CHARACTERISTICS:
- married woman unhappy and seeking an adventure outside her marriage or once married woman
- protagonist with sassy attitude
- established professionally
- woman in her late 30's to mid 60's; the "the coming of middle age" group.
- focus on a group of friends
- deal with subjects like menopause, divorce or first baby at 45, dating again for older women
- no kids or not living with kids anymore
- contain feminist themes
- 90,000 to 100,000 words
QUOTES:
"Until now women authors have had to write about women much younger than themselves," she said. "Many have found that quite difficult. Now writers say 'thank God' when we ask them to write about women who are 45-plus."
-- Oxford-based publisher Transita
"You are never too old for love after all, and I think trying to appeal to an older audience is a very good idea.
"I have a lovely scene in the new book where the 80-year-old man gets down to propose but can't get back up. He is also worried about kissing in case his bridge falls out.
"I think it will strike a chord."
-- Jill Cooper
EXAMPLES:
FICTION:
Love-40 by Anna Cheska.
Did the Earth Move? by Carmen Reid.
The Hot Flash Club by Nancy Thayer.
Ladies of Covington Series by Joan Medlicott
The Elegant Gathering of White Snows by Kris Radish
Good Grief by Lolly Winston
The Not-So-Perfect Man by Valerie Frankel
Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith
MOVIES:
"Something’s Gotta Give"
"It’s Complicated"
"The Descendants"
"Mamma Mia!"
RESOURCES:
"The Readers' Advisory Interest Group Hen-Lit." Maryland Library Association.
<http://www.mdlib.org/divisions/raig/booklists2.asp?list=43>
Hen Lit.
<http://chicklitbooks.com/sub-genres/hen-lit/>
"Is Baby Boomer Lit the Next Hot Genre?" Publishing Perspectives. March 13, 2013
<http://publishingperspectives.com/2013/03/is-baby-boomer-lit-the-next-hot-genre/>
Boomer Lit. Goodreads.
<https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/81261>
Hastings, Chris. "Love begins at 40 for the new heroines of 'matron lit." Sept 18, 2005.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1498645/Love-begins-at-40-for-the-new-heroines-of-matron-lit.html>