This has been an interesting discussion string, but it seems
to me that one aspect has been neglected: the marketplace.
What I call the "Oprahfication" of the literary marketplace
is determining what's getting published and what isn't, at
least here in the United States. I stay in touch with some
fairly big-time writers, agents, and editors, and they tell
me that the marketplace is decidedly softer than it was just
a few years ago. Some of the contemporary writers mentioned
who began series that were more hardboiled and have softened
them considerably with recent titles are most likely doing so
in order to get contracts from publishers. Demographics rules
everything. It seems all the publishers are looking for are
books that might land their authors on OPRAH. It's a sad
state of affairs.
Later....Kip
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