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| By Susan May Warren |
Hey, Friends! This week will probably be a little quiet with so many of my blogging buddies taking a Fourth of July bloggy-break, so I thought I would keep my post short and sweet! On my Facebook page last week I asked this question:
"I'm currently working my way through Kiss & Tell, How to Write a Romance by Author Susan May Warren. My question for you: What is the best love story you've ever read and why?"
I had a couple people respond that the Bible is their favorite love story ~ that was the best answer and I couldn't agree more! ~ but I was actually looking for fiction titles. I should have been more specific!
I enjoyed reading the varied answers, but I thought I would take the question a step deeper and ask this: What do you like about love stories (okay, I'll call them what they are: romance novels ~ I hate the connotation that the title "romance novel" infers) and what don't you like about them? Do you think they depict "real life" or do you think they give us an unrealistic idea of love? Why do you feel the way you do about your answer?
For me, I love reading a good historical novel with a strong romance woven in. I will only read a romance story if I know it's been published by a Christian Publishing House because I believe the current Christian Fiction Market strives to keep romances realistic and God centered. I almost always walk away with a better perspective on my faith and my marriage and I don't believe an author has achieved what she or he has set out to achieve unless their reader feels the same. Readers today have more expectations for their time and money and they won't settle for anything less.
Thanks for participating today! Please feel free to be honest and open with me, even if you don't agree with what I just wrote! I hope to gain a better understanding of romance novels and why people read them or why they don't. Thanks, guys!
~ ~ ~ ~
Congratulations to debut author Keli Gwyn for
her release of A Bride Opens Shop in Eldorado, California
on July 1st! I'm looking forward to
being a guest blogger on her website July 11th!
Great question, Gabrielle! I'm a HUGE sucker for a good romance ;) I think I love Christian Romance because of the chase. I love the little details, the looks, the touches, the small, sweet gestures that build the romance in a God-honoring way. I think less is more and that the suspense is what makes it so romantic! Of course this is coming from someone who has a bit of a bad boy for a hero...he makes my job difficult a time or two :D
ReplyDeleteJoanne, I'm so excited to read Be Still My Soul when it releases! Your bad boy Gideon sounds like so much fun. :) And I love the setting of your story.
DeleteThanks for your perspective on Christian Romances - I agree with everything you've written and less is definitely more.
I love romance. That is really all I read. I just finished one that really was awesome...My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade. She had a way of getting you to feel the characters...I LOVED IT!
ReplyDeleteIs the Kiss and Tell good? I have Inside and Out and The Book Buddy, but I've had my eye on Kiss and Tell for awhile. Would you recommend it?
Sherrinda, I also have From the Inside Out and the Book Buddy and now I have Kiss & Tell. I love Susan May Warren's workbooks - I've read a handful of other craft books, but none of them work for me quite like Susie's. I don't know what it is, but I get her teaching style! Kiss & Tell helped me dive deeply into the romance and love between my two characters and I highly recommend it. Definitely worth your financial investment! You were the one who first told me about the Book Buddy - so thank you!
DeleteI have loved The Book Buddy and I know I will be printing one out for every book I ever write. Like you, the way Susan May Warren teaches just makes sense to me.
DeleteI am definitely putting the Kiss & Tell on my MUST HAVE list!
Gabrielle, I love your points (above)-- and I am also reluctant to say "I write Historical Romance" because of the varying connotations the word "romance" can have. I have to say, I am a sucker for a story where I get to root for the hero and heroine-- where they're both good people. I know it makes it difficult for conflict, tension, and what have you-- but a prime example of this done well is Louisa May Alcott's "The Inheritance" (which she wrote as a teenager!). Love it.
ReplyDeleteWhen people ask me what I write, I hesitate to say romance - even historical romance because people usually think about the historical romances in the secular market. Once when I was talking to some friends of ours and I said I'm writing historical romances, the man said: "So you're writing smut?" I said "No! Christian Historical Romances" and he said: "Basically you're writing smut but putting God's name on it?" He was teasing, but it still makes me uncomfortable to tell people what I write. I generally just say I write historical novels and end it at that. It's too bad, because I believe a beautiful love story can glorify God like nothing else.
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Amanda!
I read a lot of books. The best romance book I've ever read was "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks. Who can't fall in love with a man who courting his wife all over again?
ReplyDeleteHowever, none of my "go-to" books are in this genre. Most of the time I avoid them. As a single person, the evil one mostly uses them against me, placing doubts in my mind about God's plan and longing for my own romance story. At times they just are not healthy for me emotionally and spiritually. I fall in love with the idea of love - rather than a deeper relationship, especially in conjunction with what our world teaches constantly about romance - the fact that you have to distinguish that your books are not smut speaks volumes for this.
Sci-fi and fantasy often seem more realistic to me than most romances. Christian Romance is a whole lot better than secular - at least they take longer than hours/days to develop a real relationship. Even more so, its the predictability that drives me nuts about romances - guy meets girl, they fall in love, some secret/action drives them apart, they work it out, all live happily ever after (and in the case of Christian romance - engaged/married). Is it ever really that simple? But we don't want to read books that don't have a happy ending, do we? Too much like the real world. They are entertainment and their own version of fantasy after all.
If the characters are interesting and engaging, I'm willing to go on the journey, but I'd rather have a story that keeps me guessing. Historical romance is always more engaging to me than a contemporary and if there is a grand adventure that happens to have romance in it - that's even better. I don't mean to be a poo-pooer on romance - there are really good ones out there and do I keep coming back to them. The romantic in me won't give up on them :)
Melissa, thank you so much for this perspective. I know your heart and I know where you're at in life and I agree with the emotional and spiritual dangers involved in reading romance novels. I'm forever in awe of God and how He uses one thing in one persons life and one in another to teach self-control and trust. For some, it's not eating certain foods, for others (like me) it's not watching or reading stories that deal with sickness and disease (I tend to be a hypochonriac) and for others, it's not reading romance - and the list goes on and on. Certain things are stumbling blocks for us and where God convicts us, we need to obey. He has great plans in store for you!
DeleteYou're always in my thoughts and prayers. I'm especially thinking about you and the big job transition! :) Thanks for visiting my blog today, dear friend.
I left a long, profound, epic, meaningful, literate answer. Then my Wi-fi went buh-bye.
ReplyDeleteSo.
I like a good, well written romance that isn't too sweet or too perfect. And one that doesn't have 24 year olds saving the world AND performing surgery.
And tastefully done romance without 50 SHades of Mortifying Crap.
oops, hopefully no one is offended by that last word...my apologies.
DeleteJennifer, I'm sure the long, profound, epic, meaningful, literate answers was everything I had hoped for and more! :) You always bring a smile to my face. And I agree, nothing too sweet or too perfect is any fun to read.
DeleteGabrielle,
ReplyDeleteI write inspirational historical romance, and I don't apologize for it. The way I see it, God is the Author of romance. He's all about love and planted a need to be loved deep inside each of us. If you think about it, many stories include a romance element. Think of Stars Wars. Who didn't want to see Hans and Leia end up together?
When I'm talking with other believers who aren't writers, I don't use the PC "inspirational" term. I say I write Christian historical romance and immediately add that my stories are sweet and squeaky clean. I've found that helps.
I'm so looking forward to having you as my blog guest, Gabrielle. Your story is gonna be great!
Thanks for your perspective, Keli! You (and I) should never apologize for what God has called us to write. By each step of faith hopefully we can change the perception of the romance genre and bring readers closer to the love only God can author.
DeleteMy post is ready to go for the 11th! I had so much fun "reliving" the memories and reading it to my hubby tonight. I hope you enjoy it!
Hey Gabrielle! Great question! I'm sitting here wondering which of my favorite Christian romance novels I could put at the top of my list, and the first couple that comes to mind is David and Ellie from Bodie Thoene's Christian historical "Zion Chronciles" series. What is it about them that makes them so special to me??? I honestly don't know. I suppose a part of it is they come from one of my favorite eras, the 1940s, and they way they speak and act around each other is so cute! David's an WWII fighter pilot working for Israel's Hagana organization. He's wronged Ellie in the past, but he's sorry, madly in love with her, and refuses to take no for an answer. Ellie is a spit-fire red-head working in Israel as a journalist for "Life" magazine. She's witty, fun, and turns every conversation she has with David into an argument. They are so fun to watch...er...read. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've never read the Zion Chronicles, even though I've heard so many good things about them - and I've heard you talk about them before, too! I love WWII era - I should check them out.
Delete