Who Says Romance is Just Fluff?

During a live Coffeetime Romance Chat last Tuesday, I was asked to post my term paper in a place where it could be read. We'd somehow strayed over onto the subject of whether or not romance novels are relevant literature and I mentioned that I'd chosen this topic for my paper. I suspect the reason I feel so passionately about this subject is that I'm sick and tired of hearing about 'trashy romance novels' or 'romantic fluff'. The general public has been looking down their nose at the romance genre since its inception. This paper is my response to this attitude. Please keep in mind that it was written for and presented to a class full of people who all claimed that they had never once picked up a romance novel. So for those of you who are more familiar with the industry--feel free to skip the nuts and bolts section where I describe the basics. Any ideas I've borrowed are credited in my Works Cited page and feel free to comment as you see fit...

The Cultural Affair of Humanity and the Romance Novel

The word romance inspires a wide variety of reactions when used in conversation. From eye rolling to blushing, expressions run the entire gamut of human emotion and can encompass any extreme. Combine the word romance with the word novel and the reactions become even more animated. And though not all who read literature in the romance genre will admit to it, statistics prove that people around the world read romance novels. But this literary genre has more value than simple entertainment. An important function of the Romance genre is to catalog the evolution of relationship concepts and human cultural trends. For what dry, clinical descriptions of historical events cannot express, is the way that people actually lived them.

            Modern romance novels typically revolve around the lives of two people, and the events which shape their relationship. Considered by many to be the unifying body of the Romance industry, Romance Writers of America has compiled a list of attributes which they consider to be the defining characteristics of a romance novel. According to their website, two key points are non negotiable. A romance novel must have a “central love story”. And the love story must have an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending”. In addition, the website goes on to describe two different formats acceptable for novels in the genre. The first is a “series or category” romance which is always part of a numbered or sequentially released set of books. The second is generally a longer story called a “single-title” romance (Romance Writers of America).

            Regardless of whether a reader prefers the category or single title novel, there is no doubt that many readers prefer romantic fiction. New York Times journalist Rich Motoko observed that “At a time when booksellers are struggling to lure readers, sales of romance novels are outstripping most other categories and giving some buoyancy to an otherwise sluggish market”. In fact, in the first three months of 2009, sales of romance novels rose by 2.4% while sales of other types of literature experienced a slight drop. Also surprising is that those statistics do not include retail numbers from stores like Wal-mart or Target, which often experience a large volume of book sales. The genre topped internet sales as well, with Barnes & Noble’s e-book seller, Fictionwise, reporting 50% of their sales to be romance novels (Motoko). Yet even with these encouraging economic statistics, the romance genre has always struggled for validity in the world of literature.

            If one considers the beginning of novels in general, it could be argued that all literature that dared to step outside the comfortable confines of religious text was challenged. But there have also been periods where humankind has struggled with basic literacy. Once history progressed into the eighteenth century, even servants were likely to be literate. This ability and the boredom of upper class women who had no roles outside the home, created an audience ripe for the development of novels, especially in Great Britain (Lamm, 342).

            In 1740 Samuel Richardson was asked to come up with a collection of letters which would then be published as the equivalent of a ‘how to’ manual for novice letter writers. At that time, the number of people in the lower classes who were able to read and write had risen dramatically. However, instead of compiling a group of random letters, Richardson wrote a series of fictitious letters to and from a woman he called Pamela. The result was a ground breaking novel eventually titled Pamela; or Virtue Rewarded. It is the first example of what became known as the epistolary form which later writers such as Jane Austen would emulate.

            Perhaps the most unique aspect of Richardson’s Pamela was the novel’s character driven writing. Until that time, all novels had been based upon events. Because of this new approach, Pamela later became part of collection called The English Comedie Humaine.

            Included at the beginning of a 1906 edition of Richardson’s book is an explanation of this collection: "Masterpieces of the great English novelists in which are portrayed the varying aspects of English life from the time of Addison to the present day: a series analgous to that in which Balzac depicted the manners and morals of his French contemporaries."

            This description obviously indicates that the novels belonging to the English Comedie Humaine were not intended for only entertainment purposes. Indeed it would seem that a greater purpose of these works of fiction was to perpetuate the then modern culture. And true to the expectations of that generation, the story of the servant girl Pamela is told in a way as to downplay any romantic notions and emphasize the moral conduct of the characters.

            Followers of Richardson’s style included the aforementioned Jane Austen who wrote for many years anonymously and yet managed to support herself and one of her sisters with income from her books (Austen, foreword). Austen’s novels have not only survived but thrived throughout history. Her books have been made into mini-series for television and movies for the big screen. Entire conventions are held in her honor where people happily don period clothing and dance in the tradition of her characters Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth.

            Austen’s work was much evolved from the English Comedie Humaine in that she bravely explored topics which asked sometimes uncomfortable questions about societal norms. Her heroes were not always gallant, and her heroines were not always the subordinate females valued at that time.

            In the foreword of the Barnes & Noble edition of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility, literary critic Paul Montazzoli says: "In Sense & Sensibility, more than in any of her other novels, Austen struggles for her happy ending, and when achieved it is hardly convincing,         depending as it does on factors either too convenient or too improbable… Austen’s ending reads like a covert acknowledgement that the problem she set out to explore—the antagonism between social norms and individual personality—really has no definitive solution, or at least no happy one.(iii)"

            Austen’s move toward the exploration of human nature and interaction set writers on a path which would eventually lead to the 1972 release by Avon of a book entitled The Flame and the Flower. Considered by many to be the birth of the modern romance novel, Kathleen E Woodiwiss’ novel was the first official ‘bodice ripper’ ever placed on bookstore shelves. It included not only a torrid romance between two flawed individuals, but descriptions of physical intimacy which had previously been left to the imagination of the reader (Diamond).

            This new trend in romantic fiction garnered much attention from those both in and outside of the sphere of influence. But even so, the evolution of the modern romance story has come as far from Woodiwiss’ The Flame and the Flower as modern culture has come from the seventies’ idyllic sitcom family and polyester leisure suits. This is not to say that those things are never seen in modern culture, but they are frequently in a form which might not be readily recognizable.

            To someone not ‘in the know’, a trip down an aisle filled with romance novels might give the impression that while there seem to be a multitude of titles to choose from, they all seem alike. Canadian author Margaret Atwood discusses this perception in an essay which Editors Paul Eschholz and Alfred Rosa included in their popular textbook, Subjects/Strategies: A Writer’s Reader. Atwood points out that all fiction, like all life, has but one logical end. Death. But Atwood playfully says “so much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun. True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with.” And it is this “stretch in between” which has not only differentiated between the romance titles available on the shelf, but has created the necessity for a list of sub-genres complex enough to rival Linnaeus’ Biological Classification system.

            Over time, these sub-genres have evolved into two main categories, with similar sub-categories within each. The two main categories place titles into either the sweet, or sensual romance family, or the erotic romance family. As suggested by the name, the first family includes stories which, although they fit the criteria specified by the Romance Writers of America, do not include graphic depictions of physical intimacy. In direct contrast, any title in the erotic romance category contains graphic language and content material which pushes the boundaries of society’s comfort zone.

            Within these two main categories, titles are divided into sub-genres based upon certain elements in the story. Plots involving historical settings, creatures from urban legend like vampires or werewolves, ghosts, science fiction, action and adventure, mystery, and any other niche markets such as same sex relationships are all separated, catalogued, and labeled accordingly. The classification goes into great detail, even placing warnings on certain material which might be strongly objectionable in some markets. The system seems overwhelming and overdone when first encountered. But the purpose is very simple. All is done to make choosing an enjoyable title possible for almost any reader.

            The availability of material to suit any taste is what makes romance novels a staple on many nightstands throughout the world. But it is also what makes the romance genre such an important catalog of popular culture. For example, despite its historical setting, The Flame and the Flower was cutting edge at the time of its publication. The elements of the story reflected beliefs, interests, and even perceptions of history commonly found in 1970’s culture (Diamond). Yet a reader who picked up the same book today might find it antiquated. Instead, a modern reader would pick up a novel by Julie Garwood or Fiona Vance and read about current trends such as internet dating, workplace relationships, or even bondage. In this way, the romance genre has the ability to track trends from the current vampire fad to fashion preferences in multiple geographies.

            Reading has long been an acceptable leisure activity. Textbooks aid in classrooms. Dictionaries catalog the meanings of words and vernacular. Biographies document the lives of people who helped to shape our world. And recreational reading provides an escape when life becomes dull or stressful. Statistics suggest that the number of people reading for fun increases dramatically during times of national crisis or worldwide stress (Motoko).

            But, as author Tameka Norris laments, “Critics often diss romance as fluff, and your high school English teacher probably never told you to grab the latest bodice ripper off the shelves and enjoy yourself (he or she was probably reading them in secret, though). So why read romance?”  Norris goes on to list six reasons she recommends reading romance novels to anyone with a desire to relax with a good book. However, two of her reasons apply directly to the relationship between culture and the romance genre.

            “Reading romance novels set in different locations and parts of the world give you the chance to learn, yes, learn, about new states and countries. You can even go back in time with a historical romance novel and learn, yep, about how people lived during other time periods”(Norris). According to Romance Writers of America, today’s romance authors take their research very seriously. Some are even known to travel to far flung locations in order to get a true picture of the facts before developing a setting for their stories. Therefore, by enjoying a well written and well researched romance novel, a reader has a chance to experience second hand a culture or an adventure that never would have otherwise been possible.

            “Romance stories and novels are a great way to take a peek into many kinds of love lives without having to ask embarrassing questions or enduring conversations you'd rather not have”(Norris). With so many topics available, including many that involve controversial lifestyle choices, a romance novel can answer those niggling questions a curious person would never dream of asking. In this way, the romance genre is helping to educate and foster acceptance of alternative lifestyles or aspects of modern culture which tend to make mainstream people uneasy. After reading a story about a gay or lesbian couple, a reader might not choose that lifestyle for their own, but they might be more willing to be open minded with those who have.

            In some ways it is the open minded design of the romance genre that engenders the most distrust. Erotic romance novels have been called pornography for women (Lengyel). And romance authors rarely feel as though they are taken seriously by mainstreamers in the publishing field (Romance Writers of America). Yet in the end it all comes down to control over the flow of information. Those who have a desire to control the media available for their own use and their children’s use will inevitably decide that they want to have a hand in controlling what those around them are exposed to as well. The argument is that much of the material in Romance novels, Erotic Romance in particular, pushes the boundaries on what conservatives feel is appropriate. However, no society can operate for long in an environment where the conservative approval is the barometer for all things moral. Just as in the political arena, publishing must be a world where all viewpoints are given equal measure. And the industry does self regulate. Publishers maintain guidelines and strict policies about what is and what is not acceptable in a plot. The guidelines are often based upon certain cultural taboos or even legal statues which apply to the publishing company because of geographical location (Romance Writers of America).

            Another common argument against the Romance genre comes from those who believe readers will become somehow disillusioned with their own real life relationships after reading about the sometimes idyllic lives of fictional characters. Char Lengyal of the Houston Sex & Relationship Examiner feels this is a bogus notion, saying “My failed relationships have not ended because of a comparison to a non-existent, perfectly coiffed member of royalty. They’ve ended because I realized my partner at the time wasn’t meant for me.”

            Most of the arguments applied so vehemently against the Romance genre of literature could be used against any type of media available today. Indeed, since the first time a writer chose to step outside the boundaries of what was then considered ‘church sanctioned’, there have been those who disapprove. Yet writers like Samuel Richardson and Jane Austen persevered and were followed by new pioneers such as Kathleen E. Woodiwiss who helped to shape the Romance novel as it is today. Each successive generation of writers and readers is faced with the same opposition. And yet they have always chosen to continue reading what they like. Motoko observed that “Romance readers are considered among the most loyal fans, sticking to a series or an author once they have grown attached to one.” But in the end, the enduring quality in the Romance genre is the author’s desire to catalog and share culture and the reader’s desire to absorb and interpret it.

          

Works Cited

  

“About the Romance Genre.” RWA. 8 Mar. 2010.  

Atwood, Margaraet. “Fiction: Happy Endings.” Subjects/Strategies: A Writer’s Reader.            Ed. Paul Eschholz & Alfred Rosa. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999. 126-131.

Austen, Jane. Sense & Sensibility. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1996.

Diamond, Leslie. “The Flame & the Flower: Detailed Review”. 8 Mar. 2010.   

Lengyel, Char. “Romance novels vs. relationships”. Houston Sex & Relationships          Examiner. 16 Jun. 2009. 8 Mar. 2010. 

Motoko, Rich. “Recession Fuels Readers’ Escapist Urges.” New York Times Online. 7Apr. 2009. 8 Mar. 2010.

Norris, Tameka. “6 Reasons to Read Romance.” 8 Mar. 2010.            

Richardson, Samuel. Pamela; or Virtue Rewarded. New York: The Century Co. 1906.

Want a Side of Hypocrisy with Your Perfect Life?

I have now deleted the first sentence of this blog entry four different times. One would think that the appropriate course of action would be to log off, take some time, and then organize my thoughts before coming back and starting again. 

Nope, I think I'll just vomit what I'm trying to say right out there and see what happens. 

I've discovered that my true pet peeve in life is hypocrisy. I'm sure most of you are scratching your heads and going, "Well, duh!" But seriously, I'm not talking about the usual hypocrisy where the man in your life tells the children in your life that they're not allowed to eat or drink in the living room while simultaneously popping the top on a soda can and tossing back a few Pringles either. Although really, I mean REALLY?

The hypocrisy that really drives me crazy is the type that applies more directly to my writing life, my personal life, and the personal lives of the people in my personal life. Still think I'm raving mad? I'll give you an example:

Did you know- There are websites out there selling what they call Christian Sex Toys? They refer to them as *ahem* Marital Aids. Most are the exact same product you would find in your typical adult store, or on any other sex toy website. The difference? Sold by Christians to Christians while telling them that- "Of course they aren't doing anything dirty, they didn't look at pictures of naked people while purchasing their toys." And perhaps what gets me so agitated is not that a woman might prefer to purchase a vibrator without having to look at a picture of a perfectly airbrushed sex Goddess on the front of the package. What pisses me off is the people who purchase their 'marital aids' and then look down upon the rest of us who just go out and purchase a new effing vibrator! 

These are the same hypocrites that spent most of the Middle Ages running around putting fig leaves over the privates of every Greek sculpture they could find. It's just a newer breed. They're the prim and proper matrons who devour Inspirational Romance novels right before climbing up on their soap boxes and damning to the deepest pit of hell any secular romance novel because it gives people false expectations for relationships. 

The point is that everybody's sex life and what they choose to use or not use in it is THEIR business. What they choose to read or not read, whether its BDSM, m/m, f/f, m/f/m, f/m/f, or so erotically kinky that your panties are wet from page 5 to page 205, it's THEIR choice. We all have tastes, preferences, likes, dislikes, fetishes, and deep dark fantasies that we'd rather die than own up to. It's what makes this world interesting. 

So dammit-LIVE AND LET LIVE! And order fries on the side instead of the hypocrisy special...

Why Ask Why?

Do you ever sit at a stoplight and try to sneak a peak into the car beside you? Maybe the guy (or girl) is talking on the phone. You see a hand sweep upward and make a decisive motion or maybe they touch their face as though upset. OR- maybe the person in the car is jamming out to some good tunes and they're bopping back and forth with their head or playing air drums on the steering wheel. OR- even better, maybe there's a couple in the car. They're having an intense conversation. Why? Are they fighting? Discussing a serious problem with the kids, a job loss, financial stress, is one person accusing the other of cheating? 

It took me ages to realize that most people NEVER ask why. They don't look outside their sphere of existence and wonder what's going on in everyone else's life. In fact, they might argue that asking why is pretty much like being nosy about things that aren't your business. But that isn't how I see it. Being nosy would be obsessing over their particular situation and taking steps to find out who they were and what was happening with them. 

Nope, why is just a catalyst. Asking why makes your brain creak into action and start putting together possible scenarios. You begin to come up with ideas. And those ideas spawn other ideas, and THAT is how creativity sparks and stories are fabricated. 

So next time you sit at a stoplight, look around and see what's going on. You never know which car might hold the creative spark that'll explode into the next novel you read. 

Want Some Cheese with that Holiday Romance?

So, as I'm sitting here fiddling with a new idea for what will mostly likely develop into a holiday romance novel, I'm realizing how cheesy it all seems. I personally adore a good torrid holiday love affair complete with mistletoe, roasted chestnuts, and maybe a set of handcuffs under the tree. But I can also respect those readers who take one look at a half naked hottie in a Santa hat and roll their eyes with a resounding Puh-lease!

What then, is the difference between humorous and cheesy or dramatic and laughable when it comes to writing a holiday romance? 

I'm beginning to think it all has its roots in cliche. We don't want a story that reads like an X-rated version of 'A Christmas Carol' or 'The Polar Express'. We don't want to watch every Christmas stereotype prance across the page before declaring its undying love and then just stopping. Because really, what happens to these people after the holidays are over? Is there anything left? 

Instead I think you have to focus on the real feelings and emotions that seem to be attached to this iconic holiday season. Everyone has something along the lines of 'Christmas Baggage'. We're all carrying around expectations, anxiety, and family issues that somehow manage to monopolize our thoughts and feelings beginning shortly after Halloween. And THAT is where the story must come from. Not to say that all Holiday themed novels should focus on the typical family holiday squabble. But even a comedic storyline can have its roots in things like lost childhood, unfulfilled dreams, and anger resulting from Santa disillusionment.

Well holiday shoppers, its back to the creative think tank for me. Merry Christmas to all-And to all a good night!

A Chick shot down the 'Enterprise'

So you think there is no way in hell a woman can produce decent Sci-Fi. In fact, you're certain that women writers in general are sending the genre to hell. 

Pfffft!

Step into the modern world, my friend. Women in our world have come a long way since June Cleaver. We are tech savvy and wildly creative. And we enjoy a good game of "One Up My Gadget". 

In fact, some of our best 'gadgets' are kept in a bedside drawer and are more space age than poor June Cleaver could have ever imagined!

In the past, the misconception that women neither understood or cared about Science Fiction was due in part to the lack of accessible material in the genre. I know there are hard core Sci-Fi lovers out there (sorry Dad!) who are incensed at the idea of inserting some kind of romantic element into their futuristic world. But did we really think that futuristic societies went prude? And why must you have a PhD in Astrophysics to enjoy a good romp on another planet?

The thriving subculture of fanfiction is proof on any level that there are many rabid female Sci-Fi fans out there. One only has to type the word fanfiction and something like "Stargate", "Farscape", or "Pitch Black" into a web browser in order to have a bottomless supply of material to read. And that doesn't even delve into the titles available in bookstores and libraries. 

 

Of course, some women are still a bit iffy when they contemplate the purchase of a book sporting a description that includes life on a starship cruiser, most will take the plunge if the plot promises to be interesting. If the book is good, they might even decide the Sci-Fi genre is more to their taste than they initially thought. So, given that, I think it can be said that the romantic element in a Sci-Fi story might bring people into the genre that wouldn't have discovered it otherwise. 

Now to this nonsense that women can't write good Science Fiction...

It does not require a penis to understand the solar system, futuristic gadgetry, black holes, or to like Star Trek. It takes imagination. And, as my editor is always telling me, consistency. So if you still think women have no business writing Science Fiction, or if you harbor a dislike for the genre because you mistakenly think that Sci-Fi characters are robotic--read my latest New Release, Daggertail, and let me see if I can change your mind.

What Makes a Hero more than a Sandwich?

There is nothing better than a hero in a romance novel. The guy is always smokin' hot. He's never leaving the toilet seat up, kicking off his shoes at the front door, using your kitchen knives to work on the car or asking you to sniff the noxious results of his bodily functions. 

Heroes in romance novels always say and do the right thing. They're perfectly dressed, and if they aren't it's sexy anyway. Every other woman on the planet wants to be you as you sashay around town on his arm while he looks at no other boobs but yours. And whenever you need him he miraculously appears with a bottomless supply of strength and patience topped off with what must be either stellar credit or a serious trust fund. 

So why can't real guys be like the heroes we novelists are always creating? 

Because real guys don't follow a script. They don't do what you want or say what you want because they have brains all their own that don't seem to function in any semblance of sense. They talk when they should be silent and then clam up when you want to talk. Their personal habits rival those of some zoo animals and sometimes the diet of hamburgers and taco salads results in an increase in pants size. 

In fact, some marriage counselors believe that romance novels are doing damage to women's sense of reality. They claim that women are unable to accept the the shortcomings of real life men because they constantly feed their brains images of perfect heroes doing heroic deeds and never screwing up when they separate the laundry or fold the towels. 

I think women deserve a little more credit than that. 

We aren't deluded. We know our guys will never be hot vampires or sexy werewolves. We know they aren't cowboys or time traveling knights and lords. Most of the time they don't even qualify as the cute guy next door type. And really, most of us probably don't even wish that they were. 

Why not? 

Because they are our guys starring in our stories. And since life is really just what you make of it, why not pull out your favorite hot romance novel and read a few of the spicier excerpts to your guy and see if he doesn't put down the sandwich and become a hero.

To Pube or Not to Pube...

How many of us have significant others, whether they be spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, fiances, whatever, who do things that leave us with our mouths hanging wide open in horrified shock? I'll go out on a limb here and say everyone. It's a fact of life. In fact you cannot share your life with another human being and not find yourself in that dumbfounded state at least once while you watch your beloved do something that leaves you without words.

I'm not talking about drinking out of the milk container or forgetting to flush the toilet. I'm not even talking about putting a red stocking in with your tightie whities or putting your delicates in the washer on permanent press. 

No, I'm talking about the disgusting stuff. Those vile personal habits that ensure a gross out of epic proportions. The ones that really violate the boundary between amusing and "Ewww!"

Which brings me back around to my significant other's recent transgression. My dear, loving husband of thirteen years who still acts like a high school boy bent on grossing out his latest crush. And succeeding. 

Three days ago as I'm blow drying my hair after a shower, he asks me how his hair looks. Now, it's been ten years or more since that man has had enough hair on his head to even consider the need for styling. But I wasn't thinking about that when I turned around to find him running my hair brush through the hair growing in the general vicinity of his groin.

Unlike some people, I'm perfectly willing to admit that I have a few hangups. I'm a little bit on the OCD side though I don't think I'd go so far as to claim a Type A personality. For the most part I'm fairly easy to get along with. I don't like clutter, (who really does?) I constantly redecorate, re-accessorize, and rearrange my space, and I have a serious vendetta against germs.

Now I'm not a germaphobe. I'm really not. I do not carry a hip holster full of antibacterial gel. I don't wash my hands after every possible bit of contact with the outside world. And I certainly don't wear a mask. I'm a chronic horse lover! There are tons of germs in a barn and there is most certainly more than 'just dirt' on my boots at the end of the day.

But barn germs aren't people germs. Most especially they aren't the type of personal hygiene germs that drive me insane. Which brings me back to the violation of my hairbrush.

I was outraged. What woman would not have been outraged? The man was using my hairbrush to comb his pubes. And I don't know. Maybe I overreacted when I threw the offended hairbrush in the garbage amid a whole page worth of angry dialog aimed in his direction. But I didn't want to imagine brushing my hair and tangling his short curlies in with my long straighties. There is just something so wrong about that visual picture. 

The bottom line is that he has now officially declared my reaction to be an overreaction. And considering some of my personal hangups, maybe it was. So help me out here. Tell me if you think I was overreacting. Is there any coming back from a hairbrush that was once used on pubes? And whether or not you think I was out of line, I'm sure you've got a tale to tell about someone who stepped over the line in your life.