tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post111348897481008888..comments2024-03-04T03:40:11.172-05:00Comments on No rules. Just write.: I'll take romanceBrenda Coulterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528691681455659296noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-58018252350565644762008-10-24T20:26:00.000-04:002008-10-24T20:26:00.000-04:00Hey, guess what? I just Googled "Love's Throbbing...Hey, guess what? I just Googled "Love's Throbbing Desire." Guess what the #1 result was? This blog post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113563232038297632005-04-15T07:07:00.000-04:002005-04-15T07:07:00.000-04:00Crotch books? Ick. Your Wryness, I really wish you...<I>Crotch</I> books? Ick. Your Wryness, I really wish you hadn't shared that! ;-)<BR/><BR/>Sela, thanks for the link.<BR/><BR/>Chris, I saw the pie post, but that was just too easy. I like more of a challenge.<BR/><BR/>Neal, it's true that most romance is written by women for women, but a few of the authors are actually men, and 10% of the readers are. In fact, one of my favorite reader letters was from a middle-aged man who said he and his wife had enjoyed my book together. He read it aloud to her as they lay in bed at night. Is that romantic, or what?<BR/><BR/>I don't know much about science fiction, having read only a few Heinlein books (<I>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</I> is my runaway favorite--that whole throwing-rocks-at-the-earth thing was pure genius) and the <I>Dune</I> books and a smattering of LeGuin, but I haven't read any of the recent stuff. Maybe I should grab one of those paper bags of yours....Brenda Coulterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13528691681455659296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113551168131329542005-04-15T03:46:00.000-04:002005-04-15T03:46:00.000-04:00Brenda, I freely admit that I know little about ro...Brenda, I freely admit that I know little about romance novels, and I'm not particularly interested in the genre. (Perhaps, as a man, that's a failing in me, or a failing in the genre to appeal to my gender, but I digress.) However, I do know a lot more about science fiction (hey, must be that man thing again), and I know how exasperated I get when people do exactly the same thing with THAT genre. What you say about romance novels is equally true of science fiction, so what I'm really saying is, I'm with you all the way. I know nothing about romance novels, but I know exactly what you're saying here. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps everyone should be forced to go to a "brown paper bag" sale every once in a while: go to a book sale, pick up a book in a brown paper bag, and buy it. You have no idea what you're getting, not pre-conceptions.Nealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05883276927180980793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113515785277051832005-04-14T17:56:00.000-04:002005-04-14T17:56:00.000-04:00C'mon by and heckle any time. I'm surprised (and a...C'mon by and heckle any time. I'm surprised (and a little bit sad) when no one does. My current "wrong pie" post is an easy opportunity.<BR/><BR/>--Chris (dFm)Mikesellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522375368851193970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113508128591197552005-04-14T15:48:00.000-04:002005-04-14T15:48:00.000-04:00A friend of mine, , made some similar comments on ...A friend of mine, <A HREF="http://michellestyles.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow"/>, made some similar comments on her blog today about the RNA awards. Interesting reading on both your blogs today!Sela Carsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18410188636252030577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113499660450656642005-04-14T13:27:00.000-04:002005-04-14T13:27:00.000-04:00Robyn, in talking with other authors I've learned ...Robyn, in talking with other authors I've learned there's a hilarious catch-22 happening with those sexy covers. Women are attracted to the covers and want to buy the books. Except that sometimes they <I>won't</I> buy the books because they don't want to be seen with the risque covers. What's a marketing executive to <I>do</I>? ;-)<BR/><BR/>Too right, Mark. If I had any talent for it, I'd turn to a life of (writing) crime. And it's been too long since I've heard anyone refer to the classics as "romantic" novels. I wonder how many people even know that "romance" was once used to describe books full of adventure and heroism--books that were written by <I>men.</I> <BR/><BR/>Note to self: Block Chris's IP address from accessing this blog. He comes here only to heckle. (Wait a sec. Isn't that why I visit <I>his</I> blog? Uh....)Brenda Coulterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13528691681455659296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113492244187162192005-04-14T11:24:00.000-04:002005-04-14T11:24:00.000-04:00I found this section of the Guardian article parti...I found this section of the Guardian article particularly interesting: "Crime writing is judged by the best of the lot, romantic novelists smeared with the same cheap rouge as Mills & Boon." It's true: some genres have more cachet than others, and crime is king these days. <BR/><BR/>"Romance" is a fluid term: I have a shelf full of romances, but they're by Alexandre Dumas -- the Louvre Edition of the "Romances of Alexandre Dumas," including The Three Musketeers and the Man in the Iron Mask. I think they were dubbed romance then because of the historical setting and adventure plots, suggesting that two things rather separate today used to swim in the same stream.J. Mark Bertrandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07252756914207435460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113491008775079592005-04-14T11:03:00.000-04:002005-04-14T11:03:00.000-04:00Brenda said: "you must go see the scary picture of...Brenda said: "you must go see the scary picture of novelist Barbara Cartland."<BR/><BR/>Oh-freakin'-my.<BR/><BR/>Fess up Brenda, this is the real reason for the new dark-shades photo isn't it? A make-up experiment gone horribly awry.<BR/><BR/>I'm not much for the romance genre, although the missuz enjoys it. Still, the <I>relationship</I> genre? I'd fly with Fabio before I went there.<BR/><BR/>Me ... guy ... oog.<BR/><BR/>--Chris (dFm)Mikesellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522375368851193970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9791523.post-1113489850794092472005-04-14T10:44:00.000-04:002005-04-14T10:44:00.000-04:00Brenda, I see from your comments that you've notic...Brenda, I see from your comments that you've noticed the same thing I have. Romance readers are remarkably flexible. Historical, contemporary or futuristic; paranormal or inspirational; g-rated or ultra-steamy; light and funny, suspenseful and scary, or dark and tortured; romance does it all. The number of genres it spans is enormous! I can't think of one other genre that encompasses all the others the way romance does. We must be doing something right.<BR/><BR/>But I'm still embarassed to read a book with a Fabio cover on a plane.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com