I'm worried.

I've realized that the dark fiction novel I'm working on might be better-described as a paranormal romance.

Having been pretty promiscuous with my genre choices in the past, I'd like to consider myself a-genre right now.

But knowing what categories your books fall into is really useful for - you know - helping people to find and read them.

Some writers I respect very much have recommended going with 'dark fiction' and that's cool with me.

Except Dark Fiction is not a category on Amazon.

You know what is?

Paranormal romance.

Now,

• If I were to write about a werewolf.
• And my lead character was in love with that werewolf.
• AND he had sex with that werewolf at least once.

That sounds like ... paranormal romance, right?

"What's so bad about paranormal romance, Dean? Why be such a dick about it?"

I've written dozens of paranormal romance stories and novellas for clients. Paranormal romance is fine. But that's not what I'm writing now. I know it in my dark little heart. If I was writing paranormal romance, it would be awesome. But I'm not writing paranormal romance. I'm not. I'm not.

I'm with the genre description. In writing, on screen, it looks fine.

But look at the covers. Look at THEM!

Is that the crowd for my current work?

Nor am I writing horror.

Nor a thriller.

Nor a black comedy.

Nor a tale of psychological suspense, though it is psychological and there is suspense.

No, it's not slipstream.

It might be a weird tale, I suppose.

It's dark and fantastical, but not quite dark fantasy.

So what the f am I writing?

Contemporary fiction? What does that even mean?

"Contemporary literature is literature with its setting generally after World War I."

Seriously? Is that it?

"Subgenres of contemporary literature include contemporary romance."

Don't.

Well, it's funny that I like to write about characters that don't fit anywhere, in books that also don't fit anywhere either.

I'm going for ...
 
"... A "true" story with elements of the paranormal, horror, and romance. Oh and dark fantasy. And psychological.

And maybe urban fantasy." 

I'm comfortable with the dark fiction tag, but Amazon's not. When Amazon asks me what category The Blind House should fit in, I'm going to have to choose something or they'll choose (paranormal romance?) for me.

I read this book to my daughter (5) at the weekend. Nobody warned me, so I'm warning you.

Comme Des Sardines by Patrick Morin As you can see, it's in French, but the pictures pretty much tell the story. At the time of writing, there are 0 reviews on Goodreads.

* You are now entering Spoiler Central *

Just to let parents know that the book ends (pretty quickly) in genocide.

The lovable, main characters watch their long-lost brothers and sisters get killed in their hundreds, hauled up in a fishing net.

Then, in a kind of appendix, there is a selection of tasty sardine recipes.

What .. the ... actual ... fuck ...

"Awww. Their entire family was just murdered in front of them. Never mind. I'm sure they were delicious."