We all know the trends in romance fiction wax and wane, seemingly without logic or pattern. One day it’s all about the sexy vampires and military men, the next it’s motorcycle clubs, mixed martial artists, and bear shifters. It’s a tough genre to keep up with, given that it’s rich in tropes and archetypes, many of which fall in and out of favor at the apparent blink of an eye. For those of us who write romance, it can be a tough decision to make—what to write next? Will my fans support a switch of sub-genres? A new series? Do they want more of the same, since they’re invested in my existing characters and plots already? I tend to stick with subgenres, settings, and plot turns that I enjoy reading. I have been advised time and again NOT to do this. I should “follow the market” and write whatever it is people are paying money to read “these days.” The way I see it though, the “these days” trends change so fast, given how easy it is for anyone to write and toss a book up onto a retailer’s platform, then spend as much money as they have at their…