Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Celebrating Romance Authors

Today is International Women's Day. As my Facebook post noted it is a chance to "celebrate the amazing contributions women make to our world and our future."


Although romance authors are not all women, the majority of those authors are. These women are writing in a challenging and amazingly competitive market. And yet, these women are providing an enjoyment to so many readers around the world. They are providing that Happily Ever After that, for many readers, just does not happen in their real life.


These women are challenging stereotypes and addressing issues that many in the real world, including politicians, simply do not want to talk about in public. The present real strategies for dealing with huge emotional topics ranging from abuse, abandonment, unwed mothers, and troubled teens. These are tough topics, and yet, these women are able to address the issues in a way that we can truly relate to.


These women are also writing in a market that, for too long, have viewed romance writing as a less than noble profession. I don't know how many times I have heard other authors make comments of "Oh, you write romance?" and it is generally followed with a snort or other non-verbal implying it is "JUST" romance.


I am sorry to say this, but if you have not written romance, you don't realize how difficult it can be. In a limited about of space you have to get a couple through the first 5 phases of the Mark Knapp model of relationships...


...and make it believable and satisfying. For many on the outside, they seem to believe that romance is just about adding sex to the story. In reality, it is so much more.


And these women have figured it out.


Here is my challenge to you:
  1. If you know someone who is a romance author, send them a quick note and congratulate them on what they are doing (published or not).
  2. If you just read romance, email that author (and their publisher) thanking them for the books you have bought and what they have done that is amazing.
  3. Get online and write an AMAZING 5-Star Review for those authors that you read. Post it on EVERY one of those online sites.
And if you have not read a romance, go out, but one today, and appreciate the amazing ability these authors have.









“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

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