A few things not to say when meeting a romance author!

By Alyssa J. Montgomery

I’m sure many if not most romance authors have experienced this conversation. It could be at a black-tie cocktail party or a backyard BBQ. Someone mentions there’s a romance author present and the reactions vary from, “Really? I love romance novels” to the words, “You write romance?” (the latter accompanied by a snicker of disbelief, a discreet cough and a little titter from someone else). The conversation switches swiftly to romance novels and the same timeless myths are trotted out by males and females alike. 

                               

Anne Gracie wrote an article for the Victorian Writers’ Centre magazine WriteOn about some “Myths of Romance”. The ones she mentioned – “formulaic writing”, “they’re all the same”; “soft porn for women” “cardboard characters, clichés and bad writing” as well as having “absolutely no value to the world”, are still being bandied about by ignorant, and (I think) arrogant individuals. 

Back to the conversation...Barbara Cartland is mentioned and I immediately point out that Dame Barbara sold over a billion books worldwide in at least 36 languages. Then, having written an article on this Breathless in the Bush blog about how romance novels empower women, I launch into my defence of romance novels, all the while wondering how my wonderful hosts can be entertaining people who are so downright rude! 

The conversation takes a personal turn when an acquaintance expresses surprise that I write “those books” because “you’re an educated woman”. I barely contain my eye-roll back at the man. When I ask what sort of person he thinks writes a romance novel, he has the grace to look slightly embarrassed, but then volunteers: “Someone who’s desperately unhappy and can’t find their own romance”. The floodgates open. One negative comment flows after another from ‘sex-obsessed’ (with a wink and a nudge to my husband) to “a middle-aged, unemployed cat lady”. 

Well, thank you very much!

Of course, these people are simply displaying their ignorance and appalling manners. None of their comments are original, but for the record, here are some things NOT to say if you ever meet a romance author.

“How long does it take to write one of those books? A couple of days or a week or so?”

“Are your books like 50 Shades of Grey?”

“Did your publisher give you a formula?”

“Did you have a crush on Fabio when you were growing up?”

“I downloaded your book from a free site, then I shared it to another free site because I enjoyed it so much!”

“Do you have to write a certain number of pages of sex scenes in each book?”

“Do you research the sex scenes with your husband?”

 “Where can I get a free copy?”

Please don’t use the words smut, porn/mummy porn, trash, or bodice ripper and please don’t do what ‘fans’ of Julia Quinn did to her and launch into a long-winded review of why you didn’t like the book and what the author should’ve done differently!

Thankfully the ill-mannered individuals are far outnumbered by respectful people.

Love to love awesome, empowering romance novels.

Love to laugh at the stereotypical images of the romance writer!

Love to learn what experiences others have had in regard to ridiculous comments people have made about romance writers/the romance genre, so please leave a comment below.

Where do romance writers get their ideas?

 By Sharon Bryant

Where do you get your writing ideas? I recently posed this question to some writer friends. Their responses were enthusiastic, creative and varied.

One friend with strong visualisation skills envisages characters and situations. Another finds inspiration in dreams, even nightmares.

The most common response was that writers get their ideas from everyday life. Sometimes a writer may have no idea how a particular thought entered his or her consciousness. The best ideas may pop into a writer's head during the process of writing.

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Where do you start?

So where does an aspiring author begin? Overheard conversations, newspapers, magazines, the internet, books, movies, people you've met, and situations you've encountered may all play a part in the writing ideas you generate.

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The role of writing exercises

Some beginning writers find writing exercises designed to promote creativity most helpful. These can include letting your stream of consciousness run free, the use of creative writing prompts, or writing a story then rewriting it in a different character's viewpoint. Another useful approach is flash fiction where you start with basic knowledge of your plot, characters and conflict. Next you sit down, and immediately write your story in 500 words or less.

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Where do you get your writing ideas?

Have you ever used creative writing exercises like the ones I've described? 

Were they helpful?

I love to laugh at life's eccentricities.

I love to learn more about the culture and history of the places I visit.

I love to love precious time with my family and friends.

Two steps behind...

Contemporary romance heroes who have no problem walking behind their heroines

Following the passing of Prince Philip a few days ago, one of the photos that keeps popping up is one of him dressed in full Grenadier Guard regalia as the Queen passes him by, and the Queen is giggling like a schoolgirl. You know the one. You can see a copy of it (and get the story behind it) here.

The photo had me thinking about the relationship between he and the Queen for the some seventy odd years they were together. For all of Prince Philip’s failings, and I’m sure there were a few, he seems to have happily taken on the role of always being a few steps behind his Queen (unlike the another Prince Consort who "threw his toys out of the cot" and absconded to France for a bit). There was never any suggestion that he strayed and, despite some expressed concerns about not giving his name to his children and his predilection to "put his foot in his mouth", he seems to have been a wonderful partner.

It got me thinking about romance heroes who would have absolutely no problem with walking a step or two behind their partners. This is what I came up with:

Officer Reuben Price from Amy Andrews’ All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate

Reuben is a police officer in Marietta, a small town in Montana and Viv Dawson is a successful businesswoman who brings her chocolates to town.

Reuben is a Good Bloke™ who is confident in his own skin. He makes pasta for his woman while she soaks away a hard day in the tub, knows how to show a lady a good time (both in and out of bed) and is prepared to make the tough declarations of love first when required… even if it takes his woman a little while to come around.

Reuben would have NO issue walking a few steps behind Viv and would absolutely enjoy the view.

Oscar Mendoza from Alice Clayton’s Cream of the Crop

Oscar is a small town, boutique dairy farmer who looks a lot like Jason Momoa and Natalie Greyson, a curvy, big-city advertising exec is assigned to a project designed to put his small town back on the tourism map.

Oscar has a particular love for – his words – Natalie’s great big ass… in fact, at an early meeting he tells her that the first best part of his Saturday is watching her walk away from his city farmers’ market stall where she buys her cheese. He’s also absolutely ready to compromise with her make their relationship work… and to give her the time she needs to wrap her head around what the word compromise looks like.

Oscar is absolutely comfortable sitting back and watching Natalie be the life of the party… and, like Reuben, he’s definitely enjoying the view.

And this was not meant to be a hymn to all the men who love booty but, it kinda turned out that way! 

Jafar from Katee Roberts’ Desperate Measures

And then, there’s Jafar.

If you’ve not read Katee’s Wicked Villains series… it’s a ride. She’s created a world in which characters based more or less on Disney villains have a LOT of sex while running various crime syndicates in one city. It’s the best kind of madness and, in her first book, we meet Jasmine and Jafar…just after Jafar has ordered Jasmine’s father be killed so he can take over the syndicate.

It’s not giving too much away to say that…Jafar has no issue with Jasmine ending up as the head of the crime syndicate, and being known as her second-in-charge, provided that she submits to him in the bedroom. It’s hot. And quite the contrast given that some sex play (albeit in future books) happens at a neutral club called the Underworld where everyone knows that she’s running the show but Jafar is her Dominant.

And, just a warning, this one is spicy, and contains some consensual non-consent.

Which of your favourite romance heores (or heroines) are happily walking a step behind their loves?