2009 in Review

With the end of 2009 rapidly approaching, it's time to look back at the year. I mostly stayed off the road this year, going to only a couple of conventions. But they were good conventions, so I got to hang out with Jim Butcher at ConDFW and with Lois McMaster Bujold at FenCon. Meanwhile, my neighborhood library brought in authors like Rachel Vincent and Rosemary Clement-Moore, so I didn't have to go more than a few blocks to meet up with authors.

I've read more than a hundred books this year, and while I often moan that there are so many books and there's so little time for reading them all, a quick analysis of this year's reading revealed that nearly a third of the books I read this year were re-reads. Some of them I've already read several times. In some cases, these were series, where I was either reminding myself of earlier books before reading the new one or inspired to re-read the earlier books after reading the new one. Sometimes I just get into a mood where I want to read a particular thing, and the only safe bet is a book I already know fits.

My favorite discovery this year is probably the Rogue Agent fantasy series by K.E. Mills, which so far includes The Accidental Sorcerer and Witches Incorporated. The third and supposedly final book is coming next year, but I would love many more books with these characters.

The comeback of the year seems to be Georgette Heyer, with two different publishers doing reprints of some of her classic Regency romances. These are so much fun to read, and it's been so long since I first read any of them that it's like getting entirely new books.

While chick lit is supposedly dead, there were a few new releases in that category trickling out this year, including some from newer authors instead of just the perennial bestsellers who have transcended the genre. One favorite was the British import Holly's Inbox, by "Holly Denham" (a pseudonym, as that's also the name of the main character). I'm hoping this continues without going back into the market glut that killed the genre a few years ago.

A lot of the buzz in the science fiction/fantasy world involves steampunk, which may be the next big trend on the rise. There's definitely not yet a glut in the market, but steampunk elements are showing up in fantasy, science fiction and paranormal romance, and we're even seeing steampunk-like visuals in the movies, like with the new Sherlock Holmes film. Stay tuned to see what happens in that area.

As for next year, I still don't have my convention schedule set. I know I'll be attending ConDFW in February, the Texas Library Association conference in April and FenCon in September. Everything else will depend on my budget and work schedule. And I'm sure I'll be doing a ton of reading.

Shanna

Shanna Swendson writes "Fairy Tales for Modern Times" and is the author of the Enchanted, Inc. series about a Texan in New York City, a magical NYC. Visit her website or blog for more information.