On this week’s New York Times bestseller list, Sherrilyn Kenyon lands in the #1 spot with Bad Moon Rising, her eighth title to achieve that position, according to her website. However, libraries are not so high on her – those we checked have only 12 -48 copies, with holds ranging from 34 to 123.

Bad Moon Rising: A Dark-Hunter Novel (Dark-Hunter Novels) Sherrilyn Kenyon Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2009-08-04) ISBN / EAN: 0312369492 / 9780312369491

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo rises to #2, helped by intense review coverage and some critical controversy, as we mentioned in an earlier post. Libraries we checked have received their orders (from 29 to 206 copies), and show substantial holds (from 200 to 250).

That Old Cape Magic Richard Russo Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Knopf – (2009-08-04) ISBN / EAN: 0375414967 / 9780375414961

Available from Random House Audio

• CD $40; ISBN 9780739318928

Random House Large Print

• $26; ISBN 9780739328613

Kathleen Stockett’s debut novel, The Help, rises to #3. We’ve written about the book several times, but libraries we checked still have heavy holds (from 107 to 595) on anywhere from 64 to 129 copies. Given the demand, and the book’s upward trajectory (last week it was at #4) perhaps it’s time to order even more (libraries have been steadily adding copies, but demand continues to outstrip supply). It’s a long wait for the paperback; scheduled for release February 2, 2010.

The Help Kathryn Stockett Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books – (2009-02-10) ISBN / EAN: 0399155341 / 9780399155345

Also on audio:

• Audio CD: $39.95, Unabridged
• Publisher: Penguin Audio;  (February 10, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 0143144189
• ISBN-13: 978-0143144182

Large Type:

• Hardcover: $32.95; 721 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (May 2009)
• ISBN-10: 1410415538
• ISBN-13: 978-1410415530

Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice lands at #5, helped by last week’s major reviews, with holds and copies lower than for Russo’s That Old Cape Magic in the libraries we checked (orders ranged from 9- 29 copies, with holds from 17 to 145).

Inherent Vice Thomas Pynchon Retail Price: $27.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The – (2009-08-04) ISBN / EAN: 1594202249 / 9781594202247

Also available from Penguin Audiobooks

• CD: $39.95; ISBN 9780143144762

And finally, Winds of Dune appears at #15. Libraries we checked are in good shape, with few reserves on modest orders.

The Winds of Dune Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson Retail Price: $27.99 Hardcover: 448 pages Publisher: Tor Books – (2009-08-04) ISBN / EAN: 0765322722 / 9780765322722

Also on Macmillan Audio

• CD: $59.99; ISBN  9781427207630

Nora Roberts won her 12th RITA, for her 2008 title, Tribute, at the Romance Writers of America conference in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. She was interviewed during the conference by Scott Simon on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday. Simon also discovered that writing a romance is not easy. He tried writing a chapter and presented it to HarperCollins editor Carrie Feron, who didn’t think much of it (no wonder, he ended up writing a satire).

Ron Charles, reviewer for the Washington Post, won the Veritas Award for “presenting romance in a positive light” in his article, Heating Up the Stacks. The purpose of the award was somewhat undercut by his calling it an “uncomfortable honor, the kind I’m not sure I should include on my résumé.”

Debbie Schneider, romance writer and librarian for King County PL, was named Librarian of the Year. She and coworker Chappie Langemack also presented a session about bringing authors to the library.

The group also gives Golden Heart Awards for unpublished manuscripts. At least one of them has already been picked up for publication, Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin. It will be published by Harlequin.

Next year’s conference will be held in Nashville.

The RITA winners are:

Contemporary Series Romance:

A Mother’s Wish by Karen Templeton

A Mother’s Wish / The Chef’s Choice (Special Edition) Karen Templeton, Kristin Hardy Retail Price: Out of Print Paperback: Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon – (2008-09-15) ISBN / EAN: 0733588271 / 9780733588273

Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure:

Danger Signals (Silhouette Romantic Suspense) Kathleen Creighton Retail Price: $4.99 Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Harlequin – (2008-04-01) ISBN / EAN: 0373275773 / 9780373275779

Young Adult Romance:

Hell Week (Maggie Quinn: Girl vs Evil, Book 2) Rosemary Clement-Moore Retail Price: $16.99 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers – (2008-08-26) ISBN / EAN: 038573414X / 9780385734141

Historical Romance:

The Edge of Impropriety (Signet Eclipse) Pam Rosenthal Retail Price: $14.00 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: NAL Trade – (2008-11-04) ISBN / EAN: 045122230X / 9780451222305

Regency Historical Romance:

My Lord and Spymaster (The Spymaster Series) Joanna Bourne Retail Price: $7.99 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Berkley – (2008-07-01) ISBN / EAN: 0425222462 / 9780425222461

Inspirational Romance:

Finding Stefanie (Noble Legacy Series #3) Susan May Warren Retail Price: $12.99 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers – (2008-06-04) ISBN / EAN: 1414310196 / 9781414310190

Romance Novella:

The Fall of Rogue Gerard by Stephanie Laurens in It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D’alessandro, Candice Hern Retail Price: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon – (2008-10-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061354163 / 9780061354168

Paranormal Romance:

Seducing Mr. Darcy Gwyn Cready Retail Price: $6.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Pocket – (2008-07-29) ISBN / EAN: 1416541160 / 9781416541165

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements:

Tribute Nora Roberts Retail Price: $7.99 Paperback: 464 pages Publisher: Jove – (2009-03-31) ISBN / EAN: 0515146366 / 9780515146363

Romantic Suspense:

Take No Prisoners (Black Ops, Book 2) Cindy Gerard Retail Price: $6.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Pocket Star – (2008-10-21) ISBN / EAN: 1416566740 / 9781416566748

Best First Book:

Oh. My. Gods. Tera Lynn Childs Retail Price: $16.99 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Dutton Juvenile – (2008-05-01) ISBN / EAN: 0525479422 / 9780525479420

Contemporary Single Title Romance:

Not Another Bad Date (Avon Romance) Rachel Gibson Retail Price: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon – (2008-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061178047 / 9780061178047

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

[interview with Lauren Collins about her New Yorker profile of Nora Roberts]

That’s right, Nora Roberts is profiled in this week’s New Yorker (cover date, 6/22). The full article is not available to non-subscribers, but an abstract and an audio interview with Lauren Collins, who wrote the profile, are (click above to listen).

…someone has just joined your ranks.

Back in March, the women behind the web site Smart Bitches, Trashy Books worked hard to talk NPR’s Rebecca Roberts into giving the romance genre a try.

Roberts didn’t seem to be buying it. 

Apparently, however, she’s a good sport, because she followed their suggestions and has just emailed the Bitches her book report.

Reader, she loved, loved, loved Lord of the Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. She loved it so much, she went on to read another Chase title, Not Quite a Lady and loved it, too.

Read her email on the Bitches’ site and consider posting in your romance section.

If you need help dealing with the romance skeptics in your life (or if you fall into that category yourself), check their book, Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels.

Thanks to the Marin Younker and the wonderful collection development staff’ blog at Sno-Isle PL for the tip!

Lord of Scoundrels Loretta Chase Price: $6.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon – (1995-03-30) ISBN-10: 0380776162 ISBN-13: 9780380776160

—

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels Sarah Wendell, Candy Tan Price: $15.00 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Fireside – (2009-04-14) ISBN-10: 1416571221 ISBN-13: 9781416571223

On NPR’s All Things Considered on Saturday, Candy Tan and Sarah Wendell, creators of the web site, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, spoke to romance-book skeptic Rebecca Roberts about their new book on the genre.

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels Sarah Wendell, Candy Tan Price: $15.00 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Fireside – (2009-04-14) ISBN-10: 1416571221 ISBN-13: 9781416571223

When challenged to come up with a reading list of current titles (no fair resorting to Jane Austen to try to win over a skeptic!) to introduce Roberts to the best of the genre, the women first recommended Lord of Scandal as a “100% excellent” historical, filled with “snappy dialog” and a heroine who is “a half-step in front of the hero at all times.”

Lord of Scoundrels Loretta Chase Price: $6.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon – (1995-03-30) ISBN-10: 0380776162 ISBN-13: 9780380776160

They told Roberts that the hottest romance category right now is paranormal, best represented by Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series; “full of Norse mythology and the women are just incredibly empowered and fascinating characters.”

Kiss of a Demon King (The Immortals After Dark, Book 6) Kresley Cole Price: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Pocket – (2009-01-20) ISBN-10: 1416580948 ISBN-13: 9781416580942

But Roberts audibly shuddered at the thought of vampires and werewolves and their ilk, so Tan and Wendell went on to recommend the following, all of which feature strong heroines and heros, excellent plots and are “utterly believable.” The titles are featured on the site ”Save the Contemporary,” created in conjunction with Dear Reader.com.

Smooth Talking Stranger Lisa Kleypas Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2009-03-31) ISBN-10: 0312351666 ISBN-13: 9780312351663

Instant Attraction Jill Shalvis Price: $14.00 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Brava – (2009-02-01) ISBN-10: 0758231237 ISBN-13: 9780758231239

Talk Me Down Victoria Dahl Price: $6.99 Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: HQN Books – (2009-01-01) ISBN-10: 0373773560 ISBN-13: 9780373773565

Flat-Out Sexy  Erin McCarthy Price: $14.00 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Trade – (2008-11-04) ISBN-10: 0425224074 ISBN-13: 9780425224076

The NYT  just discovered that the romance is hot, at least in books.

We all know that, but it is amusing to read the article to see how difficult it can be to get real figures in this business.

Recession Fuels Readers’ Escapist Urges, by Motoko Rich