Black romance is a blooming section of romance industry and is still growing. Officially having its start in 1980 with Entwined Destines written by Rosalind Welles, black romance has expanded and taken shape over the years. While it’s true that the genre could benefit from more authors and more books, black romance is a force to be reckoned with and getting stronger all the time. It is my hope to see the genre grow out of its own publishing lines (by sheer volume) and start to mingle alongside romance about white leads. Part of what will make this happen is for the genre to see writers become as influential and iconic as Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, and LaVyrle Spencer. If authors become a household name to buy, sales will pick up and the genre will be more validated as whole.
It is said that the head of Kensington Publishing had been visiting New York bookstore when he overheard two black women wishing for more African American romance. In 1994, Arabesque was created as the first major line for black readers. Since that point 250 titles by approximately 50 African-American authors have been published.
Arabesque was later bought by Harlequin, increasing the number of released books to 450. Now Arabesque is the nation’s leading line of single-title African American romance. Besides publishing Arabesque, Harlequin also publishes Sepia, New Spirit, and Kimani Romance lines. Kimani is a female African-American name that means “sweet and beautiful.” Kimani is Harlequin’s equivalent to category romance as Kimani novels are mass-market paperback series.
I’m curious to learn if there are Caucasian writers writing about black leads and African American authors writing about white leads? After all we already know there are male authors producing novels that we love… this can’t be too far of a stretch.
Highlander Romance- From the Wilds of Scotland and Wales What is highlander romance? Highlander romance is a subgenre of historical romance. Not to be confused with the show, highlander romance is all about those sexy warrior men. The setting for these romances usually takes place in Scotland or Wales....
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5 Great Gift Ideas for Romance Lovers This list has some fabulous ideas for gifts between friends, family, and lovers. 1. Book cover. This gift idea is both simple and can be homemade for very few dollars. First you can make it out of sturdy fabric and...
The costumes are absolutely gorgeous. Cuffs are seriously sexy. Taylor Swift is a beautiful woman with a wonderful voice. She’s a country music singer. When I saw this on Youtube I just had to share with everyone. The song is about a young girl’s love story (Romeo and Juliet). What I like best is the contemporary / historical dynamic and the play on the inevitable also known as the soul mate factor. You can find Love Story on her latest cd, Fearless.
I love to see the aesthetics of romance novels come alive and this is certainly better than the WTF Smart Bitches found…
Shine on Me by Chris Dane Owens:
Shine On Me’s video is like romance on crack. It has horses, fantasy, princess, knights, sword fighting, split screens, an elf like hero trying to be Orlando Bloom from LotR, spin off of Princess Bride, and 80s hair/music. Seriously scary. The kind of scary where you don’t want the prince to rescue you in the end.
What other music videos have you found on youtube that include the romance novel aesthetic?
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I sent out a query on Twitter to romance authors and readers if they’d be interested in answering two quick questions. These two questions are ones that I personally love to ask romance authors when I interview them because the answers are always different and unique even though both deal with emotion and passion. It’s inspiring really to see how they can be defined. Below are the questions and their responses; how would you answer them?
How do you define love?
Leigh Ellwood: I see love as the feeling in your heart, somewhere between softening and swelling, you experience when you are near your partner. No matter how they look, what they are wearing, or how long you’ve been together - you still get that tingle when you kiss and that itching desire to grab ‘em!
Carolyn Jewel: A deep and abiding respect and admiration (since I can’t use the word “love”). Two people who are aware of each other’s flaws and find it makes little to no difference.
Rai-mon Nemar: Love is - Thinking to yourself “if you just act on your dreams you’ll rule the world”, and yet you’re actions are consistently made with someone else’s well being in mind.
Love is - When you feel as though your personal and professional pursuits wouldn’t have had as much meaning without that someone who’s traveled the journey with you. They might even be worthless.
Love is - Not an emotion! It is a choice you make daily to stay the course and live your life with someone and know you’ll be better for it.
What makes a great bedroom scene?
Leigh Ellwood: I like a slow build-up, a painfully teasing undress and kisses that explore the skin like a roadmap. I like dialogue, too. Sex doesn’t have to be a mute activity. Where there is communication, it only ramps up the sex appeal.
Carolyn Jewel: There must be something at risk, something changed between them afterward. If your characters aren’t risking anything emotionally through their intimacy, then it’s just boring. Every bedroom scene has to change the relationship between the characters. This can include making things seem even worse, by the way. Intimacy does not always equal happy ever after, especially early on in a relationship. It’s not only about who’s touching who where. The best bedroom scenes never, ever lose focus on the emotion, even when one of the characters thinks there isn’t any.
Rai-mon Nemar: I’d say it’s like it real life. It’s all about the foreplay and more importantly the anticipation. Then “learning” how the person reacts to the certain things you do. Kissed this (nothing), touched that (nothing) bit her fat (she sucked her teeth for almost a minute like bacon sizzling) hopefully you know what I mean.
To read other responses to these questions, check out Love Romance Passion’s additional author interviews.
If you are the owner of a review blog or are a romance author and are interested in participating in this survey please send your responses (and links) to Keira: reviewromancenovel at yahoo dot com.
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There are many fictional desert kingdoms in Sheik romance. In these desert romances the handsome and enigmatic sheik or prince finds love with the white woman for her sass and zeal of life. She is usually American or English. Powerful and very masculine he domineers her despite her Western background.
Did you know the term bodice-ripper comes from Sheik romance?
The very first Sheik romance/s contained a rape scene. In an article published in 2006 by the Chicago Tribune, staff writer Patrick T. Reardon, writes, “this pattern of kidnap-rape-love, rooted in a pre-1980s cultural belief that unmarried women shouldn’t go looking for sex, involved ‘forcing pleasure on women.’ For their own good, apparently.” Of course in these rape fantasies the heroine never truly suffers or afterwards is traumatized. The experience is a passionate one on both ends and eventually ends in love.
Interesting Fact: The Biblical Dinah was raped – or not – and when Shechem asked for her hand in marriage, he was told only if he and all his compatriots were circumcised. While they were recovering, Dinah’s brothers, Simeon and Levi, killed them all. To take a woman, then ask for her hand, was one way to ensure you could marry her, especially if the two of you were interested in each other, and the match might not otherwise be received. (Gen: 30-34).
The Sheik:
In desert romances, the male lead is darkly exotic with dark eyes, handsome features, and tawny sun-kissed bronze skin. He’s been educated at Harvard or Oxford and has learned to tolerate or prefer Western culture, ingenuity, and technology. Almost always, he is forward thinking and Westernized to some degree.
Possible Plots:
Some themes in Sheik romance include marriages of convenience, kidnapping, and rescues, similar to Highlander romance.
The Lure Behind the Desert/Harem Fantasy:
Sheik romance like Paranormal romance has risen in the last few years. In an age where chivalrous princes are nearly nonexistent, Sheik romance offers a modern prince to romance readers. He’s a little bit wild, more than a little dangerous, but very much in love with his heroine. Combine this irresistible masculine force with the exotic and (most times fantastical and fictional) lands of Africa, the Middle East, and the East and it’s magic in the making.
Difference between a Sheik and a Sultan:
Abstractly, the word sultan means strength and authority. A sultan is like a king. Some basic research shows that lands under or previously held under sultan rule could be found anywhere in the East or Middle East.
Lands held by a sheikdom are usually solely Arabic. A sheik in Arabic means “elder” and refers to the elder in a tribe or lord of a tribe. Also it can be in reference to Islamic study and is a title earned upon completion of studies. But in desert romances the title is used as the official title of the Bedouin tribe leader and for nobility.
*You can also spell Sheik with an ‘h’ as in Sheikh romance or sheikhdom.
Originally posted 2008-07-30 05:26:23. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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Paranormal Romance: The What, How, and Why What is paranormal romance? Well we can easily define paranormal romance as subgenre of romance. But what is it really? Paranormal romance combines the supernatural world with that of the real, the natural, the plain. One lover is sure to...
Well we can easily define paranormal romance as subgenre of romance. But what is it really? Paranormal romance combines the supernatural world with that of the real, the natural, the plain. One lover is sure to be something special and the other lover is special because they are so plain; something is found in their ordinariness that strikes a cord with the extraordinary lover.
More than not these stories take place in America, especially when dealing with vampires, but it’s not a requirement for the genre. Paranormal romance usually blends mystery, thriller, or suspense as part and parcel of its tale. You could consider these novels to be more than a bit Gothic in theme. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter and the Twilight Saga are two such series that can be found within the category of paranormal romance.
Why do people like it so much?
The sales of paranormal romance have risen over the years. It is not uncommon to find several titles of paranormal fiction in romance aisles. Why is that? As I said when discussing Edward and Bella in the Twilight books, I believe it is because we are all craving that extraordinary romance.
As with time travel romances, paranormal romances that involve vampires have that glorious advantage of a love out of time. One person waits, separate from the time stream of the normal world with all its stresses and hectic schedules just for you. Waters run deep in the one that has been waiting, he (or she) knows just what it is like to live a small eternity in loneliness and now that you’ve been found, you won’t be let go. He (or she) will love you forever.
Besides vampires what fits into this category?
Magic users, lycanthropes (like werewolves), selkies, fairies, ghosts, superhuman capabilities (like flying), gods and goddesses, and angels and demons are all perfectly acceptable.
If you have more on the subject of paranormal romance feel free to add!
Originally posted 2008-07-01 08:32:53. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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While pirate romance seems pretty self explanatory the truth of the matter is that modern romantic notions of pirates are far from fact. When we think of a pirate, I am sure many of you will conjure up an image of the deliciously sexy and adventurous Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. The code that they lived by was far from the images brought to mind by the movies or by modern day romances. Pirates in truth were vicious and the chances of two pirates following the same code of honor were pretty slim, but that doesn’t stop them from being some of the best of the bad boys in romantic literature.
What makes the pirate so sexy?
We love reading about pirates, of that there is no question. Why, you might wonder. The answer is thus: who wouldn’t want a handsome man to give us permission to buck the rules of society, live life voraciously with no limit on what we can or should do? Rouges and rakehells might make delicious rapscallions on land and in London society, but it is the pirate captain that is both scandalous and notorious.
Lead males in pirate romances are muscular, domineering, swashbuckling, passionate, buccaneers. The open sea is their mistress and no female can tame their hearts… or so they think. Pirate heroes soon realize just how lonely their life on the water really is and endeavor to capture the love of a woman. When they loot, pillage, and ravish pirate heroes find themselves desiring to do so to the pretty maid with the feisty tongue and not the nearest enemy ship.
This is the character cast in romance novels. The truth however is that pirates have never been truly noted for charms, manners, or fantastically gorgeous good looks. Despite their shortcomings, the romance of seven seas calls out like a siren’s song. Thrills, romance and adventure, you can’t go wrong with a pirate romance.
Originally posted 2008-07-02 05:10:45. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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Highlander romance is a subgenre of historical romance. Not to be confused with the show, highlander romance is all about those sexy warrior men. The setting for these romances usually takes place in Scotland or Wales. You may be familiar with the 2008 movie Made of Honor; it was a movie that pitted the typical Highlander, Scottish, hero against a trust fund city slicker. An exemplary novel of this genre is Julie Garwood’s The Bride. Overall, Highlander romances are as formula based as any other genre in romance or fiction.
What are the Clans/Tribes involved in Highlander romance?
I am sure there are more, and if you know of them inform me and I’ll flush out this section!
Celtics
Saxons
Scottish
Welsh
Highlanders
Lowlanders
The lore behind Highlander Romance:
Most Highlander romances will use a Romeo and Juliet theme where the clan/tribe/family rivalry and hatred separate the two lovebirds. They will either fall in love in spite of the mutual dislike or be forced into it by another typical plot line such as the girl’s family being indebted to the hero or his family. The debt will be settled by marriage and unwilling or not family honor must be upheld. Luckily for the main leads, they end up liking each other.
There are also plenty of curses and cursed heroes and heroines alike in Highlander romance. A cursed hero will be destined to lose his love or perhaps has already lost his love and finds a new one. He might be cursed to never find love, get married, bear children, etc. The heroines could face similar curses.
Highlander romance also includes a lot of vendettas and bride stealing.
If you would like to add to this section or review a Highlander romance please contact me!
Originally posted 2008-07-09 21:12:11. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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“Every age embraces the vampire it needs,” said Mike Deloney. Read on here.
The Top 3 Young Adult Books From 2008:
in no particular order…
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (vamps),
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini (dragons),
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (wizards).
What this means:
While it’s nearly impossible to be more formulaic than Paolini’s Inheritance Series, the key to big time success is to appeal to the group that rarely picks up a book unless forced… teens. If teens love your book, word of mouth will spread like wildfire.
How do you appeal to teens?
By combining a quest with finding true love. Don’t believe me? Look at the trend, it is obviously fantasy with a dash of romance. The element of fantasy is most needed, something to draw people out of the normal everyday world and into a new world. This is done literally in Paolini’s case and figuratively in Meyer and Rowling’s case because fantasy exists beside the normal world to the ignorance of the masses.
What romance?
Harry/Ginny (very little, confined to mostly book six)
Bella/Edward (the whole series is about them as a couple)
Eragon/Ayra (don’t shoot me I haven’t read the third one but this is where it looked like it was headed)
Now you’ve appealed to teens, but you can’t stop there…
It’s not enough to appeal only to teens. In order to achieve the kind of fame these three authors have had an aspiring author is going to have to appeal to both young and old, male and female. You do this through great inspiring writing by creating characters and a plot to grab our attention. In the end you must give us a lead to get behind, a purpose to support, and someone to fall in love with.
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This list has some fabulous ideas for gifts between friends, family, and lovers.
1. Book cover.
This gift idea is both simple and can be homemade for very few dollars. First you can make it out of sturdy fabric and a sewing machine. This is probably the quicker way to make a book cover. Measure and cut the fabric to be long enough to wrap the book and provide book flaps. Sew edges to keep from unraveling, add ribbon to the top to use as a bookmark,
The other way is to crochet the book cover. If you’re looking for a project to learn crocheting on this is more functional and cooler than most ideas all you need to do is cast on a row the length of the trade or mass paperback book and continue with single crochet until it is long enough to wrap around the book plus extra for the flaps. Finish it off by crocheting around the edges. You can even crochet a book mark! This style is very elegant.
2. Digital Reader.
Get the reader in your life an eBook reader. There are several types out there. The most popular are Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle. I would suggest the Kindle hands down simply for the free access to Sprint’s EV-DO network for purposes of downloading new eBooks. The Sony Reader may be more stylish and professional appearing than the Kindle, but the freedom from the PC and ability to download your favorite new books at whim defeats the Sony Reader in both convenience and usefulness. If you are an avid reader who looking for something you can use on the go, definitely go with the Kindle.
3. Movie and Dessert.
At home or out as a date, this is a lovely idea. If you’re planning this for at home you can buy some fruit and melt some chocolate for an impromptu fondue in front of the screen. Turn the lights off, light some candles, and indulge in a little romance. Or if you’re afraid of burning the chocolate turn this idea into an experience. Go out for ice cream before or after the movie and pick a film you wouldn’t see if it wasn’t for her. Hold hands in the movie and or eat your ice cream walking around and holding hands. Take the time to pull yourself and her out of the world of schedules and things that need to be done to make the evening truly special.
4. Pamper basket.
Include some bubble bath, lotion, candles, and a book. Provide all the necessary goods to give her an evening away from it all. For a little extra add some redeemable you-time coupons like a massage, back scrub, or for a little more heat give her the choice and control of how you’ll make love. Let her escape to ecstasy.
5. Give some books.
Giving the romance lover in your life more books in the genre that they like is sure to be a hit. Don’t worry yourself with titles or authors. The idea here is your support of their addiction! Just go to the bookstore and select some you think are fun and interesting. Bestsellers are a good bet if you’re completely lost. If the reader in your life has a digital reader, perhaps a gift certificate to an ePublisher is better. That way they could buy and download some books for their reader.
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While there can be trouble with any ethnic group pairing up outside of their background, people usually think of interracial in terms of black and white. Which begs the question can a white lead and a black lead fall in love?
It is said that love cannot be defined by the color of skin, but just because it is understood intellectually doesn’t mean it is accepted socially.
When I read in the news about interracial couples and the problems they face today it seems that prejudice is still running high on both sides of the line. The offended parties are the losers in love, and they spill poison and hate on those who have found love. The losers feel they’ve been deprived of their due when they see someone of their skin color happy and in love with someone of another skin color. In their jealousy, they don’t take into account what the two have in common with each other and immediately see only the differences… Superficial differences that is.
A man or woman dating someone of another color is seen to be driven by the urge to be that other skin color or a expression of a form of racial self-hatred. Skin color separates lovers today in the same way that society pressures rich men into seeking equally rich or highborn brides of the past (and present) in real life and in romance novels.
Interracial novels have to deal with the same issues and troubles that plague real interracial relationships today- prejudice and jealousy- to be authentic.
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What is regency romance and how does it differ from historical romance?
You may well recognize Jane Austen as a regency romance writer. She is best known for works such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
So what makes a regency romance?
Well if you look at Pride and Prejudice you can see quite clearly the basic setup of a regency romance. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet stir the hearts of readers as they bicker and dance around each other, but a key element to the novel is that their romance is not the only one. Miss Jane Bennet and Mr. Charles Bingley also fall in love in this classic tale, though perhaps with fewer hindrances on the characters’ part.
To break it down:
Regency romance is based in the early 19th century and will normally revolve around a comedy of manners. The romances are very chaste and do not include conversations about sex between the main characters. In several cases, there will be a side romance to the main one.
The monarchs you will find in regency romances are George IV and William IV. Some novels may be included in this genre, even if George III is ruling, though technically speaking he is not part of this era. George III is before the regency era. The period starts when he was declared insane by the Parliament Regency Act and his son was placed on the throne as acting king. The regency (and post-regency) period ends prior to Queen Victoria’s reign.
Time Frame: 1810-1820, generally speaking.
Historical Romance on the other hand is considered to be everything prior to WWI in history. Contemporary attitudes usually color the writing enabling the female lead to be more educated, witty, or relatable. There are many sub genres to this type of romance including but not limited to pirate, colonial United States, and western.
In conclusion, regency romance is included in theme of historical romance as a separate genre.
Originally posted 2008-06-11 05:27:41. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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When reading romance novels about English gentry and nobility I always wonder about the rankings. I know diddlysquat about this subject, mostly because I am American. I decided to do some digging to see if I could sort the matter out. Luckily there are a lot of resources on the matter.
The first thing I was determined to find out was the order of the rankings. I always thought an Earl was as noble as a Duke or fairly similar. An Earl is far less substantial than you might think. In fact they seem to be quite plentiful; perhaps that is why so many romance novels include an Earl. A Marquis, on the other hand was more substantial than I gave credit. For some reason, I always assumed it was on similar footing as a Viscount. Whoops– social faux pas, anyone?
Baronets and Knights are not peers. A baronet is a hereditary knight. The title of Sir goes down through the generations. His wife is referred to as Lady.
The rarest rank of nobility is the Duke with his dukedom, making Barons by their rank far more abundant.
About the only thing I got right was the order of the Viscounts and Barons.
Did you know there were several peerages?
The isles of Britain and Ireland had in total five different peerages. Those of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom! No wonder the country has so many names in history! Also, a noble man could belong to more than one peerage!
Labels of Address (loosely):
This doesn’t include salutations of correspondence. The first bit is how to do the introduction on the different levels of nobility followed by how to address them in formal speech.
Duke/Duchess: His Grace/Her Grace (insert title); His Grace/Her Grace
Marquis/Marchioness: Most Honorable (insert title); Lord/Lady
Earl/Countess: Right Honorable (insert title); Lord/Lady
Viscount/Viscountess: Right Honorable (insert title); Lord/Lady
Baron/Baroness: Right Honorable (insert title); Lord/Lady
Originally posted 2008-08-07 05:39:59. Republished by Old Post Promoter
Vikings were warrior men from the Scandinavia region of the world including specifically Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Viking is linked to naval expeditions or naval raids. A member of such a trip is called a Viking. Typically it is thought that the Viking period began as early as 700 A.D. and ended somewhere in 1100 A.D. Women warriors were known as Valkyries. At the peak of their influence Vikings reached as far east as the Byzantine Empire and as far west as Iceland and Greenland.
Warring or to ‘Go a Viking:’
Viking expeditions were one of two things. Firstly, Viking could be referring to a mercantile seafarer dealing in commerce and trade. Secondly and most commonly referred to today when brought up, Viking relates to warriors seeking vengeance or urged into the act by need/greed to find slaves and other worldly goods. The term to ‘go a Viking’ specifically relates to warring or act of raiding and pillaging.
Ships:
Longships, or dragon ships, are the warring vessel. They had sails and room for oarsmen so they could battle and move without interference from the wind. Longships are shallow and narrow, and this design aids in Viking expeditions by making it easy to land and deploy troops.
A knarr vessel was roomier and could hold far more cargo than a longship. It did not have room for oarsmen. This ship was specifically used in trade and commerce.
Horned Helmets:
Horned helmets were never a part of Viking apparel. Sorry to say, the idea of a horned helmet being Viking is merely a myth. It was dreamt up as part of the romanticism revival to associate them with Classical antiquity. A horned helmet would be too unmanageable in battle because of the ungainly weight of the horns.
Cleanliness:
Steam-houses (saunas), dips into geothermic pools, and regular bathing occurred in Viking culture. It is thought they bathed every Saturday as it is referred to as the washing day still in Scandinavian countries. As part of their ablutions Vikings washed hands and faces every morning. They also had a wide diversity in grooming items including soap. The soap was used to clean their hair as well as strip it of color to make it blond. Vikings are not the unclean barbarians we imagine them to be, perhaps however they were blonder.
Classes:
There were three classes of men in Viking civilization.
The Thrall - an unfree servant whose status was marked by a collar around the neck and short hair
The Jarl - a member of the aristocracy or nobility, was a man of high birth and includes kings
The Bondi- included farmers, craftsmen, landowners, and other freeborn people
Women’s Rights:
A girl or woman had no right to choose her husband. However, if she was under her brother’s protection and rule she could declare rights to marry the third suitor to seek for her hand.
A free woman in Viking culture owned her children and could divorce without stigmatism associated with other cultures of the time a man who was a bad husband. All she had to do was declare herself so at the door to their home and at their martial bed.
The gravest insult for a woman is a slap to the face done in public. The insult goes beyond her and impugns on the family’s honor.
Viking Weddings and Romance:
Vikings would marry on Friday or Frigg Day. Frigg was the name of their goddess for marriage, thus explaining the tradition.
Courtship was frowned upon and poetry expressly forbidden as it was thought that the wording could enthrall a woman. Only the goddess Freyja could be given poetry.
Women were expected to be unsullied or virginal before marriage and after display fidelity within her marriage.
The ring a man gave to a woman was highly important as it was indicative of the respect and esteem he held for her.
Weddings were rarely conducted for lovers. Typically a marriage was arranged between the groom and her family or between both families. Occasionally a marriage was served as a ‘peace-pledge,’ which means the marriage is a sign of cease fire between feuding families.
The wedding ritual consisted of exchanging swords between man and wife. The groom gave his sword to his bride as a legacy to be passed down to their first born son. The bride then gave a sword that represented their union and future family to the groom. It was then his duty to take care of the sword as he would take care of her and their children. Vows were then said over the groom’s new sword to cement the union.
The Wedding Night and Morning:
The bride wore a bridal crown and it was in their bedroom chamber that this crown was removed by her husband as a symbol of their sexual union. After this symbolic removal the wedding witnesses would leave the couple alone to consummate the vows.
The morning after, once again before witnesses, the groom gave his wife a gift. This gift marked that the marriage was complete. He then would give her the keys to his home and all the buildings he owned. The keys represented her dominion over his holdings and declared her as his lady.
Vikings in Romance Novels:
Nearly always Viking romance novels contain references to the mythology and religion of the time period. They take place in the Scandinavian region, sometimes including the regions within the wide reach of the Vikings. Without fail Viking romance novels include a Viking warrior. He is strong, robust, and very masculine. You could say he is the epitome of alpha males. Standard themes of Viking romance include bride stealing, kidnapping, slavery to freedom archetypes, enemies to lovers, and strong women. Rape also comes up in Viking romances whether or not it actually occurs due to the nature and background of the culture. Viking romances are easily recognizable by their titles which usually include the word Viking.
Viking Love on Youtube:
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Originally posted 2008-06-09 05:53:26. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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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?
Arabesque was later bought by Harlequin, increasing the number of released books to 450. Now Arabesque is the nation’s leading line of single-title African American romance. Besides publishing Arabesque, Harlequin also publishes Sepia, New Spirit, and Kimani Romance lines. Kimani is a female African-American name that means “sweet and beautiful.” Kimani is Harlequin’s equivalent to category romance as Kimani novels are mass-market paperback series.
). What I like best is the contemporary / historical dynamic and the play on the inevitable also known as the soul mate factor. You can find Love Story on her latest cd, 
.
’s video is like romance on crack. It has horses, fantasy, princess, knights, sword fighting, split screens, an elf like hero trying to be Orlando Bloom from LotR, spin off of Princess Bride, and 80s hair/music. Seriously scary. The kind of scary where you don’t want the prince to rescue you in the end.
I sent out a query on 
This list has some fabulous ideas for gifts between friends, family, and lovers.
and Amazon Kindle. I would suggest the Kindle hands down simply for the free access to Sprint’s EV-DO network for purposes of downloading new eBooks. The Sony Reader may be more stylish and professional appearing than the Kindle, but the freedom from the PC and ability to download your favorite new books at whim defeats the Sony Reader in both convenience and usefulness. If you are an avid reader who looking for something you can use on the go, definitely go with the Kindle.
A man or woman dating someone of another color is seen to be driven by the urge to be that other skin color or a expression of a form of racial self-hatred. Skin color separates lovers today in the same way that society pressures rich men into seeking equally rich or highborn brides of the past (and present) in real life and in romance novels. 
. 
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?
- 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?