Call for Papers:

Nothing But Good Times Ahead: the Novels of Jennifer Crusie
Edited by Eric Murphy Selinger and Laura Vivanco

Contributions are invited for a collection of critical essays on the =
work of Jennifer Crusie. Nothing But Good Times Ahead: the Novels of =
Jennifer Crusie will mark a turning point in the critical study of =
romance fiction, even as it demonstrates the richness of Crusie=92s work =
as both an innovator in, and theorist of, her chosen genre. =20

Crusie is widely loved and deeply respected in the world of romance =
fiction. Her series romance and single-title novels have won numerous =
awards from the Romance Writers of America, and in a genre where most =
books go out of print quite soon after publication, hers have been =
repeatedly reissued. Crusie=92s essays in defense of the genre =
articulate a theoretically sophisticated, ardently feminist argument on =
its behalf, and her novels, too, engage in cultural critique, subtly =
challenging readers=92 expectations about what romance heroines, heroes, =
plot structures, and love scenes can be, while affirming the =
deeply-rooted optimism of the romance novel as a form. =20

We invite critical essays on Crusie=92s novels, whether read =
individually, comparatively, or in connection with the work of other =
authors. =20

      * Bet Me, 2004. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Faking It, 2002. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Fast Women, 2001. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Welcome to Temptation, 2000. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Crazy for You, 1999. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Don=92t Look Down, 2006 (with Bob Mayer; St. Martin=92s Press)
      * Tell Me Lies, 1998. (St. Martin's Press)
      * Trust Me on This, 1997. (Bantam)
      * The Cinderella Deal, 1996. ( Bantam)
      * Anyone But You, 1996. (Harlequin)
      * Charlie All Night, 1996. (Harlequin)
      * What the Lady Wants, 1995. (Harlequin)
      * Strange Bedpersons, 1994. (Harlequin)
      * Getting Rid of Bradley, 1994. ( Harlequin)
      * Sizzle, 1994. (Harlequin)
      * Manhunting, 1993. (Harlequin)

All critical, theoretical, and methodological approaches are welcome; =
indeed, we encourage critics who do not ordinarily work on popular =
culture or romance fiction to submit abstracts for our consideration. =20

Here is a suggestive, but not exhaustive list of possible topics:

=95 Crusie=92s engagement with popular culture (film, music, fashion, =
food, popular psychology)
=95 Crusie=92s engagement with other texts, notably fairy tales and the =
Bible=20
=95 Crusie=92s debates=97both explicit and implicit=97with the literary =
canon and with previous feminist accounts of romance fiction (for =
example, Janice Radway=92s Reading the Romance)
=95 Crusie and the genres of romance and comedy, broadly and =
theoretically defined
=95 Crusie=92s artistry, whether in particular novels or across her =
career
=95 Crusie as theorist of romance; or, theoretical approaches to Crusie
=95 Crusie and developments in romance fiction and feminist thought =
since the 1990s
=95 Crusie=92s innovations within the conventions of romance fiction, =
and her explorations of the boundaries of the genre (e.g.., its =
intersections with non-romantic women=92s fiction, with mystery and =
detective fiction, and most recently with men=92s adventure fiction)

Nothing But Good Times Ahead has the potential to reach audiences both =
inside and outside the academy. Our intended audience includes not only =
professors of popular culture, women=92s studies, American studies, and =
literature, but also the intelligent, well-educated, and =
enthusiastically literate community of romance readers. =20

We will consider abstracts (approximately 500 words), conference papers, =
and full-length essays. All submissions should be e-mailed to Eric =
Murphy Selinger (eselinge_at_depaul.edu) and Laura Vivanco =
(nothingbut_at_vivanco.me.uk). The deadline for consideration is September =
30, 2006.

For more information, including a fuller description of the book, visit =
http://www.vivanco.me.uk/modern_romance_scholarship/nothing_but. =20

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Received on Wed Jul 12 2006 - 16:30:52 EDT