Tart Noir

Tart Noir is a branch of crime fiction that is characterized by strong, independent female detectives with an amount of sexuality often involved. The books in the genre also occasionally feature a murderer protagonist and are sometimes presented in a first person point of view.[1] Tart Noir was labeled and effectively created as a genre by four writers during the 1990s, Lauren Henderson, Laura Lippman, Katy Munger, and Sparkle Hayter.[2] These writers have since collaborated their book signings and other events in order to promote the genre, along with creating a website called Tartcity.com.[3]

Style and requirements

The storylines and characters described in a Tart Noir novel includes the necessity of a heroine who is "tough enough to take on criminals and cops" and yet still have the personality of being able to be "tender enough to love a man with rough edges".[4] The requirements were described by Stella Duffy as the novel needing to be "maybe comedic, maybe violent, maybe sexual, definitely new-woman, neo-feminist, strong, smart and sharp."[5]

History

The four writers first met and became friends at one of the many writers conferences that they attended. On more than one occasion, they had gotten drunk together at these conferences and it was during one of these times in 2000 that they "realized they were writing the same sort of thing and decided to set up a website and give their genre a name".[6][7] However, Lauren Henderson is often described as the true founder of the genre.[8] When asked why they had decided on the name of Tart Noir for the genre, Hayter explained that they had originally considered Slut Noir as an option, but had decided that slut was a "powerless word" and that "'tart' sounded like a lot more fun".[3] They then announced this title at their next Barnes & Noble book signing.[6]

Since its beginnings, the genre has grown to include more than twenty other writers who have self-styled themselves as writers of Tart Noir.[9] This is shown by the fact that exactly twenty Tart Noir writers have come together to write an anthology of original stories in the genre, itself titled Tart Noir. The anthology was commissioned in 2002 by Stella Duffy and Lauren Henderson.[5][10] One of those writers, Vicki Hendricks, describes herself as the first Tart Noir writer in the United States.[11]

Tart Noir was featured prominently in 2001 by Lauren Henderson at the "SheKilda" convention, which was the "first-ever women's crime convention".[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Yardley, Cathy (2007). Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel. Macmillan. pp. 17–18. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  2. ↑ Deborah Hornblow (April 7, 2002). "Liberated Women; Lauren Henderson is the Godmother of 'Tart Noir'". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kimberly Stevens (April 9, 2000). "Mystery Writers Spice Up a Genre With Tart Noir". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  4. ↑ Dorman T. Shindler (May 21, 2000). "Sparkle Hayter shines in new Tart Noir mystery". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Stella Duffy (August 7, 2002). "Stella Duffy's top 10 tart noir books". The Guardian. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 University of Melbourne (2007). "Meanjin" 66 (1-2). University of Melbourne. p. 206. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  7. ↑ University of Melbourne (2007). "Meanjin" 66 (1-2). University of Melbourne. pp. 205–208. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  8. ↑ Hannah Betts (August 27, 2005). "Now you can try dating, Austen style". The Sunday Times. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  9. ↑ Tom and Enid Schantz (November 3, 2002). "Pip Granger seems ripe for Wodehouse-like fan base". Denver Post. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  10. ↑ Sue Turnbull (October 19, 2002). "Crime wave". The Age. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  11. ↑ Glassman, Steve (2008). Florida crime writers: 24 interviews. McFarland. pp. 66–67. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Tart Noir". ABC Online. October 22, 2001. Retrieved December 4, 2010.