Every time my RTB column comes due, I flail around trying to come up with a subject. Right now, I’m flailing harder than ever, because everywhere I look, the news is so dark. The economy, politics, war, the state of oil and rising costs of everything. Burma. Tragedies and crises.
How can I say something light and frothy at a time like this? I can’t. I’m worried about a lot of things. I’m worried about the world my kids are inheriting. Worried about my kids. Worried about the kids in Burma who are not being reached by aid.
Yet, when things look dark, that’s when we need light. When times are tough, curling up with a book that reinforces hope is invaluable. Characters in romance novels face worries and dark moments, and come through them. Throughout world history, the human race has faced countless challenges, and individuals have found ways to triumph.
If we all give up, things won’t get better. If I sit around wringing my hands, I won’t do anything to add light to the world. If the world is going to be a better place, it starts with an individual hanging on to hope and retreating from time to time to a place where hope is nurtured, so it isn’t extinguished by the next day’s round of dark and heavy news.
I think that romance can be a place to go to recover from the crises and tragedies that surround us, to find hope again, and to come back ready to face it all and find solutions. Romance is always important, but maybe it’s even more important in dark times. Romance is very human literature, focused on people and emotions and individuals overcoming difficulties and finding happiness. There are life lessons to be found in the ways heroes and heroines triumph, and maybe the most important one is to believe every problem has a solution - however dark things may appear.
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by Writers Blog » Blog Archive » I’m at RTB today May 14th, 2008 at 6:09 amI just read a news story about an American soldier and an Iraqi lady finding love and all the trials and tribulations they went through to marry.
Do American women have any idea how easy they’ve got it? I don’t think so! Hug your babies, ladies. Show your exhausted husband how much you appreciate him. Anybody can have sex and that’s fun, but lovemaking transforms ordinary people into extrordinary human beings. 
by Kimber An May 14th, 2008 at 8:56 amI agree, Charli, it can be tough. But you know, times have been tough before in the world, and I think of escapist movies during WWII and how people are craving positives. Perhaps as writers it doesn’t motivate us to write “light and fluffy,” but a good romance is about overcoming obstacles, as you say. During these times I pick my media sources very carefully too, usually reverting to newspapers.
by Ciar Cullen May 14th, 2008 at 9:10 amCiar, I have no trouble writing light and fluffy fiction.
That’s pretty much all that comes out. It’s the columns here where I feel like I have to say something relevant.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 9:42 amKimber An, how nice to hear about a happy ending!
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 9:43 amCharlene I agree with you. When my sister-in-law, who was living a decades long Romance story with my brother-in-law, died last year, my way of dealing with it was to immerse myself into a re-read of Stephanie Laurens Cynsters series. I think, in a way, I was trying to recapture my belief in an HEA that her death proved doesn’t really exist in real life.
by BevQB May 14th, 2008 at 10:38 amBev, I think in real life the best we can do is “happily for now”.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 10:58 amWhat a beautiful way to look at romance! My DH has been overseas numerous times (military and work) and reading romance was my escape from reality when I truly couldn’t stand to turn on the news for fear of seeing someone I knew.
And Kimber, thanks for sharing that story! I love happy endings like that
by Katie Reus May 14th, 2008 at 12:19 pmWonderful words of wisdom, Charli! That’s what is so great about romance novels. In the end there’s always hope.
by Jordan May 14th, 2008 at 12:37 pmCharlene, I’m so glad you wrote about this. You echoed my own feelings these days with all that’s going on in the world.
I work for an international charity and it’s very tough all over with rising fuel and food prices. And I’m always amazed and humbled by people who give, even when they themselves are in dire need.
I read and write romance because I need my HEA. Someone told me I read and write trash because romance is trash. This person had never picked up a romance novel, just made a judgement .
I told her romance is about love and with all the hate and misery in the world, we all could use a little more love.
by Bonnie Vanak May 14th, 2008 at 12:50 pmKatie, what an awful stress. It’s so hard when friends and family are deployed. Romance novels are a welcome respite.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 1:29 pmJordan, when times are tough I’m far more likely to reach for Harlequin and avoid suspense, thrillers, etc.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pmBonnie, the world could use a little more love. And donating to charity doesn’t hurt, either. If romance is trash, call me Oscar.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 1:32 pmRomance is always my comfort read, and I like to think I might be providing a little bit of comfort to someone else to by writing it. I think as a society we sometimes underrate the value of comfort.
by KateHewitt May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pmBev, it seems to me your sister-in-law did prove Happily Ever After does exist in Real Life. You said she was living a decades old Romance with your brother-in-law and then she passed away. This is where the ”Til death do us part’ clause comes in. She did have her HEA and then she passed away. Such is the normal course of life. Otherwise, widows and widowers would have no hope and would eventually pass away lonely in their beds.
by Kimber An May 14th, 2008 at 6:04 pmKate, you don’t underrate comfort when you find yourself in need of it.
by Charlene Teglia May 14th, 2008 at 7:29 pmI find it interesting that talking about love is light and frothy while talking about hate is “serious” and somehow more worthy.
Why is love so undervalued?
It is the MOST important thing in life.
Oh, and on that topic, why are tears given more weight than laughter?
Too many questions. LOL. My brain is going to explode.
by Kimber Chin May 15th, 2008 at 11:21 am