The latest trends can change at the drop of a hat-- or in some cases, a hit. While some literary genres are mainstays of the industry, a great number of them float in and out of the fickle publishing world like so many loose pages.

Last year, a visit to Barnes and Noble would have turned up dozens of new pirate novels; a few months later they would be all but gone. Why? Because trends in books are as unpredictable as they are in music, film, and TV.

Frank Weimann, agent and president of The Literary Group International, notes that humor and satire have, in recent months, been very good movers. "Lately," he says, "The general public has been pretty beat up by the economy, and they want to read something that's funny. They've also been moving toward inspirational and escapist books, for similar reasons."

Publishers agree that genres such as action and horror are constant movers, as are paperback science-fiction and fantasy novels. Since the 1960s, sci-fi has been the most consistently successful genre, gaining momentum whenever a new blockbuster science-fiction film debuts.
It's the breakthrough novels, however, that eventually turn the tide of a specific literary trend. "It might seem passé, but when 'The Da Vinci Code' hit, we were grabbing anything that had to do with religious-based adventure," said one publisher who wished to remain anonymous.

"Eventually, it calmed down, but with the new 'Angels and Demons' movie coming out, we expect a resurgence -- and we'll probably be picking up several additional titles that will cater to similar demographics."Editors see less of a change in trends from month to month."My work stays fairly constant," says one independent literary editor we spoke to. "My clientele is usually offering me similar material, year after year. Right now, I'm receiving more fantasy, erotica, and young adult -- 'Gossip Girl'-like books -- but I don't necessarily believe it's a trend."

Whatever the changes, readers can always count on something old and something new filtering through agents, publishers, and their local booksellers. Next month, there will be a new "it" author, but the classics and standbys certainly aren't going anywhere -- and neither are those books with Fabio on their covers.