For 6-8 graders and maybe a little older ready to deal with more mature subject matter in simplistic, idealistic ways that make the intended readers feel grown up and the grown up readers feel like pre-teens again much to the dismay of the real pre-teens.
4. Young-adult fiction
Not to be confused with adult' book stores. Simply means teenager. No relationship to adulthood what so ever. So why don't they just say teenage fiction? Well, you know how sensitive teenagers are about being treated like grown-ups. The marketing departments don't miss a thing do they?
5. Adult fiction
For people who feel too mature to read anything not seriously long, complex and beyond the comprehension of the mere young-adult. Aka teenager. You know. The adults who read adult fiction in public and the young adult books in the closet for fun when the teenagers are in school.
The Main Genres of Fiction
1. Action-adventure
Characters with the depth of a blank sheet of paper engage in hot pursuit of one another utilizing various machines, utensils, hazardous landscapes and great scenery until someone wins and someone loses. The end.
2. Crime
Oh my, that horrendous criminal is planning a horrendous crime. Will he/she pull it off? Will the detectives stop him? Will the bad cop stop the good cop from stopping the horrendous criminal? Will the lawyers find him guilty? Will the good cop blow the lid off the corrupt lawyer working with the bad cop to get the horrendous criminal off? Will they all be home in time for dinner? Yes, of course they will. Good nutrition is important for everybody.
3. Fantasy
Stories where things happen that are only possible in our dreams as we know they can not be done in the real world. Like getting married and living happily ever after in eternal bliss or leaving an unlocked car with presents in it on a city street for two days without losing anything. Not just pleasant happy things though. Turns out villains can dream just as readily as innocent children and wishful adults. Will darkness prevail? Sometimes not seeing the light is a good thing.
4. Horror
Yikes! I have never read anything so horrid, gross, shocking, frightening or unsettling in my life. I am going to have to leave my lights on all night! Not because I am afraid, because I need to finish reading this story!
5. Mainstream
These stories appeal to so many readers with their subject matter wrapped around the main issues and concerns of living on this planet together as human beings. Sort of like the drama genre of movies, which is to say they can win lots of critical literary awards without being a #1 best seller. So would the author rather have a best seller or a top literary award? The author is just happy to get published. The rest is frosting on the cake no matter what it is!
6. Mystery
Also known as the hundred question genre'. What is happening? How did it happen? What the heck is it? What is going to happen? Who knows what is going to happen? Is that a clue? Is this detective an idiot or what? Does the writer know what is happening? Does anybody in this story have a clue? Did the girl's father's third uncle on his mother's side from a second marriage with a big life insurance policy on the pet cat do it? How did they know my grandmother was an alien?
7. Realistic fiction
It reminds you of so many things in your life you can believe it really happened. You want to go see where it happened. You want to meet who it happened to. It could have happened. It should have happened. It would have happened. You want it to happen again. It is just like our real life surroundings except it did not happen..yet.
8. Romance
He loves her. He loves her not. He loves her mother's best friend's daughter. That is okay. She is in a passionate affair with his older brother's oldest son who really, really understands her as he sweeps her off her feet and carries her along a moonlit beach in Hawaii while her husband is on a fake convention trip to Florida with his young mistress. On their way back home to Kansas City both their planes get diverted to Billings, Montana by bad weather where they try to rekindle their lost romance until she starts flirting with one of the airline captains who really, really understands her and he does a bathroom check with a flight attendant, for two hours, without flushing. And they all live happily ever after. Okay. If you say so.
9. Science fiction
One of my all time favorites. Thanks to science I have this problem. It is just a little problem I am sure I can handle except now it is a big problem but I can still deal with it but it is a huge problem and I need help right now or God, it is too late it is a gargantuan, ugly end-of-the-world problem no one can overcome we are all going to die! Hey, I solved the problem. The end.
10. Western
One of my childhood favorites. Minimum required elements: 1 gun, 1 cow, 1 horse, 1 innocent farmer's daughter, one ruthless amoral outlaw, 1 saloon vixen and 1 hero with pearly white teeth and hair that never moves who can handle the horse, the cow, the vixen, the outlaw, the farmer's daughter and the gun without getting thrown, kicked, stabbed in the back, killed, slapped or shooting himself in the foot. Oh, and one sunset. Happy trails!
List of many other literary genres, sub-genres
1. Autobiography, Memoir, Spiritual autobiography
It is all about me, myself and I. And all the dirty little secrets I know about everybody who thought they were my confidants, trusted friends and loyal relatives.
Hmmm. This book is sort like a memoir isn't it?
Memoirs are great literary achievements!
2. Biography
It is all about someone else. And all the dirty little secrets I learned from everybody who thought they were his/her confidants, trusted friends and loyal relatives after he/she wrote his/her tattle-tale autobiography.
3. Campus novel
All those goofy, great antics going on during college life that made the other 98% of the time we spent there bored to tears seem bearable that we want to read about now to make us think the college years were great compared to the bored to tears jobs we have now.
4. Comedy
Ha! He he he. HO! HO HO!. Giggle. Gufaw! Huh? That's not funny. That's how I eat my oatmeal too. HA HA HA! Ohhhh, my stomach hurts. Great book. And to think I found it in the Classic Literature section. Those old writers use some weird language.
5. Diaries and Journals
Wow! Can you believe the Senator actually wrote down all those things he did with the staff after hours while visiting the Italian, French, and Swedish ambassadors? Too bad for him that intern journalist posing as a caterer at the French embassy found it in his room and made millions selling it to the London publisher Dirt R Us.
6. Erotic literature
I'm so sexy, can you see I'm so sexy, I'm so sexy you can feel I so sexy.
Cucumbers turn me on.
7. Epic
A book that ways at least 47 pounds, takes two years to read, covers at least 500 years of time and goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and YAWN and on and ..zzzzzzzzzz.
8. Essay
Listen to me. I'm smart and you are all stupid. I know the secrets of life. I'm the only one who knows the secrets of life. They are so obvious but you all are too stupid to see them. But you are so fortunate I am so smart and can see them for you. Now you can be the blind man who picked up the hammer and saw.
9. Fable, Fairy tale
They lived happily ever after. That's all you need to know.
10. Crime fiction
Anything involving illegality as the central theme but did not really happen, or at least we can not tell anybody it really happened.
10a. Detective fiction
This crime could not possibly be solved without this one person who is good looking, somewhat annoying, brilliant at seeing what others can not see, has some real social skill problems, seems completely ordinary and would undoubtedly be a complete loser except for that one unique ability to find a needle in a haystack even when there is no needle or haystack to find it in.
10b. Hardboiled
The same guy as above after getting scarred up in a dog fight and taking it out on his suspects during non-sanctioned interrogations behind smelly meat markets in China Town and abandoned warehouses on fishing piers.
10c. Whodunit
Was it the grocery delivery boy, or the one-legged cousin, or the estranged husband, or the broke stock broker, or the publisher, or the victim of one of Hardboiled's interrogations, or a poor beggar in India who somehow managed to sneak on a jet plane, get into the country, steal the job and take it back to India without being noticed or smelled by anyone? Nah. It was the only person on Earth who could not have done it, except for the detective of course, but did it anyway just to win the Whodunit board game.
10d. Newgate novel
All those enthralling stories about trying to figure out who destroyed the new gate to the fancy new upscale gated community on the hillside.
10e. Prison literature
Can you believe what intense, compelling gripping situations those poor prisoners get mixed up in? Just think. If they did those things on the outside nobody would think twice about writing about them. Don't like prison literature? Well, if you want better prison lit we just better insist on putting higher quality writers in prison.
10f. Chickdick
Suave, great looking, tall, cool gal whose charm can lure the worst of men to reveal their deep dark criminal secrets to solve a crime then crush them with her iron muscles hardened by ten years in the marine corps then wrap up her day having a casual dinner with a wimpy, ordinary date she's about to turn in for tax evasion.
11. Fantasy
I can only imagine what this is all about.
11a. Alternate history:
The South wins the War Between the States, Germany defeats England in WWII because we are too busy fighting with ourselves to help them, we have to live without Kentucky Fried Chicken because Colonel Sanders was KIA, Disney World is never built thus Britney and Lindsey never get a shot as child stars and we do not know they exist. Hmmm. Hey, Richmond. How about two out of three!
11b. Bangsian fantasy
Okay. What's a Bangsian and how did it get into my book? Wait. I know. Bangsians are the drummers in the marching band. Who the heck fantasizes about being a drummer in a marching band?
11c. Contemporary fantasy
Happily ever after is just as much a fantasy today as it ever was!
11d. Urban fantasy
Peace, quiet, tranquility, birds singing, clear skies, no worries in the middle of New York City on Monday afternoon after the stock market crashes.
11e. Elfpunk
Really muscular little green guys who beat up children who wander into the forest and steal their fruit snacks to patch up their leaking windows in their tree houses.
11f. Dark fantasy
There is a black out at Disney World and the Three Blind Mice are having their way with the dolls in small world.
11g. Erotic fantasy
Ever wonder what Cinderella looks like in a string bikini? Or Prince Charming in Speedo briefs?
11h. Fairytale fantasy
So when is a fairy tale not a fantasy? When the fairy is your neighbor.
11I. Heroic fantasy
A fifty year old, overweight, out of shape couch potato goes in from the stands and throws the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. And it is the first time she ever played football.
11j. High fantasy
You have heard about writers who get high on their writing? These people get writing on their high.
11k. Historical fantasy
Stories about the erotic fantasies you had when you were young.
11l. Celtic Fantasy
Boy, those Celtics have great imaginations to get their own genre! Must be all those folktales about secret underground forces constantly saving the world with magical powers. I'll bet they are working with the Bangsians.
11m. Comic fantasy
My dream about being the token intellectual on the Tonight Show.
11n. Wuxia
As in, "he has a lot of wuxia." Also, stories about Chinese anti-gravity warriors who only seem to come down to Earth for their untimely deaths.
11o. Historical high fantasy
These were written back when it was legal to put cocaine in Coca-Cola.
11p. Medieval fantasy
The serfs dream of being knights and the knights of being kings and the kings of being emperors and the emperors of being with the serf's daughters.
11q. Juvenile fantasy
All those middle-aged, pot bellied, balding men who think teenage girls still dig them.
11r. Low fantasy
Written by people passing through Death Valley. Also people living in basements. The stories show how Death Valley and basements are great places to live.
11s. Fantasy of manners
Stories about an 8 year old boy with ADD behaving perfectly during a 3 hour formal dinner party with the boss at an upscale restaurant.
11t. Mythic fiction
The archeologist's lifelong pursuit to prove the myth that an honest senator once existed in Washington D.C. is fact not fiction is achieved! Unfortunately, the archeologist is fictional which means the findings are fictional which means the myth is what it is, a fantasy.
11u. Mythpunk
Stories about the childhood adventures of Hercules and Thor as they played pranks on Zeus and Athena like making the thunder come before the lightening and the Earth orbit the moon on leap years.
11v. Romantic fantasy
Ditch digger meets debutant at bus stop. Ditch digger is dressed for brother's wedding and debutant in borrowed clothes from her poor cousin because the airline lost her luggage. She thinks he is rich. He thinks she is poor. They live happily ever after. Or until she finds out he doesn't even have the buss fare and he sees her try to pay a $5.00 fare with a $100 bill.
11w. Science fantasy
Science has created the don't worry, be happy' drug that ends all violence in the world. It works on everyone except the out of work psychologists who revolt and destroy the don't worry, be happy' drug factories and take over the world.
11x. Sword and Planet
Picture dragons, knights, wizards and elves traveling from planet to planet on multi-billion dollar state of the art spaceships to do battle on horseback wielding blades of magical steel against flying beasts with magical powers. So why don't they just vaporize the varmints?
11y. Dying Earth fiction
What would we all do different if we knew the Earth was going to end within our lifetime, maybe before dinner? Love one another, pray together, make sure our last moments together as humanity were great ones? I think not.
11z. Superhero fantasy
So who has not dreamed of having the powers to right all wrongs, be loved by everyone, defy death and live the good life? But there are always those little trouble spots. Some people do not agree with what we say is right. You can not compete in any normal athletic events. And there's always some darn version of kryptonite popping up to let us know we can die after all.
11aa. Sword and sorcery
Is there no problem a magic sword and wizardry can not resolve? Have they ever come up against kryptonite?
12. Gothic fiction
The darkness is upon us. And we love it!
12a. Southern Gothic
Maybe it's just me but vampires with southern accents aren't so scary.
12b. Lovecraftian horror
Stories about women finding out their husbands of 15 years are really their brothers separated at birth. And they think that's the reason their teens are rebellious?
12c. Weird menace
Being stalked by someone who gets turned on by cucumbers.
13. Mystery fiction
See main genre #6.
13a. Thriller
A good one. You read on wondering if anything is really going to YIKES! RUN! HIDE! HELP! Pant, pant, pant. Didn't see that coming!
A bad one. You read on wondering if anything is really going to. That's it? Blah. Saw that coming two chapters ago.
13b. Conspiracy fiction
Everybody knows it is fiction except the writer who swears it is true. And a few followers.
13c. Legal thriller
Thriller that is not banned in the school library or involving Michael Jackson in any way.
13d. Spy fiction/Political thriller
These are all actually non-fiction but disguised as fiction because nobody wants us to believe our governments are really that cynical, distrusting, cold, calculating, power hungry group of heathens who think that rule by law means I make laws to rule you so I can do what ever I want to you.
13e. Techno-thriller
Will they figure out how to stop the run-a-way robot before it solves the crime itself and proves it was the maid who did it? (You won't ever catch me saying the Butler did it! No way, no how padre!)
13f. Psychological thriller
The fear, the loathing, the intensity, the lurking shadows carrying tools of torture are all in your head. All in your head I tell you. Now let's see if you can figure out which one is in my head not yours before someone dies. Someone always dies. But it's all in your head. Nobody really dies. It's just a transition period in their pathetic little lives.
14. Science fiction
See Main Genre number 9. It has not changed since then. Same story, different problem. I can deal with it. Well, maybe I can deal with it. Oh man, maybe I can't deal with it. ARRRGGGG! This problem will be the death of me! Huh. That was easy. The end.
14a. Hard science fiction
It's hard to tell it's fiction because the science is so real, an extension of what we already know to logical applications that create a problem we need to solve, but science doesn't solve it because the rules say the main character has to solve it but the main character hasn't taken a science class since fifth grade so he is basically SOL man.
14b. Soft science fiction
Maybe it is science and maybe it is not. Maybe it's her natural hair color too.
14c. Social science fiction
Wow, look at this great new thing science can do for us. Look at the great new problem it has created for society. How will society deal with it? How can society deal with it!? Society as we know it is DOOMED I tell you, DOOMED. Everything is fine now. Don't worry. Be happy.
14d. Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic science fiction
The scientists have finally done it. The world is coming to an end! No, it has come to an end! Or at least to the last, brittle, straggly edge of the end and humans are kaput! Well, all but one human, maybe two. But they are hopeless, clueless, and inept. Hey, they have discovered there is no traffic in Los Angeles and no cops! Life is good.
14e. Cozy catastrophe
Ah, yes. The nasty volcano did not respond well to the geological thermonuclear experiment and wiped out the city so now it is all peaceful and quiet as we snuggle up in front of the fireplace on the patio at our cabin on the mountain and watch the glowing embers drifting up from the smoking valley to take their place among the twinkling stars
In the deep black-velvet heavens. A deer walks up and sniffs our feet as we fall into a calm slumber.
14f. Biopunk
That bully in the lab has set fire to Miss Wilson's dress in biology again and blocked the door so she can't get out and has to take it off in the room. Meanwhile his girlfriend is releasing the one celled ameba she mutated into the size of a weather balloon and trained to eat honor students.
14g. Dying Earth science fiction
Not to be confused with apocalyptic. Humans do not have a chance to destroy Earth because Earth has just decided to up and puke all on its own without asking Greenpeace if it was okay first. So how is science going to stop it? That is where we cross the line into fantasy.
14h. Military science fiction
Whoa, what a weapons system! War will never be the same. No one will dare to attack us now. Huh? The new weapons system is attacking us now? That would be a problem. We better find an 8 year old computer hacker to shut it down for us!
14i. Mundane science fiction
Scientists in Idaho have learned to grow potatoes the size of watermelons. And I care why?
14j. Steampunk
Stories about handsome, young, really muscular fellows with tiny white towels wrapped around their waist who pick on the weaklings in the sauna and kick them out. Also stories enamored with the Age of Steam. They think all that hissing, puffing, belching black smoke from the funnel, searing heat from the firebox and rickety rides on bad tracks is quaint. Just remember, never wear white downwind from a choo choo.
14k. Time travel
I went back in time a hundred years to see how genres then compared to genres now. Guess what. They did not have genres. They just had three classifications. Books people liked, books people did not like, and books nobody read. Hey, there goes a steam choo choo. I love the Age of Steam. Punk.
14l. Space colonization
Humans have outgrown and overwhelmed poor little Earth. Decreasing the birth rate and increasing the death rate are out of the question. Humans must find new homes to expand their profound impact on the universe. But there are problems on the new planets as well. Strangely familiar but manageable problems. But wait, if we couldn't manage them on Earth, how on Earth are we going to manage them in these hostile new environments?! We aren't! No one can! Oh wait, Starbucks has opened in that crater over there. We'll be fine.
14m. Space opera
Sing sing. sing a little song for me. Livelivelive a little life with me. Space is grand. You're so bland I've got planet to free an alien to kill.. a laser to fill a chance to be mean. Ta da, da, da.. do, de, do... here we go.. the final frontier. Don't have beer..so I'm staying home. IIII"MMMM SSSTTAAYYIINNGG HHOOMMEEEEEE! Oooohhh Yeeahhhh..
If that doesn't keep you away from space operas, nothing will.
14n. Spy-fi
Spies have discovered the secret new marvel of science and must report it back to their home government before it is used to destroy their way of life, maybe all life. Or must they? Perhaps they will steal it and sell it to the highest bidder. If only they knew what the darn thing was, how to make it work and could avoid being killed by any number of rivals in any number of horrendous ways.
14o. Christian science fiction
Jesus came to Earth from another planet which God created first and things have worked out a heck of a lot better there so he hopes Jesus can conduct a few lessons learned' workshops and straighten us all out without getting double-crossed.
14p. Clerical fiction
Administrative assistants working a full 8 hour day.
14q. Feminist science fiction
Woman rule the world! (That's fiction?)
14r. Libertarian science fiction
Science has eliminated the need for government. Now we have wonderful devices we can use to completely screw ourselves without government's help.
14s. Cyberpunk
Internet bullies are taking over the world through the internet and forcing us all to reconsider being wired so tight we order Starbuck's online and get it delivered hot to our door.
14t. Postcyberpunk
Oohhhh they've gone and done it now! The cyber punks have completely destroyed the internet and humanity faces extinction if people can not learn how to use dial telephones and write letters with pen and paper again!
14u. Golden Age of Science Fiction
Those were the days. All the everyday things we use now were just somebody's imagination put down in writing.
14v. New Wave science fiction
It isn't enough to pollute the ocean, warm the ocean, fish the ocean, explore the ocean and alter its currents. We have to manipulate it to create new waves just the right size to surf off the coast of Arizona. That would be the southern coast. After Mexico breaks off and drifts away in the Pacific Ocean.
14w. Pulp science fiction
Genetically engineered trees growing faster than we can cut them down.
14x. Scientific romance
Oh come on. An HP financial calculator falls for a Dell laptop? The parents will never allow it. The Dell may be sexy, pretty and smart and all but don't tell me it knows the right buttons to push to turn HP on in a dark room.
14y. Alternate history science fiction
Germany develops the first Atomic bomb and tests it on Japan. Why Japan? Because they had an axis to grind with them. So what happened to Los Alamos? They invented stuffed crust pizza instead.
14z. Comic science fiction
There is no such thing. There is nothing funny about science fiction. Even when it tries to be funny it isn't. It's just too.scientific. How could a gargantuan problem no one could ever solve on Earth or in Heaven that was going to kill us all if it was not solved by dinner be funny?
14aa. Science fiction erotica
Eeeek. I don't want to touch that one with a ten foot pole. Even with one covered with hot butter and dressed in black stockings that massage the body while stimulating the mind. Or was that the other way around?
14ab. Gothic science fiction
Hans Solo dressed in Goth? That'll give you something to Chewy on.
14ac. Science fantasy
Science fiction where the science used to make the story science' fiction has nothing to do with any known science and everything to do with making things the way we want science to make them for us. Also any story based on science solving all problems of mankind and bringing peace and prosperity to the world. We all know any new gadget science comes up with no matter how big or small is just another thing to fight over, steal and sell at huge mark-ups.
14ad. Science fiction Western
Minimum required elements: 1 laser gun, 1 Martian cow, 1 Jupiter horse, 1 innocent Saturn explorer's daughter, one ruthless amoral outlaw, 1 space-station vixen and 1 hero with pearly white teeth and hair that never moves who can handle the horse, the cow, the vixen, the outlaw, the farmer's daughter and the gun without getting thrown, kicked, stabbed in the back, killed, slapped or zapping himself in the foot. Oh, and one glowing cosmic cloud. Happy vapor trails!
15. Medical novel
If all those things are really happening in our medical facilities the people without health insurance are the lucky ones.
16. Philosophical novel
I sit here writing at 1:00 am Tuesday morning pondering why I sit here writing at 1:00 am Tuesday morning when I know no one is sitting around reading anything I have written at 1:00 am Tuesday morning. Perhaps it is something to do with 1:00 am Tuesday morning. Perhaps I would be a better writer at 1:00 am Wednesday morning. What mornings do people read at 1:00 am? Well, it doesn't matter because I write for the love of writing. My boss will admire that as I sleep through his meeting tomorrow. It is for the greater good. How could anybody write an entire novel of this drivel?!
17. Romance
See main genres number 8. There is little more I can add to that description unless my second cousin twice removed confesses a bunch of lies about my ancestor's involvement in the sinking of the Titanic.
17a. Historical romance
Forty something women remembering the romance in their lives before they got married, had children and their husbands bought big screen TVs to watch the 24 hour sports channel on.
17b. Family Saga
This family has been through hell I tell you, hell! But through all of it somebody loved somebody, sometimes two some bodies at once, some times unknown distant relatives, drifters with open shirts sporting strong hairy chests or the neighbor's husband. But it was love every time and it got them through it, well some of them. Okay, one woman ended up alone on the family farm with nothing but her memories to sooth her as a devastating dust storm whirled on the horizon blotting out a setting red sun.
17c. Regency romance
Ah yes. Those nights in the presidential suite of the Hyatt Regency in New York during the blackout. Who can forget them.
17d. Chick lit
Stories for the chicks, by the chicks and of the chicks. I remember when they were just cute little eggs. Then chirping little fuzz balls gulping their first worms. Next thing I knew, there they were showing up on Desperate Housewives.
17e. Matron lit
They are a mean, tough, angry, disrespectful, dirty, thieving bunch of murderous varmints. But they do it all for the love.and fear of their mom who is the cornerstone, foundation, keystone, leader, center and absolute authority of the clan. And we see it all through her compassionate, determined, always hopeful eyes as she endures and overcomes all evils and dangers facing her family. Sounds like a story about a queen ant.
18. Satire
I can not write a good serious novel of my own so I will write one making fun of everyone else's serious novels and get rich at their expense and talent. Easy business!
19. Tragedy
What happened to him shouldn't happen to a dog. It is so sad. He is just an innocent victim. Now his life is ruined, and his credit rating. That really hurts.
19a. Revenge tragedy
He made an elaborate plan for revenge that backfired and cost him his family, fortune, respect and it made him really, really mad too.
20. Literary criticism
So you did not like what I wrote? Wait until you read what I think about what you wrote!
21. Dictator Novels, Latin American
Another banana republic bites the dust amidst corruption, drug lords, hot dancing, cool open neck wardrobes, sexy accents and insect infested jungles. This is fiction?
22. Travel literature
I went here, I went there. You should go here and you should go there and you should pay me for telling you to go here and there because you would not have gone if I had not told you to.
23. Historical fiction
Everything about this story set in the past is real except for the story itself. Unless it is a novel during the ice age in which case we have no idea if the setting and circumstances are real or not. Nor do we care.