After over a year of answering the question: ‘in what genre do you write?’ I now have a definitive answer.
Up until now I have only been able to answer that question in a very round about, confusing way, that leaves the asker sorry that she inquired whilst simultaneously reaching for a paracetamol and large glass of wine.
For example:
‘Well, it’s when extraordinary things happen to ordinary people, like a mom time travels 50 years into the past, or a woman buys a spell off the internet and ruins her life, or a mom is plagued by a matchmaking imaginary friend. It’s not quite fantasy, because it happens in our world, and it’s not really paranormal because there are no vampires or were-imaginary friends. It’s not contemporary either because it has magical elements, it’s a bit chick lit and romantic comedy…’
‘That makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. What the hell do you write, Sarah?’
‘Hmmmm, well…..’
Yeah. This kind of answer is worthy of chewing bubble gum, twirling my blond hair and tilting my head on the side like an inquisitive golden retriever. Throw fifteen or so ‘likes’ in that answer and I would be legally obliged to change my name to Paris.
But now, thanks to Escape Publishing, I – and others like me, namely Juliet Madison, Jacquie Underdown, Jennifer Brassel, Katherine Givens and Robyn Neely- finally have a bookshelf to plant our virtual bottoms on and call home.
Magic Realism Romance.
Yeah, baby!
So, let’s take that disjointed and migraine inducing conversation from the top:
‘So, Sarah, in what genre do you write?’
‘Not quite paranormal, not quite fantasy, this genre believes that magic is a part of the every day, and that there’s more to our lives than can be explained. If you’re looking for a little mystical, a little miraculous, a little more, this is the romance for you.’
‘That sounds amazeballs! How clever of Escape Publishing to give you guys a subgenre. Where can I learn more?’
My new Magicl Realism Romance novel, Miss Spelled will be released on September 1, 2014 via Escape Publishing.
Magic Realism mixes with romantic comedy in this new novel from Sarah Belle about the dangers of internet shopping – and using magic to solve real world problems.
Lou’s life is perfect. She loves her job, her renovated house, and most of all, her gorgeous fiancé, Aidan. But when her old flame and Aidan’s school yard nemesis turn out to be the same person, Hunter Wincott, Lou’s life is blown apart. She must divulge her secret past, or have Hunter give it away. Either way, she runs the real risk of losing Aidan.
In desperation, she turns to Google. A quick search turns up Majique, the Internet Witch, and a spell that will delete herself from Hunter’s memory. But something goes wrong in the casting process, and Lou deletes much much more than just a memory. She deletes herself from her life completely.
Luckily, there’s a one-week window for Lou to get back to the life she loved. One week to win back Aidan, before he walks down the aisle with the wrong woman, and damns everyone to a lifetime of misery. It would be easy, if only Aidan had any idea who Lou actually is.
and my debut Magical Realism Romance novel, Hindsight is currently available at all good etailers!
Humour, wit, and just a touch of humility: the swinging 60s as you’ve never seen them before!
The universe has sent Juliette a sign. She wishes it had been an email instead…
Juliette’s career is on fire, her marriage and family are in melt-down, and a red-hot goddess wants her husband. But those are the least of her worries when she wakes up on her lounge room floor in the year 1961.
Without any of her modern conveniences — nanny, housekeeper, surgically attached mobile phone, designer wardrobe, and intravenous lattes — Juliette is just over fifty years out of her comfort zone. But as she takes on the role of a 1961 housewife, with gritted liberated teeth, she discovers an unexpected truth: slower doesn’t mean boring, at home doesn’t mean dull, and priorities don’t mean sacrifices.
As she finds unexpected friendships, a resuscitated love life, tragedy and triumph, Juliette begins to wonder if she really wants to return home after all.
