You Write What?

I've lost count of how many times people do a double take, or turn their noses up, when they

Oh my God, she writes smut!

discover what I write. Do they imagine #writing #romance somehow means the writing is sub-par? Inferior? Beneath them?

Now, don't get me wrong, there are some questionable writing techniques out there in the self-published world. Many I've downloaded myself, excited by the cover and blurb, only to be disappointed several pages in because I couldn’t deal with the typos or writing style. It happens. #Writing is very subjective. The old saying, don't judge a book by its cover, has real merit.

On the flip side, I've also #read my fair share of phenomenally well written romance #novels. Ones with intrigue and ‘grip the seat of your pants’ tension. There are those that tackle deep moral issues or heartbreaking tragedies that bring tears to your eyes, and force you to read far into the night.

The press of his hard, demanding lips sends a thrill through my body.

What makes a romance book differ from say a Sci Fi, a murder mystery, or a spy thriller? Romance, of course. At the heart of every story is #love, #passion, and #lust. It’s what drives the #characters, helps them to thwart their enemies, overcome whatever issues derail them, and discover that love conquers all.

Now, if that doesn’t make you all warm and fuzzy on the inside, and bring joy to an otherwise chaotic and evil world, then go ahead, turn your nose up at romance.

But don’t kid yourself. We’ve all dreamed of a story book romance. An all consuming passion that rocks our world. Yes guys, even you. But what happens to our dreams when we harden our hearts against them? They turn into nightmares.

Read a romance. Keep the nightmares at bay. Just saying.