January 28th, 2010 — About, Character Type, Erotica, Genre, Sheik/Desert, Story Hook
This question has been asked in one form or another since romance novels went mainstream. Authors have been dismissed because they write romance instead of science fiction or crime books or other normal genres. If the cover has bulging pectorals and swooning women then it must be girl porn. Shame on you, haven't you heard the advice never judge a book by its cover?
Romance has been dismissed and labeled by many derogatory terms such as trashy romance novel, bodice-rippers, girl porn, chick porn, chick-lit, virgin bibles, horny hystericals, etc. Some of these terms like trashy romance novel have become a badge of honor to declare with pride by readers. i.e. "I love trashy romance novels!" Similarly there are people out there who will tell you they are proud that they don't read them. Did you know that the romance industry sells over 50% of all paperback books? Looking at figures like those, it's hard to mock romance.
Writing a romance novel takes a lot of work. What happens if you start off with characters and can't make them come together romantically in a believable way? You'll wind up with the square pegs in round holes syndrome and a book you can't possibly sell. Just look at JKR's Harry Potter Saga
- the best romance in the book is the only one she didn't attempt to show or explain and that was James and Lily Potter. Clearly writing romance is not Rowling's forte. So if a world renowned author can't write romance believably wouldn't that prove it's a tough quota to fill?
To be able to repeatedly produce quality heroes and heroines that fall in love, have sexual tension, and resolve all their issues is phenomenal and should be awarded not punished.
But the sex and the sin!
A lot of people are under the misapprehension that sex, marital or otherwise in a romance is sinful and shouldn't be read. Romance novels are only okay if you can read them to your grandmother. But what if you're grandmother is particularly savvy and cool? Wouldn't this test be disqualified?
On an interesting note the romance industry not too long ago, think 80s and earlier, thought premarital sex would turn readers away. This is where the term bodice-ripper is derived, specifically in conjunction with Desert and Sheik love.
Erotica writers take sex in romance to a new level - is this a bad thing? No, I say, it's not. Sex has its place, so does plot, dialogue, and deux ex machina. It's hard to write - just read the author interviews here on this website and you'll see what I mean.
So I say to the unenlightened, this is the new millennia. Get over it or please tell me you only watch Bollywood movies where even kissing is taboo in most cases. (Though Bollywood movies can easily pour on the heat - it's all that unrequited tension! Yum!)
Does that mean that all sex is good sex in a romance or in other words when is sex gratuitous like a bathroom scene in a movie? The answer again is no. I think sex is gratuitous when it serves to just be there as page filler just like the bathroom scene in a movie.
Conclusion:
Clearly, I think the issue lies with personal phobias. The idea of being caught with a romance novel is embarrassing to some. These are the people I feel should most definitely be introduced to romance novels. It's okay, we're here to hold your hand and if absolutely needed, you have our permission to read it under the covers with a flashlight.
In the end I must ask, who's out there demeaning men for watching dare I say it - man porn?
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Originally posted 2008-12-05 18:53:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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October 13th, 2009 — About, Reader Highlights
Preferences. Everyone has them. There are things you like, love, hate, loathe, and are unconvinced in general one way or another about. When it comes to our romance books, we all have preferences. Here’s mine:
Ons –
- Blind, wounded, emotionally embittered, scarred and damaged heroes. Need I go on?
- MOC (Marriage of Convenience) and MOB (Mail Order Brides) stories. Gimme, gimme, gimme. Forced marriages and shot-gun weddings work well too.
- Westerns, American Historicals (anything before WWII), Highlander, and Regency. I need to marry an earl or seduce a duke, I tell ya. Oh wait! Add paranormal – vampires. I’m thinking ghosts too, but I couldn’t name one. Why isn’t there a ghost romance, along lines of Just Like Heaven and of course Ghost
?
- Jaded rich hero with poor pretty/plain slightly off her rocker (not TSTL, but off in her own world) heroine.
- Dark haired heroes: brown, black, yum. Add blue/green eyes and whew dang! Powerful thighs, tight abs/stomachs, and buns of steel. Bounce those quarters.
- Heroes and heroines hating each other to begin with – woot, a fav!
- Beauty and the Beast. Fairytales in general really.
- Sexy banter. It’s a must.
- Alpha males who fall hard and fight it all the way.
- Big age differences. Think Years by LaVyrle Spencer with the heroine age 18 and the hero age 36.
- Dominant alpha heroes with secret soft sides. Tenderness, compassion, manners – check. Wrap him up and ship him to my door please!
- Heroines with poor eyesight; heroines who are clumsy; heroines who are slightly loopy (because I honestly think I'm a little nuts
.)
- That angsty moment that drives the wedge between hero and heroine.
Offs –
- Affairs, cheating. This is a romance not reality tv.
- Estranged, Former lovers. No thanks.
- Undercover heroes, detectives. Very meh for me. Too much suspense not enough loving.
- Best friends; super old acquaintances. It’s called the friend zone for a reason. As for the other, for instance, I am highly dubious of the hero being the heroine’s brother’s best friend. Either she thinks of him as an older brother figure and he’s pervy or she’s like his kid sister and the girl is hopeless.
- Family Trilogies/Series, especially if known. I can read one, but after that no more. It drives me insane, because the new story will have a lead that is not worth the time to flesh out from a previous story.
- Damaged heroines. Ick. No thanks.
- Blond heroes. Sorry blondies, you’re just not my type.
- Leads with kids older than three years old– very few exceptions. Children, romance does not make more lovely, they’re just more quirky and annoying.
- Older women, younger men.
- Rape, near rape. Refer to damaged heroines. NO THANKS! Quit it authors, stop it, no seriously, stop. The end. It’s over.
- Too much dang drama using any of my turn offs…
Ifs –
- Amnesia.
- Time Travel.
- Secret pregnancy/baby.
- Captive / Stranded plots.
- Big Misunderstandings.
- Demon heroes.
- The unexpected virginity surprise.
What are your Ons, Offs, and Ifs? It’s time to spill!
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January 21st, 2009 — About, News
First Kiss Contest for unpublished authors hosted by RWA New England Chapter is an annual event. Based on the article, I particularly want to go and read 'The More I See' because of this:
Her [Mondello] favorite of her own first puckers appears in "The More I See," a novel about a blind hero who must use his hands to find first base.
"I ended up doing this thing where he touches her face to get a feel of what she looks like," Mondello says. "Several of my readers said it had them fanning. It was all that buildup."
I think that's why I'm so drawn to blind heroes and heroines because the other senses like touch get completely revved up before exploding in a series of multicolored sparks. It's very sensuous and explores love and passion in a way not usually thought about in most other romances.
Karen Woodward was the winner of this year's contest chosen by Patience Smith, an editor for Harlequin. The passage comes from her as of yet unpublished historical, Dagger's Destiny. Here's the kiss (minus the buildup sadly).
A look of surprise crossed her face as he tilted her head to the side. Stepping close, he leaned down and brought warm parted lips to her full, soft ones. One arm reached behind her back, encircling her body in a crushing embrace as the other cradled and caressed the side of her face.
What's the best first kiss you've ever read? Share your real life first kiss experience too!
I can't say for books, because I find so many authors write such seductive first kisses, but I will share my favorite movie kiss.
When Edward kisses Bella for the first time on screen, is singularly the best silver screen kiss I've ever seen. The catcalls were well deserved. The tension that built right before their lips touched was enough to melt a glacier it was so steamy.
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January 17th, 2009 — About, News, Virgin Hero, Virgin Heroine
Virginity in a contemporary novel is particularly frowned on as being unrealistic. Speaking as a virgin in this modern society, I am proof we do exist.
Why is it considered practically a sin to mention you are a virgin? I have even been told not to be proud of my status as one. Why are women and men being so judgmental on those that choose to stay chaste? Why is waiting for the right partner or waiting for marriage deemed inappropriate?
Being a virgin is as natural a state to be in as is the opposite. Experienced or inexperienced should make no difference to the right people. Intimacy is not found only in the bedroom. It’s built out of little moments, secret moments between one soul and another.
I choose to wait because I value it. I do see it as a sign of love to wait for the right man. Call me a hopeless romantic, I don’t care, I’ll be the first to admit it. Others value their virginity for religious or cultural reasons. I know of men who wait for the right woman, and while virgin males in real life are rarer than male virgin leads in romance, they are out there. They do appeal and they won’t always be the nice guy who finishes last.
A woman can be sensual and kind and loving without having given it up. The same for a man. Virginity does not automatically equal to being frigid or a prude. Opposed to heroes and heroines of historical romance, contemporary leads and real life virgins are vastly more knowledgeable... after all there's any number of books, videos, courses, etc. on human sexuality.
Some say that staying a virgin (representing optimism/idealism) is to be on the opposite extreme as a man-hating woman (representing pessimism/cynicism) and that both are just as bad. Based on that I must wonder then if the middle ground, being a realist, is the only type of person to be interested in? I very much doubt that.
Virgin or not, I just don’t see the point in getting emotionally entangled with someone just to stay in the game. Does that mean I think less of those that want to be actively in the game or that my bar for a man is unbearably high and impossible to reach? I don’t think so... all women/men are different, we all have different opinions on relationships and want different things for ourselves. I feel a relationship should be built on mutual attraction and compatibility. Good chemistry in both aspects is easy to spot before you get to the bedroom. If it’s not there why start something that will ultimately fail? Or as a pushy partner might say, lead them on?
I know what I need in a man: sexual appeal, compatibility, and stability. In addition to those needs I would like several other things in a man and yet understand that what I want I may not get. Would I mind if he was a wealthy, charismatic, world trotter that was impossibly arrogant with a tender side devoted just to me? Not at all, but I’m not holding my breath on the chance that I'll score the next (Harlequin) billionaire.
As a virgin with limited relationships, I don’t feel that I lack the life experiences necessary to spot a prince. Frogs and toads can be avoided without having to kiss them first. Princes can be missed while being distracted by frogs. Ultimately, what I most hear as a virgin on 'game' advice is this: if you're not shopping around how will you know what fits and doesn’t fit? Shouldn't you at least check him out in the changing rooms? The answer I have for that is my gut reaction, inner instinct, or women’s intuition. Call it what you will.
I’m tired of being thought of as every parents’ dream, many an experienced woman’s object of scorn or pity, and every man’s worst nightmare. Virginity has merit; it’s time society remembered that.
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