Lately I have been hearing different writers talk about how someone has put them down because they write romances. What is it about romances that makes people feel they can insult someone about what they do for a living? I’ve seen this in the media and I’ve often wondered if the person writing about romances ever read one (especially lately) by some of the comments made in the article.
Back in the late 70s and early 80s the term bodice ripper was used a lot in reference to romances. I take offense to that term because the inspirational ROMANCES I write are NOT bodice rippers. To lump that term with romances is wrong but it is still done today twenty years later.
Romances are a major part of the books being published each month so someone must like to read them. When a person insults the writer for writing THOSE books, he/she insults the person who reads them, too. I write and read romances. I like the happily ever after endings. I often will pick up a romance because I know when I read it I will walk away from the book uplifted.
Romances aren’t the only type of book I read, but they are certainly a part of my TBR pile which is huge at the moment. In fact, I think men should read romances and learn something about what a woman likes. They could actually get some insight into the way we think.
There are so many different types of romances out there on the shelves that I think it is hard even to lump them together. There are paranormal romances to hot ones to inspirational ones. They may have a love story as the only thing that connects them as the same kind of book.