It’s said that truth is stranger than fiction, but that’s not the case in some of the publishing world’s most adventurous genres.
From romances with space aliens to double dates with minotaurs, if you can imagine it, there’s probably a book about it.
While the average Barnes & Noble patron might do a double-take at a cartoon cover of a human woman and Mothman, readers are devouring such books and finding empowerment and solace in these stories.
In fact, some of the “weirdest” genres are becoming bestsellers and creating entire fan bases around niche topics, partially due to the rise in independent publishing and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing services.
Today, “weird” and “super strange” fiction are only weird and confusing to those who don’t understand it — so let’s pick it apart and talk to some of the authors who are writing the stories that never made it onto your classic literature syllabus in college. (But who knows? They might be there in the future.)
Stranger than (Most) Fiction
Several qualities define “weird” and “strange” fiction, but it’s becoming increasingly popular in romance circles. Romance novels that do not contain two human protagonists — yes, you read that correctly — typically fall under this genre. However, before people begin to cry foul, it is essential to note that all participants in this genre are sentient, consenting, and of legal age. These stories contain unconventional themes, quirky characters, and entirely different species that laugh in the face of traditional fiction or romance.
Readers of monster romance, paranormal romance, and alien romance love the genre for a multitude of reasons — for a lot of them, the genres can be incredibly helpful when it comes to healing from trauma or celebrating unique parts of their identity. Some readers who have experienced traumatic situations in their romantic life may want an escape that doesn’t involve another human partner, while others enjoy reading about characters that completely defy the antiquated rules of heterosexuality and gender expression so often insisted upon by our patriarchal society.
Sometimes, it’s not that serious — readers might enjoy reading about male aliens biologically designed for their pleasure.
The recent runaway success of these subgenres can be attributed to the rise of book communities on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. But readers have reached for monster romances for decades, and all the way back to antiquity.
Readers have reached for monster romances for decades, and all the way back to antiquity.
Humans Have Always Been Weird
You can find similar tropes and plot arcs in classic works such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the Greek myth of the minotaur and the labyrinth.
While some of these historical examples and other published works in the genre contain problematic themes of “othering” individuals, such as BIPOC or LGBTQ+ characters, they’ve also provided a space for some readers to explore their identities and gain empathy. Likewise, the horror genre, with classics like Dracula and Frankenstein, has long been analyzed for its queer themes.
While modern themes may seem shocking, these “weird” books have always been a haven for those who may not feel seen or comfortable with traditional romance books or literary fiction.
The rise of the “weird” genres in the twenty-first century isn’t so much a revelation but a revival — except this time, it’s out and proud.
The rise of the “weird” genres in the twenty-first century isn’t so much a revelation but a revival — except this time, it’s out and proud.
Meet the Authors Making a Living Off Monsters
Clio Evans is a successful, full-time monster and alien romance author with over 20 published works in their catalog. She attributes her start of writing this genre to some of the most classic works of fiction.
“I’ve always had a love for monsters — vampires, werewolves, all the things. When I jumped into writing monster romance, I was grieving at the time and wanted to write something sexy and fun.”
Monster romance as a genre has widely provided a space for readers to explore and break out of their day-to-day lives, which is a popular reason for people to read anything at all.
“I think the great thing about monster and alien romance is that you can really let your imagination go wild,” Evans noted. “You can challenge societal norms and expectations and explore sexual fantasies — tentacles, claws, knots, and all.”
While this may surprise first-time readers, Evans explained that many readers pick up a monster romance book for the novelty and find themselves surprised by the content inside.
“What I’ve heard from many readers is that they initially read a monster or alien romance because of the shock factor but then became a huge fan of the genre due to the thoughtful emotions and explorations of identities, kinks, etc., within the books.”
C. Rochelle, a popular science fiction romance author, proudly calls her fans “Weird-Ho’s,” a portmanteau of “weird” and “hoe,” playing off of the term “weirdo.”
These subgenres have created a space where many people can learn about themselves and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them — and isn’t that one of the reasons we love reading, after all?
Many readers pick up a monster romance book for the novelty and find themselves surprised by the content inside.
Monsters in Target
Ashley Bennett, a popular monster romance author, doesn’t believe that monster romances are considered an unconventional genre anymore. “It’s certainly not for everyone, but it’s become more mainstream in recent years thanks to TikTok and viral videos.”
Bennett commented that some of the best parts about writing in the genre is cutting loose and defying traditional conventions. “Fun takes on anatomy are essential to the genre.”
This sort of free expression and creativity has pulled many writers and readers to the “weirder” publishing genres. And while independent publishing is to thank for the rise, traditional publishers are starting to take note, too.
Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians, a series of more than 20 books that features alien romance, went viral on TikTok in 2021. It went so viral that Dixon was offered a traditional publishing deal, and you can now find her barbarians on your local romance bookshelf at Target.
[Ruby Dixon's series] went so viral that Dixon was offered a traditional publishing deal, and you can now find her barbarians on your local romance bookshelf at Target.
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At the end of the day, these modern "weird" subgenres create overwhelmingly inclusive communities compared to traditional literature spaces, reclaiming and abandoning some of the problematic themes from the monster romances or subgenres of antiquity.
In Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta, the minotaur and human female romance is consensual, a vast improvement upon the original Greek myth of the minotaur and the labyrinth.
Evans believes the subgenres and weird fiction of the publishing world will only expand.
“We’ve already seen the start of monster [and] alien romance becoming part of the mainstream industry. And really, that’s not a surprise. Monsters and aliens are hot.”
The next time you’re picking up a book and looking for an escape, why not try Mothman or an alien? You know it’ll be a story that’s out of this world.
