Romancing the Blog | Romance Authors and Readers Who Blog

Romancing The Blog launched on Tuesday, January 5, 2005, with a post by Katie MacAlister. Nearly five years and over 1500 posts later, the team of volunteer “Kates” has decided to put RTB on hiatus. If things go as planned, RTB will return mid-year with a new look, a new mission, new management, and even more insight into the romance industry. But for now, we say good-bye.

Over the years, we’ve brought you posts by readers, editors, agents, reviewers, academics, librarians, published and aspiring authors, professionals in publicity and Web design, and you, our readers, through our Open Blog Night program. We’ve worked hard to have genre-related posts for our visitors to read every weekday morning, and many weekends, too, whether posts on the craft of writing, living a writer’s life, managing To Be Read mountains, approaching agents at conferences, querying editors, book piracy, what readers want and don’t want, promotion, historical accuracy, covers, DRM, ad infinitum.

We invite you to check out our nearly five years worth of posts–by columnist or by date–and catch up on anything you may have missed while we take our much needed break. There’s a wealth of information stored in our archives, and the site will remain online with the posts accessible. Thank you for your support over the years, your participation, and your thought provoking discussions. We hope to be back soon.

Today is the official release date of my new book, THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about today, so that’s what I’m writing about.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted to Facebook that every time one of my books arrives on my doorstep for the first time, it feels like the scene at the end of Back to the Future, when the proper timeline has been restored and the father is a writer, and he opening a box of his books. He’s glossy and happy, his wife is chipper and well-tended. The father is a writer, so all is right with the world.

That’s how it feels to me, every time. I never get over it. The package lands on my doorstep, usually delivered by FedEx in a brown envelope from my editor. And there, in its own cover, is a book that I wrote, a book that contains words arranged in the order I put them in, a book about people and situations that came out of my head over a period of a year or more. Every time, it is a miracle. A wonderment. A reason for great celebration. Somehow, against all the odds, I became a writer. Wow.

And each book, like each child, is unique and beloved for its own reasons. None of them are perfect, but I love them anyway. I love THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING partly because of the main character, Tessa, who is a strong, proud woman who has one of my fantasy jobs: she’s a hiking tour leader. I’m a big hiker, but I could never lead a tour, and I am quite aware of the freak accidents nature can deliver. Tessa knows, too, and that’s what lands her in Los Ladrones, where she is trying to piece together a mystery in her own life.
The book is brimming with breakfast, centered as it is around The 100 Breakfasts Café. My favorite meal is breakfast, and it was a rich pleasure to test all the recipes. You might enjoy testing them, too.

I also love her father, Sam, who is—in my mind—Sam Elliot as an old surfer who loves his daughter but has some things he needs to own up to. Sam lives on the beach and makes margaritas for a living and believes your dogs reincarnate all of your life, like little dog angels to keep you company through the ups and downs in your life.

Come to that, I love the dogs in The Secret of Everything. There are six of them, one of whom is my own Sasha, 17 years old and half-blind but still kicking. One is a border collie members of my family will recognize immediately.

Finally, the other two people I’m thinking of in this book are Vince, the widowed father of three daughters, an ex-pro mountain biker (yes, he says that ironically) now turned search and rescue in the mountains of New Mexico. He’s as sane as milk and sexy as chocolate and very protective of his daughter Natalie, a baby foodie with a fierce will and a lot of anger.

I’m thinking about the eagerness I feel to complete the circle, to finally be able to continue the conversation—begun in my mind, now continuing on to readers. I hope you’ll join me—take my hand.

Wow, thanks. Good to meet you. Let’s go eat, shall we? I’ve got the bacon.

The end of the year, that is. I cannot believe 2009 is coming to a close when it seems like it just began.

2009 has been a productive year certainly: I’ve read 89 books.

While that’s not a lot for some, I’m pretty proud of the accomplishment, considering all the other hats I wear (wife, mother, full-time job outside the home, editor).  This is the most books I’ve read since I began keeping track in 2006.  And I have a lot of books I’m already looking forward to, at least 8 in January alone. 

Of course, for every 5 good books I’ve read, there’s always one or two that makes me want to pull my hair out.  Be it flip-flopping POV or plot threads that come out of left field or even conclusions that make me say “Huh?”.   Those are the books I don’t finish, and I never keep track of them.  Then there are the books I’m so excited to read, only to find I’m not engaged once I complete the first chapter.

Still, I’m looking forward to 2010, if only to see how many books I can read by year’s end.  Happy reading, and a Happy New Year!!!

I love these sleepy days between Christmas and New Years. I sleep late, nosh on leftovers, cook soda bread, watch movies with my kids, take Thing Two out sledding, run at the gym with Thing One, marveling at his new speed. (Two years ago, he pushed himself to keep up with me; now he laps me, gunning for a spot on the track team in the spring.) Thanks to my wife, I have a hundred movies ready to watch on Roku and instant access to what feels like endless music; thanks to me, we have a lovely bottle of 100-proof Rittenhouse Rye to sip while I mull over possible resolutions.

The one that’s got me dithering, albeit in a peaceful, late-afternoon way, has to do with blogging.

I started my first blog, mostly about teaching and poetry, back in April, 2005. A month later, I started a second one, focused on Jewish topics. I was on leave at the time, and had the time to write for both of them–they put me in touch with old friends, got me thinking about new topics, and generally let me keep my mind active without having to limit myself to a specific, publishable project. Back in ‘06, I founded Teach Me Tonight, a collaborative blog for some of us academics who work on romance fiction; that one was intended to make sure that other newbies to the field wouldn’t feel as isolated as I had, starting out.

Five years on, though? Well, Laura Vivanco carries Teach Me Tonight, publishing brilliant work there, and a few collaborators post now and then on my Big Jewish Blog. Mostly, though, my own blog has gone silent, and I’m not sure whether I should vow to bring it back, next year, or let it go.

As I look ahead to the New Year, I have plenty to be excited about. I’ve added some new romances to my syllabus–Victoria Dahl is in the roster this winter, for the first time, and in the spring I’ll have brand-new books by Laura Kinsale and Ann Herendeen to read alongside my students. I’m wrapping up some overdue projects, and really feel like writing again for the first time in ages. But the writing I feel like doing? Essays, not blog posts. Books, maybe, even. Will blogging help them along, or just distract me, slow me down?

Ah, well–it’s only the 28th! No need to make up my mind just yet. I’m going to log off, curl up with a some sherry and Sherry Thomas (I’m sipping my way through Delicious), and let this decision simmer a little.

Are there any blogs you’ve read for years? If so, what keeps them fresh for you–or, if you write one, what keeps it fresh for you as a blogger?

As we close in on the big day where the hustle and bustle has us frantic to choose the “perfect” gift for those we love, and sometimes for those we tolerate, I just wanted to remind all of you that books make very good gifts. Here are my top reasons that books are great multi-purpose gifts:

With a book…

1. Someone can plan their ultimate vacation—find them a beautiful picturebook about Africa, Hawaii, Australia… pair it with a Guide book and let them dream.
2. A child can learn to read—see the excitement in their eyes as they sound out that first word in the phonic book(s) you gave them. That’s joy right there.
3. You can help a cook diversify their menu or learn to boil water. They can make fabulous chocolate treats for you from that “all chocolate, all the time” cookbook. And that makes it a gift for you too!
4. A friend can find their roots (that’d be ancestors, not hair—although you can probably find a book about hair roots too!) This may take more than one book, but all the better.
5. You can gift the gift of an exotic pet without the mess, breaking any laws or putting them in danger. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
6. You may be able to indicate to your smelly co-worker that in fact bathrooms are modern day fixtures and s/he need not be afraid of being sucked down the drain.
7. Your price point goes from fairly little to extremely high and you can generally always find something to fit your budget.
8. There is love, heartbreak, thrills, chases, romance and knowing that in the end the bad guy will be caught and love will be found. Give a romance and guarantee a happy ending.

There are likely as many reasons that books are great gifts, as there are genres of romance. For me, I always give books. For every birthday party my children attend they give a “cool” toy/gadget or whatever and the recipient will always a book snuggled alongside.

Books are versatile and can take you to worlds you’ve never seen and may never see. They can transport you. They can teach you. They can heal you.

So, if you still have a few last minute gifts to grab, may I suggest a book. They also make perfect stocking stuffers! Santa loves books.

Happy Holidays to all!

One of the most interesting and appealing reasons why I love living in America is due to the diversity. At the end of the year we have Ramadan, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, and each celebrates the melting pot that is our American heritage. Also, I find it amusing to know that on Christmas day, one part of the country is covered in snow, another part is flooded with rain, and some parts are sunny and temperate. But the best part, sappy though it may sound, is how the holiday cheer brings people somewhat close, and in a time where people from Iran to Ghana to Canada can exchange holiday greetings with one another, times are quite wonderful. Best of all, no matter how difficult life may be, or the struggles this year brought, I can always crack open a good romance novel and sink into the story of two difficult, frail human beings who discover the power of love.

In many aspects of my life, I’m a patient person. I can wait for cookies to cool so they don’t burn my mouth. I can buy clothes off season, knowing it’ll be months before I wear them. I can put that bottled sauce in the pantry for use one day when I’m in a rush.

For some reason, this doesn’t apply to romance novels.

When I buy a book, I often don’t even make it out of the store before I start reading. It drives the hubby crazy because he knows once I’ve found a book I like, I’ll read to the exclusion of everything else. Luckily, I speed read so that wait isn’t long.

That’s why I normally buy novels as needed (no massive To Be Read pile for me). That is also why I love eBooks with the instant and unlimited access to novels. I don’t need to hoard books. I can buy a book at three in the morning.

And that is why the holiday season is a stressful time for me.

You see, I’m a lucky gal. I have quite a few friends and family members. They all know I’m a romance reader. They tend to give me what I love… romance novels. I already have a building romance novel pile. On the 25th, I suspect that pile will become a mountain.

I want to read them all… NOW and AT THE SAME TIME. That’s impossible. I’ve never been able to read more than one book at a time. I mix up plots and names. I’d have the space traveling warrior Ral from Laurann Dohner’s Ral’s Woman (LOVED this story) romancing Regency miss Lady Nicole Daughtry from Kasey Michaels’ How To Tame A Lady. Not a good scene. Spaceships and the ton don’t mix well.

So I’ll have to make some tough decisions. I’ll have to decide which novel to read first. Last year, I divided the pile without looking at the titles and gave my hubby a stack to hide from me. I still had to decide on the order of that smaller pile but it didn’t create as much anxiety.

I know there are some readers out there with massive TBR piles. I’m begging you for advice. How do you decide the order? Do you read the first book received first? Do you order them alphabetically? Are you a random reader? What is your technique?

In a romance, before you show me the love, you gotta show me the conflict. The HEA only means something if the hero and heroine have to work hard for it. Never is this effort more apparent than when they physically clash during a confrontation in the opening chapter of a story (e.g., they are military soldiers defending a territory or are on a mission of some kind).

Whenever I encounter a physical fight scene between the hero and heroine, I have a number of reactions. The first is awe upon witnessing a heroine who is skilled in the use of weapons and hand-to-hand combat. The second is a sense of empowerment as I usually root for the heroine to win because I’m eager to see how she’d outwit a more physically powerful opponent. The third is anticipation—I relish the tension of being unsure about who will be victorious. This is especially delicious when the hero is not ridiculously out of proportion to the heroine’s size and I can be assured of a fight between equally matched warriors.

Recently, I read two books that featured intense physical fisticuffs between the hero and heroine. The first was Nathalie Gray’s AGENT PROVOCATEUR. The second was C.J. Barry’s UNMASKED. Both stories feature depictions of intense, unflinchingly portrayed fight scenes between the hero and heroine. Not only that, but they continue to express conflict through physical altercations well after they first meet. I enjoyed the consistency of such characterization because it carried the conflict through to future scenes rather than just being a story complication. Plus, especially in the case of action adventure science fiction romance stories, I’d expect that when the story calls for combat, an author will depict it with a certain level of no-holds-barred realism.

Naturally, some of the physical entanglements in the above stories gave rise to sexual tension. I enjoyed that aspect as well, but what really interests me about physical combat between heroes and heroines is the fact that it shows what’s at stake and how far the characters are willing to go to protect what’s important to them. Also, when they start fighting each other, their whole relationship is at stake. I mean, what’s more nail-biting for a reader than the threat of the hero or heroine seriously injuring or even killing his/her One True Love? For me, therein lies the true appeal: Can they find a non-violent way to resolve their conflict so we can all enjoy their HEA?

That’s my take. What are your thoughts about heroes and heroines who engage in physical combat with each other? What elements contribute to an effective portrayal of such fight scenes? Can you recommend other romances featuring these types of encounters?

This post was submitted by Heather Massey.

(Author’s note: My use of the term “man” only refers to characteristics of many men that I know, and one in particular whom I live with, and not all men in general.  Likewise my use of the term “novelist”.  Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual circumstances, say for example what has happened in my house in the past couple of weeks, is purely coincidental.  Maybe.)

Novelist: I’m not sure this novel I’m writing is going in the right direction.

Man: Uh oh.  I’m a bit sniffly.

Novelist: Wait.  Wait a minute.  What the hell am I writing about here?  Where’s my motivation?  Where’s my conflict?  None of this makes any sense!

Man: Oh no.  I’m achy, snuffly, sneezy.  I’m sick!

Novelist: Nobody could possibly like this heroine.  She’s aggressive, boring, wishy-washy, offputting and too stupid to live.  And this plot is like the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of.  Oh my god, this book is going to bomb.

Man: What do you mean, I’ve got a cold?  I’ve got flu!  Flu!  Horrible flu!!!!!!

Novelist: My last book wasn’t like this.  It flowed, effortlessly, and I hardly had to do any revisions before I gave it in.

Man: I’ve never been sick like this before!  Oh God I think I’m going to die!!  No, this isn’t the cold you had on the weekend, it’s much worse!

Novelist: I must torture myself endlessly, walk around with my head bowed and my shoulders tense, and snap at anyone who talks to me.  Because my book is rubbish, I am worthless, and my life is awful!

Man: I must go straight to bed.  My wife surely has a spare few moments between looking after the kids, doing all the housework, and her full-time job to bring me tea and toast and cook me chicken soup from scratch, with dumplings because that’s the way I like it best.  I’m also pretty sure that she’d appreciate being woken up at 3 am so I can tell her I’ve got a headache and have taken an aspirin.  No, I don’t need a hot water bottle!  Well, yes, maybe another cup of tea, though I’m not sure I’ll manage to drink it all, seeing as it hurts so much to sit up.

Novelist: Everyone says that being uncertain of your work is a good thing, because it means you’re stretching yourself.  That means that my self-torture is actually a positive sign that I’m growing creatively.  Right?

Man: My doctor says that I should rest constantly and eat vast home-cooked meals and not do any washing up.  It will help me get better faster.  Right?

Novelist: This book really does stink.  I think my career is over.  Imagine the reviews.  I really might as well admit I can’t write and give it all up before I hideously embarrass myself.

Man: What if this isn’t flu?  What if it’s pneumonia?  What if it’s lung cancer?  Maybe I should look up some symptoms on the internet.  Wait—I’ve got that one!

Novelist: You don’t understand!!!  This is the end of the world!!!

Man: You don’t understand!!!  This is the end of the world!!!

Novelist: I must drink.

Man: How many of these little cups of Nyquil can you take at once?

Novelist: Actually, now that I’m through those awful scenes,  I can see where I went wrong.  And it’s probably not that hard to fix.

Man: Well, you’re the one who told me to stop moaning and get out of bed.  You can’t complain now that I’m underfoot.  Do we have any cheese?

Novelist: I sort of like this book after all.

Man: I’m really feeling much better now.  And besides, the football is on this afternoon and my mates are expecting me down the pub.  Oh, stop going on about it, I only had a bit of a cold.