There’s always a certain amount of anxiety that goes along with being first in anything, and it’s no different whether you’re the first one to write an entry in a blog, or the first one to stick your hand in a cobwebby, crumbling “Insert Hand Here to Access Golden Idol” hole in a hidden Mayan temple.
Well, OK, probably the hand volunteer would take the Most Anxious title, but considering the stress we writers can put on ourselves to not only perform, but perform well, maybe not. Since this blog promises to be a fun, interesting look at all sorts of aspects concerning romantic novels, I won’t dwell on the things that may or may not happen if you stick your hand in a cobwebby, crumbling “Insert Hand Here” hole, and instead muse over the very first romance I read.
I came late to romance reading, but I’ve always been a romantic at heart, so I gravitated naturally to authors like Elizabeth Peters who combined so well mystery with a smidgen of romance. One day (after I had written my own romantic historical mystery), I decided that I wanted to write a straight romance. One with (gasp) love scenes. Since I’d never read a romance, I grabbed the biggest one I could find at my nearby bookstore—that book was Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.
Outlander had an impact on me in two significant ways—the first was that I argued with the author the entire way through the book (I would reach a spot in a chapter and tell my dogs, “No! That is so not what I’d do! What Jamie needs is a dark-haired American named Katie! And he should be naked a whole lot more often!”), but the second, and more profound, was that it made me fall madly in love with the idea of a book devoted to a love story.
I spent the next six month reading literally hundreds of romances. I wallowed in them. I would come home from bookstores with my arms laden to the point where my husband started making pointed references to a handy service he’d heard of called a library (I ignored him—I couldn’t merely borrow books I knew I was going to want to read over and over and over again). I joined the RWA. I went to my first conference. And with each passing day, the beauty of the genre that is romance sank deep into my psyche and struck up a sympathetic chord.
Today, after having written twenty-five romances, and with what seems like a gazillion more stories rattling around in my head, I’m just as smitten with the romance genre as I was when I finally closed the cover to Outlander. I don’t understand people who sneer at the idea of a romance novel (who doesn’t want to relive the wonderful feelings of being in love?), but I’m willing to concede that perhaps the happiness that a well-written romance can bring is not everyone’s cup of tea.
I still think Jamie would be better off with someone named Katie, though…
No related posts.
Katie, that was great! It’s wonderful to see the site launch. I can tell already I’ll be stopping by here every day!
It’s hard to believe that not everyone loves romances…I think it’s because they just don’t know what they’re missing.
They don’t understand that there’s something about a good romance that soothes the soul and makes the world right again, even for just a few hours!
Yay for the launch of Romancing the Blog. Great start Katie! I’ll keep all my sordid comments about being first and popping cherries to myself
Great job, Katie!! You’re a groundbreaker! Romancing the blog is where it’s at!
Great job Katie! LOL at husband’s reference to the library. I sooooo understand that. DH still doesn’t get why I’ve bought five copies of Heaven, Texas. But every time I loan a copy out, it disappears. I HAVE to get a new one!
What is this library your husband speaks of? *wink*
What a fantastic way to start us off! Loved the column, Katie.
Actually, I was always pretty sure Jamie needed an Alison!!
Hooray! Romancing the Blog is launched!
I feel sorry for those who sneer at romance – they’re missing so much. And their sneering does not diminish me, or what I’m trying to achieve.
Great post, Katie.
Yay! Congratulations on being first and on the launch of a great new venture!
Great article. I love her to death, but my mom is one of those people that hate romances. I found this out after I wrote my first one.
She prefers unhappy endings or what she calls realistic ones. 
It was at that moment I realized we don’t live in the same world. We simply visit each other. (wg)
Thanks for toughing it out and being the ‘first’ to blog here, Katie. Enjoyed your launch post very much!
I remember my first romance–Linda Howard’s Mackenzie’s Mission. I fell in love with Joe…and fell in love with the romance genre. Thanks for reminding me, Katie, and thanks for giving us a stellar first post!
“I’m willing to concede that perhaps the happiness that a well-written romance can bring is not everyone’s cup of tea.”
That’s gracious of you. I’d say that some people just like to be miserable
Great article!
I’m with you on Jamie being better off with Katie:razz:
Love what you’re doing here….I’ll be back!
Great column, Katie! I read my first romance novel when I was 13 and have loved the genre ever since.
Hmm… I can’t actually remember which was the first romance novel I read. I’d venture a guess it wasn’t until my junior year of college when I roomed with a girlfriend who brought them in by the grocery-bag-full. Up until then, I read almost exclusively science fiction and fantasy. Now I think I just read a little bit of everything and try to enjoy them all for that writer-reader transaction.
Congrats, Katie – on a lovely start!
Great (inaugural) article Katie!
Katie,
I fell in love with romance the same way! I read a million of them, all stashed under my cousin’s bed, when I was in my teens. I remember she had paperbags filled with romances and she gave me tons of them to take home. I was hooked from then on.
When people tell me that they don’t understand why I write, read and love romance, I tell them it’s very simple: I believe in the power of love, family and commitment. And romance reaffirms all of those beliefs for me every time.
Great site! So psyched to see it launching!
Shirley
“And with each passing day, the beauty of the genre that is romance sank deep into my psyche and struck up a sympathetic chord.”
*sighs* You said it perfectly. An awesome post, Katie, and a great launch for the site! Thank you:grin:
My first romance was Virginia Henley’s “Wild Hearts.” I read it then promptly read it again.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Bravo, Katie!
And Happy Launch Day, all!
My first romances were the Calder Series by Janet Dailey, snuck out of my mother’s room. I was hooked!
Well done, Katie! Terrific first post! I’m incredibly ancient, so the first romance novel I read was probably a classic Mills and Boon category by someone like Denise Robins, picked up when I worked in a public library in the late ’60s. I distinctly remember a story about a ’society’ osteopath…
Great kick off!!
Great post! I’m late getting out here but I finally made it. And Jamie is one of my all time fav heros!
Great 1st column. Now for the big question. I only count 20 books, of which I can’t get to 3 because they are not out yet. What are the other 5 books??? How did I miss these?????
Love it, Katie! The first romances that had any impact on me were Janelle Taylor’s FIRST LOVE, WILD LOVE and Johanna Lindsey’s LOVE ONLY ONCE. I still read and reread those books. Oh, and about Jamie Fraser? You got the hair color right, but she should have been named Lynn, not Katie.
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