Did my title to this post say enough?
What can I say, life happened! I got food poisoning this past week and have had a hard time keeping up with anything. In addition to that, I am attacking "the black hole of long standing." This is not a one day, or even one week job. UGH! Sorry that it has been so long since my last post. I missed Father's Day, and really wanted to say something about that. I guess that I will just have to choose another day to honor Dad. I'll surprise you.
On the other hand, the last few days have been extremely productive, writing-wise. I have been writing a short story to post on my website once I activate it. It will be a prequel to the novel that I am currently working on. I hope to have the first draft of the short story finished by tomorrow. Can I crow? I have taken some of the techniques that I have been learning in my writing classes and applied them... I think successfully. You may judge for yourselves after I post it. But, I am so proud of myself. Day before yesterday, I knocked out almost 2,000 words (really something for me), and yesterday I added 1,600 more. About 2,000 more, and I think that I will have this baby ready to age in its own special oak barrel. CAUTION: Although my novel is a Science Fiction Romance with Adventure overtones, this short story is all Futuristic Adventure. It isn't a Romance because the Hero must wait to meet his Lady in their novel. *G* I'll post more later.
Now for my RANT! (aren't RANT's fun?) Yesterday, MSNBC posted a poll online about "Do You Like Romance Novels?":
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25195786/
If you go to the site, you will immediately notice the weasel wording of the questions to be rather manipulative. Being the unreconstructed REBEL that I am, and not liking to be manipulated... I had to comment. I think that they may have opened a rather larger can of worms than they expected. Notice the sum of the first with the last question. If you would like to read the comments, this is the URL: (they're very entertaining *G*)
http://krisharding.newsvine.com/_news/2008/06/18/1589197-vote-do-you-read-romance-novels?threadId=293187&cmt=2003476#c2003476
If you don't have the time, this is what I had to say:
I, like the posters above, also found the term "bodice rippers" to be offensive... even though at first amusing. The writers that I know have amazing intellects. They have to be astute psychologists as well as master craftsmen/women.
However, I wish to add to the posts above that, not only is the term dated, it was consciously meant to be offensive from it's first usage. It was meant to demean women. The very thing that women like about the Romance genre is the Happily Ever After ending. It implies hope for the future, along with commitment and stability within the family. These are the very things that hold a society together. When a man belittles a woman, for any reason, he shows his own deficiencies. When a woman belittles a man, she does the same. Any time one person denigrates another, they are working to destroy the society which gives us all the opportunity to achieve our dreams. Call it what you like, by framing your question as you did, you were trying to influence your poll and, belittling more than half of the population of the Earth. Men like Happily Ever Afters too.
Studies have shown that men whose wives read Romance get their HEAs more often than not.
And that my friends is my RANT. Whew, I feel so much better! Time to go write.
Frances
Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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4 comments:
Go, Frances! Many author friends voted and were offended by their very obvious derogatory description. But couldn't figure out how to post. I think you put it well for many!
Nina, Thank you. I don't like someone implying that I or anyone else is stupid. As one of my friends once said to me, "Ms Frances, God don't like ugly." If you noticed, there wasn't a rude reply in the whole bunch. I am so proud of my smart sisters of the keyboard. *G*
As Groucho Marx sang in DUCK SOUP, we should "stand them up against the wall, and pop goes the weasel."
Hi Brantley,
Mippy from the PNR loop just told me to go check the current results. Over 9,000 readers responded. 52% admitted to being fools and reading "Bodice Rippers." 27% prclaimed their intellectual superiority and never touching the things. 21% forced themselves to be truthful and admit that "well, on vacation...."
That is a wopping 73% that read - horror of horrors - ROMANCE!
Bwahahah, I think the weasel has popped. Happy weasel hunting.
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