What assumptions and judgments do you make about romance novels and their readers?
I used to assume they were both shallow and low value for intellectual growth. Not sure I had much judgment, thankfully, and I no longer harbor these wildly wrong assumptions. I have attempted to explain on this blog and in conversations how and why I value this genre so deeply, so unexpectedly. I’m still processing, still allowing it to transform me in the best and most bonding ways, still seeking the words to express it all.
Sierra Simone has relieved me of that last burden. She has released her Misadventures collection in a new, single bound edition. It will be my fifth ever romance print purchase, all because of her Letter to Readers. In it, she explains the value of romance better than I ever could. I took screen snips of the Amazon text sample from the letter, to share here and document my endorsement. It just makes me beyond joyous that writers feel more and more brave, safe, and validated to express these deep, universally human stirrings. Their expressions resonate with, summon, and connect to that profound inner sense and knowing that our culture would sooner have us conceal and repress.
No more, we can say. BOOBS OUT, All In, Own It.
Onward, my friends. This is very healthy movement.
Healing Through Connection 
This was very timely for me, Cathy. I just finished reading Katherine Center’s latest book, Hello Stranger, about a woman dealing with sudden onset face blindness. It’s also a light and funny romance. I’ve enjoyed several of her books. In the Author’s Note at the end of this one, Center has this to say, explaining why she writes the books she writes:
“All stories have an emotional engine that drives them. Mysteries run on curiosity. Thrillers run on heart-thumping adrenaline. Horror stories run on fear. And the fuel for those emotional engines is anticipation. We piece the clues together and predict what’s going to happen, and we feel emotions—sometimes very strong ones—about what we’re predicting. Stories use different scenarios in different ways to create that anticipation, but most novels use a fair bit of what’s called negatively valenced anticipation. A sense of worry. A concern that things might get worse. …. But guess what kind of anticipation romance novels use? Positively valenced. Romance novels, rom-coms, nontragic love stories—they all run on a blissful sense that we’re moving toward something better. Percentage-wise, the majority of clues writers drop in romance novels don’t give you things to dread. They give you things to look forward to.”
Center’s novels aren’t all sunshine and lollipops. Bad things happen. But there’s always a sense that good things are coming. I had never thought about negative and positive valencing before, but it rings true to me. I don’t especially like thrillers or horror stories (books or movies), because I don’t like that feeling of adrenaline primed negative anticipation. I do love mysteries, but I see them as offering both negative and positive anticipation. I know the mystery will be solved and the good guy(s) will prevail. And rom-com, romance, and much of so-called women’s fiction offers a positive view of the world—at a time when we can use all the positivity we can get.
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Donna! Thank you so much for this awesome comment and information! It all rings so true and I’m so sorry for my delayed reply.
This really helps me think about my own book, too, even though it’s non-fiction. My drive for writing it and connecting with readers is absolutely an ’emotional engine’–the way I see it, I want to be in the mindset as I write that I wish for readers when when they read (or listen, if I could ever make it an audiobook, OMG!)… That will give me the best chance at my highest dream outcome… And it excites me to write! All of this diverse immersion, I realize at this moment, has really helped to integrate writing in general, and fiction/non-fiction in new and deeper ways! HOOORAAAAAAYY!! Thank you thank you for helping me see it! xoxo
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Put my request in at the library. They have 2 and I am the first on hold.
Patty R
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Oooo can’t wait to hear what you think/feel!! 😃
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