Yup, you just wrote another blog post! I tend to do that to people with an active mind! 
But it's great, I love your answer, thank you! And Yes, you hit the proverbial nail!
We're in a discussion, right now, on the Fiction board. It's Adriana Trigiani's, Very Valentine. These are the romances I find on the fense, as it were.....and like... It's both light, and funny, deep and thought provoking, and romance is all in the mix. It's the first in a series of three books. Not everything I read has to have a perfect ending, because that's life..... but at the end of the third book, it'd better darn well have the guy of my dreams there with Valentine! Ha! Adriana is a first for me, and now I have to read the next two to find out what happens to this family! I love the mystery, but it's going to be hard wait!
I will come back, because I do have several favorite authors I read, and I would love to discuss these "romantic elements" with you.
Thanks, again,
Kathy
LLFoster
on
Hey Michelle!
Great article. You know, I will never understand the need to trash, or so vehemently defend, a form of entertainment. And to me, that's what romances are. We're not setting out to educate the masses, or to change opinions, or influence government. We aim to entertain, and the numbers prove our success!
I think on the one hand, folks are threatened by romance fiction. Not men, but women. Some see the fictional "Happily Ever After" endings as a daunting, and sometimes unattainable goal in reality, and so it's easier to say it doesn't exist than to say that it's something worth the hard work.
And I see the writers defending it with a kind of unique umbrage, as if genre fiction hasn't always been under attack. In fact, any form of pure entertainment gets ridiculed by many. Look at how horror, action and comedy flicks are attacked. There are so many fabulous, talented actors who will never be up for an award until they act in a tear jerker or a senseless drama about the cruelty of life - aka - reality.
::
nort:::: My eyes are wide open and I'm very aware of the hardships of life. I don't want to make it a part of my entertainment.
I truly wish authors and readers of romance fiction would take the satisfaction of pure entertainment as "enough." :-) I know, I'm a simple girl. LOL But I see this country, and our society, as the beauty of individuals and unique personalities. Not everyone is college educated, but that doesn't make them a less-valuable member of the community. Along the way in my writing, I've met judges, lawyers, doctors - and they were wonderful, kind, friendly and happy.
I've also met stay-at-home moms, domestic maids, mechanics, janitors... and they were NO LESS wonderful, kind and friendly and happy.
A lack of formal education doesn't make a person dumb, anymore than a formal education makes a person smart. It only makes them educated. ;-)
Over analyzation of anything makes my head ache. So for me, I love writing romantic, sexy stories. I love meeting my readers - whatever background or present status they have. All in all, I'm just lovin' life in a big way. ;-)
Viva la Romance!
HUGS!
Lori
Welcome, Lori! I like how you've written: I truly wish authors and readers of romance fiction would take the satisfaction of pure entertainment as "enough." :-) I guess some of us aren't able to do that because we;re still working on getting comfortable with who we are in general. We can tell ourselves a lot of stories about what people think about romance writers and readers when they're not saying anything. And when they do say stuff, we might want to offer them some empathy, think, 'wow, i wonder what's going on in their lives that won't let them get in touch w/emotions and sensuality and stuff. Clearly it's coming to a head as rudeness. must be tough." I also like your egalitarian approach to readers/writers/industry folks. It's nowhere more clear than at your annual Reader and Author Get Together. What a good karma and good business fest.
Well and succinctly said, Leeann! Why can't I write more like you?
Thanks for the warm welcome, dhaupt! You've hit on one of the best things about romance,the flexibility of the writers. How clever one must be to use the romance construct every time, yet work out the road to HEA in a new way. Or the road to OE (Optimistic Ending, the phrase being used a lot now, which I'll have more to say abvout later today).
Teresa bella! You write: Being able to turn a beautiful phrase that evokes emotion in the reader has more to do with natural talent and the ability to learn through osmosis by reading. Perfect! I once read an article about how Harlequin woos and nurtures Hquin readers to become Hquin authors. The author was kinda condescending, poor kid, but I'm convinced a bunch of folks reading that article visited eharlequin to check into writing a book for them -- a dream of many. Writing a book's gotta be like singing opera. You can have the pipes, but if you've never heard a glorious voice perform, something like my fave, Magda's aria from "La Rondine," you don't know what you're reaching for, or how to move an audience. 'least that's how I see it.
ugh. thought I lost that last comment and rewrote. appologies.
Thanks so much for stopping in, Eric, and sharing that wonderful story of your father and his making writing a 'family affair.' He really made it akin to the family dinner, didn't he? Very nourishing, in a way, although I'm sure you have stories of wishing he'd encouraged you to keep some dramatic phrase you absolutely had fallen in love with. I'm just really moved by that. And, funnily enough, I've learned a ton by writing for journalistic organizations, especially writing tight, though you wouldn't know it from my comments. There's a great post on this blog about a journalist's experience w/ twitter an 'writing tight.' I'll look forward to yours and your scholar posse's input and tutelage here, as well.
MarthaE! Thanks! I'd just written someone last night so I could help you! I'll make sure everyone knows what you've found. You've given me high praise; grazie. And I'm very happy to learn more about you and how your love of 'relaxation fiction' has turned you toward getting the word out about good romance. Seems you take a similar view, that there's good to be found throughout the spectrum of storytelling and writing ability and -- when it's at it's best, a combo of both. Glad you're here.
