The Romance Reviews

Tuesday 22 December 2009

My Hopeless Addiction to Romance

I openly admit that I am addicted to romance books. Since the age of fifteen when I began reading romance they’ve been my favorite genre. That is not to say that my reading is limited to just love stories. No. I have to admit that there are great horror stories, westerns, biographies, etc out there that I’ve read that have nothing to do with romance. But really, isn’t it romance that makes our world go around and around? And isn’t it romance that great songs and movies are made of? Don’t we all wish to experience that all inspiring passion at least just once?


If you don’t like romance that is fine, but don’t assume the attitude that romance is less than other genres. At a writer’s conference this past summer I introduced myself to the four other people sitting at my table. I was eager to meet other writers. I found out that they were all from the same town and had driven from out of state together to attend the conference. They wrote poetry and were actually in a poetry group together. I like poetry and read it and I told the group that. We were all sitting and chatting being friendly when the lady sitting to my immediate right asked me what I wrote. “Oh, I write romance,” I replied. This lady immediately got a sour look on her face. She haughtily tilted her chin and looked down the length of her nose at me. “I have never read that type of book nor would I write it,” she stated and then she sniffed. I kid you not. She sniffed!

Completely stunned by her rudeness and for a moment speechless, I felt the heat of my embarrassment rise as I looked around the table at the other poetry writers. They ducked their heads.


Why you old biddy, I thought as my temper soared.


Turning back to the lady, I asked as sweetly as I could, “Are you published?” “No,” she replied. “Well I am!” I snapped and then I—Oh, no, you didn’t, you are thinking. Yes, I did and I hate to admit to it—I tilted my chin, looked down my nose at her and I sniffed! (Not my proudest moment) In hindsight of this lady's rudeness, I realized that I should have just responded with "Well that's too bad," and left it at that.


Later that day, the speaker in one of the workshops I attended talked about romance writing. She told the group that if they thought that writing romance was easy to think again. It is hard and yes, there is a story to tell. I was glad to see the poetry writers sitting two rows ahead of me. The gentleman sitting beside me who knew that I wrote romance leaned over toward me and smiled as he teased, “So your stories are not just kissy, kissy, you actually have a plot.” I had to laugh. Yes, my stories have a plot, but within my stories there is always, always a budding romance.


Have a very Merry Christmas, everyone and may you always have romance in your heart. I hope this next year brings you all that you wish for.


To visit Zequeatta's website go to http://www.zequeattajaques.com/

18 comments:

Lindsay Townsend said...

Super post, Zequeatta! I, agree with you - romance is very hard to write and is looked down on by too many fellow writers. I hope those snooty fellows at your table were ashamed of themselves.
I adore romance. I also love other genres and I don't feel compelled to put other genes down.
Isn't it a shame that some folks are so mean-spirited?

Zequeatta Jaques said...

Thanks, Lindsay. Hopefully the lady went home and bought a romance.

Unknown said...

Zequetta--loved your story! I can identify--I just wrote a guest blog and sent it off to LASR--title: In Defense of Romance Novels. It begins with a conversation I had in the library with a mere acquaintance when she saw a romance novel in my hand. "Do you read THAT STUFF," she asked. Well, I don't have a lot of nerve face-to-face, so I wrote an imaginary conversation I SHOULD have had with her. Wimpy me. Ewww.Thanks--Celia

Zequeatta Jaques said...

Thanks, Celia. I will have to go to LASR and read your blog. I personally think that more people should read Romance. They would be happier! lol

Unknown said...

Oh--my blog won't be up until Jan. 11. I like to do everything early.
But I hope you can read it. Celia

Jan Bowles said...

Zequetta I loved your post. I'm so glad you managed to get your point across.

What would we do without romance. Even men (and I've met a few), they're hopeless romantics though they just won't admit it, as easily.
Jan

Anonymous said...

Hi, Jan. Thank you. Yes, men can be very romantic and don't we love them for it.

Zequeatta Jaques said...

LOL!! I accidentally posted before I signed my name. Iam Anonymous. And Celia, make sure to remind everyone when your blog is posted Jan 11th.

LK Hunsaker said...

Zequetta! I'm chuckling at your response to her and am GLAD you did. It's funny that they can't even make a horror movie (and any other genre) that doesn't involve some kind of romance, and like you said, everyone wants romance, but it's so looked-down-on. It makes no sense. I think they too often confuse romance with erotica, although, really, even if you don't read erotica, you want at least some of it in your life, right? ;-)

Zequeatta Jaques said...

I don't read erotica, but-well.... You are so right! lol.

Jane Richardson said...

Well done, Zequeatta! Same attitudes here in the UK, I'm afraid. How silly people are! It's crazy to assume that an entire genre of writing has any less worth than another, isn't it? If they only knew.....!

Jane x

Zequeatta Jaques said...

How true, Jane. I have read many romances and there are some great stories out there.

Linda Banche said...

Good for you, Zeaqueatta. I believe that if someone is rotten to you, you should be just as rotten back. Not that I am--I'm a wimp. I wish I had your nerve.

I think it's time for us to stop apologizing for romance.

Teresa Medeiros has an answer for people who make nasty comments about romance being junk (I may have part of this wrong): "Oh, so you don't like a story about two people who make a commitment to each other and have a happily ever after?" My addition would be: look down your nose at them and say "I feel sorry for you."

Merry Christmas

Zequeatta Jaques said...

Thanks Linda, but I did feel bad after my response. It usually takes a lot to make me mad, however her attitude just went all over me that day.

Chelle Cordero said...

Hi Zequetta, I am late checking in here but blame it on Internet connectivity problems...

I thin that your response was right on. Considering that romance, in all of its genres, sells more than 5 times as many as any other genre, let folks be as snooty as they want. We know are books are good and obviously there are a lot of people who agree.

Great blog.

Zequeatta Jaques said...

Thank you, Chelle. Our books are good aren't they!

Savanna Kougar said...

Hi Zequeatta, I've had big internet connectivity problems, too!

Your blog is SO on target, as is everyone's comments.

One reason I believe the romance genre and subgenres are 'put down' is because 'the feminine' has been considered less than, and, thus, rommance... that is, according to all of my studies on this subject.

Not the only reason, of course.

Zequeatta Jaques said...

Thanks Savanna, and I believe you are right about "the feminine" aspect.