When I was getting my ebook My Darling YOU ready for publishing on Amazon, I was reluctant to use the classification 'romance'. The stories are about people and how they handle love, but they are romantic in the sense of feelings and not the physical contact which seems to be a requirement of the romance genre.And when a friend on facebook commented that he hoped the stories were 'steamy', I sort of cringed. I guess that's why I used the subtitle
love stories-sort of
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007U78HEC
Then I read these comments below and realized that I shared some of the ides expressed by the author, hence my reluctance to use the classification of 'romance'
What do you think?
love stories-sort of
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007U78HEC
Then I read these comments below and realized that I shared some of the ides expressed by the author, hence my reluctance to use the classification of 'romance'
What do you think?
No one would call Jane Eyre a "romance novel." It would instead be referred to as a "classic love story." The very thing that separates classic love stories from romance novels is that romance novels must by default be bad, tacky even, or they'll no longer be classified as romance novels and will get placed in a higher category.
I find it difficult to respect something that is purposely meant to be a lessor work. One should always strive to do great work. If an author classifies their own story as romance, that tells me that even they don't think much of it. That being the case, neither should we. http://calemccaskey.blogspot.com/2012/01/problem-with-romance-novels.html
I have to look at this whole concept of romance stories, since I once did one for the now defunct Caribbean Caresses (Ginn), an concept before its time. I understand what the writer quoted is saying but I don't agree with her entirely. However, I can only think about a specific subject when my mind is ready to be clear about it and it's not at the moment. However I am wary of those who would diminish an entire genre. That's what some have done with children's writing and see where that has got us in the Caribbean (only 'literary' writing is worthy of respect. Perhaps if we looked a things a bit differently our people would read more. Hmm!? That's a thought I never thought of before.
ReplyDeleteI agree. it's never wise to denigrate an entire - anything.In any case, the present 'romance' stories must be meeting a need. They are the best sellers. But, like everything else, there are those who will want 'steamy' stories and those who like the old time romance type stories. I say about all writing do it from your heart, be true to your own vision. I was conscious that the characters in my stories didn't even touch physically, and that was why I felt they would not qualify for the new romance genre, which has set up its own expectations.
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