“Aunt, it’s super maja.” Ana and María are two girls of just 20 years who have just achieved the signature of the writer Inma Rubiales. They have had to wait an hour to be about 30 seconds with the author of novels such as “until we stay without stars.” They are euphoric and the 500 people who wait to get the same thing look at them with an accomplice smile. No one complains about the wait. They speak, laugh, make plans and comment what they like most in this world, books. The good atmosphere is general. Rubiales has already assured that it will not leave until each of its readers has its signature. They wait for her five hours of absolute madness. This is the phenomenon of literature Ya (Young Adult) And this is the phenomenon of Crushfest, the first European festival focused on this type of literature.
As much as there are people who despise romantic literature and its fantastic variants, the genre occupies a third of the total fiction book market. More than 2,000 people They approached yesterday to a cloister from the University of Barcelona that lived one of those magical days that are recorded in the echo of the walls. The majority were girls aged 15 to 35, because this is a genre written by young people for young readers, but the talent of their writers is increasingly opening the market.
Dedicated this year to the world of fairies, in the Crushfest all kinds of prostheses, wigs and costumes could be seen, but the vast majority were only people with books in their hands. There were even many parents who arrived with a very nervous teenager without knowing where to start. Where to start? Why not buying a potion taken from the books of the ‘Trilogy of chaotic love’, of Brynne Weaverone of the multiple literary gadgets for sale at the festival. «I worked in a pharmaceutical company. That, three years later, I am in Barcelona talking about ‘Dark Romance’ seems amazing, ”says Weaver.
The writer began self -published, like many of these authors, but soon attracted so many genre lovers that traditional publishers followed her immediately. Now even the great Netflix He is about to film the first novel of his saga directed by Chris McKay. «I suppose that my mixture of humor, romanticism and gloomy elements caught the attention of my readers. Being able to talk to them and tell you their experiences with my novels is wonderful, ”says Weaver.
The call ‘Dark Romance‘Or the’ fantasy romance ‘, romantic stories with supernatural elements, they are fashion subgenres thanks, above all, to the phenomenon Rebecca Yarros. Weaver travels through them with a caustic sense of humor and very intense characters. On the criticisms that claim that some of these novels romantize toxic relationships, she is clear. “You always have to approach reading with critical thinking, but there is a clear misogynary element in contempt for this type of literature that cannot be overlooked,” he says.
Another of the phenomena of the season within the genre is the series “Villain Assistant”, of Hannah Nicole Maehler, A mixture of ‘The Office’ with Gothic literature, as she explains. His case is paradigmatic of this new generation. She had a Tiktok account where she explained her versions of famous fairy tales like ‘gold rich’. He began to have so many followers that he decided to make the leap to fiction and is now a ‘best seller’ in half the world. «We all love the books. I started with the Percy Jackson series and from there I ended up in Barcelona. I wanted to bring my parents just to live this experience with me, ”says the writer.
Because all this would not be understood without the Booktokers boom and the bookstagramers. Before, the ear mouth worked at very small scales. Now, thanks to networks, they are global and create authentic communities. «The publishers look at them from two aspects. The first, be aware of prescriptive trends. And the second, as a perfect window to present our books. The truth is that it is being a real revolution, ”he says Ana Sánchez AsenjoEditor of the Contraluz and Faeris stamps.
The festival atmosphere was, of course, particular. There were workshops, makeup stands, book spaces, conferences of great authors, to a space to present your idea for a future novel and editors. Ernest Urtasun, the Minister of Culture even appeared by surprise. «Before if they asked you what you read, you hid your romantic book and said: Oh, Norman Mailer or any of those man to important. Now, thanks to young people, we can show our books with rose covers with pride. The courage of the new generations not to apologize for what they like is wonderful, ”he said Marian Keysauthor who has inspired the main flat of the new romantic writers as Elizabeth Benavent. “Wow, what more ostentatious space, I feel as if I had to sentence someone,” joked the English author from the Paraninfo of the University of Barcelona.
Mercedes Ron and his reading love
Another of the stars of the festival was Mercedes Ronauthor of the series ‘My fault’, which repeated experience. «When I first entered the festival I felt like I was in Hogwarts», Says before the magnificence of the ub cloister. This year has come without novelty under the arm due to stress that are being the multiple translations of their novels and audiovisual adaptations. «I have not had time to focus. It has been a very crazy year, but I want to write again, which is what has brought me here. »
She started in Wattpad, The social network of young readers and writers where they share their novels. «I had tried to publish in a traditional way, I even presented myself to competitions, but nothing. I started at Wattpad thinking that at least someone would read my work. What has ended up being something surreal, ”he says.
She is clear that approaching your readers is essential in this type of literature. «Sometimes they approach me and tell me how much my books have meant and then I know that they will always have me in their hearts as I have in mine Stephanie Meyer and ‘Twilight’. I may read it now I wouldn’t like it so much, but that does not matter. I owe him so much, ”says Ron.
He Crushfest is organized by the Reading Collective Bookish. This year they will fold the number of people of the first edition and expect the next one to leave the same the space of the UB. «Our idea is to continue growing and, why not, go to other cities. The community is so great that it seemed a lie that they had no event to gather. Those who like football has the Kings League, the manga or the comic has its halls and the fantastic cinema its festivals. Now young literature also has his, ”says Marta López satisfied, Responsible for the event.
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