Over at the TRRC yahoogroup, (just visit www.theromancereadersconnection.com and click the link to join or go to, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TRRC ) Anyway over there we got to talking about meeting spouses. And one poster has a story that would make an awesome romance book someday. It got me to wondering, just how many romance stories are based at least in some small part, on fact? How many authors take stories of themselves or someone they know finding love and fictionalize it? Most aren't listed as "based on fact" or "a true story of love". It's all cast as fiction, but is it not possible to be truth? Is that part of what makes us love these stories so very much? The fact that somewhere someone could meet and fall in love in just this way? Or find a love once lost?
Do you know of any stories that are based at least in part, on a true story? Do you know any authors who have taken their own stories of love and wrote them into a fictional tale?
WendyK
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Category books
I'm reading Maureen Child's Desire book, THIRTY DAY AFFAIR. And it's good, really good. These books usually take me a couple of hours, if I have nothing else to do. But while I'm reading this book it brought to mind how many readers grab category books as quick reads, for either waiting at the doctor's office or while on commute, if they ride and don't drive of course. Or do some readers actually read only categorys like my Aunt does. She reads the American Romance and Presents I believe and rarely if ever reads a single title book. So I have to wonder who benefits from the changes in the lines, those of us who seek quick reads or the faithful readers who only read these lines. Is there a difference? Should there be?
I also have to wonder if there's more of a humm what word, an issue with others when they see us reading these books. I get looks when I'm seen reading a category book taht I don't always get when reading a single title. It's a look that somehow these books make me less of a reader. Why? Many of them offer outstanding storylines and you get the feeling you are reading a longer story. Things just progress quicker.
So readers, what do you think of the category lines? Do you love them all? Only read certain lines? Don't like them? What are your feelings?
WendyK
I also have to wonder if there's more of a humm what word, an issue with others when they see us reading these books. I get looks when I'm seen reading a category book taht I don't always get when reading a single title. It's a look that somehow these books make me less of a reader. Why? Many of them offer outstanding storylines and you get the feeling you are reading a longer story. Things just progress quicker.
So readers, what do you think of the category lines? Do you love them all? Only read certain lines? Don't like them? What are your feelings?
WendyK
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
FINALLY I"M HERE
Hi All!
I'm the member of the FOUR LADIES that had to be dragged kicking and screaming into blogging. Let me introduce myself, I'm Livia and I love to read categories, single title contemporary romances and romantic suspense. My favorite authors? I'll give you the top ten, J D Robb, Cindy Dees, Merline Lovelace, Diana Palmer, Linda Howard, Catherine Mann, Vicki Hinze, Betty Neels, Cheryl St, John and Lindsay McKenna.
You'll notice that five of my top ten authors write military romance and they're the best at what they do, which brings me to what I want to blog about today, Military Romances. Write a romance where one of the main characters is a member of the armed services and it immediately becomes an automatic buy for me. I'll buy it whether the author is well known or not, the only thing I ask is that the author make an attempt at researching to get the background facts straight. With the five authors in my top ten, this is not an issue. Three are ex-military and two have ties close enough that they know the facts. Their books are always exciting to read and you can bet the story line will contain interestings facts and tibits that are authentic. Let's not forget that the romance will always be emotional and intriguing, in short a book that satisfies.
Now, in my opinion, it's not always necessary to be heavily connected to the Arm Forces to write a good military romance. Debbie Macomber did it early on with her Navy series, one that I keep close by to read repeatedly. Suzanne Brockmann did it with a minimum amount of authentiction, but her characters are so fascinating one reads the books and puts the questions of realism on the back burner. We all know that Ms Brockmann creates Navy SEALs that do extraordinary things and whether the scenarios are real or not is just not the issue. There are however some newer authors that have taken up the challenge of writing romances that deal with military characters, and are failing miserably.
SEALs and Special Forces sell but only if the right components are used in creating the characters. If you think it's possible to develop a following by putting the military figure in a romance and ignoring the occupation, it doesn't work; at least not for this reader. I want more military romances on my keeper shelf but I also want a little truth to help the story along.
Okay, as my first blog post comes to an end,I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I'll be back often to share my thoughts and comments on books and I look forward to hearing from you.
Livia
I'm the member of the FOUR LADIES that had to be dragged kicking and screaming into blogging. Let me introduce myself, I'm Livia and I love to read categories, single title contemporary romances and romantic suspense. My favorite authors? I'll give you the top ten, J D Robb, Cindy Dees, Merline Lovelace, Diana Palmer, Linda Howard, Catherine Mann, Vicki Hinze, Betty Neels, Cheryl St, John and Lindsay McKenna.
You'll notice that five of my top ten authors write military romance and they're the best at what they do, which brings me to what I want to blog about today, Military Romances. Write a romance where one of the main characters is a member of the armed services and it immediately becomes an automatic buy for me. I'll buy it whether the author is well known or not, the only thing I ask is that the author make an attempt at researching to get the background facts straight. With the five authors in my top ten, this is not an issue. Three are ex-military and two have ties close enough that they know the facts. Their books are always exciting to read and you can bet the story line will contain interestings facts and tibits that are authentic. Let's not forget that the romance will always be emotional and intriguing, in short a book that satisfies.
Now, in my opinion, it's not always necessary to be heavily connected to the Arm Forces to write a good military romance. Debbie Macomber did it early on with her Navy series, one that I keep close by to read repeatedly. Suzanne Brockmann did it with a minimum amount of authentiction, but her characters are so fascinating one reads the books and puts the questions of realism on the back burner. We all know that Ms Brockmann creates Navy SEALs that do extraordinary things and whether the scenarios are real or not is just not the issue. There are however some newer authors that have taken up the challenge of writing romances that deal with military characters, and are failing miserably.
SEALs and Special Forces sell but only if the right components are used in creating the characters. If you think it's possible to develop a following by putting the military figure in a romance and ignoring the occupation, it doesn't work; at least not for this reader. I want more military romances on my keeper shelf but I also want a little truth to help the story along.
Okay, as my first blog post comes to an end,I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I'll be back often to share my thoughts and comments on books and I look forward to hearing from you.
Livia
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