After being told as a teen that romance books were trash, and having the book I’d purchased tossed in the garbage, I was naturally curious about the genre. However, I got the message, which was the first time I’d ever been restricted from reading anything.
As a kid who followed the rules, I never knew what I was missing. But I knew that reading Andersonville, a novel about the horrific Civil War prison camp, was in no way an equivalent to the romance novel I’d lost. There was no sex scene, at least nothing that occurred without a closed door.
As an adult, I appreciate the whimsical and “naughty” in my reading. Naughty sounds like such a childish word, bringing thoughts of childhood pranks that weren’t bad, but annoying. Instead, I think of naughty as a tongue-in-cheek, wink-of-an-eye, smiling surprise that often belongs inside the bedroom between consensual, participating partners.
Now that I’m writing romance, I’m having a blast as my characters tease, laugh, enjoy wordplay, and other diversions. I’m writing in the steamy contemporary world where there’s no BDSM. If you’re looking for that, head to the spicy romance, which I don’t write. My characters may get hurt, but it’s usually emotionally, and there’s a happily-ever-after to compensate.
Wondering about the “nice” in my headline? For me it’s tongue-in-cheek. If I ever say something’s “nice” you’ll know it did not impress me with whomever or whatever I’m discussing. In junior high, my English teacher, Mrs. D., had probably read or heard one too many descriptions with “nice” in them. She reacted by assigning us homework: compile a list of fifty synonyms for nice. After that, everyone in my class made a point of using one of the more descriptive words they’d found. They knew they’d be laughed at if they say “nice.” If someone labeled something “nice,” it was damning it with faint praise.
I don’t think I’ve called anything “nice” more than three times in years!
And, I’ve found that romance works I’ve been reading and enjoying are not “nice,” although they can be whimsically naughty and enjoyable. They are also amusing, hilarious, memorable, inspiring, and 5-star. (Everyone seems to use ratings these days.)
I aspire to write romantic novels with characters that make you “feel something.” Memorable characters who earn the reader’s respect because they’re complex and so well-described that you’d know them if you saw them.
I’d love to know, if you’ve joined me in Louisa’s Vineyard, if you have a favorite character. Is there a character you root for, cheer for, and get mad at the things that happen to them?
Here’s a clue to what romance authors say about how they treat their characters:
You chase the character up a tree, throw rocks at them, then burn the tree down. It’s a metaphor. I admit it. I love my characters and don’t want to cause them pain. That’s why I love romance. There’s an HEA–a Happily Ever After. So, if we give our characters grief, we also grant our characters happiness, love, fulfillment, and sex!
(The sex part depends on what variety of romance you’re writing. I cheered when I saw a Hallmark movie where they actually kissed passionately before the end.)
I’m inspired. I married my male protagonist and I’m definitely in Happily-Ever-After territory.
NOTE: Love at First Sight is getting so close to publishing. If you’ve read the sample I offer of Love at First Sight on my website, or want to read it before the full book comes out, do that soon. I’ll be replacing it with a new short story I’ve written called, “The Bride Wore White.” Reading it should be as much fun as my time writing it! It has tropes and twists that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Please let me know what your favorite romance books are and if you have things you really love, and don’t, about books you’ve read. Also, have you decided to banish “nice” from your vocabulary? 😊
Contact me at: Shelley@ShelleySommers.com
Happy Summer!
Hugs,
Shelley
PS Be looking for some fun pre-launch reading before we launch Love at First Sight.