When people come over and see my Romance shelf, thirty linear feet of books, they ooh and ah over how many I have accumulated. I’m more impressed by the effort that the authors put into writing them and then getting them to market.
Why Read Romance?
For me, Romance novels provide a pleasant escape from the real world and allow me to luxuriate in a world where life is somehow less complicated and everything is much more idealized. I tend to read more historical romances than contemporaries because the slower lifestyle (even if there were different hardships to endure) appeals more.
The Historical Romances also provide a further escape from the reality of my life in suburbia, complete with the minivan with two kids in the back. In the novels, the heroines have the luxury of only worrying about their own schedule, needs, hopes and dreams. They aren’t required to do the thinking for several other people in their households.
Why Write Romance?
I’ve also been missing a creative outlet in my life lately and the urge to write has grown strong again. I don’t know if my motives are pure, but I’d like to give it a go and see what kinds of stories I have in me to tell. I’m interested in exploring the themes of love, romance and human relations through my characters. I’m looking forward to some of the things they can teach me about love and myself along the way.
I know I still have a lot of growing to do as a writer, but I’m in this for the long haul.