When I sat down to write this month’s blog, I decided to talk about why I read and write romance. My trusty thesaurus happened to be open to the letter ‘e,’ so I thought, why not? I'll make a list of
e-reasons. Here for your . . . er . . . elucidation is my list:
1. Ebullience—Nothing like a sparkling historical romance or romantic comedy to cheer and elate you.
2. Eclectic—Romance encompasses everything from the inspirational to the erotic. There’s a romance for everyone!
3. Eclipse—If I’m having a bad day, or even a simplymeh day, a good romance eclipses the blues.
4. Economics—A romance novel is a gloriously inexpensive vacation to foreign lands, other worlds, posh resorts, adventure, and exotic places. Escape between the pages of a good book. It’s cheap entertainment.
5. Ecstasy—Bet you thought I was going to talk about sex, didn’t you? And I am. Nothing like a well-written love scene to make you sigh. And then there’s the ecstasy of a wonderfully well-written story that moves you and transports you beyond yourself.
6. Edification—Don’t know the difference between a barouche and a chaise? Read a Regency romance. Ever wonder how to kill someone with a rolled-up paper napkin? Crack open a romantic suspense. Want your stories in the here and now? Contemporary romance is for you. Or, if you like magic and woo woo, love to read or write the uncanny or the supernatural, are passionate about the weird and strange then perhaps you'd like to . . .
7. Eerie—Get swept up in a paranormal romance.
8. Effect—Change of circumstances. Change in relationship. Change of mind and heart. Internal change. External change. Personal change. Romance is about CHANGE.
9. Élan—Romance writers approach their craft with flair, a love of the craft and storytelling that is contagious. Romance readers are simply the best. Their enthusiasm for the genre is what’s made it so popular and enduring.
10. Element—No matter the subgenre, all romances have one very important thing in common: Love. Vive de l'amour!
11. Elevation—Romance proudly celebrates the transformative power of love. Romance celebrates the ideal, and gives us something to hope and strive for.
12. Elimination—A good romance eliminates the doldrums and annihilates negativity. Hard to be a Debbie Downer when you’re safely ensconced in a good book. And the good guys always win. Lots of satisfaction in eliminating those pesky villains.
13. Emotion—No matter which “flavor” of romance you prefer, it’s all about the emotion. Emotion is what pulls us into a story and keeps us rooting for the hero and heroine. Emotion, in my opinion, is what makes a sex scene sexy.
14. Empowerment—Romance explores the push-me, pull-me of relationships, and the power struggle between humans.
15. Encouragement and escape—A good romance buoys my spirits and takes me away from the day job.
16. Endings—A romance, by definition, always has a happy ending. Yay! I love that.
17. Excitement—That breathless little surge of anticipation and sheer joy you feel when starting a new romance, whether it’s written by one of your tried and true favorite authors or someone new. It’s exciting to lose yourself in a good book.
18. Expectations—Romance won’t let you down. It will meet and satisfy your expectations. What could be better than a good story with a happy ending?
What puts the 'e' in romance for you?