Book genres & seasons

Here is an interesting question for all you avid readers out there. Does your thirst for ‘Reading’ change with the seasons? Would love to know which period of the year tickles your reading buds the most.

Personally, I feel winter and monsoon are great stimulants. These seasons push us inside the house and in the comfort of our habitat. It also limits our social life and entertainment options. Agreed, in these technology times where Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Skype can negate some of those limitations, it nonetheless offers a chance to catch up with the oldest activity known to mankind; reading. The stunning imagery, and the joyous ring to every element of the nature induces the urge to pick up a book and disconnect from the real world, albeit temporarily.

No wonder then many books are released during this period, especially Christmas and New Year. The ‘Extended’ holiday phase translates into an avalanche of launches. Although monsoon doesn’t offer appreciable number of releases it does offer a cosy ambience to indulge in special genres … complementing the season. Imagine yourself holding a steaming mug of coffee/tea, and the rain playing soft, lilting music on the window panes … sounds surreal, isn’t it?

Many traditional publishers therefore plan book release accordingly. Here are some of the genres and the season they are associated with.

February – May … Historical Romance, Fairy Tales & Shorts.
June – September … Fantasy, Time travel & Sci-Fi.
October – November … Paranormal.
December – January … Contemporary romance, Chicklet / Chick literature & Erotica.

Note – The above breakup is in no way a standard industry concept or strategic plan for a successful book launch.